Places to visit in Jaisalmer: A charming desert citadel in Rajasthan

The Golden City is aptly named. The city gets its name because the Jaisalmer Fort and several other structures are made of warm, yellow sandstone. This is the last outpost on the western border of Rajasthan and a must-do on any Rajasthan Itinerary longer than a week. You will get to see the top attractions in and around Jaisalmer with this 2 day itinerary for Jaisalmer. So many interesting places to visit in Jaisalmer for a family. There are more things to do if you are staying for longer than 2 days in Jaisalmer.

Its fabulous Fort towers over the small city.

The Thar desert is alluring. Sleeping under a thousand stars is not an experience that one forgets in a jiffy.

It is difficult not to be charmed by the desert citadel, that is Jaisalmer. Jaisalmer Fort is worth a visit, despite being commercialized and touristy. The numerous havelis inside the old town with their detailed carvings, built in yellow sandstone as the fort, give a glimpse into the glorious past of the city. Spend a night in the Thar Desert under a thousand stars, and let the weariness of living in loud urban areas wash away.

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How to reach Jaisalmer

Road Trip: You can reach via a road trip either from Jodhpur or Bikaner, and the effort is well worth it. The train journey from Delhi is more than 24 hours and something that is for the braveheart.

Flight: There are now low-cost airline options with direct flights both from Delhi and Mumbai to Jaisalmer, making it quite accessible.

Train: Jaisalmer is well connected via train to Delhi and other cities in Rajasthan. You can book your train tickets on irctc website.

We had done a road trip from Gurgaon to Jaisalmer, with a stopover at Jodhpur on the way. Our 2 days in Jodhpur were a whirlwind, there are so many places to visit in Jodhpur.

Best time to visit Jaisalmer

As with all other places in Rajasthan and North India, Jaisalmer is best visited from November until March. The days are pleasant and the nights are cold. Summer months are very hot in this desert city and must be avoided.

Jaisalmer 2 day Itinerary

Here is my 2 day itinerary for you to see the top attractions in this desert citadel. If you are staying longer than 2 days in Jaisalmer, there are more ideas on what to do at the end of this post.

Day 1: Forts and Havelis

Jaisalmer Fort

Start your first day of your Jaisalmer itinerary with its famous Fort. The Fort of Jaisalmer is a breathtaking sight. This is definitely one of the most interesting places to visit in Jaisalmer. However, if you are expecting a sanitized and well-kept environment like other forts in Rajasthan, a visit to Jaisalmer Fort would take you back.

There are about 3000 people residing in this massive sandcastle. It has houses, temples, guest houses, shops, restaurants and all the color and chaos that you would associate with India.

We hired a guide at the main entrance to show us around one of the largest inhabited forts in India. What we didn’t anticipate was the strong sun and the heat even in the third week of December. So do carry a hat for sun protection and a bottle of water along for hydration.

You can opt for a private city tour that covers Golden Fort, Patwan Ki Haveli and Gadisar lake.

Havelis in the old city

Next on the agenda are the Havelis. The intricate stonework of the many Havelis in the old town is worth seeing. The most famous Haveli in Jaisalmer town is Patwa-ki-Haveli, which towers over a narrow lane. It was built between 1800 and 1860 by five Jain brothers. There are 5 sections within the Haveli; the first of the 5 sections have been opened as the privately-owned Patwa Haveli Museum.

The other popular Havelis are Salim Singh ki Haveli and Nathmal ki Haveli.

Bada Bagh

Bada Bagh was the Royal cenotaphs of the Bhatti dynasty of Jaisalmer. The best time to visit this site is just before sunset.

I was charged Rs 500 (includes the camera fee) to enter this venue. You can take photos without entering perhaps, but I wanted to see it up close. Foreign nationals may have to cough up a higher fee. I was aghast to see the place littered. There were debris and small rocks piled up haphazardly. And yet, it is a beautiful site – just go wearing sensible shoes and walk carefully.

Day 2 of Jaisalmer itinerary

Stay a night in the Thar Desert

A desert experience is a quintessential part of any Jaisalmer itinerary. Besides the sightseeing in and around the old town, a must-do activity is to spend a night in the Thar desert. We were happy with our choice of Damodra Desert Camp.

We reached the campsite and were shown into our tents; we had some tea/coffee and set off in a jeep towards the dunes. Half an hour later, we were transferred to camels. I loved this, so much so, that after getting off everyone on the dunes, I asked the camel guy to take me to solo with the camel running. Exhilarating, a bit scary only when the camel decided to run down a dune at full speed!

My daughter loved the Thar desert as well. Not every kid (or adult) enjoys a camel ride. But no child can resist running up and down the dunes. We also tried sandboarding and enjoyed the dramatic sunset over the dunes.

And there was more in store once we returned back to the campsite. All the rolling around in the sand required a bath, which delayed us for the evening cultural program. The camp hostess had mulled some wine in the true Christmas spirit and gave it to all the guests. Good food, an interesting Rajasthani folk performance and the most magnificent sky with a canopy of stars that I had seen in a while – made for a lovely evening.

There are other options for a desert camp – read this review of a camel safari organized by Wanderlust.

Browse through other desert experiences:

Other places to visit in Jaisalmer

If you are spending 3 or 4 days in Jaisalmer, there are several other notable sites in and around Jaisalmer town to visit. Gadisar Lake is a beautiful site to visit. It is one of the few surviving heritage lakes in Rajasthan.

I did not visit the Jain Temples, but those who are religiously inclined can do so. These are 7 temples made of yellow sandstone, located within the fort walls.

There is also the Fort Palace – an elegant seven-story structure. Much of the palace is open to the public – there is the King’s palace, the Queen’s palace, the mirrored and painted Rang Mahal, and more.

I did visit the Kuldehra site outside the town, but unless you have a strong interest in archaeology, you could give this a miss. The story behind the haunted village of Kuldhera is quite interesting. But, it is difficult to imagine from the pile of bricks and stones that the site is currently, that this was once a bustling town that was abandoned overnight and left cursed.

Other activities to do in Jaisalmer

Cycling adventure

My husband and I are amateur cycling enthusiasts. Our hotel had a few unadvertised bikes for guests. So, dressed warmly and with 3 small water bottles stuffed in our side pockets (since the bikes had no holder for a bottle), we left for a morning cycling trip.

The idea was to do a short trip, not more than 10 – 15 km. I googled Bada Bag, and the map gave me a couple of options. I selected the closest one and after cycling for 5 km landed near a stone quarry. The weather was nippy and it was lovely to see the open wide landscape, with nothing but gigantic windmills dotting all over.

We asked a local near the quarry and got redirected to Ludarva, another site that showed about 10 km away. We gamely cycled until there. What we didn’t realize was that the route back to the hotel would be another 25 km!!

Soon, we ran out of water and enthusiasm to cycle. My husband who is much more used to cycling than I was game for this, but the last 5 km was sheer torture for me. The only thing that kept me going (for the last 5 km) was the thought that the lavish breakfast spread at the hotel would end at 1030 am!

For the adventurous, if you can wrangle good cycles, it is a nice way to get some exercise and see the landscape. The border roads are really well maintained. Do carry enough water though!

Shop in the local market

Once you are done with the places to visit in Jaisalmer, do find some time to look at local markets. From bedspreads to colorful outfits to Rajasthani puppets for your kids, you are bound to find something nice here. I don’t wear bangles or carry colorful kitschy bags, but they do make for small gifts.

Where to stay in Jaisalmer

We had driven from Delhi in our car and wanted to stay on the outskirts of the town. I cannot recommend Suryagarh enough, a plush boutique hotel about 15 kilometers outside the Jaisalmer city. The warm welcome in the guest area, the refreshing drink, the cold towel to wipe away the grime, the artefacts of a bygone era, took away the road travel fatigue. And after the quick check-in process, while seated in the guest area, we were shown to our room.

Suryagarh review

The property offers 72 accommodations on 2 floors, and there are rooms, suites and havelis to choose from. Suites and rooms both are available in 3 categories each, differing in size and amenities. We had chosen the fort room for our stay.

The hotel has beautiful public spaces on each floor, done up in Rajasthani style, and sitting areas that provide endless nooks and corners to read a book. The food here is made special by the dining experience in the central courtyard. Make sure you book a table for dinner in the courtyard in advance, as it gets filled quickly each evening.

The hospitality here – the manager chatting with guests each morning, the staff gently pressing upon us to try newer treats, to have another cup of masala chai or their artisanal coffee – made our stay welcoming and personal.

Booking Information: Suryagarh

Are you visiting Delhi? Is this your first-time traveling to India? Do read these Insider Tips first-time travel to India and Delhi.

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