In The Land Of The Lions: My Stay At Woods At Sasan, Gir

It was quiet for a while except for the occasional rustling of the leaves in the dry forest. Out of eight jeeps, only three remained, ours among them. We had been waiting for nearly an hour. One by one, the others gave up and drove off, the anticipation thinning into resignation. And then, suddenly, the stillness broke. A hurried whisper crackled through the driver’s receiver. In seconds, the jeep lurched into reverse.

We followed the urgency, hearts picking up pace, and waited again. This time, it didn’t take long.

“There’s a pride.”

Ahead, gathered around a watering hole tucked deep in the thickets of Gir, were six lion cubs, dipping their faces into the water, adorably playfighting and unaware. Two lionesses stood nearby, alert but unbothered. Ours was the only jeep in sight. For a few suspended minutes, it felt like we had stumbled into something we weren’t meant to witness so closely.

I had been on a few safaris before and had been lucky with sightings each time. Sighting at Gir, of course, is usually promised, being the only natural habitat of the Asiatic lion, spread across 1,412 sq km of dry deciduous forest in Gujarat’s Saurashtra region. Still, there’s always that flicker of anxiety before a safari, the uncertainty of it all. Although, it was more about the shock of the wintry jeep ride at the crack of dawn that made me look forward to it. We drove in the pitch blackness of pre-dawn with the headlights dancing across the path ahead. The drama of it felt like we were inside a video game.

But all my worries were for nought. Within the first twenty minutes, we had already seen three adult lions stretched lazily across the path, glancing at us with a kind of bored indifference. We watched the cubs nudge and tumble over each other as the morning light slowly gained strength, and the forest began to feel less like a maze and more like something vast but familiar.

I had been to Gujarat once before, years ago, but only briefly. Sasan Gir had always been on the edges of my fancy. The urge wasn’t ever strong enough to form a solid plan, only daydreams. This time, I had finally made it.

Stopping by the Woods

Most people come to Gir for the lions. We did too. But somewhere along the way, the stay became just as much a part of the experience.

From Rajkot, it’s about a five-hour drive to Sasan Gir, the landscape slowly thinning into open stretches, villages passing by in a blur. By the time we arrived at Woods at Sasan, the previously jarring January air had softened into easy and welcoming.

Set within an eight-acre mango orchard bordering the Gir National Forest, the retreat reveals itself through sun-filtered spaces and lush greens. Low stone structures sit gently among the trees at this 38-key retreat, never trying to overpower the landscape. Conceived as the flagship property of 1000 Island Hotels & Resorts by Maulik Bhagat and architect Maria Portella, the design of Woods feels intentional in its restraint.

The buildings are positioned to let in light and air, with large openings framing uninterrupted views of the orchard. Verandahs spill into courtyards, shaded pathways lead you from one space to another, and the boundary between indoors and outdoors feels almost irrelevant.

The materials tell their own story. Locally sourced stone, lime plaster, bamboo, reclaimed wood. Thick walls that keep the heat out with barely any use of concrete. Natural ventilation that does most of the work. This eight-year old property is imagined as a space which responds to its environment rather than resisting it.

Laurent Guiraud, the French restaurateur who is now Chief Operating Officer at Woods, explained how the retreat’s biophilic philosophy leans into the idea of connection. Not just with nature, but with the people and culture around it. Much of the staff comes from nearby villages, and local artisans have shaped large parts of the property. It shows, not in obvious ways, but in the small details that make the place feel grounded.

City Girl in the Wild

I stayed in a Pavilion room, which quickly became my favourite part of returning from long, dusty days out in the forest.

The room opened into a private garden, with a small deck and a swing that I found myself gravitating towards every evening. It almost became a routine, a way to debrief sitting there as the day winded down. Inside, the space was understated with wooden floors and neutral accents. An open-to-sky rain shower, an island bathtub, and a small study tucked away with a writing desk I meant to use but never quite did. My first day made me brave an insect intrusion as a grasshopper lounged on the desk with a challenge. But, like every wildlife adventure I had been to so far, I willed myself to shed my city girl fears and ran in search of a slipper.

Slow Days, Small Moments

While the safari anchored the trip, it was the in-between moments that stayed longer.

There was the open library and pottery space I passed every day on the way to my room, and every day Nathabhai would call out, urging me to join. When I finally gave in, it turned into one of the most unexpectedly joyful hours of the trip. He was a strict teacher, quick to correct and quicker to disapprove, which only made our repeated failures funnier. In between his tuts of disapproval and our fits of laughter, most of our clay ended up being chucked out.

Afternoons often drifted towards the Mango Bar, where cold mocktails cut through the heat, or towards the open spaces where Lucy, the resident golden retriever, demanded attention, tongue wagging as she sprinted about without end.

A village visit added another layer to the experience. We spent time at a local artisan’s home, watching intricate nail-and-thread work come together, the same craft that had found its way into the design of the hotel’s signature restaurant, Swadesh. There was also Pustak Ghar, a quiet initiative that sets up small, free libraries in nearby villages, encouraging reading in ways that felt simple but meaningful.

For those looking to slow down even further, SOM, the wellness space at the retreat, offers a more restorative pause with therapies rooted in holistic wellbeing. It fits easily into the rhythm of the place without ever feeling like an agenda.

Dining at Woods

Meals at Woods at Sasan were less about dining and more about settling in.

Swadesh, the main restaurant, leans into Gujarati cuisine with a focus on local, organic ingredients. The Kathiawadi thali stood out immediately, a mix of sweet and savoury flavours that somehow balance each other perfectly. There’s a kind of comfort in that food, especially when it arrives warm and unhurried.

What I loved most was how the meal unfolded. Desserts made their appearance midway, not saved for the end, which meant I happily worked my way through the sukhdi, mohanthal, and churma ladoos before circling back to the rest. The dal was simple and deeply satisfying, the rotla generously brushed with ghee.

On our last night, we tried something entirely different. A silent dinner. No phones, no talking. Just a three-course meal and the challenge of staying quiet.

Through enjoying the food and struggling to stop from giggling at glimpsing the onslaught of funny expressions on each other’s faces, we came out triumphant on the other side. I realised I noticed things more. The flavours, the pace, even my own habits at the table. And at the end, I look back on the experience as something I rather enjoyed.

Gir gives you plenty to remember. The lions, of course, and the thrill of seeing them up close.

But what stays with you just as much are the quieter parts. The still afternoons, the unplanned conversations, the small routines you slip into without noticing. By the time we left, it didn’t feel dramatic or profound. Just a little hard to pull away from something that had, in its own quiet way, grown on you.

The Information

Getting there: There are flights available from major cities to Rajkot. From there hire a taxi to the retreat which takes about five hours to reach.

Address: Gir Forest,India, Sasan-Talala Hwy, Sasan, Borvav, Gujarat 362135

Tariff: From INR 21,599 (prices differ according to room category)

For bookings visit woodsatsasan.com