RAAS Chhatrasagar, Nimaj, Rajasthan | Exclusive Villa Collection

Nimaj · Marwar, Rajasthan: sixteen tents on the shore of Lake Chhatra Sagar, in 1,500 acres of rewilded countryside

RAAS Chhatrasagar

A luxury tented camp with hand printed interiors on the shore of Lake Chhatra Sagar, the reservoir a Marwar noble dammed in 1890, set amid 1,500 acres of rewilded countryside at Nimaj, two hours from Jodhpur and open every day of the year.

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The house

In stills

A first reading of the stay: rooms, light, and the quiet between them. Each still is a note, not a catalogue.

The Baradari at RAAS Chhatrasagar at sunset, chairs and a table between the pillars and the sun low over the lake — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

The tents of RAAS Chhatrasagar set along the stone dam wall above the water, their roofs planted with grasses and flowers — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

A pelican and reeds hand printed on the canvas of a tent at RAAS Chhatrasagar, above a blue sofa — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

The pool at RAAS Chhatrasagar at night, the lit pavilions and the stone walls reflected in the water — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

A boat on Lake Chhatra Sagar seen from above, among clumps of green trees standing in the water — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

Pelicans resting together in the shallows of Lake Chhatra Sagar — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

A stone staircase and paths between trees and old stone walls at RAAS Chhatrasagar — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

The stone kund at RAAS Chhatrasagar, terraced steps down to the water and a small temple beyond — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

The bar in the Baradari at RAAS Chhatrasagar, a long counter beneath paper lanterns and windows onto the trees — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

Loungers beside the pool at RAAS Chhatrasagar at sunset, trees and open country beyond — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

Two guests kayaking on Lake Chhatra Sagar beneath the trees — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

Two travelers at the carved stone doorway of an old temple on a village outing from RAAS Chhatrasagar — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

Deer grazing on the grassy shore of the lake at RAAS Chhatrasagar, a flock of birds on the ground nearby — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

Two green parakeets on a branch at RAAS Chhatrasagar — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

Lantern lit steps and a path leading to the luxury tents at RAAS Chhatrasagar at dusk — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

The Experience

How the days feel

In the late nineteenth century Thakur Chhatra Singh of Nimaj, a noble of the desert kingdom of Marwar, dammed a seasonal stream that crossed his estate to hold the monsoon rains. The dam was finished in 1890, the dry scrub below it became farmland, and the reservoir took his name: Chhatra Sagar. By the early twentieth century it was the place to entertain, and building was kept deliberately light so that the open sky remained the point.

RAAS Hotels took on Chhatra Sagar in 2019. Sixteen tents now look across the water, built in Jodhpur sandstone and teak and dressed in hand printed textiles drawn from the land around them: a pelican flying across the ceiling, a nilgai peering from a curtained corner, kingfishers on the cushions. Each has sit outs on two sides, one toward the lake and one onto the wilderness.

Around the camp, 1,500 acres of land once given up by farming have been left to rewild. More than 200 species of birds have been recorded here, pelicans, snipes, golden orioles and green winged teals among them, while nilgai, jackals, foxes, porcupines and wild boar move through the scrub. Days go to walks on the nature trails, an open jeep across the countryside, a boat or a kayak out on the lake, and visits to the farming and shepherd families whose forebears Thakur Chhatra Singh invited to settle here.

Evenings turn to the water: sundowners on the hilltop or aboard the boat, dinner in the Baradari above the lake or by candlelight beside the pool, and talk around the fire with the naturalist before the stars come out.

Why EVC loves it

Why we would send you here

A lake with a history Chhatra Sagar was dammed in 1890 by a Marwar noble to hold the monsoon, and its water still feeds the fields around the camp.
Printed from the land Canvas hand printed with the pelicans, nilgai and kingfishers of the reserve, over Jodhpur sandstone and teak, in tents of about 510 square feet.
Countryside given back 1,500 acres of former farmland left to rewild, with more than 200 species of birds recorded and nilgai, jackals and foxes in the scrub.
Comfort in every season Air conditioned, soundproofed tents, a temperature controlled pool and a spa, in a camp that stays open all year.
Room for the family Four family tents add a children's room through an interconnecting door, and the lake, the jeep and the organic garden keep young naturalists busy.

Accommodations

Sixteen tents, two kinds

Sixteen tents above Lake Chhatra Sagar, among them four family tents and two twin tents, each about 510 square feet with a bathtub, a separate shower and two private sit outs.

Room 01

Luxury Tents

About 510 sq ft · King bed, or twins in two tents · Bathtub and separate shower · Two sit outs

Canvas hand printed with pelicans, nilgai and kingfishers over Jodhpur sandstone and teak, a seven foot king bed beneath a skylight, a suede sofa, and sit outs on two sides, one toward the lake and one onto the land. Air conditioned and soundproofed.
Room 02

Family Tents

4 tents · King bed plus a twin bedded children's room · Bathtub and separate shower

The luxury tent with a second, twin bedded room for children, reached through an interconnecting door, so that parents and children sleep apart but within reach.

Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

Inside the stay

The house, in notes

Where you sleep, what you eat, and how you arrive: the essentials, in brief.

A luxury tent at RAAS Chhatrasagar with a king bed, hand printed canvas, a skylight and glass doors open to the lake — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

The tents

Sixteen tents above the lake

RAAS Chhatrasagar has sixteen tents, among them four family tents and two twin tents, each looking out over the lake or across the wilderness on the other side.

The space. About 510 square feet inside, with two private sit outs of around 96 square feet each, one facing the water and one the land.

The craft. Jodhpur sandstone and teak, and canvas hand printed with the birds and animals of the reserve: a pelican across the ceiling, a nilgai at the curtain, kingfishers on the cushions of the suede sofa.

The bedroom. A seven foot king bed beneath a skylight set into the ceiling, with air conditioning and soundproofing, a torch and a telephone.

The bathroom. A bathtub and a separate shower in every tent.

Family tents. A second room with twin beds for children, reached through an interconnecting door.

The Baradari restaurant at RAAS Chhatrasagar, tables set beneath paper lanterns and windows looking out over the lake — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

The table

Lakeside, from the garden

The Baradari, the camp’s all day restaurant, faces the lake on one side and the pool on the other, and cooks Rajasthani dishes such as pittod ki subzi and safed maas alongside Indian curries and Italian plates.

From the garden. Most of the vegetables are picked in the camp’s own organic garden, and local farmers grow organic grains for the kitchen. The menu also follows Ayurvedic principles, with dishes suited to each dosha.

The bar. A long list of cocktails, with and without alcohol, built around herbs grown on site.

Beyond the restaurant. Dinner in your tent, a bush lunch out in the wilderness, high tea on the dam wall, or a private dinner by candlelight beside the pool or on the dam wall.

With the chef. A private cooking session in the organic garden, followed by a four course dinner that evening.

The spa

Ayurvedic and Tibetan therapies

The spa at RAAS Chhatrasagar works in the Ayurvedic and Tibetan traditions, with yoga sessions alongside.

Treatments. Ku Nye, the Tibetan massage of kneading, acupressure, hot stones and poultices; Manipura, with Himalayan herb poultices and marma massage; deep tissue work; and a two hour ritual created for couples.

The products. Ma Earth Botanicals, free of SLES, parabens and sulphates.

The pool. A temperature controlled pool of 54 by 16 feet, with views over the open country.

The setting

Lake Chhatra Sagar

The camp lies at Nimaj in the Pali district of Marwar, on the shore of Lake Chhatra Sagar, a reservoir whose water still irrigates fields of wheat, cotton and chilli.

The reserve. 1,500 acres of privately owned wilderness around the camp, much of it former farmland now rewilded with native plants.

The birds. A checklist of more than 200 species, resident and migratory, seen from close quarters almost anywhere in camp.

The animals. Nilgai, wild boar, jackals, foxes, mongooses and porcupines, found on foot along the nature trails or from an open jeep.

On the water. A boat out to the water birds of the lake, or a kayak into its quieter corners.

A picnic laid on a rug beneath the trees at RAAS Chhatrasagar, an open jeep and a spotting scope beside it — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

Who it suits

Birders, families and couples

Family
Two travelers

Birders and naturalists. More than 200 species on the camp’s checklist, guided walks on the trails, boat rides out to the water birds and evenings by the fire with the naturalist.

Families. Family tents with a children’s room, an organic garden tour with free range hens and fresh milk, a pottery session with local artisans and a jeep out to look for nilgai.

Couples. Sundowners on the boat or the hilltop, a candlelit dinner beside the pool, and a ritual for two in the spa.

Culture. Village visits among the farming and shepherd families who have lived around Chhatra Sagar since the nineteenth century.

Good to know. Each tent takes up to two adults and one child aged twelve or under, and the family tents add a separate room for children. Wi-Fi is complimentary throughout the camp.

A bullock cart on a dirt road beneath tall trees in the countryside around RAAS Chhatrasagar — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

Getting there

Two hours from Jodhpur

RAAS Chhatrasagar lies at Nimaj in the Pali district of Rajasthan, about two hours by road from Jodhpur.

By air. Jodhpur airport has daily flights from India’s major cities and is about two hours away by car. Jaipur International Airport is about four hours, some 236 kilometers.

By rail. Jodhpur railway station is also about two hours by car.

By road. The drive from Jaipur, Udaipur or Jodhpur runs through small towns and Rajasthani villages, a first chapter in its own right.

We arrange the car and time it to your flights.

Across India. See our India country guide for the seasons and the routes between stays.

Bougainvillea on the old stone walls of RAAS Chhatrasagar above Lake Chhatra Sagar on a misty day, two lapwings on the parapet and a wooded hill beyond — Photo courtesy of RAAS Hotels

When to go

Open every day of the year

RAAS Chhatrasagar stays open all year, and the seasons change its character more than its comfort.

Winter. From October to January the days are around 22 to 24°C and the nights fall to 6 to 10°C: the clearest and most comfortable months. Pack light woolens for the evenings.

Spring. In February and March the days warm quickly as summer approaches.

Summer. From April the heat builds, with daytime highs of 42 to 47°C, and the tents are air conditioned and the pool temperature controlled.

Monsoon. August and September bring light to moderate rain, the rains the dam was built to catch.

We confirm tents and dates when you inquire.

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RAAS Chhatrasagar, Rajasthan, India