"A fort of 1523 at the edge of the Thar, still lived in by the Karamsot Rathore family who opened it to guests in the 1990s"
Khimsar Fort was established in 1523 CE and the family that built it still inhabits it as its modern day custodians. It stands at the edge of the Thar desert in western Rajasthan, and is home to the Karamsot Rathores, who describe themselves as one of India's only surviving Rajput dynasties of direct descent.
The family's nineteenth descendant, Gajendra Singhji, opened the doors of the fort in the 1990s as one of India's first heritage hotels, and went on to create two further properties in the area, at the dunes and in the village.
What that means for a guest is a working family seat rather than a restored monument, on the desert's edge and within reach of Jodhpur and Bikaner.
In Khimsar, Rajasthan. The nearest airport is Jodhpur (JDH).
Ten tented suites among billion-year-old granite, where leopards live openly alongside Rabari herdsmen. Twice-daily drives, Marwari horses, and candlelit brass baths under the stars.
Rates on request, usually back within the hour
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Twenty-one tents on the golden edge of the Thar: private plunge pools, Manganiyar bards by firelight, and dunes running to the horizon. Jaisalmer's living fortress is up the road.
Rates on request, usually back within the hour
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Twelve campaign-style tents on the edge of Ranthambhore: brass bathtubs, a Tatler-listed jungle spa, campfire cooking, and India's most celebrated tigers a game drive away.
Rates on request, usually back within the hour
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