Top Places to Visit in Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer is a town located in Indian state Rajasthan. The city is situated 575 km away from Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan. Jaisalmer lies in the heart of Thar Desert and the place is currently one of the most popular tourist destinations of India. Every people visiting Rajasthan keep this place in their itinerary. The city is also popular as “Golden City”, as it is surrounded by golden sand dunes and magnificent castles or Havelis made of golden sandstone.

How to Reach

Jaisalmer can be reached by train, air or road. There is an airport in Jaisalmer which is connected only to Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, and Ahmedabad. The nearest international airport of Jaisalmer is in Jodhpur.

Jaisalmer is well connected by train to Delhi, Jaipur, and Jodhpur. Other than these, Jaisalmer is connected to the rest of Rajasthan and other major Indian cities by Rajasthan State transport corporation bus services. The luxury bus fare is around Rs 500 for this trip. Online booking facility is also available for bus services.

Where to stay

There are many beautiful Hotels available in Jaisalmer of different budget range. You can book all these hotels from online booking sites like booking.com, hotels.com or tripadvisor.in and many more.

Best Time to Visit Jaisalmer

The best time to visit Jaisalmer is from October to February.

Top Places to Visit in Jaisalmer

Patwon Ki Haveli

Patwon Ki Haveli is a famous tourist attraction in Jaisalmer. The haveli is a cluster of five small Havelis built by a rich Brocade Merchant in the 19th Century. The mansion is commonly known as Kothari’s Patwa Haveli. The five Havelis were built for the 5 sons of the merchant and the entire complex is the largest mansion in the city. The building comes under the Archaeological Survey of India and it is recognized as a renowned architectural as well as a historical site.

The entry fee here is Rs 20 per person for Indian tourists and Rs 100 per person for foreigners. The camera charge is Rs 50 and the video camera charge is Rs 100.

Salim Singh ki Haveli

Salim Singh ki Haveli is a beautiful building located at the heart of Jaisalmer city. At present, it is one of the main tourist attractions of the place. The mansion has a beautifully arched roof that looks like a peacock. The haveli was built over the remains of an older haveli in the late 19th century and was commissioned by Salim Singh, the then prime minister of the Kingdom.

The entry fee here is Rs10 per person for Indian tourists and Rs15 per person for foreigners. The camera charge is Rs50 and the video camera charge is Rs100.

The Haveli is open from 6 am to 5 Pm

Jaisalmer Fort

Nestled amidst the golden sands of Thar Desert, this is one of the largest forts in the World. As the fort is constructed with Yellow Sandstone, it is popularly known as ‘Sonar Quila’ or “the Golden Fort”. This fort is like a mini-town that houses many beautiful temples, Havelis, shops, and restaurants. The fort has been declared a UNESCO world heritage site.

The fort was built in the year 1156 by Bhati Rajput ruler Rao Jaisal. It stands at a height of 250 ft. and is surrounded by a 30 ft. tall walls. Due to this height, you can get a beautiful panoramic view of the Jaisalmer city from the fort walls.

You may also enjoy a camel ride through the desert to enter into the fort. The entry fee to the fort is Rs50 per person for Indian tourists and Rs250 per person for foreigners. The camera charge is Rs50 and the video camera charge is Rs100. The Fort is open from 7 am to 6 Pm every day.

Jain Temple

These are a group of Jain temples dating back 12th and 15th centuries. The temples are dedicated to various Jain Tirthankars. The walls of these temples are decorated with beautiful carvings which are of famous Dilwara style.

Enjoy a walk around the fort complex and feel its past glory. Meanwhile, you can also do some shopping inside the fort. You may also find some good restaurants inside the fort wall which sell delicious local cuisine.

Gadisar Lake

On the outskirts of Jaisalmer there lies the beautiful Gadisar Lake, which is like an oasis in the heart of Thar Desert. Back in the middle ages, there were no canals or irrigation systems available here to bring water to this region. Keeping in mind the need, this reservoir was built by Raja Rawal Jaisal for his people. Located close to the fort of Jaisalmer, the lake is an easy escape from the hot and dry desert climate. Gadisar Lake offers picturesque views of the lake and the adjacent fort.

Gadisar Lake is open from 7 am to 7 Pm. The charges here are Rs100 per person for 2 seater Pedal boat, Rs200 per person for 4 seater Pedal boat, and Rs300 per person for 6 seater rowing boat.

From Gadisar Lake go to visit Bada Bagh. Literally meaning big garden, this is a garden complex about 6 km north of Jaisalmer. Overlooking a mango grove, where you can see a set of royal cenotaphs, or chhatris, of Maharajas of Jaisalmer state.

Bada Bagh is open from 8 am to 6 pm. The entry fee here is Rs100 per person and the camera charge is Rs100.

Sam Sand Dunes

Sam sand dunes are the best and one of the most authentic desert dune sites in India. The 30-60 meter tall dunes attract numerous travelers every year. It is located just 45km west of Jaisalmer city and here you can find many desert camps built in a 2-3 km radius of sand dunes where you can put up for the night. The best time to visit here is from October to March.

Every year, in the month of February, Desert Festival is held here.

The best time to reach here is during the evening at around 4 to 7 Pm or at early morning at around 4-6 am. This is the best place to see the sunrise or sunset. You can book either a camel ride or a jeep safari to reach the sunset point. The booking facility is available at the camp.

In the evening you can enjoy cultural programs and campfire at the campsite.

The charges depend on the number of activities you are participating in.