Siliserh Lake, Alwar, Rajasthan

Recently we visited Alwar on a very short trip. We went on Friday morning and came back on Saturday night! The good bit about Alwar is that it is quite close to Gurgaon. The Shatabdi Express train takes only an hour and a half to reach Alwar. My husband has been to Alwar before and he was quite keen on visiting the Siliserh Lake again. On his previous visit (which was office related) they stayed at the hotel Siliserh Lake Palace as well.

The lake is about 15 km away from the main city. And there is no easy way to reach there by public transport. But that never stopped us from trying. There are small jeeps (maxxi type) plying within the city called Alwar Vahini and they were asking for a lot of money to go there. So we went to the bus station and asked around. One of the bus conductors told us that none of the buses stop there but they will take us and we should go and sit on the conductor’s seat. The bus was quite full.

Beautiful Siliserh Lake, Alwar, Rajasthan

As the bus started someone from the back told the conductor to stop the bus as a passenger was still outside. The conductor said this to the driver who kept on driving. So the conductor opened the mirror to the driver’s cabin and repeated the request saying, cabin band kar ke bahre ki tarah baith jate ho! (You shut your cabin and sit like a deaf person). The driver responded- ye company bag hai kya ki log ghumne chale jate hain! (Is this a bus or a public garden that people get down and start walking whenever they please). The missing passenger came back in the meanwhile and the driver started again only to break slyly knowing that the conductor was standing without support and he would be thrown forward! All this was done in good humor and thus started our journey to Siliserh Lake.

The Restaurant at the Siliserh Lake, Alwar, Rajasthan

If you are lucky to get a bus it will drop you at the mod (turn) to the lake. The lake is still 7-8 kilometers ahead. We got a shared tempo to go further. It was not too crowded but otherwise a lot of them seem to be advertisements of Fevicol rather than tempos meant for public transport. The tempo dropped us to the outskirts of the lake. We walked after that. Now that I know this I would say hire a cab and take out this hassle but then if you want to have some adventure can try our way too! The good bit- our daughter takes all this quite calmly.

The Boating Station, Siliserh Lake, Alwar, Rajasthan

At the entrance of the Hotel Siliserh Lake Palace there is an entry fee but I think that is optional. If you buy the ticket for entry they adjust it in your food bill in the restaurant. Boating tickets are available from this counter only. I say the entry is optional because the next day Chhavi and I visited the lake again (this time we took a taxi which cost us 800 rupees) and they did not charge us the entry fee as they did not have change!

To reach the boating station we climbed down and there are a lot of monkeys on the premises. We took a paddle boat for half an hour (Rs 200) and it was fun! The first day we went there was a Friday and the place was not that crowded. On Saturday there were a lot of people by the lake!

Chhavi had a great time, she particularly liked talking to the monkeys and was really thrilled with the Monkey drinking Mountain Dew!

Self Portrait in the Restaurant Window, Siliserh Lake, Alwar Rajasthan

There is only the RTDC hotel by the lake but a few kilometers before there are many dhabas. At the mod there is another hotel. But location wise no one can compete with the RTDC Hotel Siliserh Lake Palace. We ate at the hotel restaurant. The food and the snacks at the hotel are fine. The staff was attentive to the best of their capabilities.

When we went to the Siliserh Lake I had no idea it was such a huge one! It looks more like a mini ocean rather than a lake! I would say go there on a week day if you want some peace and quiet.