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In the jungle

Whether it is the prospect of a night safari that attracts you, or the pampering comfort of natural healing, Kikar Lodge is an ideal destination, says RANA SIDDIQUI

ESCAPADE IN THE JUNGLE Adventure tourism takes on enticing hues at Kikar

Ever seen a deer peeping through your window at night? Or a fox standing next to you while you are having breakfast? Ever woken up to the howling of a barking deer? Chances are, you may not have, unless you prefer a Tarzan-like lifestyle in a jungle. But if this type of life holds any attraction for you, then welcome to the Kikar Lodge. Nestled in the foothills of the Shivaliks, this 1,800-acre forest area, with a nature retreat and spa as added comforts, is just two hours' drive from Chandigarh railway station. Located close to the Ropar wetlands that pass through the ever calm River Satlej, this Kikar Lodge was launched only in November last year. It is India's first forest reserve that allows you night safari. After a tiring journey of five hours in the Shatabdi Express, with showers adding to the morning chill, and a two-hour drive in a Qualis, it wouldn't take much to wilt the spirit. What one really yearns for is a warm room enveloped in silence for a good sleep. But even a bone-cracking bumpy ride to Kikar Lodge, through several lanes and by-lanes of the villages of Ropar is quickly forgotten as one reaches the destination.

Here, cottages enveloped in lush green environs with only swimming pools to give it a modern touch await our arrival. Each cottage, named after flowers like arcadia, cynthia, etc., has minimal decoration, and there is no television or phone either to distract your attention. Who needs TV anyway, when you can catch a glimpse of a wild animal peeping through your window to make sure you wouldn't disturb him if he ventures to drink water from the specially dug salt water pond in the vicinity. He will run away if hears you chatting. He loves silence you know.

In the daytime, preferably early morning, camel and horse safaris across the hilly terrain are available to remind the spoilt city dwellers of the means of transport before smoke machines on wheels started disturbing the peace of the jungle.

Another option is quad biking, introduced for the first time in India. These three-wheeled and four-wheeled motorbikes, which make their share of noise and are allowed only during the daytime, ensure that riding through the ravines and hillocks seems more adventures. As you track through the forest, there is always the fear of an animal springing out from any corner.

Night safari

But the most exciting part is the night safari. Packed in woollens, under a dark, starlit sky, where the phrase `silence is golden' proves its worth, sitting in an open jeep with bated breath and waiting for wild animals to make an appearance in the thick woods, sends shivers down the spine. One may just cross you, another, noticing those floodlights, may stop at a distance and you can actually see its luminous eyes scanning you from the bushes. Porcupines, hog deer, pangolins, Indian otters, sambars, snakes, foxes... if you are lucky, you may spot them. Or you may just have to make do with pugmarks of wild boar that smashed the soil while fighting there. Some 120 varieties of birds that include coots, red-crusted pochards, shovellers, and eagles may announce your arrival to the jungle residents. Weavers nests are a common sight.

If you are adventurous enough to spend you a night in the middle of the jungle, the lodge provides tents and a butler for no extra charge.

Back after a 16-kilometre ride, if you feel tired, the remedy is at hand. A spa awaits you next morning, with that perfect Kairali Ayurveda massage by professionals. The spa has several health programmes from three to 21 days. After a 90-minute massage session followed by a home-cooked breakfast in the multi-cuisine restaurant, where Mongolian grilled food is the speciality, you repent living in your chaotic city. All these come for a price though. Rs.5500 for two people with three meals and Rs.7500 for executive suites, plus Rs.1000 per night safari of 40 minutes, Rs.350 per head for quad biking, camel and horse safari.

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