One is writing this from the cool comfort of one’s garden facing room at the luxurious Samode Palace Resort at Samode in Rajasthan. After having trekked through the Himalayas extensively including Garhwal, Kumaon, Ladakh, Tibet, Nepal and China, it is difficult to believe that 60 km. away from Jaipur, there is a small hillock which can rival the beauty of these Himalayan giants. The Aravalli Hills in Rajasthan stretch from New Delhi to Mount Abu which is the nearest hill- station for north Gujarat residents. One has just returned from Samode after completing the trek through the bridle path leading to the fort located 3 km. from the hill. One can find old wooden houses, shops selling gemstones and narrow streets with heritage havelis and several traditional Rajasthani dhabas at Samode village.

One must start one’s morning trek at 6:00 a.m. and evening trek at 5 p.m. so that one can enjoy the beauty of sunrise and sunset from Samode Palace itself. The area is home to thick dry deciduous forests which carpet the hills. The drive from Jaipur to Samode takes about one hour and takes you through the historic city of Chomu.

Samode Palace Resort is a quaint luxury resort, tucked away in the quietest corner of Samode, and is located short walk away from Samode village. One can trek up the hill in 30 minutes from the resort to watch the sunrise and sunset.

As one heads towards Samode Palace, one walks under the canopy of giant trees that surround my suite. One passes several colourfully painted heritage houses along the way. The Aravalli Hills have a rocky face and look impressive from a distance. As we near the hills it appears as if several large rocks have been placed one on top of the other and which are held in place by invisible threads. It takes about one hour to trek to the highest point in Samode. The journey uphill is slow and arduous but exciting.

One alights at the entrance of the resort and walk up a series of steps to reach the first courtyard of our picturesque resort.

There is a beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Krishna inside Samode Palace. The most hypnotic memory of my stay at Samode Palace is the sound of cymbals at dawn and dusk, announcing the commencement of the arati! One comes across several village houses along the way to Samode Palace from the bus-stop. Enjoying the hospitality of Samode Palace Resort staff and spending time exploring the hills that surround Samode is an awesome experience. Ancient trees are storehouses of cosmic energy having witnessed history over several centuries. There are three giant Banyan trees around the Palace. Hugging the tree and basking in its primordial energy was unforgettable.

One starts one trek in the early hours of the morning. One gets to see and hear the sounds of the jungle as one makes one’s way up through the bridle path. One can see several langurs and long-tailed macaques during the trek. They can be seen swinging wildly from trees and enjoying wild berries.

The uphill journey from Samode Palace takes you through various rock formations and one can see several giant Banyan trees vying with each other for space, outside the palace gates. The trek is a gentle and one can return to the cool confines of one’s room in about 30 minutes.

After taking some well deserved rest and munching on walnuts and raisins to recoup one’s energies, one returns to Samode Palace Resort. The view of Samode Palace from the hill, is nothing short of breath-stopping. Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. I had experienced my breath-stopping moment at Samode!

The view from the hill near Samode Palace is definitely a special moment. Both the sunrise and sunset as seen from Samode are spectacular. The crimson sun, peeks out of the horizon like a shy bride at the start. Soon it becomes a red semi- circle. In minutes it becomes an orb of flame and offers a perfect shot for the experienced photographer.

One of the most interesting meditations in ZeNLP is walking meditation. To be aware of every step taken. Walking in slow motion bringing awareness to every muscle is walking meditation. There is no better place to practice ZeNLP walking meditation than during the trek to Aravalli Hills at Samode. One of the other major attractions during the visit to Jaipur is the Ranthambore National Park.

The giant slabs of rock, sandstone and granite are your constant companions during the trek. There are several tiny empty caves along the trekking route. One can meditate under trees or on the rocks at dawn and dusk, to recharge your energies. Langurs, leopards and macaques abound the thick forests of the Aravallis. However, only vegans like me are fortunate to have a close encounter with these special creations of God. Capturing these moments on a digital camera is an extremely satisfying experience.

There are several other tourist attractions around Jaipur including Jaigarh Fort. Local handicrafts, bangles, blue pottery and traditional clothes are sold at the bazaars of Jaipur. One of the highlights of one’s visit to Samode Palace Resort is to wake up in the early hours of the morning and hear the chirping of birds.

How to get there?:

The nearest international airport to reach Samode is at New Delhi and the nearest domestic airport to reach Samode is at Jaipur. There are several options for Indian tourists to get to Samode from New Delhi.

By flight:

The easiest way to get to Jaipur is by flight. Jaipur is connected to Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi by direct flights. The easiest way to get from Jaipur to Samode is by car. This 60 km. trip takes one hour. RSRTC buses take ninety minutes for the same journey.

Where to eat?:

The vegetarian breakfast at Samode Palace includes hot puris with alu ki sabji. There are very few vegetarian dhabas at Samode who dish up simple fare like roti, dal,aloo ki sabzi etc. Fresh fruits including bananas, papayas and musk-melons are available at streetside kiosks outside Samode. Purchase seedless dates, walnuts, raisins and cashews enroute to Samode and store in an airtight metal tiffin as I did, to recharge yourself during the long walking meditation treks. The chefs at Samode Palace offer many vegan options for raw vegans including delicious organic Alphonso mangoes, walnuts, papayas and soya milk smoothie with bananas, cinnamon and seedless dates. It is as delicious as it looks in the accompanying picture without being cruel to cows and buffaloes!

Where to stay at Samode?:

Samode Palace Resort is the best place to stay. A deluxe suite costs approximately. Rs.23000/- to Rs. 49000/- per night (for two persons including breakfast but exclusive of taxes). High spending Indian and foreign tourists frequent Samode Palace luxury resort at this time of the year. The suites are spacious and can comfortably accommodate a family of four. The bathrooms are luxurious, with hot and cold water showers. If you want to pamper yourself and friends, Samode Palace is for you.

Weather in May:

The weather in May ranges from pleasant to hot. However, impromptu showers towards the evening are common. I slept at 8 p.m. and woke up at 4 a.m.

Another way to get there:

One can take the RSRTC bus from Sindhi Camp Bus Stand Jaipur to Samode which takes 90 minutes via Chomu. Walk down to the Palace which is a short walk from the bus-stop. Avoid the overpriced private jeeps who have a habit of fleecing tourists. Buses to Samode leave at regular intervals from Jaipur from Platform number 4. Samode Palace Resort arranges pick-up and drop from Jaipur Airport at extra charge.

Samode Palace Resort, is a luxury resort that lies nestled in the foothills of the Aravallis at Samode village. Flanked by twin hills on both sides. Samode Palace redefines the word comfort. Four poster beds, period furniture and floral curtains invite you to indulge yourself. Samode Palace has been host to royalties, celebrities and discerned travellers. Curl up with a book in your suite, sink into your lavish bed, or opt for soothing massages at the “Oriental senses Spa” or just let Samode Palace weave its magic on you.

A splendid example of Indo Saracenic architecture, this 475 year old palace is a sensory celebration, underlined by luxury and signature service of the efficient team that made my stay at Samode as comfortable as possible. It was really a great experience to stay at this heritage property.

Samode Palace has three central courtyards draped in greenery and suites are situated one level below and two levels above the reception level. Samode Palace has a very polite and efficient team who are working tirelessly to make one’s stay comfortable. Every staff member is soft-spoken and well-behaved.

I also loved their food as it had lots of vegan options to choose from. Soya milk is available for vegans. All the staff members were very helpful during our stay and we are specially thankful to Mr. Bachi Singh (Guest Relations), Ms. Ahoi (Spa) and Ms. Palden (spa therapist) for their valued time in letting me know about the property and helping me making my trip memorable. This place is surely recommended and I intend to go back again in monsoon when the hills are lush green.

I return after my walking meditation trek to a refreshing glass of nimbu-pani and get an aromatherapy massage at Oriental senses spa at Samode Palace, managed effectively by Ms. Ahoi from New Delhi. I must compliment the accupressure expert Ms. Palden from Bhutan, who dissolved all my aches and pains after the trek in an hour, where I drifted off to sleep while listening to the soothing music and dim lights at Oriental senses spa. The spa treatments alone merit a visit to Samode Palace.

Samode Palace is an ideal place to unwind after returning from one’s morning or evening trek. The most exciting part of living at Samode was to expect the appearance of wildlife during dawn and dusk. The common Indian langur, long tailed macaques and peacocks are often seen on the trees surrounding this picturesque resort. For bookings email pawan@samode.com

I would like to thank Narendra Sharma (F & B), Bachi Singh (Guest Relations), Pawan Singh (Marketing), Yaduvendra Singh (Operations), and Mr. Anshuman Chaturvedi (GM-Samode Bagh) for making my stay an extremely memorable experience. Last but not the least each and every member of the housekeeping team, restaurant team and fine dining team were courteous to me and ensured prompt service with a smile. I really liked the way the staff sprang to attention to shoo away a langur who landed on the breakfast table and took away a few bananas from a guest, who was enjoying her breakfast outdoors!

Every good thing must come to an end and I bid Mr. Bachi Singh goodbye to proceed to sight the leopards at Bera and blackbucks at Chandelaogarh with a return visit to hear the chirping sparrows at Dera Mandawa boutique resort at Jaipur.