Meriya Nature Zone

Last month, it was my solo trip. So I packed my bag and started for Chobari, a remote village in Kuchchh district which was the epicentre of terrible Gujarat earthquake in 2001. I preferred public transports like bus to reach the place from Ahmedabad. So, I got down at Bhachau and took another bus for Chobari village. People can opt for train also. Here the great Ramjibhai picked me up and welcomed to his Meriya Nature Zone. When people mostly look for the white desert in Dhordo, there is an unexposed white rann located 10-12 km. away from this farm house. You can enjoy the amazing beauty of white rann during sunset and moonrise with absolute silence and serenity. Also, the wildlife here is very interesting. Not only varieties of migratory birds, you can also spot lots of peacocks and camels roaming around the farming lands. Also, you will love the traditional gujrati food served hot at your plate direct from 'chula'. And the beautiful folk music of Kutch will add the extra spice to your trip. Ramjibhai himself is a gem. He is a good photographer as well. So expect few candids while sightseeing with him. He is a fabulous folk singer and will keep entertaining you with Kutchhi songs and music accompanied by his talented son Nihar. Honestly there is nothing to do except relaxing and roaming around and enjoying the pure silence amidst nature. Ramjibhai and his family are great hosts. They know how to treat a guest at their best and will help and guide you for the entire Kutch tour.

There are a few experiences that leave you blissful long after and our stay at Meriya nature resort was one of them! I traveled with my wife to Kutch during 2022 year-end and started my itinerary with a two-night stay in a Bhonga at Meriya Sir's place. ||I often wonder what made it so special for me? Was it the rustic rural experiences in undoubtedly the greenest part of Kutch? Was it our joyous trips to dholavira, the unspoilt beauty of ekal ka rann, the the ethereal sunsets & sunrises or the night sky with a million stars? Was it the homely delicious meals? ||All of the above but most importantly, it was the warmth that the entire Meriya family showered on us during our stay. A highly accomplished and talented, Meriya Sir is one of the most humble host I have met and I thank him immensely for the Kutchi hospitality that is hard to beat.||So if you wish to soak into a blissful and an offbeat rustic experience, look no further and get set to stay in the birdwatcher's paradise called the Meriya Nature Resort! We will be back again!

Beautiful place. Beautiful people. Ramji is a gem. He is what Chobari needs. I had a great time over two days. The farm is certainly worth a visit. This place is only for people who love peace and nature. The people of this village are one of the most welcoming and generous community I have experienced. Do have the real Kutchi Dabeli from Chobari when you are here. Tag along with Ramji to Rann. You will get dwarfed by the sheer expanse and your ears will shutdown due to the silence. Your lifetime will turn minuscule when you realise Kutch was a seabed millennia ago. You will be humbled by the smiles on the villagers on a land which has seen major natural disasters over the last decades which wiped everything out. You will have the best local vegetarian food at the farm prepared by the family. Thank you Ramji, Bhabhiji, Arvindji, Nihar and Sanchit. Thanks to you all, I fell in love with Kutch.

Meriya Nature Resort has been developed by Mr. Ramjibhai Meriya along with his family. Located far away from commercialized tourism complex of Rann Utsav. It's situated very near to the Ekal ka Rann (wellknown landmark - Ekal Mandir) Advantage here is you get a vast expanse of Rann all for yourself. The Owner, Mr Ramjibhai, is a local Doordarshan correspondent, brilliant photographer with excellent knowledge of wildlife which is quite unique to this desert habitat. He will take you to the Rann for Day long trips to the Rann . He also organizes wildlife photography camps but in a different period. This is an eco resort, run exclusively on Solar Energy. Beware; there will be no internet/WiFi and only basic amenities in the room. Anyways stay here has to be about the experience not luxury. It has options of cottages as well as tent camping. Lots of trees and open space enjoy the rural life and experience the nature. You wake up to a beautiful sunrise, sounds of rare birds, peacocks wandering around and to sleep beneath a moonlit sky. The food is strictly vegetarian and the typical Kutch food (Khichdi, homemade khakra, moong sabji, pickles etc.). It was a relief for me as I was tired of the sweet heavy Ahmedabadi food. The only challenge I faced was reaching the place. I started from Bhuj while the place is much closer from Bachao. Also a part of the road is a kachcha road and it can get a bit confusing at this point. But you can always co ordinate with Ramjibhai who is very helpful.

It does as raw as it gets, but that it the beauty and USP of the place. Ramjibhai Meriya is a resourceful person, a naturist with deep local knowledge and lots of stories to tell. If you want to experience real Kachchh and are not hung up on hotel amenities, this is a must visit place. This place is for experience, not a vacation.

Over priced. But if you want real peace and touch of nature in close must visit. You can watch crane and peacock birds very closely from the distance of 20-30 feet. But you should maintain silence while watching birds. People who don't have any affection towards nature and birds should not visit. Slight inconvenience is there no any servant available to help you out. You have to do everything like take hot water for bath by yourself. You will get only dinner and breakfast. Lunch is not provided by them. You will listen some real facts mixed with fantasy stories. Overall experience is good. Just be ready to spend more money than hotel rooms without any ready-made facilities.

It's a nice place to stay. We stayed in the bhunga. Ramjibjai's hospitality is too good. This was quite a contrast after stay at Rannotsav. Food was also awesome. Ramjibhai took us to an unexplored Rann where it was just us and no one else. Also he is a good photographer. He also arranged for a dinner- hot pav bhaji and pulao, in the moonlight at the Rann which was a different experience altogether. The photos that we clicked on the Rann at sunset and in the moonlight and with the costume! Awesome! U must go and stay with him

If you are interested in nature & kachchh, this is the place