Ranvas at Nagaur

an enormous architectural restoration project

Set in the heart of the town of Nagaur, around 120 km northeast of Jodhpur in Rajasthan, Ranvas at Nagaur is an incredibly cool, authentic and off-the-beaten-track property.

Nagaur Fort (also known as Ahhichatragarh Fort or the ‘Fort of the Hooded Cobra’) is a magnificent edifice, which was originally established around 2000 years ago and continues to command this small town.

Most of what stands today dates from around 1760 and was built by Maharaja Bakhat Singh of Jodhpur, who wanted to create a retreat from the constant barrage of politics and warfare. It contains various painted palaces, mosques, temples and water systems. Perhaps most significantly it also includes a collection of separate havelis (residences) that were built to house his sixteen queens, surrounded by formal gardens, complete with peacocks.

The fort remains under the ownership of the Maharaja of Jodhpur, who has been overseeing a very ambitious twenty year plan of restoration, supported by the Getty Foundation and endorsed by UNESCO.

Opened as an hotel in 2018, Ranvas is one of the most authentic and genuinely luxurious properties in the whole region. Its location is a little off-the-beaten-track, meaning that it tends to attract more experienced Rajasthan travellers and guests who are specifically interested in the architectural project.

We have often heard it said that : “Ranvas is beautiful, but there’s not much to do”. We beg to differ. If you do take the plunge and choose to spend 3 or 4 nights here, we would be amazed if it doesn’t end up being a highlight of your trip.

Rajasthan doesn’t get much better than this.

Rooms

Guest accommodation at Ranvas at Nagaur is in 10 restored havelis, each named after the queen for which they were built.

The houses are rented in their entirety, with two or three bedrooms, each with a separate bathroom, centred on a private courtyard and other features which vary from one to the next.

All of the 27 bedrooms have air-conditioning.

Activities

Ranvas at Nagaur provides access to a range of activities in the local area …

• fort tour
• town tour
• desert tour
• festivals

It is also possible to undertake day trips into Jodhpur, if you are not also deploying nights there.

The Rajasthan region is usually explored as a private-guided overland safari, starting and ending in Delhi.

We often start these trips by flying from Delhi to either Udaipur or Jodhpur in the south, which are more rural and relaxed, before weaving a route north by road back to Delhi

In this case, Nagaur usually features in between Udaipur/Jodhpur and Jaipur.

Seasonality

The best time of year to visit the Jodhpur area is generally considered to be during Oct-May, although there are considerable seasonal variations within that period …

October is the transition period between the end of the monsoon rains and the start of the cool dry season. During the month daytime temperatures usually rise to around 35C/95F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures remain up around 20C/68F. However the rainfall usually drops away completely. Sunshine is around 10 hours per day (around 90% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are usually clear.

Nov-Feb is the main cool dry season. During this period the daytime temperatures usually rise to around 25C/77F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures hold up around 11C/52F. There should be virtually no rainfall. Sunshine is around 9 hours per day (around 90% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are usually clear.

Mar-May is the hot season, the often uncomfortable build-up to the main monsoon. During this period the daytime temperatures can climb steeply to around 37C/99F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures are up around an uncomfortable 23C/73F. Rainfall usually remains almost negligible. Sunshine is around 9 hours per day (around 85% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are usually clear.

Jun-Sep is the main monsoon season and is generally considered to be the least favourable time to visit. During this period the daytime temperatures drop off slightly to around 35C/95F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures remain up at a stifling 26C/79F (made all the more uncomfortable by the increased humidities). Rainfall only climbs to around 50mm (2”) per month. Sunshine drops to around 6 hours per day (around 50% of daylight hours), meaning that skies can remain overcast.

Getting there

The Nagaur area is usually reached by road, connecting into trips as follows …

• Jaipur : 300 km to the east
• Agra : 500 km to the northeast
• Ranthambore : 350 km to the east

an unusual blend of luxury and edginess