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Mela Kothi Chambal Safari Lodge

Rural discovery ▪️ Uttar Pradesh
India
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Set within 35-acres of private plantation, and surrounded by farmland, Chambal Safari Lodge is a homely retreat in rural Uttar Pradesh.

Yes, it really is possible to swap the flurry of Agra for the quiet of Chambal in just an hour.

Mela Kothi Chambal Safari Lodge is a 19th-century heritage property in a surprisingly tranquil spot. It’s close enough to the Taj Mahal for an easy visit, and has the sacred city of Bateshwar practically on the doorstep, yet it’s far enough to feel you’ve flown across the country and landed in a natural idyll. The lodge rooms, suites and cottages are full of warmth and character to make you feel right at home, and each features a sit-out area, either as a private veranda or enclosed garden, for soaking up the winter sun. And the home-cooked dining is something of a local legend for all the right reasons!

A stay here is all about decompressing and discovering the region’s wild side. Wake to the sounds of birdsong in a stylish lodge room, suites or cottage and spend the morning drifting down the Chambal River, spotting gharials and marsh crocodiles, before returning to the sanctuary of the lodge’s gardens. This really is a wonderful contrast to Agra, and the loudest thing around might just be a bird calling from the trees…

Start planning your journey here...

Give us a call 9am-5pm UK time Monday to Friday, or make an enquiry online at any time.

Call us on
01273 670 001
Get in touch

Location & Highlights

Deep in rural Uttar Pradesh, this tranquil oasis is just over one hour’s drive from Agra, surrounded by the region’s extraordinarily unspoilt wilderness and the National Chambal Sanctuary.
  • Wildlife spotting & conservation
  • Bird-watching & natural serenity
  • Local community connections
  • Sacred temples & winding waterways
a bed and chair in a courtyard

Why we love it

“Chambal really ticked all the boxes for me - incredible wildlife, fascinating history and a real connection with the local community. ”

In the family...

a table with wine bottles and chairs

Run by the great-grandson of the original owners, this renovated mansion – now a homely lodge – is stylish, peaceful and offers a family-friendly atmosphere with home-from-home comforts. This is no polished palace hotel; its appeal is much more rustic, intimate and rooted in its surroundings. The accommodation is a mixture of rooms in the original country house and separate individual cottages, with interiors designed to radiate the warmth of a traditional Indian home with all the convenience of modern amenities.

a table with wine bottles and chairs

Location, location, location

a river with a cliff and trees

Have we mentioned you’re only an hour from the Taj Mahal? It’s a pretty brilliant spot for those short on time but craving a little wildness. Set out early for a quiet river ride along the Chambal, keep your eyes peeled for gharials, turtles and birdlife, or head out to explore the surrounding countryside before retreating back to the peace of Mela Kothi. Once you’ve filled your cup with nature, it’s just a short hop back to Agra and the glorious chaos of urban India! Two completely different worlds, conveniently close together.

a river with a cliff and trees

What can you do there?

a patio with chairs and a table

Relax. Recharge. Reconnect. There’s something quite lovely about having nowhere to be. Spending slow mornings on the river, or wandering around the gardens. Pick up a book and settle into a charpoy, enjoy peaceful chatter around the fire and finish the evening with some stargazing. There’s plenty to do here, of course. But we rather like doing less.

a patio with chairs and a table
Outdoor dining at Chambal Safari Lodge
Outdoor dining at Chambal Safari Lodge
Dining room at Chambal Safari Lodge
Dining room at Chambal Safari Lodge
Bedroom at Chambal Safari Lodge
Bedroom at Chambal Safari Lodge
Suite at Chambal Safari Lodge
Suite at Chambal Safari Lodge
Twin room at Chambal Safari Lodge
Twin room at Chambal Safari Lodge

Fantastic holiday

Using Selective Asia took all the stress out of booking and organising the trip ourselves as we were travelling around the country. Selective Asia were really responsive to our needs and created our perfect honeymoon holiday. They were available whenever we had questions or needed some help. I would highly recommend using their service!

Alice, Sri Lanka

Another fantastic trip with Selective Asia

We’ve been on 5 trips to the Far East with Selective Asia over 17 years with the same consultant (Lionel). They take the time to tailor the holiday individually with invaluable local knowledge and once again got it spot on. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.

Rob Clarkson, Vietnam

Highly Recommend Selective Asia

Have been to Asia with Selective Asia twice now, and we can't fault them. We had the most amazing holiday staying in 6 different locations throughout Thailand. Selective Asia did us proud by giving us a well thought out itinerary. The accommodations were first class. Our private guide called James was very knowledgable and made our holiday very memorable.

Susan Bartlett, Thailand

Personalised and spot on journey

Personalised service all the way up to departure and then throughout via on the ground help and advice in country as well. Ideal.

Ann B, India

Our trip to Japan was outstanding

We had had several discussions with Andrew, our agent, before booking the trip and he incorporated all the activities we were interested in plus recommending other activities that he knew we would be interested in. Much of our trip was self guided and SA provide an excellent app to help with this. It was intuitive, easy to use and had the option to be able to contact someone locally if necessary. The whole trip was seamless and managed at a thoroughly professional yet friendly level. I would travel with this company again (we have travelled with them before.)

Heather, Japan

It was amazing from start to finish. Really informative when we were planning the trip, flexible about our itinerary, offering a range of options but all backed with knowledge of the lodges and reserves. The support when we were away was excellent with alternative arrangements made quickly when a flight was cancelled and great advice when our return flight seats were changed. We would absolutely recommend the company, particularly if you are looking for something a little different but special.

Linda Johnson, Borneo

Inspiring experiences and places to stay

Lean into the details of your bespoke Asia trip to discover rare experiences, exceptional hotels, local connections, inspiring conservation and much more…

Start planning your journey here...

Give us a call 9am-5pm UK time Monday to Friday, or make an enquiry online at any time.

Call us on
01273 670 001
Get in touch

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Every Asia trip we build is finely tuned to fit you, and that all starts with a chat. Let us know what you're hoping to see, feel and experience on your travels, and the places you're dreaming of, and your Asia Specialist will craft a route that includes everything you want and more.

Call us on
01273 670 001
Get in touch

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