Top 5 rainy retreats you must visit

Desert Safari
The Tree House Resort
There are things money can buy- a cuppa atop a tree even as you watch the rain pelt down. And we're not talking about some seri-ous adrenaline rush here. All you need is to take a three-hour drive down the Delhi-Jaipur highway. A monsoon getaway at the the Tree House Resort, Jaipur is a great idea for more than just the thrill of staying in a tree house. At this beautiful property, 35 kms short of Jaipur, you're marooned on an island with trees, birds and water bodies-just about every-thing we need for a reconnect with life. Of course, not taking away the 'necessities' of city-bred existence. The 'nests' on the trees are replete with the comforts of daily life including air conditioning, a WiFi connection, et al. But you'll need these only when you're done with your jungle safari, all-terrain bike rides, a swim, a spa session and a typical Rajasthani meal at one of the gazebos around the property.

Once you're back to the room, you're kept company by the varieties of winged friends around. To extend your idyllic vaca-tion a bit more, you could even spend a day at the water house, that gives you a feel of living on an island with a glass panel run-ning on the fl oor, allowing you to befriend the creatures underwater.

Did you know? Peacock Bar, the resort's in house bar, is a 400-year old Mughal relic restored and reinstated at the resort. wAt The Tree House Resort, Nature Farms, Opposite Amity University, 35th Kilometre Stone, NH-8, Jaipur Tel 9001797422, 9799490390 Tariff Starts at Rs 12,500 per night Distance 315 km.

It's a Jungle Out There
Jim's Jungle Retreat, Jim Corbett
The monsoons are a tricky time to visit Jim Corbett. The river Kosi, in a somewhat violent embrace, smothers the roads, forcing the closure of certain parts of the national park. But this also makes it all the more exciting. You might want to call and enquire about which parts of the park are open and plan your trip accordingly. A perfect blend of luxury and the lush forests is Jim's Jungle Retreat in Dhela Village, close to the recently inaugurated eponymous zone of the park. Spread across 15 acres of land, Jim's really goes au naturale with its food (there is a vegetable patch on the property) and friends (langurs and monkeys are sometimes worthy breakfast companions), but it only makes the experience all the more outdoorsy. The cottages are cosy and have sit out areas overlooking the dense forest (and wildlife, if you're lucky), and the lodges are a more high-end rendition with interesting knick-knacks to spruce up the place-there's an old-world telephone and framed black and white photos of hunter-turned-conservationist Billy Arjan Singh walking a lion, cuddling a croc and more. A walk from the rooms, along pebbled paths on either side of several trees and termite farms, leads you to the pool and the dining area. The latter is where you can feast on whatever general manager Rati Karwal decides will be on the menu. Jim's Jungle Retreat is a good idea if you're planning a getaway with the family or just a few friends. For those who aren't lucky enough to spot any tigers (as indeed we were), the kind folk at Jim's console you with the catchphrase-seek the tiger, find the jungle.

Things to do Aside from a jungle safari in an open jeep with naturalists to help with ani-mal spotting, activities organised by the hotel include bird watching and cycling tours. Within the property, children can play with their goat or try to chase and catch the yet undefeated rooster, Salman Khan. At Jim's Jungle Retreat, Village Dhela, Ramnagar, District Nainital, Uttarakhand, Tel 9899989508
Tariff for monsoon Rs 15,000 plus taxes for two Adults with all meals and snacks
Distance 290 km

Camp Bliss, Ranikhet

A quick getaway to the mountains in June and July is a welcome change if you're experiencing the blistering Delhi heat, or if the weather Gods are feeling particularly temperamental, in the humid half-rains.

The trouble, though, is that most hill stations nowadays are similar to just any other nightclub in the Capital-packed with people and booming Honey Singh tunes (from parked cars).
Fortunately, the sleepy hamlet of Ranikhet, home to the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), is yet to be infiltrated by city crowds and thus remains largely quiet and unpolluted.
A two-year-old property, Camp Bliss, a short distance up from the central Meghadhoot Hotel, is a little rough around the edges-the staff can be a little aloof at first-but once that crease is smoothened out, it's definitely one of the better mountain vacations in North India.

The property is endearing; their luxury tents-each with a small balcony-are perfect to watch the rain fall down on the surrounding trees and brighten the crimson ground, or to greet beautiful mountain dogs that come a-calling. Meals at Camp Bliss are simple with the comforting modesty of home cooked food, but with a garnishing of mountain flavours. There is a fairly extensive Indian menu to choose from and we strongly recommend the dal makhani, shahi paneer and on their better days-the suji halwa. This recommendation, and all else, goes perfectly with a nice long walk on the beautiful meandering mountain paths just outside.

Did you know
It is popularly believed that Ranikhet, literally meaning the queen's meadow, got its name when Rani Padmini, queen of Raja Sukherdev, the local ruler, saw this place and was struck by its beauty.
At Camp Bliss, The Mall Road, Ranikhet, Uttarakhand wTel 07838589361
Tariff Rs 4,999 with breakfast w Distance 348 km

Yoga sessions at Raga on the Ganges

It's hard to believe that there exists an oasis of calm just 32 kms and 52 kms from the religious (read over crowded and dirty) cities of Rishikesh and Haridwar respectively. Raga on the Ganges, albeit one of the many, many resorts in the vicinity whose names invari-ably end with "on the Ganges", offers a unique experi-ence with views of a brimming Ganga and the mighty Himalayas from almost every room. The cottage-style rooms have comfortable beds right in front of huge glass walls, perfect to laze around and watch the rain wash over the tree-covered mountains. Head to Rishikesh town centre for a slice of real monsoon magic and dirt. Spend your day with the sadhus at Swarg Ashram, a huge cluster of ashrams belonging to different gurus or join a yoga session at the various centres dotting the city. Did you know? The ruins of Maharish Mahesh Ashram house the Beatles Cathedral, where in 1968, the members of the legendary band descended to meditate with the guru, relax and write songs for their album, The White Album. The satsang hall has now been taken over by various artists from across the world, all of whom have turned its wall into a giant canvas for their spectacular graffiti.

At Village Sing-tali, Byasi, 35th Milestone, Devprayag Road, Tehri Garwhal
Tel 8193963000
Tariff Rs 7,500 onwards

The infinity pool at Suryavilas

There's something obscenely luxurious about plonking yourself on the spa bed with your therapist fussing over your comfort. And when this comes peppered with some mountain air, you know you've reaped rewards of those gru-elling hours spent at work or battling Delhi traffic. Life at Suryavilas is all about pampering your-self, reconnecting with your body and breathing in some fresh mountain air. Perched at 3,000 ft, in Himachal Pradesh's Solan district, Suryavilas is a seven-hour drive away from Delhi. Established in 2008, this luxury property is most known for its spa, which provides a range of treatments for the exhausted bodies. When you're not spending time at the spa, you could go for a swim in the infi nity pool overlook-ing the mountains or in your private (heated) pool in your own room, go for long jungle walks, take the yoga or meditation sessions or sit just and gaze at the stars. wDid you know The property undertakes major forestation drives several times a year besides educating villagers on ways on how to prevent forest fi res. wAt Suryavilas Luxury Spa & Resort, Kumarhatti-Nahan Road, Gandhigram, Solan, Himachal Pradesh

Tel 0124-4908603
Tariff Rs 9,000 onwards
Distance 315 km