Let's Go Sightseeing!

In the third weekend of 2024 April, my family was invited to an engagement ceremony in Neemrana. We quickly converted this into a really short tour while also staying at a farmhouse that had jumped out from my dreams.

So, the drive to Neemrana is ~3 hours from NCR. While we would have liked to stay at the Neemrana Fort Palace, it is not dog friendly. None of the other hotels seemed to be so either.

So, browsing through AirBnb threw up RajNikas Farm.

While we did not do any sightseeing on this hop, we spent an evening leisurely, together as a family, at the marvelous Farm. Owned by a Delhi – based doctor & managed by Hostizzy, it has to be, hands down, the most wonderful accommodation option in & around Neemrana.

Ashutosh, our Hostizzy coordinator, gave us accurate directions to reach the Rajnikas Farm. At times, Google Maps behaves erratically. Cruising on NH48, we drove till the Shahjahanpur Toll Plaza from where we took a U-turn (before the toll plaza).

A metaled road on the left took us off the highway and into acres of farmlands. Winding along these kachcha roads and dirt tracks, we arrived at the Farm after about two kilometers.

Satish, the caretaker, & his family welcomed us warmly.

We parked our vehicle in the shade of a gulmohar & a jacaranda tree. As we walked down the pathway, the garden foreground was followed by the farm & orchard background. Closer to the farmhouse was also the swimming pool.

Notwithstanding the dirt tracks to get here, the Rajnikas Farm is an oasis of calm, surrounded by the Aravali Hills. It is also colossal. Most seasonal fruits, grains and vegetables are grown here, largely for the owners’ consumption.

In the center of the Farm stands a magnificent glasshouse that serves as the farmhouse. It is constructed of glass, iron & stone. It is not too capacious, i.e., it has just two bedrooms but is designed beautifully.

Facing the garden and swimming pool is a patio with seating arrangements. Then, as you enter the glasshouse, you come upon an open plan consisting of the dining area, the drawing room & the kitchen.

The dining table and bench are made of logs of wood & are HEAVY but also elegant. The drawing area has ample couches, center-table, TV & music system. The kitchen on the right is extremely well-equipped – refrigerator, microwave, watercooler everything!

A point to note here is that Rajnikas Farm does not provide food. Thus, the options available for dining are –

1. You cook inhouse. You can either get your own groceries or Satish can get them for you. (Since the market is far off, you are required to pay INR 200 for every visit he needs to make to get stuff for you.)
2. You order from nearby restaurants. Swiggy/ Zomato services are unavailable here but a local food delivery service called Vitarak works.
3. You go out for your meals.

We opted for the first option. But more on that later. Having settled in, we relaxed with cups of tea & waited for the Sun to set. It was quite warm outside, but the glasshouse was fully airconditioned indoors.

The bedrooms are decently great in size. One of them has an attached bathroom while the other has an independent one. The bathrooms are dazzling and massive! They are constructed in the Balinese style – glass windows, overlooking the open sky, yet private.

Surprisingly, the evening turned out to be extremely pleasant. We walked around the garden where Manju, Satish’s wife, showed us the different plants & trees and also helped us identify some of the birds.

This was a USP of the Farm. It was full of birds! We have not seen such a variety of birds at one single place before this. Pigeons of course were the majority but also doves, lapwings, moorhens, bee-eaters, sunbirds, bulbuls, & many more.

The trees were laden with Chinese oranges. We also saw freshly – sprouted moringa. The wheat had recently been harvested; the stalks were still standing. The winter vegetables had given way to the summer ones; Satish was constructing a trellis for the creepers to climb.

We played with Fluffy who, clearly, had the best time amongst the five of us. Such a wide-open space and no restraint of a leash! She did zoomies around the garden, dashing through even puddles.

We dipped our legs in the swimming pool and then sat at the patio till the mosquitos forced us to run indoors. With the blinds folded, the view outside was the epitome of peace.

In the meantime, Satish had brought from the market all the groceries we had asked him to.

So, we set about making dinner for ourselves – chicken and rice. All the oils and spices (as well as coffee, sugar & tea) are available already in the kitchen. We essentially had to get the fresh produce as well as the grains.

We understand that cooking on a holiday can be a killjoy but as it was just one day, we actually had fun doing it. If you intend to stay for longer, you can look at the other options we have given above.

This is also feedback we gave to Ashutosh – that food should be provided, no matter how simple.

After dinner, we strolled outdoors again. It was a lovely full moon night, and we took that as a sign to click some moon – kissed photographs. Around us, bats and owls made their screeching noises and swooping motions.

Being early risers, we were up and about in the Rajnikas Farm at about sunrise. The cool breeze made us scarf our tea in the garden. Next to us, in the swimming pool, tens of birds flocked to wash themselves or to drink water.

We again made ourselves a simple breakfast of bread & omelet. It was then time to get ready & head off for the engagement. A point to note here is that while the address of the Farm is given as Neemrana, it is actually ~25 kilometers away from the industrial town.

To summarize, Rajnikas Farm turned out to be a retreat where quietude and family – friendly amenities amalgamated. It provided a distinctive setting not just for us but also for Fluffy to relax.

The glasshouse was appealing, to say the least, making it an incomparable experience.

There is no wonder why the Farm is so highly rated on Airbnb & Google!

Note –

1. While you need to do the cooking, the cleaning is taken care of by the caretakers.
2. Despite the isolated location, we found Rajnikas Farm absolutely safe.
3. Carry cash with you.
4. The Farm is dog friendly. Take your pooch there for it to have a gala time chasing the lapwings. (True story – a lapwing heckled Fluffy to the extent that she ran back to us for safety!)
5. It is perfect for those who love nature and who hate the city chaos!
6. Booking a one night stay at the Rajnikas Farm cost us (four adults + one dog) INR 15,000.