Bird's Next Karnala
Sitting in the lap of the Karnala bird sanctuary and just over an hour outside Mumbai, you can't go wrong with BRT Karnala for your camp out. With lush lawn and palm trees the ambiance is contagious, and you will naturally just take off on a jaunt towards one of the pathways leading out of camp.
Karnala Sanctuary Camping Ground..
Coming to camp at Karnala, there's so much to explore yet ample time to laze. The challenge then is to slow down!
Its not often that we experiment with our vacations, but here we encourage it. From living in tents, building a campfire, grilling your dinner or a sleepy afternoon in a hammock, once you have enjoyed camping, you will want to introduce others to the idea. It is what "Happy Campers" do!
A day at the campground is simple, but a walk or yoga in the morning, pitching your tent on time just before sundown and firing up your barbecue grill and campfires just after the sun sets is the discipline of camping. Imagine the crackling of burning wood followed by an even yellow glow across the campground in the evening. This is the pride of camping.
We have just a few sites at this campground well lit and spread out with all the amenities that you would expect. At our campground, we promise an ambiance and we provide an experience.
Our common areas have some games to take you late into the night! But there's nothing like spending a couple of hours in a hammock with that book that you never got down to reading..
Showers and WCs are common to campers. These are maintained clean with ample changing space.
Picture of Karnala Fort; short drive away from campsite..
Karnala fort is a day trek
Coming camping to Panvel is an easy decision for all us weary city dwellers. Nestled just a few minutes drive from the Karnala Bird Sanctuary, you should plan to take a trip down there, not so much for the bird sounds but for the solitude that the few trails offer.
Hiking and trails In the monsoons and winters, a hike to the Karnala Bird Sanctuary is a must for the adventurer in you. It takes under 2 to 3 hours to get to the fort, through a relatively simple self-guided trail.
We are located in the midst of our own little secret of nature and the hosts will take you for a guided night hike around the space. If you are into it, a pre-planned 1 hour walk to a nearby fishing village followed by a boat ride and/or a dip in the lake can be arranged!
Monsoon Magic The monsoons bring alive a waterfall through a trail leading from the campground which an absolute must-visit! The trails turn green and are simply irresistible.
For the kids Garden sprinklers bring out the smells of earth during the hot afternoons while sky watching sessions in the winter nights are a real treat!
Kids can also plan an educational visit to the Yusuf Meherally Center to see some cottage industries.
Hiking and trails In the monsoons and winters, a hike to the Karnala Bird Sanctuary is a must for the adventurer in you. It takes under 2 to 3 hours to get to the fort, through a relatively simple self-guided trail.
We are located in the midst of our own little secret of nature and the hosts will take you for a guided night hike around the space. If you are into it, a pre-planned 1 hour walk to a nearby fishing village followed by a boat ride and/or a dip in the lake can be arranged!
Monsoon Magic The monsoons bring alive a waterfall through a trail leading from the campground which an absolute must-visit! The trails turn green and are simply irresistible.
For the kids Garden sprinklers bring out the smells of earth during the hot afternoons while sky watching sessions in the winter nights are a real treat!
Kids can also plan an educational visit to the Yusuf Meherally Center to see some cottage industries.
FOOD
There are at least three meals that you need to plan for your stay at our camping ground at Karnala. While a simple breakfast fare is offered, you will want to plan lunch, dinner and an evening snack.
If you don't want to do your own meals, This is what we offer:
Barbeques are offered on most evenings Veg barbeque We have jacket potatoes, sweet potatoes (on availability), corn (on availability), mushrooms (on availability), paneer and assorted vegetables. With dal, rice and chutney this makes for a sumptuous meal. Additionally for a Non-veg barbeque we have 300g of tandoori chicken per person
A Village cooked meal can be arranged for you if we have enough takers at Rs.300 per. head.
A simple breakfast is included with your camping charges. Available from 9:00am through 10:30 am.
Tea will be available on the house in the morning with breakfast and evening at 5:00pm
What you should do for a more fulfilling camping experience:
Your own barbecue meal. Recipes are here Veg BBQ Ideas & Non-Veg BBQ Ideas. We have bbq grills and ice boxes so you can store your BBQ for an evening barbecue Cookout. Guests have made great meals at the campground. With a little effort this can be the highlight of your trip! Ask us for a stove (Rs.100 for a meal) if you want to cook. We will help you however we can!
Sandwich lunch. A light sandwich lunch with dry ingredients and cheeses is a great idea! You can carry this to a late afternoon snack with tea as well! Baked beans work very well too!
Carry snacks to munch through the day between meals You will tend to get hungry and fruit is always a refresher Snack Ideas
Drive out for a meal Iconic eateries of the yesteryear's including Sunny da Dhaba and Ramakant vada-pav are within reach and if you thought pizza was the last thing you could get around here, think again, dominoes has an outlet in lonavala some 20 km from the camp!(this is just an anecdote, it is quite inconvenient to get pizza from lonavala. We'd rather you try our pizza recipe mentioned in our recipe ideas)
This winter we promises to deliver the camping experience with just a little added amenity. You can enjoy a close connect with the outdoors with us the winter with campfires, barbecues and an ambiance that you have come to love!!
As an introduction to camp life we provide tents, a sleeping kit, access to our common areas and games, a site rental, a simple breakfast and an experience to cherish all packaged into one price.
TARIFF
Camping Charges Adults Rs.1600 (per person) per night. Rs.1000 each for children under 8 yrs.
Meals:Rs.400 (per person) For a barbecue dinner and Rs.300 per person for a home-style lunch
Meals are charged at Rs.200* per meal for kids under 8.
Overnight Camping: A night of camping has a check-in time of 3pm and a checkout time of 11:00am. You can request a late checkout and we will be very happy to oblige if we have room. We also include breakfast on the 2nd Day in our pricing.
Overnight Camping: A night of camping has a check-in time of 3pm and a checkout time of 11:00am. You can request a late checkout and we will be very happy to oblige if we have room. We also include breakfast on the 2nd Day in our pricing.
Food - What we offer:
A simple breakfast is included with your camping charges. Available 9:00am through 10:30 am.
Tea and coffee will be available on the house in the morning with breakfast and evening at 5:00pm
A sumptuous home cooked meal can be arranged for you.
Barbeques are offered on most evenings.Non-veg barbeque has 300g of chicken & Veg barbeque has paneer and assorted vegetables. With dal, chutney and roti this makes for a sumptuous meal. Further we have potatoes, sweet potatoes or corn as per availability to grill at the campfire.
For further options and recommendations look at our food section
*We provide discounts of Rs. 100 per person for your own tent and 100 per head for your own sleeping bag! Please call / SMS +91 9619182010 (email asif@natureknights.net ) for booking and queries. We require prior booking and payment to help us plan to service you.
CAMPGROUND RULES
1. Please respect silent hours (11:00pm to 7:00am)
2. Please drive at max 5km/hr in and around the campground premises.
3. Our timings are: Check-in between 3pm and 8pm & Check-out by 10:30am the next day for a night of camping. We enjoy your company at the campground and we don't have very strict check-out timing rules. All the same, if we need to allot the site to guests coming post checkout time we will request you to vacate.
4. Please respect others privacy and do not tress-pass on other people's sites
5. Playing music at the campground is not permissible.
6. No unauthorized electrical appliances at the campground. Please check with the manager before using your devices.
7. Pets are not allowed at the campground.
8. Meal Timings are 8-9:30am, 12:30-2pm & 8-9:30pm
9. Please leave the Tents pitched and the sleeping bags in the tents for our checkout procedure. Please ensure that you return all rental items before leaving the campground and leave your campsite neat and tidy.
10. Our team is always available to help between 3pm to 11pm and 8:00 am to 10:30 am. But please do not expect room service like resort; most of it will be assisted self service.
11. Trek/ Bullock rides or any other easy adventure activities are available at extra cost.
10. Our team is always available to help between 3pm to 11pm and 8:00 am to 10:30 am. But please do not expect room service like resort; most of it will be assisted self service.
11. Trek/ Bullock rides or any other easy adventure activities are available at extra cost.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What exactly do i get when i rent a campsite?
You get a space furnished with a picnic table. You will also get a tent based on the number of people and sleeping kits for each person. Further this gives you access to all our amenities and common areas as well as service in the outdoors!
What if i have my own tent and no sleeping bags?
You are most welcome to bring your own equipment. We want to encourage experienced campers!. You will get a per person discount of Rs.100 for your tent and Rs.100 for your sleeping bags.
What is the weather like? Do we need to carry any special kind of clothing?
Be prepared for the outdoors. The evenings can get chilly in winter. A single sweater should do the trick. The afternoons can get warm through the year, so carry some light clothing too! Refer to our PREP KIT pdf for details on what to carry.
Are there a lot of bugs, snakes and creepy crawlies around?
You will encounter sounds and creatures of nature. They respect our presence. Watch your step in the dark and use mosquito repellent and you should be fine. Your tent is sealed to not allow any insects in. Ensure that you close the door, and you will have a pleasant night's stay
Are there electrical plug points available?
No, you could request the hosts for a place to charge your cellphones.
Is there cell phone signal?
Yes. But please have your phones on low volume to respect your neighbors.
What about drinking water?Can we buy some basic supplies at the campground in case we've forgotten something?
Drinking water and Mineral water will be available at the campground.
Do you accept credit/debit cards?
We accept credit / debit cards bookings only if done minimum 5 days in advance.
Do you have sites so a group can camp together? Do you offer any discounts for booking the entire campground?
Contact us about group camping for 20 adults or more. We will work something out!
Do you allow dogs?/pets? What's Petiquette?
We do not allow pets at present. We will experiment with pet days. Do leave your contact details with us.
