Spend the festive break in the Rajasthan countryside, where a family Diwali can unfold over forest walks, a Mewari lunch and an evening by a private lake.
There is a moment in almost every family Diwali when someone says, “Come, sit,” and nobody does. One person is still in the kitchen, someone else is on the phone, and the children have already disappeared with the box of sweets. It is a familiar sort of affection, expressed through a great deal of running around. A few days away can make it easier to take that invitation literally. At Chunda Shikar Oudi, a woodland retreat near Udaipur, the place to sit might be a balcony overlooking a lake. And the thing that finally gets everyone there might be as simple as a second cup of chai.
A lakeside retreat in the Udaipur countryside
Set amid 150 hectares of private woodland near Kheroda, Chunda Shikar Oudi offers a side of Udaipur that rarely makes it onto a first-time itinerary. With eight lake-facing suites and a villa with its own pool, the retreat is small enough for the landscape to shape the stay. The first decision of the day can be whether to walk towards the water or stay on the balcony a little longer. For a family accustomed to getting everyone out of the house in time for the next Diwali visit, there is a particular pleasure in having the morning to yourselves.
A guided forest walk is a good place to begin, especially with children who are old enough to ask why everything looks or sounds the way it does. The property’s naturalist can give those questions somewhere to go. A birdcall that would otherwise pass unnoticed becomes something to stop for. Afterwards, one part of the family might want to take out bicycles, while another would happily spend the morning by the water. Everyone can turn up for lunch with a different story.
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From a boat ride to a Mewari lunch
The retreat arranges boat rides and fishing on its private lake and lists high tea on a private boat among its dining experiences. A boat ride might suit the part of the group that has already been out walking and is ready to let somebody else do the work. Fishing asks for a different kind of patience. For a child accustomed to being hurried from one thing to the next, being allowed to watch the same patch of water for half an hour can be an adventure in itself.
Food is where the trip can feel most distinctly Rajasthani. The property serves a Mewar thali and offers paniya, a bread cooked between palash leaves. A cooking session gives curious children and adults another way into the local food, particularly if they are the sort who want to know how something was made halfway through eating it. You could make the Mewari meal the centre of the afternoon and let the rest of the day work around it. This is, after all, a festival at which a second helping is often the surest sign that everyone has settled in.
Wildlife and stargazing over the Diwali break
A jeep safari takes the family deeper into the reserve. The property lists nilgai and leopards among the wildlife visitors may encounter, and the uncertainty is part of the outing. A child might be as excited about a bird they managed to spot first as anyone else would be about a bigger sighting. Back at the retreat, there is the option to stay out a little longer for stargazing if the sky is clear. For one Diwali evening, looking up could mean a child pointing into the dark and waiting for everyone else to find the same small point of light.
Lake-facing suites and a private pool villa
How you book the stay will change the shape of the break. The suites have their own balconies, which can be welcome if grandparents want a quiet hour between outings or younger children need an afternoon nap. For a family that likes to gather in one place, the private pool villa has its own dining area and accommodates up to six guests, according to the property. With several generations travelling together, it is worth asking about room layouts and walking distances before choosing. A lake view is lovely at any age. An easy walk back to the room can matter just as much.
If the City Palace or an evening in Udaipur’s old city is also on your list, give the city its own stretch of the trip. A morning in town and a full day in the countryside will feel different in ways worth preserving. For the Diwali stay itself, check directly with the retreat about festive arrangements, activity timings and what your booking includes. Then pick the couple of things everyone really wants to do and see where the rest of the break takes you.
Some families will still pack their favourite mithai from home. Others may bring a deck of cards that comes out after dinner every year, when the children start asking to be dealt in. Those small traditions travel well. Here, lunch can go on because nobody has anywhere else to be. A walk can end when the youngest person is ready to turn back. And when somebody finally says, “Come, sit,” there might be a chair beside them and enough time to take it.
Plan your stay at Chunda Shikar Oudi
Chunda Shikar Oudi is located in Gram Panchayat Batharda Kalan, Kheroda, Udaipur, Rajasthan 313602. For room reservations, call +91 124 444 8380. The property’s direct line is +91 294 2430251. Visit the official Chunda Shikar Oudi website or find the retreat on Instagram at @chundashikaroudi.
