Twenty judges of the Supreme Court, including Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai, swapped courtrooms for the countryside on Friday as they set off on a two-day family retreat to Ranthambore.

Playfully nicknamed “Delhi to Ranthambore”—a spin on the classic film Bombay to Goa—the outing marks a rare occasion when such a large group of apex court judges travelled together for leisure.

At 2:40 pm, two specially arranged buses left the Supreme Court’s Additional Building in Delhi under police escort. On board were CJI Gavai, Justice Surya Kant (next in line for the top post), and other judges accompanied by their spouses. Fourteen judges of the court did not join the trip.

The journey had the feel of a school picnic. The convoy paused at Pinhan in Rajasthan around 5:30 pm for tea, before reaching Ranthambore by 9 pm. Judges were said to be in a light mood, likening the trip to “friends heading out on a college excursion.”

Delhi and Gurugram Police handled security until the Haryana border, after which Haryana Police and later Rajasthan Police ensured a safe passage.

What sets this outing apart is that it is a contributory holiday trip—with expenses covered either personally by the judges or through their Leave Travel Concession (LTC) allowances.

This is not the first such collective outing. Last year, 25 judges travelled with their families to Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. That trip, however, had an official undertone, as it included discussions on potential judicial appointments. By contrast, this year’s Ranthambore getaway has no work agenda—just relaxation in the wild.