Bikaner Overview Being the fourth largest city in the state of Rajasthan, Bikaner is famous for its lavish havelis, Bikaneri Shawls, carpets and blankets. The […]
Things to do in Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer is one of the most alluring cities in Rajasthan boasting numerous historical monuments, lakes and the majestic Jaisalmer Fort also known as Golden Fort which stands tall at a height of 250 feet dominating the skyline of Jaisalmer.
Famed for being the Golden City of Rajasthan Jaisalmer is situated in the heart of the Thar Desert, It was founded and named after Maharaja Rawal Jaisal Singh. The founder of Jaisalmer was King Rawal Jaisal; during the 12th century when he was looking for land to establish his new capital he met a lone sage who told him about a prophecy that encouraged the king to establish the Kingdom here.
Jaisalmer is indeed a big city and knowing what to do while visiting can sure make your trip more memorable and interesting, so here are some of the best things to do in Jaisalmer.
Things to do in Jaisalmer
1. Camping at Sam Sand Dunes
Situated at a distance of 40 km away from center of Jaisalmer, Sam Sand Dunes is truly one of the best things you should try during your Jaisalmer tour, the unique experience it offers to every guest is just amazing. Try camping in the middle of Thar Desert with your friends or family, enjoying the cultural folk dance. It sure is once in a lifetime experience.
Arguably one of the best things to do in Jaisalmer, this is truly once in a lifetime experience to the travellers. Imagine lying in the middle of Thar Desert with your partner or friends, gazing at the beautiful stars and enjoying the folk dance and folk music sounds amazing isn’t it? Well with our Rajasthan Tour Packages you can make it happen and live your fantasy.
2. Camel Safari
You might have taken numerous Jeep Safaris, Elephant Safaris, But now you’ll be taking the famous Camel Safari through the vast Thar Desert. The Camel Safari is one of the best activities to try out in the city Jaisalmer, it gives you a distinct experience if done in the night. You can communicate with your tour operator to get you a night camel safari at the evening, so you can take in the magnificent views of the sunset along with the boundless Thar Desert.
3. Jaisalmer Fort
Jaisalmer Fort is the Golden Fort of Rajasthan; due to the yellow-golden-colored sandstone used in its construction the Fort gets its Golden Color. The Fort stands tall on a cliff of 250 feet height dominating the skyline of the Golden city of Jaisalmer.
The Fort is also called a living fort because it houses several temples, marketplaces, houses and restaurants. If you can, experience the sunset at the Jaisalmer Fort, it is truly a sight to remember.
4. Desert Dune Bashing
Adventurous as it sounds, a Jeep Safari through the vast Thar Desert is one of the best adventurous activities to do in Jaisalmer. You can pick a vehicle or can take you own off-road vehicle for a thrilling Jeep Safari through the desert of Thar. Some of the best off- road vehicles are Toyota Fortuner, Mahindra Thar, Mahindra Scorpio, Mahindra Bolero etc.
The Desert Jeep Safari is sure one of the recreational activities to do in Jaisalmer, because the sands give you a tough time walking, you can do some offbeat driving through the golden sands of Jaisalmer, if you’re an adrenaline junkie than Desert Jeep Safari is a must. If you don’t own any vehicle, there are several options, you can rent a car or you can contact the Jeep Safari operators.
5. Boating at Gadisar Lake
One of the best things to do while you Jaisalmer trip is boating in Gadisar Lake, making your Boat ride more peaceful and memorable you might spot migratory birds from the nearby Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary.
The stunning Gadisar Lake was built in the year of 1367 by Maharawal Gadsi Singh, the main purpose behind this artificial lake was to store the rainwater, as the region as quite arid. Constructing this lake ensured the consistent supply of water through the village. With its brilliant architecture, serene water and the beautiful migratory birds, it is one of the popular tourist attractions in Jaisalmer.
You can also try and watching the evening view of this magnificent lake, the whole lake becomes golden when the Golden rays of the sunset hits it, truly a sight to behold.
6. Desert National Park
Situated near Jaisalmer, the Desert National Park is home to some of the distinct species and a wide range of flora and fauna, the Desert National Park offers you the chance to see some of the rare species of wild animals, regardless of the arid ecosystem you can see a variety of birds in the park. It can be visited throughout the year, but as situated in proximity with the Thar Desert it can get extremely hot during the summers, the ideal time to visit Desert National Park is between November to January.
The Desert National Park also houses a collection of fossils of the plants and animals that are said to be over 100 million years old. Making your trip to Jaisalmer more enchanting, you might get to see one of the rare species here which is the Great Indian Bustard. Some other wild animals to look out for are Bengal Fox, Desert cat, Desert Fox, Wolf etc.
7. Try out the mouthwatering Rajasthani cuisine
If you are a foodie, you’re going to love the city of Jaisalmer, because it offers some of the best restaurants and cuisine in whole Rajasthan. You can try out the cuisine at some local shops or at premium restaurants with unparalleled views.
Here are some of the foods that you must try during your Trip to Jaisalmer- Pyaaj Kachori, Lauki ke Kofte, Gatte ki Sabzi, and also your visit isn’t complete until you have tried the delicious Dal Bati Churma, which is one of the famous traditional dishes in Rajasthan. Dal Bati Churma consists of lentils (dal), baked bread rolls (bati) and a desert (Churma).
8. Jain Temples
The Golden city of Jaisalmer houses no more than 7 Jain Temples, situated inside the majestic Jaisalmer Fort, these temples are dedicated to the 7 tirthankaras of Jainism. The Jain temples showcase the rich cultural history, and the architectural prowess of the bygone era.
The 7 Jain temples dedicated to 7 different tirthankaras are Shitalnath Temple, Kunthunath Temple, Parshvnath Temple, Rishabhdev Temple, Sambhavnath Temple, Chandraprabhu Temple, and Shantinath Temple.
Each of them are dedicated to different tirthankaras which are Shitalnath the 10th tirthankara, Kunthunath the 17th Tirthankara, Parshavnath the 23rd Tirthankara, Rishabhdev ji the 1st Tirthankara, Sambhavnath Ji the 3rd Tirthankara, Chandraprabhu Ji the 8th Tirthankara, Shantinath Ji the 16th Tirthankara.
9. Nathmal ki Haveli
Nathmal ki Haveli is a beautiful blend of both Rajputana and Islamic style of architecture, giving it a unique look it is said that the Nathmal ki Haveli was constructed by the two architect brothers Hathi and Lulu during the year of 1885, it is said that both the brothers started its construction from opposite ends, hence giving the haveli its unique and distinct look.
The architecture inside the haveli is quite fascinating, the paintings and murals adorned the walls depict all the modern amenities like cars and fans, despite of ever seeing those things the architect brother painted these just by the descriptions given by the people who have seen it.
It was named after the Prime Minister of Jaisalmer Diwan Mohata Nathmal, Nathmal ki Haveli is famous for its brilliant architecture, and it attracts hundreds of tourists everyday.
10. Watch the sunset at Vyas Chhatri
Trying and watching the stunning sunset at the Vyas Chhatri, it is one of the beautiful things you can experience. The serenity of Vyas Chhatri offers a different kind of experience to the travelers. The Vyas Chhatri is a beautiful cenotaph constructed with Sandstone; the cenotaph is dedicated to the great Sage Vyasa, who composed the 3,00,000 verses of the Hindu Epic Mahabharata.
The magnificent Vyas Chhatri is locate on the edge of the town, the detailed carvings on the cenotaphs, and the dome shaped pathways truly makes it one of the best places to visit in Jaisalmer. It has become a scenic spot for the travelers, sitting with your friends gazing at the timeless sunset thinking the time has stopped. Explore our Rajasthan Tour packages to fulfill your fantasy in a way that you have never imagined.
11. Tanot Mata Temple
Visiting this holy shrine during your Jaisalmer trip is one of the best things you can do, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Aavad, an incarnation of the Hinglaj Mata, there were many myths associated with this temple during the Indo-Pak war, and many people claimed that even after the heavy bombarding miraculously the temple didn’t even received a single scratch. Hence, the temple became important tourist attractions among the people of Jaisalmer.
Located 120 km away from the city of Jaisalmer, the Tanot Mata Temple is situated in the close proximity of the Indo-Pak border, due to its strategic locations it has become a symbol of the Indian Nationalism.
12. Salim Singh ki Haveli
A beautiful structure located at the heart of the city of Jaisalmer, Salim Singh ki Haveli is a major tourist attraction constructed on the remnants of the old haveli in the year of 1815, by Salim Singh Mehta, the then prime minister of Jaisalmer.
Salim Singh ki Haveli is famous for its brilliant architecture, the perfectly designed and carved rooftops that forms a peacock, the chiseled windows, and the detailed carvings all makes it a beautiful destination to visit. Inside this beautiful structure there is also a stunning Moti Mahal where dances were held to entertain nobleman and member of royal family.
13. Patwon ki Haveli
Famously known as the Mansion of the Brocade Merchants, visiting Patwon ki Haveli is one of the best things to do while in Jaisalmer. This ancient haveli is one of the most important havelis in Jaisalmer, currently it is being taken care by the Rajasthan Government. Built in 1805 by Guman Chand Patwa, the Patwon ki Haveli is a cluster of 5 different Haveli hence, making it first and the largest havelis in Jaisalmer.
Guman Chand Patwa, the one who constructed this haveli was said to be one of the prominent merchants at that time, he was very wealthy due to his family being the traders of Gold and Silver. That’s how they came to be known as the Brocade Merchants. It took about 60 years to complete, and after completion it was the largest mansion in Jaisalmer.
14. Tazia Tower
Visiting the famous Tazia Tower is one of the best things to do in Jaisalmer; Tazia Tower is renowned for its architectural brilliance. It is a stunning 5 storey structure where each storey has its own significance. The famous Tazia Tower was built in the year of 1886 AD as a gift to give to the Royal Hindu ruler of that time, Maharaja Berisal Singh.
Tazia Tower's architecture is fascinating, sanctioned by the local Muslim community as a tribute to their holy burial of various Imams; you will see the tower influences Islamic architecture. Tazia word means ‘float’ in Urdu, hence the balcony designed by the Muslim craftsman made it in the shape of Tazia. It is situated on top of the Badal Palace Complex.
15. Bada Bagh
The meaning of Bada Bagh is Big Garden, the Bada Bagh is a series of cenotaph that is situated on a small hill. Visiting Bada Bagh is surely one of the best things to do in Jaisalmer, the cenotaphs here are of the Maharajas and Maharani and other royal members of Jaisalmer. The cenotaphs are constructed out of sandstone and are lined in great settings.
Strolling around the garden and watching the stunning sunset are some of the recreational activity you can do in Bada Bagh. It is also a good site to spot migratory birds. The architecture of these cenotaph will surely amaze you as you will get to see the detailed carvings and designs.
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