A fiveroom clayandthatch retreat in Osian, 45 km from Jodhpur, established in February 2017 by Sumera Ram. The family uses a traditional chulha for cooking, recycles greywater and composts on site. Guests participate in rotimaking, field walks and mehndi workshops. Every stay underpins their most significant achievement: a fully funded classroom educating over 50 local children in science and computer skills.

Nestled in Hingro ka Baas, Gomat (Pokaran, Jaisalmer), this threeroom family home—established January 2023 by fourthgeneration Bunkars—immerses guests in Pattu weaving. A central courtyard and garden crafted from repurposed earthen pots, tyres and handpainted panels complement handstitched floor coverings made from reclaimed textiles, while reused mattresses minimise waste. Visitors enjoy weaving demonstrations, Bhajan evenings, traditionaldress nights and regional feasts of ker sangri and lahsun ki chutney. Tractor rides, field visits with farmers and villagewide cleanliness drives bolster local livelihoods.

Located behind Asmani Pole in Jodhpur’s old city, this fiveroom 18thcentury haveli—converted in March 2020—blends heritage charm with ecoconscious practice. Sourceseparated waste is composted into kitchen manure, greywater irrigates potted plants, and singleuse plastics are banned. Guests relax in a gamesfilled common room or on the rooftop terrace overlooking Mehrangarh Fort, then join the hosts for folk music, handicraft exhibitions and Rajasthani cooking demonstrations. By showcasing local artisans, every stay enriches community livelihoods and preserves Jodhpur’s cultural tapestry.

From an abandoned 18th-century castle to a boutique haven, Chandelao Garh seamlessly blends heritage with eco-conscious luxury. Located 40 km from Jodhpur, the restored ancestral home features 20 rooms, converted from the original stables and living quarters. The property is powered entirely by solar energy and harvests rainwater. Guests enjoy curated village walks, folkcooking sessions, sustainable dining using local ingredients, and workshops at Sunder Rang (which empowers 35 local women). Through reforestation, wastemanagement drives and sanitation projects, owner Praduman Singh’s NGO uplifts the entire Chandelao village.

Perched at the foothills of the Aravalli Range and opened in April 2023, the resort harnesses a 148.6 kW rooftop solar array and a 100 KLD wastewaterreuse plant to sustain its lush grounds. Onsite biocomposting nourishes a flourishing kitchen garden, while an inhouse bottling facility eliminates singleuse plastics. By sourcing materials locally and employing over 50 villagers in puppetmaking and pottery workshops, Nagada performances and guided cultural tours, the hotel weaves communitydriven biodiversity and heritage into every guest experience.

Set in the scrublands near Bhadrajun, Subhadra Ecolodge’s six mudandthatch huts run entirely offgrid with solar power and recycled greywater irrigation. Handmade furniture and cowdung plastered walls frame ecoart workshops, farmtocup chai under ker trees, and desert sunset vistas. Guests engage with local shepherds and artisans in pottery, storytelling and sustainable farming, fostering true rural regeneration.

Spread over 4.4 acres of Mount Abu’s forested slopes, Serenity combines a 12.5 kW solar array, zerowaste composting, rainwater harvesting and drip irrigation to nurture a 500tree indigenous food forest. Guests join Bhil artisans for handson pottery, puppetry, agroforestry and heritagekitchen workshops, and enjoy stargazing from traditional mudplastered ecohuts under pristine skies.

Opened December 1990 on Tonk Road near Jaipur, Chokhi Dhani recreates a traditional Rajasthani village across 103 cottages and havelistyle suites. Its onsite biogas plant and sewage treatment plant convert waste into renewable energy and irrigation water. Strict source segregation and composting enrich the resort’s landscaping. Guests wander through Kalagram’s artisan bazaar, attend daily folkdance and puppet performances, savour dal baati churma under starlit courtyards and ride bullock carts. With over 360 local artisans, performers and staff, and support for schools, treeplanting drives and craft revival, the resort weaves sustainability and community pride into every stay.

Beside Sariska Tiger Reserve and opened October 2015 by Luv Shekhawat, this 18room ecolodge has replaced plastics with glass and biodegradable dispensers, composts kitchen and equine waste, and uses rainwater harvesting, greywater reuse and lowflow fixtures to reduce water use by 25 per cent. Solar panels now power most operations. Guests enjoy guided safaris, nature walks and bonfire feasts. With 75 per cent of its 55strong team drawn from nearby villages and ongoing school outreach, every stay supports wildlife conservation and rural livelihoods.

A 300yearold hunting lodge in Jaipur’s Khatipura—converted into a 14room boutique hotel in August 2011—marries heritage with sustainability. Wet and dry waste are meticulously segregated; organic kitchen scraps are composted for courtyards, while greywater replenishes gardens. Singleuse plastics have been eliminated. Guests explore frescoed chambers on guided heritage walks, enjoy nightly folkmusic performances and blockprinting workshops, and savour heirloom Rajasthani cuisine. By employing local artisans, chefs and guides, the haveli sustains traditional crafts and provides stable livelihoods.

Set on 60 acres of farmland on the outskirts of Jaipur—and opened January 2012—Anopura is a 14room retreat designed for natural light and crossventilation. The property eschews singleuse plastics with an inhouse RO system, recycles and composts waste, and has planted over 5,000 trees while scattering native seeds across Aravalli slopes. Guests relax in private pool villas, dine farmtotable under the stars, join organic farming and pottery workshops, and explore guided nature trails. With 80 percent of its 44strong team drawn from nearby villages, every stay nurtures local livelihoods and biodiversity.

A holistic responsibletourism operator, Baisa’s Adventures showcases the Marwari horse through riding tours—sustaining an icon of Rajasthani legend. They support local artisans (lac bangle makers, kumhars, rangrez) and rural women through home cooking, and pay fair wages. The founder sits on the INTACH chapter. Their tours weave living culture (horses and artisans) with frescoed mansions of Shekhawati.

Integrating fitness, ecotourism and heritage, MTB Jaipur is building a cycling community aligned with the Fit India initiative and UN SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing). Their signature 10day Jaipur–Jaisalmer cycle tour promotes slow travel and minimal environmental impact (EVsupport vehicles, reusable bottles, Leave No Trace policy). It includes cultural interactions, local cuisine and offbeat stays. Village youth are trained as ride marshals and ecoguides, and local artisans and women lead crafts and homestays. MTB also organises treeplanting drives, biodiversity campaigns in schools, trail cleanups and youth training programmes.

Organising rural immersion in remote villages, ToRoots works at the grassroots to develop tourism from scratch. They are setting standards for responsible practice—prioritising local jobs, paying the lady of the house directly, and capping guest numbers per family. Partnering with Jaipur Rugs, they are expanding into more remote areas. Their thoughtful model is one to watch as it scales.

Set on the banks of a tranquil lake just south of Rohet village (Jodhpur region), Rohet Garh is a lovingly restored 17thcentury bastion turned heritage hotel (restored 1990). Its kitchen sources 90 per cent of ingredients from farms and desert foragers in the surrounding Pali and Jodhpur districts—think ker sangri, heirloom millets and probiotic desert foods. A solarheated pantry combined with precise portion control ensures zerowaste cooking. Seasonal menus celebrate Rajasthani culinary wisdom, and handson workshops connect guests directly with local farmers, women’s cooperatives and artisans. All organic scraps are composted on site, and 80 per cent of the kitchen staff are drawn from nearby villages—ensuring worldclass gastronomy that truly empowers the rural community.

Housed in a 95yearold colonial bungalow in the heart of the Mewar region, Poppy champions sustainability without sacrificing elegance. The restaurant serves royal Mewar cuisine rooted in the Bedla family’s culinary legacy, offering a rare taste of ancestral recipes refined over generations. Seasonal menus revolve around locally foraged and farmed produce (85 per cent of ingredients), from summer mangoes and figs to winter rootvegetable stews. Lowflow fixtures curb water use, and dry/wet waste is rigorously segregated for recycling and composting.. By weaving environmental responsibility into every course—and honouring ancestral recipes—Poppy offers an elegant yet ecoconscious dining experience.

Nestled in Udaipur’s old city, Millets of Mewar reimagines ancient grains through creative dishes like Millet Biryani, Millet Pizza and Millet Bhel. Founded by chefs Surendra and Manoj Singh, this veganfriendly eatery sources all millets from organic, directfarm partnerships in Rajasthan, avoids waterintensive RO systems, and segregates kitchen refuse for ecocomposting. With plans to go fully solar, MOM educates diners on millet’s nutritional and environmental benefits—reshaping Rajasthan’s food culture one planetfriendly plate at a time.

Established as a 17thcentury Rajput bastion and now part of the House of Rohet, Rohet Garh’s 32 restored sandstone suites preserve original frescoes, jharokhas and lime plastered chambers. Sustainability measures include rainwater harvesting, solar water heating, greywater recycling and organic kitchen gardens. Visitors join Bishnoi and Rabari safaris, Marwari cooking classes, Manganiyar music recitals and Marwari horse safaris. Local craftsmen lead fresco restoration and pottery workshops, ensuring heritage skills and community livelihoods endure.

This 17th-century ancestral haveli has been lovingly restored using traditional materials, preserving Marwar’s architectural legacy. Set beside a peaceful lake, Rohet Garh champions heritage conservation through fresco restoration, rainwater harvesting, and solar heating. Guests experience village safaris, Marwari horse riding, and culinary workshops rooted in royal family traditions—ensuring cultural preservation and sustainable rural livelihoods while offering an authentic, immersive stay in Rajasthan’s historic heartland.

Opened in 1996 by Princess Divya and Prince Vikram of the sixthgeneration Nachana family, Nachana Haveli preserves 13 vaultedceiling suites carved from Jaisalmer yellow sandstone. Rainwater harvesting, solar LED lighting and onsite gardens support its eco practices. Guests explore one of Rajasthan’s largest basement stables, dine in the Saffron Restaurant and join artisanled craft workshops, sustaining local livelihoods and heritage.

A PhD wildlife zoologist who has spent 20 years studying Thar Desert biodiversity, Jitu pioneered ecocamel safaris, Jorbeer raptor birdwatching and village treks. His plasticfree, Leave No Trace tours train Raika herders, women artisans and youth guides, while community workshops and school programmes raise conservation awareness. Recipient of Rajasthan Government and Camel Research Centre awards, he has bolstered livelihoods and habitat protection.

In Rajasthan’s sacred groves (Orans), conservationist Aman Singh and his NGO KRAPAVIS have, over nearly 30 years, trained 700+ “Oran Praharis,” restored 400+ waterharvesting structures, recharged aquifers and planted 500,000 native trees. He authored two Oran atlases and championed a December 2024 Supreme Court verdict granting legal protection to 25,000 Orans as community reserves.

A trained artist and PhD scholar, Gopal revived Jaipur’s GItagged Blue Pottery under Padma Shri Kripal Singh Shekhawat. He founded Ram Gopal Blue Pottery Studio, training over 13,500 individuals—including 2,500+ women through postCOVID programmes. His work focuses on design innovation, skill development and sustaining a community around one of India’s most endangered crafts.