Experiences at Mela Camp
There are three landscapes here and they behave very differently. The river is where the gharials, dolphins and skimmers are. The ravines behind it — the badlands that gave the Chambal its reputation — are a dry, broken, extraordinary country full of jackals, nilgai and raptors. And the farmland and villages between the two are where most of the birds and all of the people are. A two-night stay covers all three comfortably. One night covers the river.
Bateshwar Temple
Shouripur Jain Temples
Holipura Heritage Walk
Bijkouli Potters Village
Rapri
Etawah
Bhareh
Rapri
Etawah
The Arrival
The road in is the first thing guests remember. Tarmac gives way to a kaccha wildlife track, the traffic noise drops off behind you, and by the time you reach the bamboo reception you have already left one landscape for another. Nothing about that entrance is decorative. It is simply what the last kilometre to this property looks like.
Saras Village
Saras Village is the concept the lodge is built around — bringing the character of rural Chambal into the stay rather than sealing guests off from it. Open courtyard, natural materials, local craftsmanship, and a rhythm that slows down deliberately.
The Village Courtyard
The courtyard is the social centre of the property — where guests eat, where the fire is lit in the evening, and where most of the conversation about the day’s safari happens. Meals are served in local style, including traditional pattal dining, alongside chulhe ki roti and regional cooking done the way it is done in the villages nearby.
Ghariyal — open-air dining
Ghariyal is the lodge restaurant, designed as an open dining experience within the courtyard. Twenty covers indoors, twenty covers open-air. The menu leans regional and seasonal, because that is what the farm is producing that week.
Chambal Farming
Chambal Farming is the organic farm on the estate, growing vegetables and produce specifically for the lodge kitchen. The distance from the field to the plate is measured in metres. It is farm-to-table in the literal sense rather than the marketing sense — which, at a lodge this far off the supply chain, is as much practicality as philosophy.
Everything You Need
Curated Journeys
Serene beauty of untouched nature to the vibrant energy of bustling cities, travel offers endless possibilities
Grand Adventures
It’s not just about the destinations but also the journeythe people you meet, the stories you share and the lessons
Global Getaways
It reminds us of the importance of stepping out of our comfort zones and embracing the unknown
Campfire
Travel enriches the soul and broadens perspectives it teaches us to
Fishing
Appreciate the beauty of the world and the shared humanity that binds us all
Camping
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Barbeque
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Swimming
Each trip is an opportunity to escape the ordinary, uncover hidden treasures