Travel to Jaisalmer

a stark contrast with the wealthier cities of Rajasthan

Jaisalmer is located in the remote Thar Desert in the west of Rajasthan in northwest India, roughly 700 km (450 miles) west of Delhi.

Widely known as the Golden City, Jaisalmer is a relatively small place, with a population of around 80,000 inhabitants during the main tourist season, thinning out at other times of year as many people migrate out of the desert in search of work.

The city is centred on Jaisalmer Fort (Sonar Qila), a very impressive defensive citadel which dates back to 1156 AD and sits atop the freestanding Meru Hill, surrounded by the usual patchwork of shanty suburbs, which give out onto the desert sands.

Unlike almost every other fort in India, here the place remains inhabited by local people. The maze of narrow streets is brought to life by a host of stalls and street vendors.The sandstone architecture is extremely impressive and it is possible to spend many hours exploring, visiting various palaces, merchant’s houses (havelis), temples and viewpoints.

Jaisalmer is intimately connected with the Jain religion and is filled with various temples, both within the fort and down by Gadsisar Lake. The town is also home to some very ancient and sacred libraries and is a popular place of pilgrimage.

Down at Gadsisar Lake, boat trips are offered out to the island temples and hawkers will try to sell you bread with which to feed the many catfish that live in the murky water.

As well as exploring this magical city, most people like to spend a little time exploring the surrounding Thar Desert, with the most popular excursion being a sunrise or sunset camel ride amongst the dunes.

The best time of year to visit the Jaisalmer area is generally considered to be during Oct-May, although the conditions here are arguably more favourable to year-round travel than most parts of northern India, thanks to the low rainfall and humidities.

October is the transition period between the end of the monsoon rains and the start of the cool dry season. During October the daytime temperatures usually rise to around 31C/88F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures drop to around 11C/52F. However the rainfall usually drops away completely. Sunshine is around 10 hours per day (around 90% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are usually clear.

Nov-Feb is the main cool dry season. During Nov-Feb the daytime temperatures usually rise to around 25C/77F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures plunge to around 5C/41F. There should be virtually no rainfall. Sunshine is around 9 hours per day (around 90% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are usually clear. During February Jaisalmer hosts a Desert Festival, in which there are various camel races and colourful cultural events, including the famous fire-dancers.

Mar-May is the hot season, the often uncomfortable build-up to the main monsoon. During Mar-May the daytime temperatures can climb steeply to around 37C/99F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures are up around 23C/73F (much alleviated by lower humidities than in most areas). Rainfall usually remains almost negligible. Sunshine is around 9 hours per day (around 85% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are usually clear.

Jun-Sep is the main monsoon season and is generally considered to be the least favourable time to visit, although the rainfall here is far lower than in most areas. During Jun-Sep the daytime temperatures drop off slightly to around 40C/104F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures remain up at a stifling 26C/79F (made all the more uncomfortable by the increased humidities). Rainfall only climbs to around 50mm (2”) per month. Sunshine drops to around 8 hours per day (around 60% of daylight hours), meaning that skies can remain overcast.

Getting there

The Jaisalmer area can be accessed in a number of different ways…

By air

The closest airports and their most common connections are …

• Jaisalmer: 6km to the southwest : Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Mumbai

By luxury train

The Jaisalmer area is visited by the following luxury live-aboard train itineraries…

• Palace on Wheels : 7 nights circuit : Delhi to Delhi

By train

The closest train stations and their most common connections are…

• Jaisalmer : 1km to the west : Jaipur, Delhi

By road

The Jaisalmer area can be reached by road but it is a bit of a long slog out into the desert…

• Jaipur : 500 km to the east
• Jodhpur : 225 km to the southeast

Where to stay

There are only two higher quality accommodation options in the Jaisalmer area, both of which are set around 12km west of the town and therefore representing a decent base for exploring both the town and desert.

tends to feature in longer trips