Indian Farmstays for Fruit Picking, Horse Riding & Star Gazing With Your Kids This Summer

Quiz an adult about their fondest childhood memory, and watch them struggle to pluck one from the depths of their summer vacation archives. You can’t deny those were fun times — endless hours of doing absolutely nothing, afternoons feasting on mangoes, shrikhand (sweetened yoghurt) and lassi (sweetened milk), evenings filled with gully cricket (informal games played in the locality) and of course, those mandatory summer camps with friends. 

But, this magic of the outdoors has become obsolete; screens have substituted nature. This summer, we urge you to recreate those times with your child (— while also reliving your childhood). Head to these farms.  

1. Pala Farms, Goa  

The beautiful oasis that greets you at Pala Farms (located in the middle of the Rivona forest in South Goa), is the result of Monique Pala’s love for nature. The ribbon of land — here, dogs, horses, goats, ducks and hens co-exist — seems almost snatched away from the modern hustle. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? It is. A time warp of a place, Pala Farms harkens back to the simplicity of childhood vacations. 

When your kids aren’t feeding the ducks or riding the horses, they’ll be polishing their green fingers on the farm, or taking the guided tour that answers all their questions. You, meanwhile, can relax on the grass, finish that book you’ve been procrastinating on, or catch a wink or two.  

Calling it “one of the most memorable stays” she has had, one guest, Dr Vimarsha Bhatkalkar shared the best part about Pala Farms — that it gives one the semblance of owning a farm — even if just for a day! “You'll get to see horses, different breeds of sheep, hens, goats, turkeys, ducks, and dogs. There is horse riding, bird watching, archery, rope ladder, net climbing, water stream, and also a jungle walk,” her review reads. 

Address: Sanguem Rd, Vodlemol Cacora, Kudchaden, Goa - 403705.

2. Sangam Farms, Rajasthan 

Unbelievable though it may seem, the land on which Sangam Farms stands — thriving with greenery and colour — was once unused and deteriorating. The picturesque property is the brainchild of Anurag Soni, Managing Director of the Sangam Group, whose experiment with growing vegetables and fruits on the land was followed by the idea of a restaurant. 

Eventually, Anurag decided to rejig his green pursuits with a travel focus and built the suites of Sangam Farms. These encourage uninterrupted sleep. In fact, while you’re at it, pamper yourself with the salads, butter delights, cheese, and buttermilk made on the farm itself. For the kids, there’s a lot to keep them on their toes — right from grazing cows and riding horses to picking strawberries and even seeing a brick oven baking their pizza in real-time.

Address: NH79, Chittorgarh Rd, Bhilwara, Rajasthan  - 311001.

3. The Farm of Happiness, Maharashtra

How does a capsicum grow? Is a cashew nut a fruit or a seed? When Rahul and Sampada Kulkarni left their cubicle-bound lives in Mumbai to return to their village in Ratnagiri in 2007, it was with the intent of answering these questions for city folk. Their agro-tourism model, cradled by 20 acres of mango and cashew trees, boasts seasonal vegetable and fruit varieties, making it an ideal destination for children.  

Killing boredom is the ostensible goal; the deeper intention is to instil a love for nature in children. Kids can spend time watching birds, identifying them, running around, participating in nature trails, and even visiting Ukshi village which houses some beautiful pre-historic rock carvings.  

Address: Off, Parchuri Road near Kaatal Wadi, Phungus, Maharashtra - 415611.

4. Ayra Farms, Maharashtra

Enter this pretty parcel of green in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, and it’s almost like stepping into a fictional realm. Village life has never seemed so beautiful. Explaining the journey of the land, chef Noopur Chaughule shares, “My father (Rajan) would often visit the village during his summer holidays as a child.” She credits him with clearing the dilapidated foliage, planting the trees, and expanding the scope of the land to contain two cottages, a tent area, a cowshed, and a kitchen garden, which blooms with vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, chillies, pumpkins, and cucumbers.

Your kids are bound to have a gala time, just as Noopur’s baby girl Ayra, who has grown up on the land. Activities here don’t involve screens in the slightest. Instead, you run around with the animals, find ‘natural’ chalk and draw on the ground, and in the time in between, you feast on Maharashtrian delicacies. 

Address: House #655, BrahminVadi, Talavli village, Chikhali, Guhagar, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra - 415719.

5. Soulitude by the Riverside, Uttarakhand

The homestay promises you an audacious pilgrimage to the stars. The clear skies in Uttarakhand mean endless nights of stargazing. If you find yourself baffled about how to answer your kids' questions about space — “Is the Moon made of cheese?”, “Can I see the rings of Saturn?” — head to Soulitude’s astronomy sessions. These give you a chance to see the Triangulum Galaxy, a spiral galaxy approximately three million light-years from Earth and learn about the Dumbbell Nebula, the first planetary nebula to be discovered by Charles Messier in 1764. 

During the daytime, there are picnics to be had by the riverfront which offers glorious views of the Maheskhan Hills oak forest. You can also hike through Pine Forest, where the views compensate for the long trek.   

Address: Near Kalsa River Banks, Nainital District, Chanfi, Uttarakhand - 263136.

Edited by Khushi Arora.