RARE India has expanded its portfolio of experiential and owner-led hospitality properties by welcoming Fort Rampura, an 800-year-old mud fort located in the Chambal ravines of Bundelkhand. Situated in Uttar Pradesh’s Jalaun district, the heritage property has served as the ancestral home of the Kachawaha Rajput family for 15 generations.
Raja Ram Shah built Fort Rampura in the late 13th century as a defensive stronghold featuring crenellated walls and a protective moat. Over the centuries, successive generations expanded the fort by adding residential quarters, temples, granaries and stables, thereby transforming the structure into a living family residence that has preserved its legacy across eight centuries.
Today, Padmini and Keshavendra Singh manage a 12-room homestay within the historic fort complex, continuing a hospitality tradition that has flourished for more than two decades. The accommodation includes two guest rooms inside the family’s private residence and ten additional rooms spread across the larger fort complex, with six designed as twin-sharing units.
“We have never thought of this as running a hotel. Guests come here and they live with us, eat what we eat, walk where we walk. The fort has been in our family for fifteen generations and every person who stays here becomes, in some small way, part of that story,” said Keshavendra Singh, Host, Fort Rampura.
Rather than offering a conventional hotel experience, Fort Rampura focuses on immersive cultural hospitality. Guests enjoy home-cooked Indian meals in a communal dining setting while participating in experiences that showcase the region’s heritage and local lifestyle. They can explore the fort’s rich history, visit nearby bazaars, interact with artisans and farmers, take boat rides on the Yamuna River, cycle through the countryside and experience the folk traditions of Bundelkhand.
Moreover, visitors can extend their journey by exploring nearby attractions, including Jagamanpur Fort, the Chambal Sanctuary and Kannauj, a city renowned for its centuries-old perfumery heritage.
Fort Rampura welcomes guests from October 1 to April 15 every year, positioning itself as an offbeat heritage destination for travellers seeking authentic cultural experiences. The continuously inhabited family home offers visitors a rare opportunity to experience everyday life within an 800-year-old fort. Travellers can conveniently access the property through Orai, Etawah, Gwalior and Kanpur, while Delhi lies approximately a five-and-a-half-hour drive away.
