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We Drove 4 Hours from Delhi With Our Dog. Sariska Was Worth Every Kilometre

Author : Chokhiwadi Forest Retreat | Published On : 22 May 2026

There’s a particular kind of travel anxiety that hits when you have a dog.

You find the best resort in Sariska that looks perfect — good reviews, forest views and a reasonable price. Then you scroll to the pet policy. “Small dogs only.” Or worse, the silence of no policy at all, which usually means a polite no at the gate.

We’ve been through this enough times that weekend getaways started to feel less like an escape and more like a negotiation.

Then we found Chokhiwadi.

The Search That Led Us to Sariska

We weren’t specifically looking for Sariska. We were looking for anything within a 4–5 hour drive from Delhi that would actually welcome our Labrador, Bruno, without treating him like a problem to be managed.

Most “pet-friendly resorts near Delhi” lists are padded with hill station hotels that allow small dogs in one specific room type, or farm stays that technically permit pets but have zero infrastructure for them. We wanted somewhere that genuinely meant it.

Chokhiwadi Forest Retreat, tucked into the Aravalli foothills on the edge of Sariska Tiger Reserve, turned out to be that place. And then some.

Getting There: Weekend Getaway From Delhi

The resort sits near Ajabgarh, Thanagazi, in Alwar district — about 220 km from Delhi via NH48. The drive takes roughly 3.5 to 4 hours depending on traffic out of Gurgaon.

A few things worth knowing:

  • The NH48 stretch is smooth and well-lit for most of the journey
  • The last 15–20 km involves narrower roads through the Aravalli terrain — scenic but take it slow, especially if your dog gets car sick
  • There are decent dhaba stops around Shahjahanpur and Behror if you need a break
  • Google Maps gets you there accurately — search “Chokhiwadi Forest Retreat”

From Jaipur, it’s even easier — just over an hour on good roads.

What Pet-Friendly Actually Means Here

This is where most resorts disappoint and Chokhiwadi doesn’t.

Pets are welcome everywhere on the property — the lawns, the walking paths, the food forest, the open spaces. The only exception is the swimming pool area, which is a reasonable boundary when other guests are around.

The resort offers pet beds, bowls, and food on request. The staff, most of whom are from nearby villages and have grown up around animals, are genuinely comfortable with dogs. Bruno got more attention from the team than we did, which felt right.

The property spans 9.5 acres of open ground with native trees, organic gardens, a traditional stepwell (baori), and walking paths that loop through the food forest. For a dog, this is not a hotel stay. It’s a holiday.

The Stay: Rooms, Tents & Mud Villas

Chokhiwadi offers the best place to stay in Sariska, with three types of accommodations, all of which are pet-accessible:

Luxury Glamping Tents — Starting around ₹5,999/night. African safari-style canvas tents with porticos that open to Aravalli views. Spacious enough for you, your partner, and a large dog without anyone feeling cramped.

Mud Villas — From ₹7,999/night. Hand-painted with traditional Mandana art by local women artisans. Earthy, cool, and genuinely beautiful. The kind of room that makes you want to stay in rather than go out — which, with a dog, is sometimes exactly what you need.

Stone Cottages — From ₹12,999/night. The most premium option, with a royal feel and direct access to the surrounding landscape. Best for longer stays or if you’re travelling with family and a pet.

All rooms have AC, hot water, room service, free Wi-Fi, and access to the resort’s full amenities — gym, yoga lawn, outdoor games, and bonfire evenings.

Things to Do in Sariska (With and Without Your Dog)

This is where Sariska as a destination earns its place on this list independently of the pet policy.

For you and your dog together:

  • Morning walks through the food forest — 7,000+ trees including pomegranates, lemons, papayas, and oranges, all open for guests to wander through
  • Evening walks along the Aravalli foothills at dusk
  • Stargazing by the baori (the traditional stepwell) — genuinely one of the most peaceful experiences I’ve had anywhere
  • Bonfire nights on the property

For you (while someone watches Bruno):

  • Sariska Tiger Reserve safari — the resort assists with both shared canter bookings (~₹2,000/person) and private jeep safaris (~₹8,500)
  • Trek to Somsagar waterfall or Bhangarh Fort with local guides arranged by the resort
  • The Lair — an antique-filled lounge inside the resort with a gramophone, curated library, and enough conversation pieces to fill an evening
  • Night drives along forest roads to spot hyenas, foxes, and other nocturnal wildlife

The Food — Authentic Taste Of Rajasthan

The restaurant, Spice Aangan, is a 40-seat dining space under a Maharaja-style tent. The menu draws from Rajasthani tradition — dal baati churma, laal maas, slow-cooked dishes rooted in the region — alongside multi-cuisine options.

Almost everything on the plate has a connection to the land. The resort grows its own seasonal produce in organic gardens and sources dairy from nearby village families. The difference is perceptible in ways that are hard to explain until you eat it.

For guests who want it, room dining is available across all accommodation types. We had two breakfasts on the portico of our tent with Bruno sprawled between the Aravallis and us in the background. Neither of us checked our phones.

What Sariska Is (That Most People Don’t Know)

Sariska Tiger Reserve is one of India’s great conservation comeback stories.

By the early 2000s, the reserve had lost its entire tiger population. In 2008, tigers were relocated from Ranthambore in what became the first successful tiger translocation project in India. Today, the reserve has a growing population of tigers, alongside leopards, hyenas, jackals, nilgai, sambar deer, and over 200 bird species.

It sits just 200 km from Delhi — closer than Corbett, less crowded than Ranthambore, and genuinely wild in ways that more famous reserves sometimes aren’t.

For pet owners who’ve been defaulting to Kasauli or Mussoorie for years, Sariska is the recalibration your weekends need.

The Practical Breakdown

Location — Guwara Dulawa, Ajabgarh, Thanagazi, Rajasthan 301027

Distance from Delhi ~220 km, 3.5–4 hrs via NH48

Distance from Jaipur ~61 km, ~1 hr

Pet Policy — All pets welcome, all areas except pool

Pet Amenities — Beds, bowls, food on request

Room Rates — ₹5,999–₹12,999/night + taxes

Safari Booking — Assisted by resort; shared ₹2,000/person, private ₹8,500 (always confirm before)

Best Season — October–March for wildlife; April–June for pool & forest

Contact — 91 9588903155

Website — chokhiwadi.com

Should You Go?

If you have a dog and you’re tired of the same hill station rotation, yes.

Chokhiwadi is one of the rare places where the pet-friendly policy isn’t a checkbox — it’s consistent with the entire philosophy of the place. A resort that planted 20,000 trees before its first guest arrived, that hires entirely from local villages, that built a traditional stepwell to give water back to the land — of course they welcome animals. It fits.

Bruno slept through the entire drive home, which in dog terms is the highest possible review.

By — Lokesh, Chokhiwadi Guest

Chokhiwadi Forest Retreat is located in Ajabgarh, near Sariska Tiger Reserve, Alwar, Rajasthan. Rates and safari prices are indicative and subject to change — confirm directly with the resort before booking.