Aman-i-Khás
(combining aman, or “peace”, in Sanskrit, and khás, or “special”,
in Urdu and Hindi) is a six-tent wilderness camp near Ranthambhore National
Park in Rajasthan, India. The camp opened in November 2003.Set in rugged countryside, Aman-i-Khás is a wilderness retreat located on the fringe of Ranthambhore National Park, in Rajasthan, India. The park offers opportunities for sighting leopards, tigers and deer.
Location:
New Delhi, with its broad boulevards and tree-lined avenues, is the gateway to Amanresorts stays in Rajasthan, India. The international airport is located approximately 35km from the city centre. The Aman-i-Khás Experience includes one night in the capital, New Delhi followed by three nights at the camp itself. Amanresorts provides operational assistance to The Manor hotel, set in one-and-a-half acres of landscaped garden in the green Friends Colony suburb. This intimate 12-suite hotel is a comfortable overnight retreat. At The Manor, a complimentary car and driver are available for Aman-i-Khás guests to shop and enjoy the sights of Delhi.
Guests can travel to Aman-i-Khás by train, plane and vehicle, or by helicopter and Amanresorts recommends that from Delhi, guests travel by train. Those staying at The Manor receive a complimentary transfer to and from the airport as well as to the train station the following day for their trip to Ranthambhore. Travel time by train to Sawai Madhopur station, on the outskirts of the park, is approximately three-and-three-quarter hours and drinks and light snacks are provided. Amanresorts has done their best to ensure that the journey runs smoothly and guests travel in a compartment for two to four persons chaperoned by a member of staff from Aman-i-Khás. On arrival in Sawai Madhopur, they are taken on the 15-minute journey to the camp itself in an open, jeep style vehicle arriving in time for dinner.
Alternatively, travel by private helicopter is possible and there are landing pads ten minutes from the camp. Price and details on application.
Accommodation :
The
camp lies on a gentle slope against a backdrop of dry, brushwood hills. It is
set up for only nine months of the year and is packed away in the hot summer.
When set up, the camp blends in unobtrusively with the native vegetation of
tall grasses, scrub and trees. On arrival, guests are taken by four-wheel-drive vehicle to a walled courtyard. The entrance to the camp is via a pathway that leads through high walls, opening onto views of the rocky Aravalli hills that undulate through Ranthambhore National Park.
There are six accommodation tents. Each echoes a rich Mughal style with “rooms” separated by cotton drapes. The tents, set on a concrete plinth, measure 108sq m, and are identical in design. They are constructed of canvas and supported by a steel frame with the interior walls and ceilings draped in fine cotton. Entry to each tent is through a screened area that contains an armchair and a dining table with chairs. Beyond this is the centre of the tent that ascends to a soaring six-metre canopy under which lies an oversized daybed, ideal for lounging.
Camp stays are all-inclusive of accommodation, meals and house beverages and run for a minimum of three nights.
Food & Dining :
There
are three additional tents – making nine in all. The Dining Tent
at Aman-i-Khás is furnished with tables and chairs. Meals are often served
in different locations throughout the grounds and dinner is most often concluded
around a roaring outdoor fire that serves as a focal point in colder winters.
The camp serves Indian cuisine and a range of western dishes. Freshness of produce
is ensured as most of the vegetables and herbs are grown in the camp’s
organic vegetable garden. Facilities :
Lounge and Library : Located adjacent to the dining tent is the Lounge Tent. This is furnished with banquettes, reading tables and chairs. The library provides a wide collection of coffee-table books on the national park, the tigers, the history and culture of Rajasthan, as well as on other aspects of Indian culture and history. Also on offer is a selection of novels, magazines and board
games.
A small range of local handicrafts, fabrics and sundries are available for purchase.
Spa Treatment : The Spa Tent consists of two treatment areas featuring twin massage tables. Spa treatments include massage, scrubs and traditional henna art using local ingredients, herbs and spices.
Fireplace : Situated at the upper level of the camp this outdoor spot with its nightly log fires in many ways serves as an informal lounge and dining area. It is the ideal location for a cool drink during the day as well as being the pre and post excursion gathering point.
