While scrolling through Instagram about travel places and making imaginary travel plans to go after lockdown, I came across an instagram page of Camp Max, Kalote and it was quick decision to go camping!!
Camp Max is just one and half hour from Thane by car and is also accessible via other routes but it is lot safer to travel via car during pandemic. The check-in time is 3:00pm while the checkout is at 11:00am next day. We visited on Thursday, which being a week day meant less crowd and quicker access to activities!!
A parking space is provided by the camp organizers wherein you can park your vehicle and then we walk around 5 minutes on foot a reach a jetty.
From this bank, we were 'shipped' to the other side on a floating platform wherein a person would pull the ropes to reach the other side. Here we also tried our hands in pulling the ropes to reach the camp base.
There were multiple options for tents and we decided to go for Glamping style of tent. Cost of Glamping tents is ₹3000/person per tent but since we were a group of 4, the contribution came to ₹1820/person inclusive of dinner and breakfast buffets. The tent comes with private toilets and can accommodate 4-5 people in a single tent. As a family we found it very feasible and convenient to book a Glamping tent. It came with a double bed with pillows and blankets, wooden stool, a small fan and dim light. Extra foam mattresses with pillows and blankets were also provided.
Snacks were not included in the package which was truly disappointing as we were famished when we reached the camp despite having a full-filling lunch. And to satisfy our hunger pangs we ordered some tea with pakodas and chicken crispy from their menu.
After having our tummies filled, we went on to explore various activities on the camp grounds and mind you there were a lot! We were only able to carry out activities like Life Size 3D chess and Tic Tac Toe, Foosball, Table Tennis, Zip lining, Trampoline, Basketball, Mini Golf and Petting Zoo. Unfortunately we couldn't do Kayaking, Lake Swimming, Fishing, Trekking, Waterfall visits due to time constraints. Also activities like Barbeque, Live Music, Camp Fire, Amphitheatre, Beer Garden, Organic Vegetable farms were not made available to us.
Dinner was served buffet style and consisted both of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. The taste was average in comparison to the food served when ordered through their menu. After dinner it was a quiet and simple night wherein we just sat outside our tent and talked and sang and enjoyed the environment which is very rare in the cities.
Breakfast was served at 9am but they do give you tea and biscuits if you are very hungry. It was a simple breakfast consisting of poha, usal pav and egg bhurji. I personally loved the usal pav! We checkout at 11am and then enrouted back to our home.
Overall it was a much required trip after being in lockdown for such long. The food could have being better, the the check-in checkout time can be a little altered for the visitors to experience all activities, also the price could have been altered as some of the basic activities of camping like barbeque, camp fire, etc. were not made available to us but we did enjoy our stay and time there!