Royal Tented Luxury Lodges

India is full of beautiful palaces and forts that have been turned into hotels. However, sometimes getting away from it all in the middle of nowhere is equally attractive, and to do that one may have to camp. But this isn't camping as we know it: this is pure luxury. Below, find our round-up of the best tented camps in India.

Jawai Leopard Camp

Lying at the heart of an untrammelled wilderness, where leopards roam wild and free, is SUJÁN’s Jawai Camp. Staying true to our goals for conservation without compromising comfort, JAWAI has 10 luxurious tents, each with oodles of space and privacy that rest encapsulated in a landscape surrounded by craggy granite formations of caves, kopjes, Anogeissus scrub and winding sand river–beds.

The vibrant Rabari herdsmen who have shared this landscape with wildlife for centuries signify the organic and continuing link between local culture and wildlife, a relationship SUJÁN is deeply committed to nurturing, in the face of rapid change as a means of fulfilling our commitment to conservation; of cultures and wildlife.

These aims are: a preservation of the Earth as a source of life through low-impact eco-tourism, wedding local cultures and communities to this model through commerce and enterprise, and sharing our creation with a partnership of like-mindedness across the world. Our model becomes a method for the preservation of the earth and a SUJÁN camp becomes the centre of a custodianship for our environs.

The Serai, Jaisalmer

The only way to experience the desert in style, this super-luxe camp and spa is set on a private estate outside the walls of the ancient city. The standard tented suites clock in at over 1,000 square feet while the luxury suites come with a private walled garden and a heated private pool. Guests are encouraged to go on camel safaris into the desert, explore the historical fort or view the wonderfully intricate Jain temples. With the Suján spa to help unwind after a long day, The Serai is the perfect desert tented camp.

Chhatra Sagar, Nimaj

Located on the top of a 19th century dam, this resort overlooks the reservoir beneath and the fertile greenery of the Jodhpur desert oasis. Chhatra Sagar is perfect for bird watchers and stargazers, as well as those searching for that ultimate big sky experience. The luxurious tents are decked out in elegant local fabrics and all come with expansive views over the water beneath.

Royal Tented Camp

A movable feast, the Royal Tented Camp migrates around India to coincide with some of its most iconic festivals - the Pushkar Camel Fair, out in the desert of Rajasthan, the World Spirit Sufi Festival that takes place in the Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur and the annual livestock fair at Nagaur. The tents are decorated in warm Indian fabrics and while not as luxurious as some of their counterparts above, they are the ideal way to immerse yourself in the festivities.

The Ultimate Travelling Camp

Essentially a pop-up criss-crossing India to land in out-of-the-way places, the Ultimate Travelling Camp is comprised of individually designed tents with en-suite bathrooms, crisp linen and your very own butler. They first appeared in Ladakh, from where they are moving to Kohima in Nagaland for the Hornbill Festival and then onto Dudhwa National Park. The camp can also be privately booked if money is no object.