Where the leopard rules

While tigers often grab the spotlight, leopards silently dominate many national parks across India, proving themselves as masters of stealth and survival. Here are some of the best parks where locking eyes with leopards can be a reality.

India’s Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP), launched earlier this year to speed up and simplify immigration clearance for travellers, has now been rolled out to five more airports across the states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

The programme was first introduced at Terminal 3 of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport in June 2024, before expanding to seven other major hubs in January 2025: Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, and Ahmedabad. It aims to provide Indian nationals and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders with a faster, smoother, and more secure immigration process for international departures and arrivals.

With the addition of Lucknow, Amritsar, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirappalli, and Kozhikode airports, the service is now available at 13 airports across the country. The government has also announced plans to include the upcoming Navi Mumbai and Jewar (Noida) airports once they are operational.

What is the FTI-TTP?

The Fast Track Immigration Programme is a government initiative that speeds up immigration clearance for Indian nationals and OCI cardholders, offering a quick and more secure process for pre-verified travellers. It saves time by letting pre-verified travellers use dedicated e-gates, where biometrics and travel details are checked automatically, no long queues or manual stamping required.

How to sign up for the Fast Track Immigration Programme:

• Travellers must fill in the necessary details on the official website here. FTI-TTP registration will be valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.
• After filling in the details on the website, and submitting them for verification with the Bureau of Immigration, applicants will receive a message to schedule an appointment for biometric data submission.
• Biometrics can be provided at designated international airports in India or the nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO). Submitting biometrics is mandatory to complete the application process.
• Applicants must ensure their passports are valid for at least six months when applying for the FTI-TTP. Membership will be linked to the passport’s validity.

The programme’s second phase, which extends benefits to foreign travellers holding OCI cards, also begins today. The long-term goal is to offer fast and secure immigration facilities and a more seamless travel experience for all eligible passengers.

For families with kids, the best travel memories don’t come from expensive resorts. They come alive in open fields, by riversides, and under skies full of stars — in those corners of nature where children can roam free and parents can finally breathe. And the best part? Homestays are often more affordable than hotels, with home-cooked meals and local experiences included.

Here are five family-friendly homestays across India where you can skip the crowds, connect with nature, and save money while doing it.

1) Sangam Farms, Bhilwara, Rajasthan

Located near Bhilwara, Sangam Farms is a serene retreat that blends rustic charm with modern comfort. The once-barren land now thrives with a dam-fed farm, luxury tented suites, and a presidential suite set around a peaceful fish pond. Each suite features a patio, garden views, and private living space.

Children can feed cows, pluck strawberries, forage vegetables, or bake pizzas in a brick oven, while adventure seekers enjoy horse riding or ATVs. Evenings bring stargazing through telescopes or family movie nights under the stars.

Book your stay here.

2) Soulitude by the Riverside, Nainital, Uttarakhand 

Resting by the banks of the Kalsa River in Nainital district, this retreat turns nights into cosmic adventures. Under Uttarakhand’s clear skies, families can enjoy guided astronomy sessions that answer every curious child’s question, whether about Saturn’s rings or distant galaxies.

Guests can marvel at the Triangulum Galaxy, three million light-years away, and the historic Dumbbell Nebula, first spotted in 1764. By day, the riverside invites relaxed picnics with sweeping views of the Maheskhan Hills’ oak forests. For children and explorers, hikes through nearby pine forests reward with breathtaking panoramas, perfect for an unforgettable family escape.

Book your stay here.

3) Parijaat, Anjuna, Goa

This two-bedroom homestay is tucked amid paddy fields and swaying palms, where peacocks often wander. Named after the Parijaat flower blooming in its lawn, the home is filled with vintage furniture, hand-painted mugs, and charming curios. 

Hosts Kavita and Manoj Nair live here with their daughter Devaki, growing seasonal vegetables and running a pottery studio where families can try clay workshops. Kids can help harvest spinach, chillies, and eggplant or spend lazy afternoons building sandcastles at Anjuna Beach, just 10 minutes away.

Book your stay here.

4) Irani Homestays, Karjat, Maharashtra

Sitting about 100 km from Mumbai, this family-run boutique retreat in the village of Sawla offers three bedrooms, free WiFi, a swimming pool, and an attached farm. Children will love the board games, bicycles, colouring books, and outdoor sports like cricket and badminton. Families can join in farm activities, riverside picnics, or winter bonfires.

Guests can camp out on the lawns for stargazing or relax in hammocks and swings. The hosts, passionate about food and stories, serve hearty local meals alongside Parsi favourites like mutton dhansak (a spiced lentil and meat curry), patra ni machhi (steamed fish wrapped in banana leaves with chutney), and Iranian lentil soups.

Book your stay here.

5) Little Flower Farms, Vagamon, Kerala

This organic retreat was the vision of botanist Kochuthresia Thomas and her husband, late engineer K J John.  What was once barren land is now a thriving farm, today run by their son Thomas and his wife Rekha as a family-friendly homestay.

Despite Kerala’s rugged terrain, the property welcomes even families with infants, offering baby cots, highchairs, storybooks, and nanny services. Kids can forage, garden, fish, stargaze, or splash in seasonal waterfalls. A stunning pool, surrounded by emerald greenery, feels straight out of a fantasy film, while Gandalf, the resident cat, keeps everyone entertained.

Book your stay here.