Jaisalmer:Home of the Thar desert

Tripoto
10th Aug 2018
Photo of Jaisalmer:Home of the Thar desert by Aditya Mishra
Day 1

I just love road trips! Studying in a college in Rajasthan has allowed me to travel to most parts of Rajasthan through roads. So as soon as I got two days of holiday, I decided to head out to Jaisalmer.

The city of Jaisalmer is about 675 kilometers from Jaipur and it takes a little over 12 hours to get there.

Places to visit

1. Sam sand dunes

This is the place you must visit if you want to see the real beauty of Jaisalmer. These sand dunes are situated in the midst of Thar desert, at distance of 30-35 kilometers from the city center. These sand dunes are not stagnant, they change their shape according to the direction of the wind. So it is easy to get lost in the desert. A camel and Jeep Safari is a must in the desert.

2. Jaisalmer Fort

There are two things Rajasthan has abundance of, the sun and the forts. Jaisalmer Fort is situated bang in the middle of the city and many people still reside inside the fort. There's a cafe called kakku the cafe, from where you can get great photos of the fort.

3. Gadsar lake

The thing you least expect to see in a desert, is how I will describe Gadsar lake. We were searching for places to visit in Jaisalmer on Google when the search result showed this place. We weren't expecting much water to be in this lake at this point of time, but we were pleasantly surprised. The lake was completely filled with water and was a sight for sore eyes.

Sam sand dunes

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra

Sand dunes

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra

En route Jaisalmer.

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra

Camel safari

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra

Sand dunes

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra

Jeep Safari.

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra

Sunset

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra

Sand dunes

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra

Sand dunes.

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra

Riding the camel into the sunset.

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra

Camel Safari.

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra

Camels grazing in the wild.

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra

This part of Rajasthan has abundance wind energy which is being utilised.

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra

Sand dunes

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra

Sunset

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra

Gadsar lake.

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra

Jaisalmer Fort.

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra

View from kakku the cafe.

Photo of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Aditya Mishra
Day 2

4. Patwon ki haveli

It is one of the oldest havelis in Jaisalmer. It is actually a cluster of five small havelis. It is famous for it's architecture and the fact that the haveli's interior is always 10-12 degrees colder than the outside temperature.

5. Kuldhara

This village is know to be cursed. The legend says that the village was abandoned overnight as the villagers were tired of the minister's cruelty. The minister sent some guards to search for the villagers, but the villagers were never found.

6. Longewala

This is the place where the battle of longewala took place during the the 1971 Indo-Pak war as shown in the popular Bollywood movie Border. It is right alongside the border with Pakistan.

Cost of the trip

There are many ways to reach Jaisalmer from Jaipur, I drove all the way to Jaisalmer along with five of my friends but you can also take a bus or a train.

Cost of round trip bus tickets from Jaipur-  1100 rupees

Cost of Hotel- You can choose the hotel according to your budget. There are some great hostels available near the city center at very low rate. But it is recommended to spend at least one night in Sam sand dunes. Either you can set up a camp and spend the night in the desert or you can stay in one of the camp hotels in the desert. The total cost would not exceed 3000 rupees.

Cost of meals and sightseeing- 2000 rupees.

Hence the total cost of the trip will not exceed 7000 rupees.

Note- If you are taking your own car to Jaisalmer, make sure that all your tyres(including spare) are in good condition. The reason for this is that there are very few tyre shops available in Jaisalmer and they don't have many brands and sizes of tyre available. Also the road leading from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer is under construction, which can take a toll on tyres.

Patwon ki haveli.

Photo of Jaisalmer:Home of the Thar desert by Aditya Mishra

Miniature artwork near patwon ki haveli.

Photo of Jaisalmer:Home of the Thar desert by Aditya Mishra