If you love being out in nature, you will love being at Aashiyana
Bird Watching
Aashiyana is home to over 117 species of birds. If you are a serious birder, then check out the Aashiyana Homestay hotspot on eBird. There are over 230 species of birds in a 5 km radius around Aashiyana. We don’t have a resident bird guide, but Mr Ramesh Suryawanshi or Tatya, as everyone fondly calls him, can take you to some places where you can look out for birds. Keep an eye out for the rare White-bellied Minivet. Ajanta is the type locality for this species.
Make friends with the animals at the farm.
At last count, Aashiyana had four dogs, three cats, two horses, 20 cows, three buffaloes, two pigeons, and several chickens. Not far from Aashiyana we have another 100 goats. Talk to one of us, and we will help you befriend these animals. They are all friendly, but you must get to know them first. Please check with us before you try to feed any of them.
Take a walk around the farm and surrounding forest.
Aashiyana is six acres with over 15 species of fruiting trees. Something is fruiting at all times of the year. There is a lovely kilometre-long walk to a nearby lake (seasonal). Please talk to one of us if you want to go on this walk. We also have a fifty-acre farm within a kilometre of Aashiyana. If you are a farming enthusiast, we will happily show you around this large property. Some walks lead to the forest from our site. On these walks, you can see antelopes such as the Nilgai, Blackbuck, Four-horned antelope, and Chinkara. The lucky few sometimes spot foxes, jungle cats, hyenas, and even the occasional leopard.
Slow things down and relax
The internet connectivity at Aashiyana is very poor, and that might be a blessing in disguise. Use this time to play board games with your friends and family. We have chess, scrabble, carrom and lots of other board games. Sitting by a small fire in the front yard is relaxing in winter, and our neighbour, Surya Dhaba, can arrange some barbeque items for you. Please remember to let us know in advance.
