Jaisalmer - the golden city

Unlike any other city, this desert fortress is one of Rajasthan's most exotic and unusual towns also known as 'Golden City". Lying in the heart of Thar Desert one will discover different facets of Rajasthan as you explore the city. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain temples, and historical monuments which are scattered all over the city. The city is an amalgamation of ancient and the medieval era architecture.

The city has several havelis (old mansions) built by merchants of the 19th century which are tastefully carved from golden-yellow sandstone which still looks graceful.

Jaisalmer city has also been enriched by its Jain community which has adorned the city with beautiful Jain temples most notably the temples dedicated to 16th Tirthankar Lord Shantinath and 23rd Tirthankar Lord Parshvanath. Jaisalmer  boasts some of the oldest libraries of India which contain rarest of the manuscripts & artefacts of Jain tradition. There are many Jain pilgrimage centres around Jaisalmer like Lodarva (15 km), Amarsagar, Brahmsar and Pokhara.

How to Reach Jaisalmer?

By Air
Nearest airport is Jodhpur, which is at a distance of 285 km from Jaisalmer

Delhi is the nearest major international airport.

By Rail
There is direct metre gauge service between Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. Jaisalmer also figures in the route of luxury trains-The Palace on Wheels and Royal Orient Express. There are daily trains to Jaisalmer from Jodhpur, which in turn is well connected to major Indian cities.

By Road
There are many semi deluxe and deluxe buses to Jodhpur at regular intervals. Deluxe A/C buses are also available from Jaisalmer to Jaipur, Ajmer and Bikaner.

Distances from Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer to Jaipur - 570 km                   Jaisalmer to Bikaner - 333 km

Jaisalmer to Jodhpur - 308 km                Jaisalmer to Ajmer - 439 km

Jaisalmer to Khimsar - 302 km                Jaisalmer to Kota - 640 km

Jaisalmer to Agra - 802 km                    Jaisalmer to Udaipur - 574 km

Jaisalmer to Delhi - 880 km                    Jaisalmer to Ahmedabad - 626 km

Sightseeing  in Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer Fort - Jaisalmer fort is also known as the “Sonar Quila”. Colourful shades of the setting sun and golden hues of the desert ambience give the fort a fairy tale. Jaisalmer Fort rises like a fabulous mirage out of the sands of the Thar Desert, the awesome contours of its 99 bastions softened by the golden hue of the stone. Built in 1156 by Maharawal Jaisal, and added to his successors, this citadel stands on the peak of the 263-ft high Trikuta Hill. thousands of people reside inside the fort making it India's only living fort.

Jain Temples - There are 7 beautifully curved temples built inside the fort walls. These temples were built  between from 12th century and 15th century. All the temples are connected by walkways and corridors. The very first temple which a tourist can visit is dedicated to Chandraprabhu (Jain God with the symbol of Moon) who is the eight tirthankar (Jain God). This temple was built in 1509 with fine stone.

Patwon-ki-Haveli - Located on a narrow lane in the main Jaisalmer city, Patwon ki haveli was constructed by Guman Chand Patwa and his five sons. An architectural marvel of the bygone era, the Patwon-ki- Haveli comprises of five distinct units and stands in a narrow lane. This is the largest, the most magnificent, and the most elaborate of Jaisalmer havelis and was the first haveli to be erected in Jaisalmer.

Presently office of the Archeological Survey of India and State art and craft department is situated in the haveli itself.

Salam Singh-ki-Haveli - It was built by the scheming Prime Minister Salam Singh in 1815. It has a beautifully arched roof capped with blue cupolas and carved brackets in the form of peacocks.

Nathmalji-ki-Haveli -  Built by a Prime Minister of princely state of Jaisalmer. Its facade is a riot of ornamentation: flowers, birds, elephants, soldiers, a bicycle and even a steam engine.

Simla Haveli  - This is a 500 year old building in Jaisalmer fort.

Haveli Shreenath - This beautiful 450-year-old Rajasthani haveli was once inhabited by the prime minister under the maharaja. The haveli has gorgeous archways, alluring alcoves, sizeable rooms opening onto small balconies and rich ambiance.

Bhatiyani Rani Temple - Just 2 Km from the town of Jaisalmer is a famous Hindu shrine built in honour of the 19th century Bhatti princess, who became sati on her brother-in-law's pyre. The shrine is taken care by Muslim musicians or the Manganiyars who engage in soulful ballads narrating the incident and the history of Jaisalmer.

Akal Fossil Park - 17 KM from Jaisalmer extraordinary fossilized tree trunks, some of them 180 million years old, can be seen in this park. They bear witness to the fact that this arid area was once covered with dense forest.

Bada Bagh - Bada Bagh, which literally means "Big Garden" is located on the Ramgarh road whichwas commissioned by Maharawal Jagjit Singh in the early 16th century and completed by his son Lunakaran after his death. The site  consists of a tank, a dam and a garden.

Gadi sagar Lake - It is basically a water conservation tank. This rainwater reservoir was built in 1367, by the then maharaja of Jaisalmer, Maharawal Ghdsi Singh was once the city's sole source of water. Gadi sagar lake is surrounded by temples and tombs of saints. Boat rides are also offered on the lake. Nearby is the desert cultural centre and a local museum.

Thar Heritage Museum - Aim of this museum is to collect and preserve historical and ancient folk art of Thar Desert for tourist scholars and future generations. Museum was founded by L.N. Khatri who is also the Author of Jaisalmer Folklore History and Architecture.

Lodurva Jain Temples - The erstwhile capital of Bhatti Rajputs, Lodurva is 15 Km from Jaisalmer and has remains of Jain temples. TThe most interesting object dart is Kalpataru, a mythical tree of wish fulfillment. Lodurva has a great number of peacocks, which hover around the temple walls lending spectacular color to the dry and stony landscape.

Sam sand dunes - Sam is about 40 km from the city. No travel to Jaisalmer is complete without a visit to these fascinating dunes. Wind-caressed slopes are marked with ripples creating an enchanting mirage, a visual illusion of extraordinary splendor. The dunes can be extremely treacherous since they can sink to a few feet the moment you step over one. Occasionally you can see the dunes shifting with the strong desert winds-an astonishing feat of nature .

Khuri Sand Dunes -  Khuri sand dues are at a distance of 45 Km from the city in the village of Khuri. Khuri sand dunes are secluded  and away from the madenning crowd and the hawkers. As khuri is slowly emerging on the tourism map, it still has all the basic necessities but the crowd is non existent. That Means you can have a couple of dunes just for yourself and do whatever you feel like there. Khuri has numerous private Hut/Tent resorts. These dunes are the best place to experience the camel safari to the dunes and folk dances.

                         Jaisalmer Desert festival

Jaisalmer Desert Festival is held over three days in January/February every year. This is the best time to visit Jaisalmer as one gets to witness performing arts like Kalbelia dances, folk songs and music. Once a year during winters, the sands around Jaisalmer come alive with the brilliant colors, music and laughter of the Desert Festival. Dressed in brilliantly hued costumes, the people of the desert dance and sing haunting ballads of valor, romance and tragedy. The fair has snake charmers, puppeteers, acrobats and folk performers.

Rajasthan Holiday Packages

Royal Rajasthan (14 days)	Forts and Palaces tour (21 days)
Rajasthan with Golden triangle (16 days)	Rajasthan Cultural Tours (16 days)
Pushkar Fair Tours (19 days)	Rural Rajasthan Tour (12 days)