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Nestled in the heart of the Thar Desert in Rajasthan, Jaisalmer is a city that transports you to an enchanting world of golden sands, majestic forts, and vibrant culture. Known as the "Golden City" for its yellow sandstone architecture that glows at sunset and where the walls echo tales of a bygone era.
And yes it's possible to get the best of Jaisalmer in just two days because let's face it, Rajasthan is a large and wonderfully diverse state and you don't always have the luxury of time to spend longer in any one place.
I recently did a trip to Jaisalmer with a girl friend and had in hand only 2 full days and 2 nights but thanks to some nifty planning and travel smarts (even if I say so myself) on my end, it was an incredibly fulfilling trip. So follow along on this 2-day Jaisalmer itinerary including the top things to do there for your upcoming trip there.
Day 1: Explore the fort, visit the havelis and enjoy the sand dunes
1. Grab breakfast at a hotel (not a standalone cafe.)
Our overnight bus from Jaipur pulled into the Jaisalmer bus stand at around 7am, and since I'd done my research, I had a fair idea of where to navigate from there. Our guest house (which I hadn't pre booked) was inside the fort and a 15-minute walk. As we were approaching the Sonar Kila or the Golden fort, the melodious sound of the Rajasthani Sarangi (a wired instrument similar to a violin) and some husky singing by folk musicians decked up in colourful attire including Bandhani turbans for the men stationed on the footpath filled the air with the quintessential Rajasthani vibe as though it was all orchestrated in our welcome. The traditional handicraft and souvenir marked lined up along the fort's walls was just springing into action as it was barely 8am. Once past the beautiful entrance and majestic gate of the fort, soon we were walking through narrow allies full of beautiful and intricate havelis, guest houses, and temples, all a vision in beige stone. We decided to book the hotel I'd shortlisted from Booking.com because the view from the place blew us over. (It overlooked the high domes of the Jain temple), and ordered a breakfast at the lovely inhouse rooftop cafe.
2. Book your desert safari
Over breakfast, the hotel owner approached us about a desert campaign trip the same night and while we originally hadn't planned to go for it the same day, we ended up booking it because logistically it made sense. There are two major sand dune sites in Jaisalmer - Sam Sand Dunes, the largest but also most commercial, with more elaborate camps and even luxury tents, and the smaller but more low key and secluded Khuri sand dunes which we went with.
How much does an overnight desert camp on sand dunes cost?
While an agent I'd contacted online had quoted Rs. 5500 per person for a trip to Sam Sand Dunes, our overnight trip to Khuri sand dunes came to Rs. 2500 per person which included an AC car transport to and from the site (45kms one way), a stop at the lake and a village, evening tea and snacks, overnight camping, dinner, and breakfast. It seemed like a great deal when compared to the other Sam Dunes packages, but we later realised why. Anyhow, since our safari was booked for the same day, we didn't officially check in to the hotel, but just used it to drop our bags and get a shower before leaving for the camp. (This way we saved on one night of accommodation too.)
3. Roam around the havelis, temples and market area inside the fort
Since we were scheduled to leave for the safari at 3pm, we had plenty of time to squeeze in a shower, a power nap, and still get out to explore the fort. On foot, we went around the tiny lanes of the historic fort city having experienced nothing like it before. The world inside the fort is characterized by tiny alleys full of ancient stone havelis with the most intricate carvings, awnings, and frescoes. In fact it feels like an Indian version of a small European city full of historic architecture, monuments and a treasure to be discovered at every corner, just in an Indian theme. The entire setup is backdropped by the imposingly high walls of the fort from where multiple viewpoints can be accessed to get a perspective of the scale of the fort as it rises from the deset and holds the city cocooned inside. Situated amidst the vibrant lanes and bustling markets of the fort, are the 12th century Svetambra Jain temple with their intricate pillars, ornate ceilings and large courtyard, the 19th century Nathmal Ji Ki Haveli and the Patvon ki Haveli - one of Jaisalmer's largest and most intricately carved havelis. Even though this five-story building has lost some of its original grandeur, a few paintings and mirror artworks on the interior walls can still be seen.
4. Grab lunch at one of the cafes inside the fort
A 2-day trip to Jaisalmer would hardly do justice to the amazing cafes and eateries - ranging from hippy to posh - peppered both inside and outside the fort, but still two days mean nearly 6 meals = 6 cafes. So for lunch, I suggest going to a different one than the one for breakfast and soaking in more of Jaisalmer over a meal. My choice for a great day cafe within the fort would be the Desert Boy's Cafe located on the ramparts of the fort that affords a great view of the fort.
5. Try 'Bhaang' cookies/thandai
If you're adventurous enough and looking to make the upcoming desert camping even more special, try the bhaang thandai. Bhaang is basically a variant of a herbal cannabis which is legal in India and sold only at authorised shops. (think of them like the weed dispensaries in the US and elsewhere.) There's only one Bhaang shop in Jaisalmer and it's located right outside the fort, on the main road towards the desert. You can have a fresh Bhaang Thandai (a sweet and spicy milkshake) or try Bhaang cookies or a freshly baked brownie. We packed a Bhaang Cookie for later as they keep well for upto 3 months.
(Pro tip: the Bhaang cookies are are very very potent. They won't hit you for the first 30-45 minutes, but once they do, boy! Be careful to budget at least 10-12 hours tripping.)
6. Leave for desert safari and stop enroute at the Amar Sagar lake and Kuldhara village and the ancient fort
The ideal time to leave for an overnight camping trip to the sand dunes would be around 3pm. It takes 2-3 hours to reach the camp site depending on your stops en route -- you have the option to stop over at the Amar Sagar lake, an ancient lake with pavilions with stairs that lead down to the lake and a carved Jain temple at one of the ends. A few minutes' drive further is the broken Khaba fort situated close to the abandoned Khaba village, where you can spend another hour or so marveling at the ancient if dilapidated architecture of the fort, visit the museum showcasing the architectural remnants of a once vibrant community, and if you're lucky a group of peacocks playing about.
Optional: Do a camel ride through the dunes if that floats your boat
Most desert tours in Jaisalmer would include a camel safari to the last 15-30 minutes before the final camping point in the desert even though your 4*4 car would go all the way too. But if a camel ride excites you, (it didn't for me as I'm against animal rides of any sort), for sure get on one. After all, riding on the back of a 20-feet high animal undulating through an otherworldly desert is a unique experience one can only get in a handful of places in the world. (The Wadi Rum in Jordan and in the Sahara dessert in Egypt being another two that I've experienced.)
7. Feast a gorgeous sunset over the sand dunes over some snacks
Reaching the camp at around 5pm gives you enough time to catch the beautiful sunset over the dunes. If you're into photography, get that post card perfect shot of the silhouette of camels seemingly going along the horizon as the orange sun sets past it. Post sunset, depending on your safari provider, you can enjoy some desert entertainment like Kalbeliya dance and a sumptous or simple dinner on bare sands. However the trip we had booked was almost a semi private one where it was just the three of us, our driver and the camel herd so we spent the night gazing into the bonfire, nursing a stray dog we found injured, and then curled up in our "khatiyas" (loose beds) on the sand without any tent or overhead dwelling, and gazing at the amazingly clear starry sky. (You see this is why our camping trip was relatively cheap. It was just a secluded spot our tour guide decided to plonk his camp at instead of a tent city-like the ones at Sam Sand Dunes)
Day 2 - Stay inside the fort, visit Gadisar temple and the highest sunset point
A note about the Jaisalmer Fort
Built in 1156 by King Rawal Jaisal to protect his kingdom against Islamic invaders is the imposing Sonar Qila or the Jaisalmer fort. At 250 feet high (so almost 25 storeys high) and almost a half a kilometer in length, it holds a distinction of being the largest living fort in the world, meaning inside the walls, it's a thriving village with houses, temples, markets and even hip cafes! To get the best of Jaisalmer, stay inside the walls of the fort to feel the vibe of being a part of a unique and historical place. The best part about staying inside the fort is that most of the guesthouses are really erstwhile havelis with beautiful ceilings, carved balconies and an elaborate bay window and one can live like royalty for very little as the guesthouses range from Rs. 500 to Rs. 5000 a night depending on views, approach and amenities.
8. Grab lunch at a cafe facing the fort
Since you've got a sense of living and roaming around inside the fort by now, it's time to get a perspective of the fort from outside it. And what better than to settle yourself at a nice cafe with the majestic fort as the background. My research (and I pay myself on the back for it) took us to a restaurant called Tokyo located on the rooftop of a hotel with the same name. (The hotel also had a paid swimming pool that can be used by non-staying guests) We got some pizza and chilled sodas to cool off on a sunny and rather hot noon in Feb and got our fill of gazing at the imposing fort shining gold under the blazing sun.
9. Visit the Gadisar lake and get a coffee by the waters
To cool off some more, we walked (30 minutes) to the Gadisar lake, by a beautiful domed palace and a temple which seem to be partially submerged in the water. There's a couple of cafes located here which let you experience the place at a slow relaxed pace so we got a desert brownie at the hippie Halo cafe and got a seat right by the lake, soaking in the exciting transition a desert to a fort to a lake within the frame of a few hours.
10. Grab a sunset tea or beer at the highest cafe on the fort
Since we were leaving Jaisalmer the same night, we came back inside the fort area and headed to the highest point on the ramparts of the fort to get a great view of the sunset before leaving for good. There's a point here where a real cannon is placed and one can afford 10 minutes to visit it. But really, we were looking to again, just sit back and relax so we grabbed some nice corner seats at the Big Tree cafe and my German friend got her fill of some nice beer and me a soda. A great sunset (and some nice golden hour photography session) was enjoyed by both.
11. Buy beautiful handicrafts like carpets, patchwork tapestries and bandhani shawls
You can't come to any place in Rajasthan and not shop. I mean the state offers so much and even though I've covered shopping on my 3-day Jaipur itinerary and 2-day Pushkar itinerary, Jaisalmer too has similar souvenirs and handicrafts to offer. If you're into patchwork tapestries, silk scarves, carpets and jewellery, the market at the entrance of the fort is the perfect place. Not only is it a great photography spot, and the presence of rural folk musicians really sets the tone for a royal and special Rajasthani experience, but the handicrafts on offer are all hand made, unique, and buying from the market helps support the local economy and keeps the place going.
12. Enjoy the night view of the fort over dinner
We wanted to make use of our last two hours in the city so once again we headed to a cafe outside the fort and closer to the bus stop to grab one last meal but really to sum up our experience by having the fort has the last enduring visual of the place. For dinner, we went to the lovely Meraki cafe, a rooftop cafe that overlooks the fort. The pizza was amazing but stilled paled in comparison to the view of the Jaisalmer fort glittering gold against the dark nightsky, even more impressive at night than during the day.
After a relaxed dinner with nothing but good things to think and say about our last 48 hours, we took an auto rikshaw to the bus stop, and got on our bus back to Jaipur. The 2-day trip couldn't have packed in more, and yet not be rushed or left too much unexplored or unseen.
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