Tag Archives: Weekend getaway from Delhi

Nidhivan in Vrindavan – Mystery or Miracle

Vrindavan, once a thick forest area, is today considered as the most spiritual land and a abode of God. The place was once a playground of Lord Krishna and has it’s mention in epics like Mahabharata. Thousands of Pilgrims visit the place every day and some even stay back here forever. There is a temple in every lane and indeed  in every house of Vrindavan. Some of these are architectural marvels (like Iskcon temple) whereas others have mysterious stories linked to them just like the Nidhivan in Vrindavan. So, one weekend we planned to visit Vrindavan with our parents.

Nidhivan in Vrindavan

The first impression of Vrindavan told us there were narrow lanes all over and further by lanes. So, instead of roaming by car, we hired an auto-rickshaw and there began our journey.

Driver– Which temple you want to go. There are 5500 temples 

Me– With a jaw dropped, you said 5500, Really!

Driver – Yes, it is a God’s house. Tell soon which side should I take you first, as it is already 5:00 pm and some of them closes by 7:00pm.

Me – Take us to the Temple which is different and has some interesting story.

Driver – Okay! I will first take you to the Temple which gets locked at 7:00 pm. Lord Krishna visit this place and perform Ras Leela (Type of Dance) with Gopis every night.

Me– What are you talking. Stop telling me this fake story. Let’s go and see the place!

After this conversation, with in next 20 minutes, we were at our destination. A small narrow cobbled street, decked up with sweets and local handicraft shops; and hundreds of Sadhus sitting on each sides took us straight to the yellow stone temple; known as Nidhivan in Vrindavan. The street scene here exactly resembled the scenes at Badrinath Temple except the beautiful Himalayas at backdrop there in Uttarakhand.

Entrance to Nidhivan in Vrindavan

Nidhivan in Vrindavan

The word Nidhivan is formed from two words; where Nidhi meaning “Sleep” and Van means “Forest”. So, the forest is immured with the night talks and love stories of Lord Krishna and Radha. And we will say a green forest with hundreds of entangled twisted trees.

From the time we stepped inside, the guides were continuously behind us. They were convincing us to show the temple as well warning us to keep our phones, cameras, spectacles protected from Monkeys. Honestly, to us Nidhivan seemed to be a land of Monkey’s.

Entry Gate of Nidhivan

The two huge yellow stone gates, with carvings of peacocks, monkeys and flowers, mark the entry and exit to the forest. Monkeys were sitting on the top and in between the doors, scaring every passer. Our guide assured to take care and made us cross the passage.

Entry Gate to Nidhivan in Vrindavan

Inside Nidhivan in Vrindavan

As we entered the gate, we were still standing on the continuing plinth. From there the stairs were going down, leading to the forest and nothing much was visible from there, except the short heightened dense trees. There the guide started:

Tulsi or Holy Basil Trees at Nidhivan in Vrindavan

This is a Tulsi (VanaTulsi)/ Holy Basil forest. These trees are completely hollow from inside and have roots 5 mm above the ground. No water is given to them ever, but their leaves remain green throughout the year. The ones you see brown also turn green at Night.

At night the whole forest lits up. The trees turn to Gopis at night, when Lord Krishna comes here for Ras Leela and as soon as dawn breaks, the Gopis turn back to Basil trees. The trees shift their positions every day. Several People have tied threads to check this fact but they could never find the tied thread, If you see on the ground, there are more than 1600 holes, which are the clear indicator that trees have shifted their position. The leaves of these Basil trees are never broken and the ones which fell themselves are also collected in these holes. And these Basil trees are always found in pairs.

Entangled roots of Basil Trees at Nidhivan in Vrindavan

There are no nests or insects on these trees. The part of these Tulsi trees cannot be taken home and those have attempted to do so, have faced severe consequences. All this sounds interesting but it was equally mysterious too. Listening all this, our mind had started wobbling! We were in total confusion that whether we are in a land of mystery or  it is a miracle.

Saint Haridas Temple

From there we continued our walk in between the fenced forest of Nidhivan in Vrindavan to Saint Haridas Temple. The interesting Legend behind this temple is that a divine Saint Haridas; during 15th century made Nidhivan his base. To impress Lord Krishna (also known as Banke Bihari) he used to play flute. One day the Lord blessed him in his dreams by appearing at the same place in Nidhivan in Vrindavan. So, this place is also known as Prakatya Sathal, which itself means the appearance of Lord Krishna.

The Samadhi or grave of Sanit Haridas is also located on the extreme right end of Nidhivan in Vrindavan.

Lalita Kund/ Well in Nidhivan

Cross the Temple and you will see a small well inside the premises. The story for this is– Once while performing Ras Leela, Lalita the close friend of Shree Radha became thirsty and to quench her thirst, Lord Krishna built a well there with his flute. So, this well is known as Lalita Kund. To us, it looked like a harvesting well to us and was not maintained.

Lalita Kund or Well in Nidhivan in Vrindavan

Are you guys also in some different world? But this is not the end, still the other mysteries or miracles have to open up their veil.

Rang Mahal

From there we continued our walk to Rang Mahal or the Shingar (dressing) room of Radha. It is a single room with a bed, silver lining dressing table loaded with ornaments and beauty products. The ritual here is that every day after 7:00 pm i.e. after Aarti, priests puts toothbrushes, sarees, bangles, paan (Betel) leaves, holy water in jug, sweets and a ready bed. Next morning, everything is found scattered as if someone has used it.

Rang Mahal at Nidhivan in Vrindavan

So, it is believed that Lord Krishna comes here every night. Gopis and Radha dresses up in Rang Mahal and plays Ras Leela. Till day, no one has seen this happening and the one who has attempted so has either lost his eyesight, voice, mental balance or have died. So, to avoid entries, the gates of temple are closed after Aarti and no one is allowed to stay inside the premises. The locals say that even monkeys leave the premises after Aarti.

Shree Radha Temple

The geometric design floor where Lord plays Ras Leela with Radha comes before the Radha Rani Temple at Nidhivan in Vrindavan. In the temple, there is a diety of Shree Radha playing a flute. It is built in the memory, when Radha stole the flute of Krishna along with her sakhis (girlfriends) Lalita and Vishakha and started playing it. The tree outside this temple had differently entangled branches which resembled the shape of Lord Krishna. People around claimed they could see it, but I think our senses were corrupted by now. We were completely lost in the dilemma of mystery or miracle or  is it a money making game.

Tree which resembles Idol of Lord Krishna and Radha Rani Temple at Nidhivan in Vrindavan

And there we were almost at the exit gate and the circuit has completed. The entire forest or the land of mystery was visible from here.

Around the Nidhivan Temple there are hundreds of houses, which have their windows opening up to the views of forest. But the people living in it, don’t dare to look or open up their windows after 7:00 pm, because of the fear or belief. Indeed, some of the locals have closed their house windows permanently with bricks. Some also claim to have heard the Ghungroos/ anklets voice at night.

Exit gate of Nidhivan in Vrindavan

Our Experience at Nidhivan in Vrindavan

Nidhivan in Vrindavan is truly a mysterious land or the miracle of God.  Everything seems possible here. The place attracts not only devotes but also the scientists,  tourist or travelers. Devotees from all over the world comes here to worship and priest or guide tries to show them God in their own way.

How to Reach Vrindavan

Vrindavan can be reached from Delhi by rail or road.

Rail – The Nearest Railway station is at Mathura i.e. 14 kilometers from Vrindavan and from there hire a cab/ bus or auto to reach Vrindavan. Every 15 minutes an auto or bus runs to Vrindavan.

Road – Vrindavan lies 193 kilometers from Delhi and can be reached in 2.5 hrs via Yamuna Expressway

Best time to go Vrindavan

The best time to go Vrindavan is in winters i.e. from October to March or monsoons. In Summers (April – June), the temperatures are soaring.

Note: Photography inside the Temple was not allowed and we respected that

Nidhivan in Vrindavan

If you like it, please share it with your friends and family. And do share your experience of Nidhivan with us, we will be happy to know your views on the same.

Safari in Sariska Tiger Reserve: Call of the wild

The alarm had already rung thrice but the warmth of quilts and pin drop silence was not letting us step out of our beds.  At the back of mind, I imagined black and yellow striped big cat crossing in real and that excitement finally pushed me out of bed. I pulled the curtain to see out, it was still pitch dark, mist was hiding the dense beauty of jungle and there was hardly anything visible beyond 1 meter. There; I woke Tashi up and asked, are you sure we are going for Jeep Safari in Sariska Tiger Reserve. I doubt they will take us in so much fog and we will see the ferocious beautiful big cat – Tiger.

Jungle Safari in Sariska Tiger Reserve

Without further discussion we stepped out to buy the safari tickets. The counter opened at 6:00 am and we were the first ones at window counter. Jeeps and canters were already lined up for 7:00 am Safari, with their engines on; and the guides were sipping tea gathered around the bonfires. Next 5 minutes we got our tickets with guide name Mr. Ramesh mentioned on it. We met him there and he directed us to be ready, outside our Hotel The Tiger Den.

Jeep Safari in Sariska Tiger Reserve

By 7:00am, darkness had already lifted; and an open jeep was standing at our gate. We jumped in with the excitement each occupying the corner seats as the whole gypsy belonged to us but then got to know three more members had to fit in from our Hotel itself. Like a child, I asked Ramesh, will we see tiger today. He turned, glared at me and with a small smile answered – Hanji, mam jaroor dikahega (Yes! Mam for sure you will see it). That raised my hopes and I crossed my fingers. We left in next 5 minutes and reached Gate No.1. After getting our tickets checked, we entered the Sariska Tiger Reserve.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhMcHAVHQh8/?taken-by=suruchimittal

The Jungle appeared much darker and quite inside. Dusty trails had the tires prints marked on it and some animal paws prints too. The sun rays started filtering out from the leaves shading the sky and jungle in the golden hues. Peacock started chanting and came out from the bushes on the trail.

Peacock at Sariska Tiger Reserve - National Park, India

I shouted with the excitement, whereas everyone’s camera’s started making a “click” “click” noise. Not one but group of peacock and peahen crossed the trail completely nonchalantly, after all it was her territory and we were the aliens.

Quail at Sariska National Park- Sariska Tiger Reserve
Quail

On the other side, we saw Quail, sitting together in a group of four, guessing the way to fight winters and stay warm. Nilgai / Blue Bull a bit far was raising her neck to find some food over the branches, but coexisted beautifully in the surrounding. After the continuous up and down trail, we saw a huge pond in the middle of the trail which used to be tiger shooting spot by kings, which made us clear the reserve area was never free from human settlements.

Bird in the Pond used by Royals to hunt Tiger at Sariska Tiger reserve

Few meters ahead, we saw spotted deer/ Chital, hovering over the bushes and a herd of Sambhar moving in line towards the another pond for some morning drink. The dusky sky with sun-rays plunging from it was making the Sariska Tiger reserve look extraordinary. Seeing all the natural habitat I actually forgot about the tiger.

Spotted Deer at Sariska National Park - Sariska Tiger Reserve

Sambar moving towards water body at Sariska Tiger Reserve

And it was already half time, we had reached the check post diverging into three ways one from where we entered and the other to Tehla and Pandu Pul/ Pandupol. The check post inside was more of a devastated museum, with some skulls on the display. Seeing the gypsies sanding there, we realized it’s not only us, but several jungle lovers are on the go. And none of them had spotted the big cat till now.

Checkpost at Sariska Tiger Reserve

In the mean-time folk of Rufous Treepie, the cousin of Magpie had already found its branches on the jeep. We must say they are one of the super friendly beautiful birds.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgRbZi9gmsN/?taken-by=suruchimittal

From there, we hopped back to the jeep and started towards another pond or Kankwari lake. On the way we observed the activities of Langurs, Wild Boars, and Rhesus Monkeys. The Kankwari lake just beneath the Kankwari Fort, situated on the hilltop. Half of the pond had dried up and the rest had some Stork birds, peacock and crocodiles were quenching their thirst.

Stork Birds at Sariska Tiger Reserve

Till now, we couldn’t spot the Tiger! which had woken and pushed us out of the bed. But still the experience was thrilling and 3.5 hrs passed away like an hour. Apart from the above birds and animals, Sariska Tiger reserve area is rich in Leopards, jackals, Hyenas, Civets etc. The sanctuary has more than 200 species of birds. So, is a paradise for avid birdwatchers too.

Langurs on the way to Pandupol in Sariska Tiger Reserve

The Sariska Tiger Reserve spread in 866 square kilometers is a hidden treasure. The dry deciduous forest along with Rocky landscapes, shrubs and hilly cliffs in the Aravalli range, makes the topography look completely stunning. Although Sariska Forest is dry deciduous but is equally rich with lakes and water-bodies. The low lying forest is lined by Salai, Ber, Khair trees whereas the upper hills have a canopy of Dhok trees. In monsoons the whole land turns to lush green, giving an ethereal feel.

AllGudThings at Sariska Tiger Reserve

History of Sariska Tiger Reserve

The Sariska Sanctuary is believed to have mythological as well Historic significance.

Mythologically: It is the place where strongest Pandava Bhishma was defeated by Lord Hanuman. So, there is a shrine dedicated to Lord Hanuman at Pandupol which means “gateway of the Pandavas”. The Shrine is visited by thousands of devotes on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Historically: The beauty of the place was under the eye of royals too. The Kankwri Fort was built by Maharaja Jai Singh II. The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb imprisoned his elder brother Dara Shikoh here.

And before 1955, it was used as a private hunting ground by Maharaja of Alwar, to entertain himself, his guests and royals.

Post used by royals for Tiger Hunting at Sariska Tiger Reserve

How to Reach Sariska

Sariska lies 200 kilometers from Delhi, 120 kilometers from Jaipur and 35 kilometers from Alwar in Rajasthan. The nearest airport is at Jaipur whereas the nearest railway is at Alwar. From Alwar, there are several operational cabs and buses till Sariska. Having good transport connectivity, we say it is a perfect weekend getaway from Delhi, Jaipur and Alwar.

Route from Delhi for Road trip:

Delhi – Gurugram – Bhiwadi – Chikani – Alwar- Sariska

Best Season to Visit

The best season to visit Sariska Tiger Reserve is from November to April. After that the temperature starts soaring in Rajasthan; going between 45 to 50 degree Celsius. The Park closes down in monsoon from July to September.

Timings and Cost for Jeep Safari in Sariska Tiger Reserve

At Sariska National Park, Jungle Safari takes place twice a day.

Summers:  Morning Shift from 6:00 am to 9:30am and Evening Shift from 3:00 pm -6:30 pm

Winters: Morning Shift from 7:00 am to 10:30 am and Evening Shift from 2:30 pm -6:00 pm

The cost for jeep Safari is Rs. 762/- per person and additional Rs. 600 /- for videography camera. (You don’t need to pay for DSLR cameras, as we did a blunder) whereas for canter it is Rs. 400/-.

Ideally, canter is more economical but there are 20 people in one canter whereas in Jeep there are 4 to 6 people. Moreover the jeep has more maneuverability on narrow trails.

Pandupol Temple in Sariska Tiger Reserve

The best is, that on Tuesdays and Saturdays one can drive inside the Sariska Tiger Reserve, till Pandupol by his/her own vehicle by just paying Rs. 250/- at Sariska Gate or Tehla Gate. We did another trip around 12 in our vehicle and took exit through Tehla Gate, further heading to haunted Bhangarh Fort.

Tehla Gate - Sariska Tiger Reserve

How to Book Sariska Tiger Reserve Safari

The Safari can be booked online at http://fmdss.forest.rajasthan.gov.in/ or the ticket can be purchased at the window counter. We recommend to book it online to avoid Queue as well unnecessary hassles. Even after online booking, you need to go to the window counter to get a hard copy and to know your vehicle and guide.

While Booking online there are Routes option, select Rout 1 and 3 as the probability of spotting a tiger is bit high in these areas. We selected Route 1, still couldn’t spot it.

Accommodation

There are multiple stay options in Sariska Tiger Reserve ranging from guest houses, tents, government guest houses to luxurious hotels.

We stayed at Hotel Tiger Den, the government property managed by RTDC (Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation).  It lies just 500 meters from the Sariska Tiger Reserve entry gate and costs around Rs.3500/- per night including food.  You can book it from here.

The Tiger Den Hotel - Sariska Tiger Reserve

Overall Experience of Safari at  Sariska Tiger Reserve

The Sariska Tiger Reserve is a perfect weekend getaway for wildlife & bird lovers and nature enthusiast. We  feel it is more of a wildlife reserve than the Tiger Reserve. Although, we couldn’t see the striped beast there but the overall experience was amazing.

Interesting Fact: At Sariska Tiger Reserve, there are only 14 tigers and more than 1 Lakh Peacock.

Our advice is – Don’t go with expectation to spot Tiger only. It’s a rare chance to spot the beast. People/ Wildlife photographers either might have been too lucky or must have spent many days there to capture them.

National Park- Sariska Tiger Reserve

Important Tips

  • Carry a shawl/ scarf, hat/ cap and googles as the trails are really dusty. These accessories will protect you from cold in the winters and from heat in the summers.
  • Do carry a water bottle
  • Please do not feed birds and animals on the way
  • Do not get out of your vehicle without your guide’s permission
  • Follow the rules and guidelines mentioned on the pass
  • Click pictures without disturbing the animals in their habitat
  • While driving by your own vehicle, remember to maintain a slow speed, not more than 30-40 km/ hour
  • If you find a wildlife animal crossing the trail on your way, stop your vehicle and give them the way first
  • And most important don’t litter in the Jungle. Please bring back your bottles and wrappers. This will be helpful for the animals as well environment

 Jungle Safari in Sariska Tiger Reserve

Aamod Resort Shoghi: Unwind in the lap of nature

Waking up to the birds chirping, in the private cottage dotted with pine and oak trees, sipping morning tea & handcrafted cookies with sunrise at the cliff, strolling aimlessly among the tranquil trails, spotting Kalka Shimla toy train from various tunnels, mountain climbing, rappelling and endless conversation with staff of Aamod Resort Shoghi are some of the beautiful memories that have etched in our heart forever.

Entrance to Aamod Resort Shoghi

About Aamod Resort Shoghi

The Aamod Resort Shoghi is a Luxurious eco-friendly retreat tucked in between several feet tall pine and oak trees on NH 22. The resort is 16 kilometers before the hustle bustle of Shimla, completely amidst nature.

Aamod Resort Shoghi

We did this trip, along with our winter expedition to Spiti Valley in January 2018. We were invited by escape Route and hosted by the Aamod Shoghi Resort.

Welcome

As we crossed Dharampur in Himachal, we saw the valley view’s getting widened, the fresh air opening our blocked senses and the roads getting dotted with pine and oak trees. The sky was deep blue with some haze on the mountains, but the sun was ready to say goodbye in an hour or two. After an hour’s drive, we reached the resort and were greeted “Namaste” with folded hands by the staff at the parking.

The staff unloaded our luggage into their private vehicle and took us through the narrow lanes to the resort entrance.

Aamod Resort Shoghi, Entrance

As soon as we stepped down, the first impression was: nicely blended work in the woods, mud layering from outside and dark paneling from inside giving a perfectly traditional and modern feel. The hanging pots outside the open cafe and the use of local elements added a charm to the whole place. The big glass windows inside the restaurant – Colonial were beautifully framed to get the complete view of the jungle around and to bring enough light to the dark furnishings.

Inside Colonial Restaurant: Aamod Resort Shoghi

The check-in formalities were done in seconds while sharing a hot cup of Kahwa with Mr. Harish (General Manager) and from there promptly we were guided to our super deluxe cottage 101.

Aamod Resort

The resort has in total 20 cottages spread on the mountain slopes and tops, without disturbing the forest land. They are categorized into deluxe (11), super deluxe (6), family (2) and family deluxe cottage (1).

The narrow, jungle trails shaded by several feet tall trees, curl up and down in the whole property taking you to the adventure zone, spa, private couple Jacuzzi, Glade (the conference room) and open terrace.

The Cottage

The cottages have been handcrafted well; keeping in mind the comfort, luxury and perfect synchronization with nature. We were put in deluxe cottage 101. It was quite spacious with bespoke furniture and a large patio that overlooked the valley, mountains and a running toy train track underneath.

Super Deluxe Cottage nestled in the woods - Aamod Resort Shoghi

As soon as you enter the cottage, there is a foldable recliner on one end, a king sized bed on other and a wooden closet leading you to the separate toilet and bathroom.

Luxurious Super Deluxe Room at Aamod Resort Shoghi
Super Deluxe Room at Aamod Resort Shoghi

The room is perfectly equipped with all the modern amenities ranging from the bar, hot water kettle, heater, workstation and electric bed warmers etc.

Food

If food is something that keeps your wanderlust awake, then Aamod Resort Shoghi will prove to be the delectable treat for you. They offer lavish buffets in the breakfast, lunch, and dinner or one can order ala-carte too. The buffets specialize from continental, oriental, Indian, Italian, Mexican, Chinese & traditional Himachali cuisines.

Live Kitchen at Aamod Resort Shoghi

We believe that when in Himachal one must feast on the local cuisines. So, do try their Himachali cuisines – in particular, the Mal puddas with Khatti kadu Chatni and Siddus. The aroma of freshly used spices and ingredients, in the cuisines, is enough to tickle your taste buds and further aggravate your hunger.

Mal Purra with Khatti Kadu Chutney: Aamod Resort Shoghi

Aamod Shoghi has a separate bakery section and we loved their Variety. The kiwi crush, marble and chocolate cake goes to our favorite list. The Jam donuts too is another recommendation and a must try too.

Before Dinner Scenes - Aamod Resort Shoghi

Dining & Bar

The food and drinks can be enjoyed in the indoor and outdoor dining area “Colonial” with a bonfire. They serve the variety of spirits and handcrafted cocktails. We recommend you to try their newly introduced: Gin based Lodge cocktails.

The Colonial; open restaurant at Aamod Resort Shoghi
The Colonial Restaurant

Apart from this, if you wish to enjoy food with valley views from your balcony then you can order ala- carte. The kitchen is open till 11 pm.

Activities at Aamod Resort Shoghi

If there is a widespread patio in front of cottages to unwind, relax and enjoy nature, then there are a plethora of activities to get some adrenaline rush, sweat and detoxify you.

There is a recreational room, adventure activity zone, mountain cycling, nature walks and spa to cool down, & rejuvenate. The private Jacuzzi at the cliff followed by some romantic dinner is for some romantic moments together.

Recreation Room:

The recreation room lies next to the reception area and has a variety of indoor games like monopoly, scrabble, Ludo, Carrom, Table Tennis etc. There is a collection of books and DVD’s to enjoy some classics.

Recreation Room- Aamod Resort Shoghi
Recreation Room

Adventurous Zone:

There is a 9 step extensive rope course in the adventure zone of Aamod Resort Shoghi. The activities involve from Burma Bridge crossing to fox flying, rope bridge walk, commando net, tire riding and many more.

And if you want to have some more thrills like us, try mountain climbing and rappelling from a 40 feet high mountain rock face.  It is rarely scary if you look down but it’s equally fun, after taking the first step. Imagine, I did it twice after the horror of the first one.

All these adventurous activities are carried only after making one wear safety wear with belay and under the supervision of a trained supervisor. So, it’s really safe for adults as well kids.

Tyre Crossing - Adventure activities at Aamod resort Shoghi
Tyre Crossing

Nature Walks:

If you like walking aimlessly with your spouse in the jungle or want to give a wood experience to your family and children while listening to the birds chirping, then do plan a nature walk with Aamod Resort Shoghi. There are several walking trails near the property for nature walk which lasts from 1 hour to half day.

One of the walks we did was along the UNESCO world heritage Kalka Shimla railway track. It was purely a heritage walk taking us back to the Britishers time, history was all around and the cool breeze from the valleys and mountains was enough to dry our sweat.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeKwP8zHH3P/?taken-by=suruchimittal

While spotting toy train we too experienced the rich flora and fauna. We tried Baboon and Tung Datoon (Datton is a substitute of toothbrush & toothpaste which locals use for cleaning teeth) during our walk and the staff surprised us with hot tea and cookies on the midway of the hike. We must say it was an experience to cherish for!

Spa & Open air Jacuzzi: Sublime Area

The Sublime area on the mountain cliff houses both spa rooms and Jacuzzi for individuals as well couples. The rooms overlook the mountains and have huge glass windows to be well lit and warm during the sessions. We recommend taking Spa and Jacuzzi session during sunrise and sunset. At that time, the sky is lit in hues ranging from blue to orange and the whole place looks totally serene.

Couple Spa Rooms at Aamod Resort Shoghi
Couple Spa Rooms

We opted for evening Spa and Jacuzzi session. It started with the Ayurvedic massage with hot oil. The total kneading and pressuring continued for 1 hour from toe to head, leaving us completely relaxed. Further, at the end, we were handed the bathrobes and directed to the hot water couple Jacuzzi. We were stunned to see the sun was already at the climax and had painted the sky well.

Couple Jacuzzi with Sunset view at Aamod Resort Shoghi

Spa Sessions can vary from 30 to 90 minutes whereas Jacuzzi sessions are for 35 minutes.

Toy Train Ride & Train Spotting

The other activity to enjoy here is Kalka Shimla toy train ride. But, instead of taking a ride we opted for catching the train at various tunnels and stations. It was pure fun and adventure. Train Spotting needs a separate post. For timings, please enjoy this video.

Private Romantic Dinner on the Ridge

The private romantic dinner set up on the cliff left us completely in awe. The sky was glowing and the cutlery, candles, flowers, wine glasses everything was perfectly arranged for us to go on a romantic date. Steward was on our table end to make us special throughout. I wish there was some romantic music to side bye to make it look like a movie scene.

Watch Sunrise & Sunset from the ridge

The Sunrise & Sunset in mountains is every photographer’s delight and the Aamod resort Shoghi provides a true spot to capture glittering sky. While clicking, staff can serve you tea/ coffee with cookies at the ridge.

Morning tea with sunrise at ridge: Aamod Resort Shoghi
Morning tea with sunrise at Ridge
Sunset from The ridge at Aamod Resort Shoghi
Pic Credits: Ankur Gupta

Camping

For camp lovers, there is an ideal spot at the ridge to camp overnight and learn about the jungle survival. Aamod resort charges a minimum amount for this experience.

Camping At Aamod Resort Shoghi

In addition to all the activities mentioned above, the Aamod resort Shoghi also arranges for yoga, meditation sessions, village tours, mountain cycling, storytelling by locals and team building activities; but only on prior information.

Sight-Seeing

Shimla lies just 16 kilometers from the resort. So, one can go & explore the colonial town and other nearby towns like Fagu, Mashobra, Chail, Barog etc.

Overall

The Aamod Resort Shoghi truly lives to the name of being an eco-tourism resort. They have impeccable services, nature love, scrumptious food, spa and Jacuzzi with valley views and one of the best adventure services. In short, if you are looking some good time in the woods, away from city jungle, then this is the place for you.

Aamod Resort Shoghi

Additional Information

Route: Delhi – Ambala – Zirakpur – Dharampur – Shoghi

Total time to Reach: 7-8 hours

Roads: Excellent graveled roads, Highway but few bad patches after Jabli because of the road widening project.

How to Reach: The eco-friendly Aamod resort at Shoghi can be reached by car, train or by air.

Train: There are no direct trains between Delhi & Shoghi. So, one can reach by taking Shatabadi Express till Kalka and further Kalka Shimla Himalayan Toy Train till Sanklaghat (on the way to Shimla). From there, call up Mr. Kamal to pick you up.

Air: Take a flight from Delhi to Shimla. From Shimla, you can either hire a private cab or ride by Himalayan toy train till Sanklaghat.

We thank Mr. Sumit for arranging and Mr. Harish and Mr. Kamal for giving us wonderful, handcrafted, memorable experiences here.