Vast expanse of green vineyards
Against the backdrop of mountains
Intertwining with blue lakes and streams
And your rustic villa overlooking them !!
Doesn’t it sound like a perfect Tuscany dream vacation? Well, the good news it, you can make it true right here in India, when you visit Nashik.
Did you know that more than 80% wineries of India are located right in Nashik. With 52+ vineyards. No wonder Nashik is fondly called the “Wine Capital of India“.
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Staycation in Nashik Vineyards
And in this wine capital of India, the vineyards and wineries are taking the experience to the next level. With on premises world class accommodation, overlooking the vast stretch of green plantations in the valley of Nashik. Surrounded by the Sahyadri mountain ranges. And quiet near to the banks of Godavari river and at times, overlooking the Gangapur Dam and Lake. Apart from the stay, their packages include complimentary wines, vineyard tour and meals in their on-premises restaurants.
Sounds like a perfect staycation option, isn’t it? Something I couldn’t do on my trip to Europe while spending 6 days in Italy and exploring Tuscany was to experience a staycation in such a property in Tuscany. And you can imagine how excited I was when I found out I could do the same right here in Nashik. Being a visual person, I first saw the images of the accommodations and the surroundings. And believe me, they look very serene.
Sula is the oldest vineyard in Nashik. And they have got two beautiful properties to stay at – Source at Sula located right in the middle of the plantations. And Beyond by Sula – which is very near to the Gangapur Lake, overlooking the serene views of the dam and the mountains surrounding it.
However, there are many other vineyard resorts in Nashik. Some of the best ones being –
Regenta Resort Soma Vine Village
Vallone Vineyards
And there are many more. You just need to search for “Vineyard stay in Nashik“. You can book a stay in a Nashik Vineyard through our travel partners booking.com or agoda.com. There are multiple packages to choose from.
However, you can also do a day trip to Nashik Vineyard if you are staying outside. Here’s some other options to stay in Nashik, outside of the vineyards –
Luxury to mid – budget segment hotels : Ibis, Express Inn and Radisson
Economical stay options : OYO Rooms, Hostler and even airbnbs are available
Here’s a complete list of accommodations in Nashik.
Trip to Nashik Vineyards
However, if you dont want to stay in a Nashik Vineyard, you can always do a tour of one. Most of these vineyards welcome walk in customers. And there are a plethora of activities that the visitors can enjoy on the premises of the Nashik Vineyards other than of – course enjoying a wine !!
When we went to Nashik this time, we did such a tour of Sula Vineyard in Nashik. And this is what they had to offer –
As you enter, there is a huge parking space where you can park your vehicle.
At the main entrance, there is an entry fee. For Sula Vineyard it was INR 600 per person. For kids below 12 years, entry is free.
Out of the INR 600 that you pay as you can get INR 400 adjusted towards any wine consumption or wine purchase that you do on the premises. And INR 200 adjusted towards any food or snacks consumption.
As you enter inside the park, there are many Instagram worthy spots –
Tall colorful bottles standing in the middle of the vineyard
Bottle shaped metal bench
Vintage Auto
And a lot more.
There are two on premises restaurant and a cafe where you can enjoy beverages, food and snacks. Food is definitely overpriced. But then most of the people here come for the wine. I suggest sitting in the rooftop restaurant to enjoy the beautiful views of the vineyard extending in front of the restaurant.
Below this rooftop restaurant, there is a gift and souvenir shop where you will find bottles, glasses, water bottles, t – shirts, magnets and many other souvenirs. And opposite to it is a shop where you can purchase wine. Besides the wine shop there is a wine tasting room as well.
Taking a vineyard tour in Nashik
On the verandah is a counter where you can separately purchase tickets for vine tasting and tour.
There are designated hours at which the guests are taken on a guided tour of the vineyard after a certain number of guests gather who are interested in the tour and have purchased the tickets. Along with the vineyard tour, they also have a complimentary wine tasting session included as a part of this tour. The charges of the winery tour are INR 500 per head for the tour.
Above description of facilities and activities available at a Nashik Vineyard is as per my experience visiting the Sula Vineyard in Nashik. However, I assume that more or less this will be same with most of the vineyards.
Enjoying a Nashik Vineyard experience in Bangalore
If Nashik is the largest producer of wine in India, I am sure Bangalore is the largest consumer 🙂
There are a few vineyards around Bangalore as well where guests can take a tour of the vineyard. However, I d
on’t think any of them have on premises stay options yet.
Long back when we were visiting the Channapatna Toy Factory and Janapadaloka Museum in Ramnagara, we enjoyed lunch at a newly opened Domaine Sula Vineyard in the area. However, that time we couldn’t do a tour of the vineyard. Which is still due. Looking at the huge customer base in Bangalore, it only makes sense that Sula has setup a vineyard on the Bangalore – Mysore highway. And I hope soon they will have an accommodation option as well just like how they have in Nashik.
Where else can I enjoy Vineyard tour or Vineyard stay in India?
Although most of the vineyards in India are located in Nashik, there are some in other parts of India as well. Some of these include –
- Four Seasons Winery near Pune
- Grover Zampa Vineyards in Bangalore
- Sula Vineyard on Bangalore – Mysore Highway
- Alpine Wineries in Holesalu, Karkataka
What kind of wine are available at Nashik Vineyards
Nashik Vineyards produce red wine and white wine. Apart from grapes, variations of these wines also contain concentrates of litchi and strawberries.
Can I take a vineyard tour if I don’t drink Wine?
Yes, very much. We don’t drink wine. If you are like us, you will miss on the wine tasting part. But apart from that you can enjoy rest everything that a vineyard has got to offer. Some of these include –
- Enjoying the views of the vineyard.
- Trying out delicious food and non alcoholic beverages from their on premises restaurant menu.
- Taking some beautiful and memorable pictures with your friends and family.
- Going on a tour of the vineyard and understanding the whole wine making process.
- Buying gifts and souvenirs for you and your loved ones.
- Overall chilling out and relaxing as the atmosphere is comparable to any high end fine dine restaurants.
Is there any downside of visiting the Nashik Vineyards ?
There are a few, but they don’t deter me from visiting a Nashik Vineyard when there 😛
For instance, if you don’t drink wine, the entry fee looks whooping. As you can’t redeem the INR 400 towards wine consumption.
And next, it can get pretty crowded on weekends and in holiday season. So better to visit in a weekday. Our experience in the restaurant at Sula Vineyard Nashik was not that great with respect to service and food portions. The portions were really small, like, tiny for the price paid. And the service was slow. Actually, one of the dishes we ordered was never delivered. The staff simply forgot about it seems !! Thanks to the rush at the restaurant.
But once you go to the open areas like where the plantations are done, you will not feel the crowd anymore as it’s a vast area.
Having said all of the above, it is definitely a lifetime experience to see the process of making of a wine, going on a wine tasting tour and simply enjoying a stay in the middle of the lush green beautiful landscapes of the Nashik Vineyard.
How to reach Nashik
Nashik has an airport that connects it to most of the other airports in India. It is also well connected by road and rail from Mumbai and Pune. Since it is a major city and there’s a lot to do here, there are plenty of options to commute as well as for food or stay. You can hire a cab, rent a car and self drive or take a local taxi through your accommodation for just the activities that you want to do.
What are other things to do in Nashik apart from the Nashik Vineyard tour
There are a lot of other things to do in Nashik. Including visiting very old Hindu temples like the Trimbakeshwara Temple which is a Jyotirlinga. Visiting the banks of the Gangapur Lake and taking a boat ride in the lake through the MTDC Club built on the banks of this lake. Also, you can explore the more than 2500 years old Pandavleni caves located right outside the city of Nashik.
When is the best time to visit Nashik Vineyards
To see the lush greenery and the grapes growing, you should visit post monsoons in the winter season. Between October – December, the whole area including the mountains in the backdrops are carpeted in fresh green plantations. And January – March is when you can witness the grapes growing.
What to pack on a trip to Nashik
Pack comfortable cotton cloths, and comfortable walking shoes. Sunscreen and sunglasses irrespective of the season in which you are visiting Nashik. As it is mostly hot throughout the year. Evenings can be little chilly in December and January. You can pack a light jacket for these months.