Naulakha :: About Naulakha

Naulakha--Rudyard Kipling's Jewel Beyond Price

This National Historic Landmark home has been painstakingly restored after years of neglect and is now available for holiday rentals. Naulakha offers spectacular views, the privacy of 55 protected acres, the comfort of Kipling’s own furniture, and the attractions of southern Vermont from hiking and skiing to summer music festivals.

In 1892, Rudyard Kipling and his new American bride bought 12 acres on a Vermont hillside while on their around-the-world honeymoon. By year’s end they had begun construction of their dream home which overlooked the Connecticut River Valley.

Christened Naulakha, a Hindi word meaning “jewel beyond price,” this home was designed by Kipling to resemble a ship with his study in the prow. Here Kipling wrote the Jungle Books and Captains Courageous and began Kim and the Just So Stories. In the meadow Kipling introduced skiing to Vermont on skis that were a gift from Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes.

Play on Kipling’s pool table in the attic play room or enjoy a game of tennis on Vermont’s first court. Wander down the rhododendron tunnel to the pergola, an ideal location for a picnic. This magical and inspiring property, comfortably furnished and fully equipped for modern life, is available for stays of 3 days to 3 weeks.