Enlarge Photo

Sitting on the banks of a reservoir populated by preening swans in the middle of the triangle formed by the Rajasthani cities of Jodhpur, Udaipur and Pushkar, Chhatra Sagar is an old hunting lodge that has been converted into a camp of eleven tents. Created for nature lovers, it is in one of the rare underpopulated parts of India. Guests take Jeep safaris, bird-watch or walk through the local bush. The tents are grand affairs, with block-printed linings, elaborate wooden furniture and “windows” that roll up to reveal the picturesque water scene just outside. Double tent $370 per night, including all meals and nonalcoholic beverages.

For those with Saharan fantasies, I suggest the Manvar desert camp. Its twenty tents are not quite as luxe as those in some of the other camps but still perfectly comfortable and equipped with en suite bathrooms. This is an excellent option for a one-night stay to break the 177-mile drive from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer. Unlike the Manvar Resort, which is next to the highway, the tented camp is hidden among rippled sand dunes and accessible only by jeep or camel. It also offers some of the best musicians and dancers in the state. You can make forays to nearby villages, see desert wildlife or visit local artisans and the tribal Bishnoi temple. Open October through March. Rates from $150, including breakfast and dinner.

This is my favorite tented camp. Located six miles outside the historic, ornately carved fort in the town of Jaisalmer, deep in the western Thar Desert, Moolsagar is set in a walled garden built in 1780 for the Maharawal Mool Raj II—a serene oasis of stone pavilions, cupolas and fragrant flower beds. The eighteen tents were hand-made by artisans and decorated by the Princess of Jodhpur, the daughter of the wealthy royal hotelier the maharaja of Jodhpur, who also owns the Umaid Bhawan Palace, one of India’s finest hostelries. You may be tempted just to sit by the pool and read historical novels, but you can also take trips into Jaisalmer, perhaps the most beautiful of Rajasthan’s cities, and to local villages or go camel riding in the desert. Open from October 1 to mid-April. Rates from $300.

More Photos (3)

Horse lovers will have a world-class experience here. About twenty-five miles outside Jodhpur, the Rohet Garh hotel is an exemplary place to experience the life of India’s polo-playing elite. Owned by Sidharth Singh, an avid horseman whose ancestors have lived on the estate since 1622, the camp offers rides on fine-bred Marwari horses. You have a picnic lunch during the ride, then take high tea on the lawn when you return. Later, if you want, you can ride out to the Wilderness Camp for a lavish Indian feast and an overnight in a spacious desert tent complete with a scalloped canopy and fabric ceiling. Rates from $99, not including food or activities. Wilderness Camp $208, including meals, non-alcoholic beverages and horseback riding.

Enlarge Photo

Ranthambhore National Park is one of the few places in India with a healthy population of tigers (about thirty to thirty-five). The twelve-tent Sher Bagh camp is on the periphery of the park, allowing it to offer dawn drives to view the graceful creatures. It is more African in style than the desert camps, without many of their elaborate decorations, but since Ranthambhore stipulates that everything be ecofriendly, extravagance would be out of place here. The simple accommodations also make it more likely that you will spot tigers, although this is not guaranteed. Five percent of the revenue from the tent rate is donated to Ranthambhore. Open October 1 through April 15. Rates from $325 a night, including all meals; safari rides extra.