Camel safari is one of the major attractions of Jaisalmer. In the whole of India, very few sections of the country are covered with Sand Dunes. Jaisalmer owns no other competition when tourists want to explore this sea of sand.
Therefore, if you are visiting Jaisalmer, there is an excellent option of experiencing camel safari. Moreover, you get the chance of visiting a desert route leading to a holy site about which we will discuss in detail in later sections. Besides that, you can even choose to have a night ride on a camelback.
You will usually not find adventurous rides inside the city areas. For that, you will need to visit Sam sand dunes. There you will find banjaras all around who will give you a ride for a minimal charge.
Things to Do
- The tourists’ favourite option is to sit on the camel’s back. However, if you are not comfortable sitting on his back, you can choose to ride in a cart attached to the camel.
- You can ride amidst the sand dunes as far as you want. Jaisalmer’s sand dunes are a renowned sunset point.
- While watching the sunset, you can enjoy Rajasthan’s folk music. There are a lot of local singers who play songs around the tourists. This is their prime source of money.
- There are a lot many desert resorts nearby. After camel safari, you can explore the nights of deserts by staying in tents present in these resorts.
- Talking about the night, if you have a knowledgeable local guide, you can roam around the desert at nights too.
- There is a desert route to Malan Baisa Temple which you can explore through camel safari. The temple is located on the top of a hill at an isolated location. The camel can go till the foot of the hills. After that, you need to trek to the top.
Points to Remember
- There is neither any exact cost nor any exact distance per ride. Usually, the people charge you high rates which are not worthy. You can always bargain and bring down the price by 70%.
- Always carry a water bottle with you. You may find vendors roaming around the desert, but the quality of water may not be appropriate.
- It is not a good idea to have camel safari in the day time. Even in winter, the desert is red hot after the morning hours pass.
How to Reach
- The place where you need to contact for a camel safari is Sam Sand Dunes. This place is located 36 km away from Jaisalmer and can be best reached by taxi. However, if you are a backpacker, you can choose to take state buses for this journey.
- For reaching Jaisalmer, you can choose airways, roadways, or railways. The nearest airport is located at Jodhpur, which is 280 km away from the golden city of Jaisalmer. From Jodhpur, you can take a cab to Jaisalmer.
- Jaisalmer has very few direct buses from Delhi, the capital city of India. However, it is well connected with other cities of Rajasthan such as Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, and Ajmer through roadways.
- There are a few direct trains from Delhi and Jaipur. From the railway station, you will easily get a cab for Sam Sand Dunes. However, do not give more than INR 700 for the ride.
Timings
Desert is an open playground, and everyone is allowed to go there anytime. However, the desert burns hot during the day time. Therefore, it is recommended to go for Camel Safari in the desert during morning hours and evening hours which are 7 AM to 10 AM and 5 PM to 7 PM respectively.
Best Season to Visit
- During summer, the sun appears above the head even before 10 am and goes down late. In that heat, it becomes tough to enjoy the ride. However, you can choose to have camel safari during early morning hours. During evening hours, you may experience warm wind currents (Loo).
- In winters, the temperature is comparatively lesser. Still, for Camel Safari, only morning and evening hours are suitable. If you are a sunset lover, it is better to choose to visit Jaisalmer for camel safari during winters.
