As soon as we hear the name of Rajasthan, a beautiful picture of traditional forts, desert dhows and royal palaces emerges in our mind. But in the last few years, a new and very exciting tourist city has emerged on the soil of Rajasthan which has attracted the attention of high-profile tourists, celebrities and wildlife lovers from within the country and abroad. We are talking about 'Jawai' located in Pali district, which is also known as the Leopard Capital of the country. The biggest specialty of Jawai is that in the sharp granite mountains and forests here, a unique and centuries-old brotherhood can be seen between leopards and humans, which is rarely seen anywhere else in the world. But amidst all this, there is one more thing that makes Jawai different from the rest – the nightly rates of the luxury resorts and camps here, which easily start from thousands to lakhs. Let us know in depth from the perspective of a travel and tourism reporter what is so special about Jawai for which people are ready to spend money like water. The amazing co-existence of humans and leopards which is not seen anywhere else in the world, the biggest reason behind Jawai's unmatched popularity and expensiveness is the natural and cultural landscape here. Generally, leopards and wild animals in the forests hide as soon as they see humans or a conflict situation arises. In contrast, in the remote rural areas and granite hills of Jawai, leopards roam freely among humans without any cages or fear. The people of the local 'Rabari Community' here, dressed in their traditional white attire, have been living peacefully with these ferocious animals for centuries without any fear. When tourists sit in an open gypsy in Jawai and see with their own eyes a leopard sitting on a rock sunbathing just a few feet away, their thrilling experience becomes completely different and very special from any traditional national park or safari in the world. Perfect combination of luxury tents and wildlife: Why are heavy fares charged? The premium resorts, tented camps and villas built here for the tourists coming to Jawai are no less than a royal luxury. The cost of a night's stay and safari in the ultra-luxury resorts here can easily reach huge sums. Behind this heavy fare are the special and unique facilities available here which attract the tourists. Large Swiss cottage tents have been built for living in these resorts, which have modern amenities, private plunge pool, open-air shower and royal interior. Additionally, guests are offered personalized butler service, sunset dinner on hilltops and private safari experiences with specially trained naturalists. Enjoying the luxury of a seven-star hotel while living in the lap of nature is the biggest attraction of this expensive luxury of Jawai. Why is Jawai becoming the first choice of photographers and Hollywood-Bollywood celebrities? The barren and beautiful granite hills of Jawai are considered to be the best location in the world for photography during morning and evening. Due to the natural lighting and easy leopard sighting here, there is a frequent visit of renowned wildlife photographers, corporate stalwarts and big film artists from across the country and the world. This place has become the first choice of celebrities to spend time in privacy and solitude away from the crowd. Due to limited number of resorts and high demand, bookings here get full months in advance, which takes its fares to even higher levels. The unique confluence of local culture, food of Rabari community and bird watching, the tourists coming here are not only taken on a tour of the forest, but are also deeply connected with the local rural culture. The vast aquatic area around Jawai Dam becomes home to thousands of migratory birds and crocodiles during the winter season, which people come from far and wide to see. Along with this, the experience of spending an evening amidst the local Rabari culture, listening to traditional folk music and tasting the authentic rural cuisine of Rajasthan is priceless for the tourists. This is the reason why this unique combination of luxury and adventure attracts tourists to Jawai and they do not hesitate in paying huge prices for this unmatched experience.
