With more than 1.5 billion people, it would be pretty hard to find somewhere off the beaten track and very quiet in India, but these places do exist.

            Ramathra Fort is a 350-year-old fort with six rooms in a building and six tents on the courtyard for guests.

            One such place is Ramathra Fort in Karauli, Rajasthan. The fort is located about 200 km south of the Agra to Jaipur Highway. It is not an easy drive. While you do start off on somewhat tarmacked roads, you end up on gravel roads and then on single-lane roads where your driver has to negotiate his way around oncoming traffic, often trucks with just enough space to fit both vehicles.

            But, they say the best places are hardest to get to because people don’t want to be inconvenienced. The 200-km trip takes about five hours, which at times will make you question your sanity for adding this place to your trip. But don’t worry, it is well worth it.

            After a five-hour car ride over every bump and hole in the road, you emerge in the shadow of a fort jutting out of the side of the Karauli hills. You vehicle pulls into the double gate where you are met by the owners of the Fort. The Fort has been converted into a hotel with luxury suites, deluxe rooms, and luxury tents on the courtyard.

            That time driving and questioning yourself becomes all worthwhile when you take your sour lemon drink and climb up on the rampart and look out at the mustard fields in the farms below and see and hear nothing. You just take in the peace and quiet and watch the odd wildlife meander around the fields all the while thinking: “Is this India?”

            Just north of you is the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur with a population of almost 20 million. Add in tens of thousands of tourists and you have a chaotic mess of people, yet, here you sit on this rampart wall, not far from the maddening crowds and it is peaceful.

            After several weeks in India, you will come to treasure these times when you can escape the chaos of the cities.

            There isn’t much to do you at the Fort other than exploration. The owners work in conjunction with the families in the nearby Ramathra Village by buying food from them and employing some of them to work at the Fort.

            One of the nicest activities is a guided walk through the village accompanied by a worker who lives there. It is a truly intimate journey into village life in India. The villagers are welcoming and friendly and many will be curious about your and willing to take photographs.

            Chances are you will be able to sample peanuts which are harvested in the villages, a nice snack during your walk.

            You can also have a rowboat on Lake Karauli or go bird watching. The row, bird watching, and village walk are all included in the cost of your room. There are also wilderness drives, picnics, camel rides, and massages on offer for a nominal fee.

            Ramathra Fort was a place suggested to me by a tour organiser and one that I would never have thought to visit. It is a highly recommended stop and one that will be much-needed after the chaos of the cities.

Cost: £160 to £260 per night depending on the season. Price includes all meals, room, village walk, rowboat ride, and bird watching.

Tip: If you want a short break, two nights is a good amount of time to book here. Your driver will bring you here in the mid-afternoon in time to head out for a row on Lake Karauli and back for dinner. The next day you can do the three-hour village trip in the morning, relax in the afternoon, and do a bit of bird watching.