Whilst the town of Jaisalmer hosts the remarkable treasure of heritage, the surrounding area of Thar Desert hosts all the fun, thrill and adventure. Thar Desert is a terrain of sand dunes spread around Rajasthan. But around Jaisalmer it is most prominent, making Jaisalmer the face of Rajasthan as the world sees it.

From here passed a major ancient trade route that was used for centuries. Long caravans of traders and travelers would cross the Thar Desert riding camels. After a hard day’s trudging under the beating sun, they would set camps by sunsets. The festivities would then begin to beat the tiredness. Entertainers traveling with the caravans would bring the night alive by singing, dancing and displaying various skills around a crackling fire in a cool night. The merrymaking would go right into the night. This is up to where the origin of most of the Rajasthani Folk arts can be traced.

Sam and Khuri are the two scarce desert settlements, roughly 45 kilometers from Jaisalmer towards Pakistan border. Sam and Khuri attract thousands of tourists every day during the winter season. Various organizers from Jaisalmer provide elaborate packages that help enjoy the Thar Deserts to the fullest. It is recommended that while in Jaisalmer town, you ask around and find out a reliable organizer. It is wise to register for a camel safari and desert camp before leaving the town. You should set out preferably around 3.30 p.m.

Camel Safari up to the Sunset point is a popular way to kick off the evening. The ride lasts for nearly an hour, which proves to be an adequate experience for most of the tourists. However, if you are an enthusiast, you can go for a longer ride away from the hubbub of the major chunk of tourists. The Camel Safari can give you a feel of the real desert travel and that fantastical experience of being surrounded by nothing but sand dunes. If you plan to go for a long ride you may want to start an hour earlier, so you can return to the sunset point to join the electric atmosphere, which is particularly enjoyable.

At the sunset point, the festivities in the atmosphere are such that tourists from all ages shed their restraints and plunge into the most uninhibited ways of merriment. You see older folk and children jumping off and rolling down the sand dunes alike. People gather in circles and sing and dance. Several groups hire the folk artists easily available and enjoy authentic Jaisalmeri dancing and music. Soon, all eyes shift towards the magnificent display of the setting sun. The giant, red ball slowly immerses beyond the sand dunes and the crowd, content with a great start to the evening, departs. It is now time to move towards the next stage of entertainment.

Desert camping is a unique experience. Expert organizers of Jaisalmer ensure that you get an authentic feel of desert life, like the one enjoyed by the desert travelers of old times. You move to the temporary premises of tents set by your organizer. Equipped with essential modern comforts such as power and hygienic food, not to mention delicious, you are in for a memorable night. A warm bonfire and a team of expert folk artists light up the atmosphere. Magical folk music is created by professional singers and the musicians wielding dhols and sarangis. Captivating dances are performed by the dancers who have inherited the art through several generations. Before long, the spectators join in and lose themselves in a delightful evening.

Then, it is time for delicious food. The true joys of desert camping settle in with a cool breeze and a pleasant dinner under a sky full of stars from horizon to horizon, a magnificent view almost extinct these days in the flooding lights of the metropolitans.

After an eventful evening, you gather around the fire or go for a quiet walk nearby with your friends and loved ones, to get as much of the memorable evening as you can. And when the cold begins to climb up, you retreat inside your warm tents laden with modern comforts you would not want to miss.

Over the past decade, more and more tourists from India and abroad have developed a fascination for desert camping at Jaisalmer. Resultantly, the infrastructure has grown solid and the service providers have grown competent. At any other tourist place, where the presence of too many tourists might prove to be a disturbance, proves to be a fuel for the exciting atmosphere at the Thar Desert of Jaisalmer. With its historical town and incredible Thar Desert, Jaisalmer is a wonderful combination of nostalgia and pure fun. Although it is located somewhat away from the famous golden triangle of Delhi-Jaipur-Agra, Jaisalmer is a place you must visit if you wish to truly experience the remarkable state of Rajasthan.

Note: Please visit Jaisalmer Town to find out about the famous attractions in Jaisalmer town.

Quick Reference

The vivid city of Jaisalmer serves the cultural taste, especially during winters when you can enjoy Desert Safaris followed by folk music, folk dances and puppetry shows. Major tourist attraction of Jaisalmer is Jaisalmer Fort, an extremely interesting place, inside of which there is an entire town. In here, there are some more attractions such as Royal Palace, Jain Temples and grand Havelis. Outside the fort, Jaisalmer has some other interesting site seeing options such as Gadisar Lake and Desert Culture Centre and Museum. Sam and Khuri Sand Dunes is where the tourists go for Desert Safaris and night camping, which can be an experience to be cherished for a long time.