India Travel

Around Jaisalmer in Rajasthan

Related Properties from Gurgaon

Pokaran in Rajasthan

POKARAN with its red-sandstone fort and superb Itavelis, is a quiet, sel-dom-visited desert town 110km east of Jaisalmer, situated at the road and rail junctions between Jodhpur. Bikaner and the west. Once included in the territory of Jodhpur, it passed into the huge state_ of Jaisalmer after Independence. Pokaran became the unlikely object of world attention in May 1998, when five nuclear bombs were detonated at the army test range 20km northwest of town. Previously, a few tourists used to stop here en route to or from Jaisalmer, but despite the Indian government's insistence that there has been no ground-water

Barmer in Rajasthan

BARMER, 158km south of Jaisalmer, is another important desert outpost, but has little to offer tourists. It's usually a dusty backwater, where the manufacture of handicrafts, its main export, occupies much of the population. In January however, the place is transformed during the hectic Tilwara Cattle Fair, held on the banks of a saltwater river nearby. This is the largest cattle market in Rajasthan, attended by villagers and traders from all over the state. Accommodation and food stalls in Barmer are scarce; if you need to stay the night, try the basic Krishna Hotel 'near the railway station, or the rather

Lodurva in Rajasthan

Another 10km north of Bada Bagh. LODURVA was the capital of the Bhatti rulers until the foundation of Jaisalmer in the twelfth century. Of the city's fine buildings, only a few Jain temples, rebuilt in the 1970s, remain (8am-6pm; Rs40 extra for camera, Rs75 extra for video). The torati (archway) at the entrance to the temple compound is the most exquisite in the Jaisalmer area. The main structure has detailed tracery- work in the stone walls and a finely carved exterior. A smaller temple, built on a series of diminishing square platforms, stands to its right.

Amar Sagar, Sam and Barra Bagh in Rajasthan

A short distance northwest of Jaisalmer, AMAR SAGAR is a small peaceful town set around a large lake (empty during the dry season). A former palace and large complex of Jain temples, recently restored to their former magnificence, stand on the lake edges. The huge, rolling sand dunes 40km west of Jaisalmer are known as SAM, though strictly this is the name of a small village further west. The dunes are so famous in Rajasthan that most tourists don't realize that there are others throughout the desert; consequently they have become a prime attraction. There's even an RTDC tourist bungalow,

Khuhri in Rajasthan

Though most camel treks start in Jaisalmer, a handful of travellers prefer to begin their safari out in the desert at the village of KHUHRI, just lkm from the dunes. It can be reached on three daily buses (90min) from the local bus stand in Jaisalmer. The village harbours a handful of basic guesthouses. The oldest is Mama's, which offers overpriced "traditional" huts with common bathrooms or plainer, cheaper rooms for Rs325. Khuri Guest House, near the bus stand, is a better budget option, offering shared or en-suite shower-toilets. This is one of the most accessible places in the region

Akal Fossil park in Rajasthan

The scattered remains of Jurassic tree fossils up to 180 million years old in the fossil park, 17km south of Jaisalmer (daily: Nov-Feb 8am-5pm; March-Oct 8am-6pm) are of interest only to the most avid paleobotanists. Eighteen trees, none of them standing, and most of them pretty shattered, lie around the site. Buses to Barraer pass through, but for a quicker visit it's best to rake a Jeep, which costs about Rs300 for the round trip.

The Town of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan

Getting lost in the narrow winding streets of Jaisalmer is both easy and enjoyable, though the town is so small that it never takes long to find a familiar landmark. Main roads lead around the base of the fort from the central market square, Gopa Chowk, east to Gadi Sagar Tank, and west to Gandhi Chowk. Within the fort the streets are narrower still, but orientation is simple: head west from the main chowk and Maharawal's Palace to reach the Jain temples and hotels nestled within the walls. Along the way, expect your progress to be blocked at regular intervals

Accommodation to Jaisalmar Rajasthan

Jaisalmer has plenty of places to stay in all categories. Almost all offer camel treks, which vary in standard and price, and some managers can be uncomfortably pushy if you don't want to arrange a safari through them, suddenly hiking room rates or turning you out in the middle of the night. In general you should avoid anyone touting for business at the station or bus stand. All of the hotels listed below are reputable and relaxed. Many visitors prefer the peaceful, atmospheric guesthouses among the jumble of sandstone houses and havelis within the fort, whose roofs offer splendid desert

Jodhpur in Rajasthan

On the eastern fringe of the Thar Desert, JODHPUR, dubbed "the Blue City" after the colour-wash of its old town houses, sprawls across the arid terrain, overlooked by the mighty Meherangarh fort, whose ramparts rise from a sheer-sided sandstone outcrop. It was once the centre of Marwar, the largest princely state in Rajputana, and today has a population close to 800,000. Most of the tourists that stop in Jodhpur only stay for a day, squeezing in a visit to the fort before heading west to Jaisalmer (300km) or east to Jaipur (320km). It's a shame to rush the place though. Getting

Travel details in the Rajasthan

Trains Jaipur to: Agra (2 daily; 7hr); Ahmedabad (2 daily; 14hr); Ajmer (5 daily; 2-3hr); Alwar (7 daily; 2hr 35min-4hr); Bikaner (3 daily; 6hr 30min-1 Ohr); Calcutta (2 daily: 29hr); Chittaurgarh (2 daily; 7hr 40min-8hr 15min); Chum (3 daily: 5hr 20min); Delhi (8 daily; 4hr 20min-6hr 30]; Jhunjhunu (3 daily; 4hr 40min-6hr); Jodhpur (4-5 daily; 5hr-6hr iOmin); Kota (3 daily; 3hr 45min); Mount Abu (3 daily; 8-9hr); Mumbai (2 daily; 16hr 30min-22hr); Sawai Madhopur (2-3 daily; 2hr-3hr 20min); Sikar (5 daily; 3hr); Udaipur (2 daily; 10-12hr). Jodhpur to: Abu Road (3 daily: 5hr); Agra (2 daily; 13hr); Ahmedabad (3 daily; 10hr);

Bikaner and around in Rajasthan

The commercial city of BIKANER may not quite possess the aesthetic attraction of its more venerable neighbour, Jaisalmer, over 300km southwest, but it does boast a spectacular fort and an old city dotted with havelis and surrounded by 7km of high walls. In addition, simply because Rajasthan's fourth largest city receives fewer visitors than other major settlements, it has a certain unspoilt feel. Most foreign tourists only spend one night here en route to or from Jaisalmer, but extend your stay and you can visit the famous rat temple at nearby Deshnok, and the government camel-breeding farm, 10km south. The city was

The havelis of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan

The streets of Jaisalmer are flanked with numerous honey-pale facades, covered with latticework and floral designs, but the city's real showpieces are its havelis. Each of these extravagant mansions, comprising three or more storeys around a central courtyard, was commissioned by a wealthy merchant during the eighteenth or nineteenth century. Their stonework was the art of silavats, a community of masons responsible for much of Jaisalmer's unique sculpture. The large Patwon-ki-Haveli (daily 10am-5pm; Rs10), not far from Narayan Niwas Hotel in the north of town, was constructed over fifty years by the Patwa merchants, traders in brocades and opium. Five separate

Phalodi and Keechen in Rajasthan

The main highway and broad-gauge train wind in tandem east from Jaisalmer across the desert, separating at the small junction settlement of PHALODI, almost exactly midway between Jaisalmer and Bikaner. This scruffy salt-extraction colony would be entirely forgettable were it not the jumping-off place for one of Rajasthan's most beautiful natural sights. Sheltered by a swathe of soft yellow dunes, the village of Keechen, 4km further east on the opposite side of the main road, hosts a 7000-strong flock of demoiselle cranes (Aathropoides virgo), who migrate here each winter from their breeding grounds on the Central Asian steppes. Known locally

Camel safaris to Jaisalmer in Rajasthan

Few visitors who make it ,is far as Jaisalmer pass up the opportunity to go on a camel trek, which provides an irresistibly romantic chance to cross the barren sands on a sturdy ship of the desert, sleeping under what must rank as one of the starriest skies in the world. Sandstorms, sore backsides and camel farts aside, the safaris are usually great fun. Although you can travel for up to two weeks by camel from Jaisalmer to Bikaner. treks normally last from one to four days, at prices varying from Rs200 to Rsl500 per night. In general the less you

Moving on from Mount Abu in Rajasthan

Buses leave Mount Abu for Abu Road every hour until 9pm; Jeeps leave when full (from opposite the bus stand), and taxis are available on request (from the junction at the southeastern corner of the polo ground; Rs200 for a full car). For train travellers, there's an information and booking office, or "Out Agency" (Mon-Sat 9am-1pm S 2-4pm) directly opposite the police station, next to the bus stand. It has quotas for services to Delhi, Jaipur, Ajmer, Ahmedabad and Mumbai, but not Jodhpur, so if you're heading northeast towards Jaisalmer, you'll have to head back down to Abu Road railway station

Gadi Sagar Tank and the Folklore Museum to the Jaisalmer in Rajasthan

South of the city through an imposing triple gateway, Gadi Sagar Tank, built in 1367, was once Jaisalmer's sole water supply. Its north and east banks are flanked with ghats and temples whose sandstone bricks glow with a warm deep ochre in the evening light. This peaceful place is the focus of the festival of Gangaur in March, when women fling flowers into the lake and pray for a good husband, and the Maharawal heads a procession amid a pomp and splendour unchanged for generations. The delightful little Folklore Museum near the tank's main gate (daily 8am-7pm; Rs10) has some interesting

Jaisaimer in Rajasthan

In the remote westernmost corner of Rajasthan, a good 100km beyond its closest neighbour Pokaran, JAISALMER is a desert town par excellence, its sand-yellow ramparts rising out of the arid Thar like a vision from Scheherazade. Put off by reports of rampant commercialism, many travellers never make the long detour out here, but in spite of all the souvenir shops, hotel touts and large-tour groups, the town remains one of India's most enchanting destinations. Villagers from outlying settlements, dressed in dazzling red and orange odinis or voluminous turbans, still outnumber foreigners in the bazaar, while the town's exquisite sandstone architecture

Arrival and information of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan

Jaisalmer's railway station is 2km east of the city. Overeager touts, hoping to entice you onto a shoddy and overpriced camel safari, accost arriving passengers with offers of free Jeep taxi services and low rents at their hotels. To sidestep, walk or pay RslO to get into town by auto-rickshaw and choose a hotel yourself. Arriving at the RSRTC bus stand nearby, you will not be met with quite such a gauntlet of touts, rickshaw-wallahs and commission agents; the private bus stand by Amar Sagar Pole in the west of town is within easy walking distance of most accommodation. There

Bikaner Accommodation in Rajasthan

Bikaner boasts a surprisingly good selection of hotels, with plenty of choice in all price ranges. The only area to avoid if you can help it is the one outside the railway station, which - unlike most of the town - is unpleasantly congested and polluted. Amrit, Station Road, Standard lodge very near the station. Clean enough, but cramped and often full with Jaisalmer-bound backpackers. Bhairon Vilas, next to Lalgarh Fort. Terracotta and ochre-coloured haveli overlooking the fort, owned by maharaja's younger brother and now a typical Rajput heritage hotel, with antiques and family curios adding period atmosphere. Rooms #109 &

Mandvi in Northern Gujarat

The compact town of MANDVI, on the west bank of a wide tidal estuary 60km south of Bhuj, faces the Arabian Sea to the south and supports a dwindling dhow-building industry. In the late eighteenth century it was the docking point for a fleet of four hundred vessels exporting goods from a hinterland that encompassed Gujarat and the lands to the north as far as Jaisalmer. Merchants, seamen and later the British were all keen to settle in this flourish