Luxury meets the wild: A weekend escape with the BMW X7 to Marchula Estate

Escape city life with a peaceful road trip to Marchula Estate, experiencing luxury and nature in a BMW X7.

Not every road trip is about chasing thrill. Some are about finding a pause — a chance to disconnect from the pace of city life and settle into a slower rhythm. This was one such drive.

We left Delhi around midnight, making the most of clear roads and cooler temperatures. The destination — Marchula — lies roughly 270 kilometres away, tucked deep into the lesser-explored edges of the Jim Corbett region. Unlike popular hill stations that crowd up quickly over weekends, Marchula offers something different. It is quiet, less commercial, and more rooted in its natural landscape.

Our route took us past Moradabad and Kashipur before we began climbing onto the hills. The BMW X7 xDrive40d handled the change in terrain without any drama. Under the hood, its 3.0-litre inline-six diesel engine delivers 340 hp and 700 Nm of torque. But the power delivery is smooth and refined — it never feels aggressive. Cruising on the highway was quick and easy, but what really stood out was how composed the X7 felt once the road narrowed and the surface began to break up.

Thanks to the adaptive air suspension and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system, even the uneven mountain stretches felt manageable. The cabin remained quiet throughout, isolating us from road imperfections and keeping fatigue at bay — something you appreciate even more on a long, overnight journey.

By morning, we were deep in the forested hills of Uttarakhand. A short river crossing just before Marchula gave us a final reminder of the X7’s off-road credibility. Raised suspension, hill descent control, and ample torque helped us through the shallow water crossing without fuss. It is a reminder that despite its luxury leanings, the X7 is more than capable when the terrain changes.

Marchula itself is not a place you stumble upon — you come here deliberately. Set on the banks of the Ramganga River, it is a peaceful village surrounded by dense jungle, with very limited development. There are no shopping streets, no cafés, and no crowds. What you get instead is uninterrupted greenery, fresh air, and a real sense of stillness.

Our base for the weekend was Marchula Estate, a six-key sustainable retreat that blends seamlessly into the forest. Run by Mansi and Mustafa, the estate offers a low-impact, thoughtful approach to hospitality. It is not about bells and whistles, but about living lightly and creating a space where Nature leads the experience.