Whenever we’re planning a short trip, we try to keep one rule in mind. It should be close enough to drive over a weekend, but different enough that it doesn’t feel like “just another road trip.”
After our Kerala road trip just a couple of months back, we wanted something completely different. No beaches, no waterfalls, no sightseeing. We just wanted to spend a couple of days in nature and, if we were lucky, spot a leopard in the wild for the very first time.
That’s how we ended up planning a trip to Jawai.
We checked in on 2nd October and had booked a morning safari on 3rd October. Since 2nd October is a holiday, we initially considered driving overnight from Jaipur to maximize our time. In the end, we decided against it and left early in the morning instead. Looking back, I think it was the right decision. The weather was pleasant, the roads were mostly empty early in the morning, and we reached comfortably without feeling tired.
One thing that made this trip even better was taking our EV. Charging infrastructure on this route was good enough for our needs, and because we also had the National Highway annual toll pass, the total driving cost, including charging and tolls, was under ₹2,000. For a round trip of this distance, that’s honestly hard to beat.
Planning the Trip
Planning Jawai turned out to be more difficult than I expected.
There are dozens of safari operators, dozens of resorts, and almost every website claims they offer the best experience. I probably spent more time researching than actually booking.
For the resort, I shortlisted Chavri Resort, Jawai’s Wildness Lodge, Aranya Jawai, and Chandraprabha Sky Jawai. Wildness Lodge looked like the most premium option, but it was significantly more expensive. Chandraprabha offered excellent value, while Aranya looked like a beautiful boutique property.
Eventually, we booked Chavri Resort for around ₹6,500 through MMT, which felt like the sweet spot between luxury and value.
For the safari, after speaking to a couple of operators, we booked a private morning safari for ₹5,000 with Jawai bera panther safari, which also included high tea at Jawai Dam after the safari.
Chavri Resort
We reached the resort around 2pm and our first impression was very positive. The property is spacious, clean, and peaceful. It immediately felt like the kind of place where you could disconnect for a day or two.
The room itself was beautiful, although we did run into one issue. There was an electrical fault in our room and the power kept going on and off for a few hours. Since it became difficult to rest, we informed the reception. To their credit, they immediately shifted us to another room without any unnecessary discussion. Technical issues can happen anywhere, and what matters more is how they’re handled. In this case, the staff handled it really well.
The hospitality throughout our stay was excellent. Every staff member we met was polite, humble, and always ready to help.
Dinner was another pleasant surprise. We had originally planned to order from the à la carte menu, but after seeing the buffet spread, we decided to go for that instead. It turned out to be a great decision. The food was delicious and there was plenty of variety. In the evening, the resort also had a live Rajasthani folk music performance, which added a nice local touch to the experience.
The only things that disappointed us were the breakfast and the swimming pool. Compared to dinner, the breakfast buffet felt quite average with limited variety. The pool looked beautiful from a distance, but once we walked closer, we noticed insects and dirt particles floating in the water, so we decided not to get in.
Overall though, we really enjoyed our stay.
The Safari Begins
Our alarm went off at 2:30 AM.
Yes, it was too early, but since Chavri Resort is a little farther from the safari starting point, we had to leave the resort at least an hour before the safari time. By the time we reached the pickup point, dozens of Gypsies were already lined up.
There was a different kind of excitement in the air.
Everyone had the same goal. Find a leopard. 🐆
Our guide and driver was Vipul (+91-7300197448), and within the first few minutes it became obvious that he knew the area extremely well. Instead of rushing straight towards the popular leopard zones, we first explored some quieter areas nearby.
We didn’t find a leopard immediately, but we did spot a couple of beautiful owls, which was a great start to the morning.
Our First Leopard… Along With Everyone Else
About an hour into the safari, the radio finally came alive.
A leopard had been spotted.
Within minutes, every Gypsy around us started driving towards the same location. When we reached there, there were probably around 70 to 80 vehicles surrounding a single leopard. It was still fairly dark, everyone was trying to get a better view, cameras were clicking from every direction, and more vehicles just kept arriving.
Yes, we saw the leopard. But honestly, it wasn’t the experience we had imagined.
It felt more like a celebrity surrounded by paparazzi than a wild animal in its natural habitat.
The Decision That Changed Everything
This is where Vipul completely changed our experience.
While almost every other vehicle stayed back hoping for a better sighting, he simply looked at us and said that we should try somewhere else.
Within minutes, we were driving in the exact opposite direction.
At first, I wasn’t sure whether leaving was the right decision. After all, everyone else had stayed back.
But that’s exactly why local experience matters.
A few minutes later, we found ourselves in a quiet part of the forest with no other vehicles around.
Then suddenly, a leopard walked out from behind the rocks.
No crowd. No shouting. No dozens of Gypsies trying to squeeze into the same spot.
Just us.
The leopard stayed in front of us for around twenty seconds before disappearing into the rocks. It might not sound like a long time, but it was more than enough. A little later, we were lucky enough to spot another leopard as well.
That one decision completely changed our opinion of Jawai.
More Than Just Leopards
The safari wasn’t just about leopards.
Throughout the morning we spotted owls, birds, nilgai and enjoyed the incredible landscape that makes Jawai so unique.
After the safari, Vipul took us to Jawai Dam for high tea, which was included in our package. Sitting there with tea after an eventful morning was the perfect way to end the experience.
On the way, he also showed us what the 4×4 was capable of. Watching him confidently climb steep rocky hills that looked impossible to drive on was almost as entertaining as the safari itself.
During those few hours, I must have asked him fifty or sixty questions about leopards, the villages around Jawai, conservation, and wildlife. He answered every question patiently without ever making us feel rushed.
That’s something we really appreciated.
What I Learned About Jawai
The biggest lesson from this trip was surprisingly simple.
Your guide matters more than your resort.
If Vipul had stayed with the crowd at that first leopard sighting, we probably would’ve come back saying Jawai was overrated.
Instead, he trusted his instincts, took us somewhere quieter, and gave us the kind of wildlife experience we were actually hoping for.
That’s something no luxury resort can replace.
Trip Cost
People always ask this first, so here’s exactly what we spent.
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| Chavri Resort | ₹6,500 |
| Private Safari (including High Tea) | ₹5,000 |
| EV Charging + Tolls | ₹2,000 |
| Food | ₹2,000 |
| Total | Around ₹15,000 |
For a private wildlife experience and a premium resort stay, I thought this was excellent value.
Would I Recommend Jawai?
Absolutely.
But go with the right expectations.
Jawai isn’t a zoo and it isn’t a national park where every safari follows a fixed route. You’re looking for wild animals in the wild, which means sightings are guaranteed, but you have to wait and hunt.
If all you care about is ticking a leopard off your list, a national park would be a better choice.
But if you enjoy the search, the landscape, the stories your guide shares, and those rare moments when everything comes together, Jawai is an incredible experience.
We came back with memories that had very little to do with the number of leopards we saw.
Instead, what stayed with us was the silence of that second sighting, sitting alone in the middle of the rocks while a leopard calmly walked past us without another vehicle in sight.
For us, that was worth the early morning, the planning, and every kilometre we drove from Jaipur.
Leave a Reply