Sher Bagh

Channeling the colonial days of safari, Sher Bagh delivers charm and comfort in an authentic camp experience.

Sher Bagh doesn’t just feel more historic or authentic than other camps in Ranthambore, it is. The owner’s parents, Tejbir and Malvika Singh, arrived in the area in 1974, before tiger tourism was established. They pitched their tent under a banyan tree near the park and over the years worked very closely with the famous tiger expert Fateh Singh Rathore, godfather to Sher Bagh’s owner Jaisal Singh. Rathore, also known as Tigerman, is credited with being India’s best-known conservationist, and until his death in 2011 he worked closely with the property.

The Singhs purchased the land where the camp sits in the 1980s, but the hotel, featuring a maharajah safari style, didn’t open until 2000. The main lodge houses a dining room and bar with leather club chairs and books for browsing. The twelve air-conditioned tents form a semi-circle with the Royal tent, the grandest accommodation with its own pool, at one end. In contrast to the tents at Aman-i-Khas and Vanyavilas, those at Sher Bagh emphasize simplicity and comfort, but not excess of style or luxury. Beds have nice white linens and the basic comforts with a colonial aesthetic like a bedside lantern and a shower (but no tub). Expect to see animal prints and wood and stone detailing throughout.

In evenings, guests gather around the outdoor bar where a fire is lit and trade stories of their day’s adventures. Flickering lanterns strung up in the trees create a romantic atmosphere around the dinner tables, where guests dine on excellent Indian food, much of which comes from the camp’s organic garden. Other camp highlights include a pool, spa, well-stocked gift shop and the caring staff who provide binoculars, tea and treats on game drives.

Old Africa hands who pine for the days of old-fashioned safaris when drinks and dinner always took place around the campfire and half the fun involved meeting the other guests and swapping tales. Also those who are looking for a more affordable option than the neighboring Aman-i-Khás.