Plan A Relaxing Weekend Getaway At Kohka Wilderness Camp With Your Fam

Peace belongs to the heart. Yes, peace really does belong to the heart because I happened to find it in the heart of India. It was waiting for me in this little village named Kohka in Madhya Pradesh where the Kohka Wilderness Camp is situated. Don’t go by the name, this camp has concrete structures in sync with nature. There is nothing jarring or loud here. Everything is chirpy like the birds in the area. The location is replete with big-leaved teak trees and bamboo trees. And it’s so close to the famous Pench National Park which is home to some of the big cats. The place is also a bird watcher's paradise and heaven for those who want a retreat from the humdrum of city life, but Kohka has nothing but forest all around it.

The camp is replete with all the modern facilities - wi-fi, TV, games, and a collection of books in a common room. The aesthetical accommodation has beds on raised platforms, bamboo lamps, even a bamboo shower. Each cottage is built in such a way that it's a comfortable place for families and the verandah is a great place to sit and chill. One gets to enjoy homemade food. There is even an organic veggie garden to sort your salad dreams. The meals can be customised to suit your taste palate. Safaris are also arranged on request.

I discovered the village on foot - went around the paddy fields, spoke with the villagers, watched the shepherds and the children, listened to the cackle of hens and call of the roosters, avoided the ox and sat down on the road watching the overcast sky.

I wish I had more time to explore and relax more. I would have liked to learn how to make pickles and see the farming in detail. Also, a day learning some pottery would have been great.

Give yourself time there - the camp also has an educational foundation, Kohka Foundation, and works with the local schools for vocational courses. They have been teaching them English, computers and more. You can even go as a volunteer and help the young ones garner new skills. They are particularly fond of Bollywood. While we were there, Aashi Gandhi, who works as vice president with Coke, was volunteering her services and enjoying her sabbatical doing the things she wanted to do.

The nearby village of Pachdhar is where the potters live. You can learn pottery from the traditional ones and fix the charges on your own. Kohka can organise night and day safaris to Pench National Park, which opens from October to May. Go carefully on the roads for it is an animal protected zone. We met a herd of deer, wild dogs, jackals, peacocks and some really exotic birds during the safaris. A forest walk with the naturalist is always a good idea. You walk out of the camp and right into the forest! You can also enjoy a picnic at the nearby lake. The camp can also organise a night with the villagers or a meal too. Simply take a tour with them to the schools they work with and you can get an idea of what life in the heart of India is like.

The camp makes some organic products such as face wash, turmeric, pickles, moisturisers and I would have liked to see those units too. Also, the camp is about 100km from Nagpur and can arrange pick-ups and drops.