During my trip to India one of the areas I was interested in visiting was Rajasthan. Located near the Thar Desert and very close to the border with Pakistan, Jaisalmer appeared to contain cultural mysteries and many interesting things to see.
I traveled to Jaisalmer after meeting several travelers who had been there and had many good things to tell. I had also a mission there: my Reiki Master had commissioned me to eat a Bhang cookie in the only shop authorized by the government over there, which already seemed to be a very good excuse to get there. In this store, they also have chocolates, honey and different delicacies made from this valuable plant.
The city of Jaisalmer is organized into two main areas: one part is the city inside the fort and the other outside the walled city.
The area inside the wall is lovely (and my favorite too) but very touristy, so try to arm yourself with patience to receive all the ‘excellent’ offers many vendors will have for you, especially if you go in high season.
The area inside the fort have beautiful yellow-mud carved buildings and is the touristic area, so there is a wide range of hotels and restaurants. You can even find some authorized to sell alcohol, what is hard to find sometimes in small towns in India.
Beautiful places where can enjoy lovely views are all over the city. Many restaurants and hotels are set-up in a style reminding old persian times and serving good food. Most of them have decent Wifi!
I went in the summer so, thanks to the crazy average temperatures of 45ºC were very few people walking around town. Many people migrates to other cities during the summer and they look for work in other areas and come back with the touristic season.
In the intricate hallways inside the fort you can visit the traditional houses and buildings with carved walls and some havelis, which are the old houses. Now they have been converted into shops or museums.
***One thing you usually find in Asia is that people kindly offer you to show the shop of a friend, this will include a free ride to get there hoping you to buy something. That time I decided to take advantage of the situation and visit these beautiful houses. They showed me all the beautiful carpets they were selling and as I’m very good haggling I’ve got a great price in a small wall carpet I wanted to buy.
In the outsides of Jaisalmer you can visit the Gadisar Lake. It is a small lake that collects rain water and is providing water to the city. The Gadisar lake is surrounded by temples and some tombs. They say you can take a boat in it, but when I went there was no one around.
Around Jaisalmer there is other activities you can do. Many tour companies offer desert safaris and I need to say I took one and I was not really impressed. If you wanna read more about it Click Here to read my experience
To reach Jaisalmer
- The most common way to reach Jaisalmer is by train (Here’s a Guide to Train rides in India)
- There are connections from most of the major cities in India.
- From the train station a rickshaw will take you to the city. Remember to always negotiate the price before!
- The nearest airport is 6 hours, located in the city of Jodhpur.
- There are no direct buses from Delhi, but if you’re in a near city this would be an option if you don’t find train tickets.
amazing reviews Ms.Apara ..!!