Categories: rajasthan

Rajasthan: Information on Jaisalmer and Around

Travelling in Rajasthan in February 2008
Jaipur >> Shekhawati >> Pushkar >> Jaisalmer >> Jodhpur
+ Previous: Images of Sam Sand Dunes
+ Next: Images from Jodhpur

Travelogs on Jaisalmer posted earlier:

* Pushkar to Jaisalmer
* Seeing Jaisalmer
* Badal Singh and Khuri Village
* Sand dunes of Khuri
* Camel Safari and Camping in the Desert

Jaisalmer is most popular for its desert safaris. Once in Jaisalmer, you can book camel safaris with your hotel owner or many travel agents spread across the town. Try to find a reliable agents through any references before you go – the business is very competitive and there can be a good chance that you get a raw deal. The safari options are many – you could decide to go for just half day, overnight, or spend many days in the open.

Sam sand dunes is the best place to see open desert. It has a wide area of dunes, which is not a frequent occurrence. You can go on short camel rides here, or spend a night in one of the semi-permanent camps setup in the peak seasons.

Jaisalmer desert sand dunes
Sam Sand Dunes

Another less popular place to see sand dunes is at Khuri Village. The dunes here are not as good as the ones in Sam, but spreads over a larger area and are less crowded. Khuri Village has a few guesthouses, but no mid range of premium accommodation.

Jaisalmer fort
Jaisalmer Fort

In Jaisalmer town, the most prominent place to visit is the fort, that stands over a mound is visible from any corner of the town. Inside the fort is a set of Jain Temples, Laxminath Temple and the royal palace. Patwon Ki Haveli is another attraction in the town. Gadi Sagar is a large lake at the edge of the town. The ancient town of Lodurva (Lodhruva), a 20km town is now abandoned, but was the capital of Marwar region once.

Gadisagar lake, Jaisalmer
Gadi Sagar Lake

Finding any kind of food and accommodation is never a problem in Jaisalmer. There are plenty of budget hotels spread all over the town, and many premium hotels exist. A short stroll in the main streets of the city should easily help you find a restaurant that serves the food of your choice – North Indian, South India, Marwari, Israeli or Italian.

Continued at Images from Jodhpur


Google Earth 5.0

Armchair exploration just got better. Google Earth’s latest version is loaded with lot more data to let users explore inside the oceans. According to the Official Google Blog

We have always had a big blue expanse and some low-resolution shading to suggest depth. But starting today we have a much more detailed bathymetric map (the ocean floor), so you can actually drop below the surface and explore the nooks and crannies of the seafloor in 3D. While you’re there you can explore thousands of data points including videos and images of ocean life, details on the best surf spots, logs of real ocean expeditions, and much more.

I had downloaded Google Earth and sampled it in the initial days of its first release, but never got to play much with it due to some technical issues. I just downloaded the latest again, and I am overwhelmed with the information available.

The oceanic content they are talking about includes content from National Geographic, BBC Earth and other sources. Get it here.


Rajasthan: Images: Sam Sand Dunes, Jaisalmer

Travelling in Rajasthan in February 2008
Jaipur >> Shekhawati >> Pushkar >> Jaisalmer >> Jodhpur
+ Previous: Camel Safari and Camping in the Desert
+ Next: Jaisalmer Information

I biked into sand dunes of Sam on a sunny, but cold day. Some images from the dunes.

Jaisalmer desert
Road to Sam

Camel drivers at Sam Sand Dunes, Jaisalmer
An obviously cold day

Jaisalmer
A friendly conversation

Sand dunes of Jaisalmer
The golden dunes

Camel drivers, Jaisalmer
Its cold..

Sam Sand Dunes, Jaisalmer
The trail

Continued at Jaisalmer Information