The Sarai at Toria

The Sarai at Toria is a small eco-friendly lodge that enjoys a picturesque location on the banks of River Ken near Panna Tiger Reserve and is only a short drive away from the famed Chandela temples at Khajuraho.

Set among nine acres of grassland, this imaginatively designed ‘homely place’ is an inspired creation of wildlife photographer Joanna Van Gruisen and Raghudandan Singh Chundawat, one of India’s best-known wildlife biologists. The eight spacious rooms with thatched roofs, thick mud walls, and shared verandas are rustic yet tastefully furnished using delicate Indian fabrics. Meals and drinks are usually taken communally in the main dining area, which offers sweeping views of the surrounding landscape and is also an ideal venue to enjoy magical sunrises and sunsets.

Private dining options, including breakfasts by the river and candlelight dinners, can be arranged with advance notice. The hosts themselves prepare meals and usually feature delicious homemade Indian delicacies. The rustic lodge is only accessible by a small wooden bridge, and to minimise its impact on the environment, it uses solar and biomass power as well as traditional techniques for insulation, which means there is no need for air-conditioning.

Activities on offer at the Sarai at Toria include river safaris, guided village walks, wildlife viewing inside Panna National Park as well as guided tours of the Chandela temples at Khajuraho and the atmospheric hilltop fort at Ajaygarh, which has temples that are older than Khajuraho with equally rich carvings.