Thar Desert: Jodhpur and Jaisalmer
Overview
- Duration: 7 days / 6 nights
- Departures: Private, any date
- Group size: Private, from 2 travellers
- Accommodation: Comfortable 3–4★ hotels and heritage havelis, and a comfortable tented desert camp
- Country: India
A week in the Thar Desert of western India: the cliff-top fort of Jodhpur, the living sandstone citadel of Jaisalmer, and a camel ride and night at a camp in the dunes.
This seven-day tour suits travellers who want to feel the desert side of Rajasthan: wide horizons, forts built of honey-coloured stone and a night out in the dunes. It has a touch of adventure without anything strenuous, and it combines easily with a few days in Delhi, Agra or Udaipur.
You arrive in Jodhpur, where Mehrangarh Fort stands on its rock above the blue houses of the old city. After two nights there, the road runs west across the Thar Desert to Jaisalmer. Its fort is one of the few in India where people still live inside the walls, among temples and carved merchant houses. From Jaisalmer you head into the dunes for a camel ride at sunset and a night at a camp, then return to Jodhpur to fly home.
The pace is gentle, with two nights in each city and most sightseeing in the cooler morning and late afternoon hours.
A few honest notes:
- The drive between Jodhpur and Jaisalmer is about five hours each way, on two of the seven days.
- The desert camp is comfortable but simpler than a hotel, and nights in winter are cold.
- This is a winter route: the desert is very hot from April to June.
We can add a night in Udaipur, more time in the dunes, or a village visit. Start on our plan your trip page.
Day-by-day itinerary
Fly into Jodhpur, a short flight from Delhi or Mumbai, and meet your driver at the airport. Once you have rested, take an easy first walk into the old city with your guide. The lanes around the clock tower fill with traders in the late afternoon, and from the market you can see the walls of Mehrangarh Fort high above the rooftops.
Overnight: Jodhpur · Meals: Breakfast
Climb up to Mehrangarh Fort early, while the air is cool. Your guide leads you through its gateways and palace rooms, with their carved stone screens, painted ceilings and royal collections. Walk down to Jaswant Thada, a marble memorial looking back at the fort, then spend the afternoon in the blue-painted lanes of the old quarter, or simply rest.
Overnight: Jodhpur · Meals: Breakfast
Drive west into open desert, about five hours, past villages, grazing camels and fields that turn green only after the monsoon. Stop for tea along the way. Arrive in Jaisalmer in the afternoon and head to the royal cenotaphs of Bada Bagh for sunset, when the domed memorials and the distant fort take on a warm golden colour.
Overnight: Jaisalmer · Meals: Breakfast
Walk up into Jaisalmer Fort, built from yellow sandstone in the twelfth century and still home to families, shops and temples. Visit its carved Jain temples, then explore the town below, where merchant families built havelis with stone balconies as fine as lace. In the late afternoon, sit by Gadisar Lake, an old reservoir lined with small shrines.
Overnight: Jaisalmer · Meals: Breakfast
In the morning, visit Kuldhara, a village abandoned long ago, where empty stone houses line the streets. After lunch, head out to the dunes beyond the town. Ride a camel across the sand as the sun drops, or take a jeep if you prefer. Your camp has dinner, folk music by the fire and, on a clear night, a sky crowded with stars.
Overnight: Desert camp near Jaisalmer · Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Wake early to watch the light spread across the dunes, then have breakfast at camp. Drive back to Jodhpur, about five hours, arriving in time for a quiet afternoon. If you have energy, visit the step-well of Toorji ka Jhalra or browse for textiles and spices. Otherwise, rest and enjoy a final evening with the fort lit up above you.
Overnight: Jodhpur · Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy a slow breakfast and, if your flight is later in the day, a last walk or a visit to the Mandore gardens on the edge of the city. Your driver then takes you to Jodhpur airport for your flight to Delhi or Mumbai and your onward connection. We plan the timing around your flights.
Overnight: — · Meals: Breakfast
What’s included
- Five nights’ hotel accommodation with breakfast
- One night at a desert camp with dinner and breakfast
- Private airport transfers in Jodhpur
- Private air-conditioned car and driver throughout
- Local English-speaking guides in Jodhpur and Jaisalmer
- Domestic flights to and from Jodhpur, in economy class
- Camel ride or jeep drive in the dunes
- Entrance fees to the sights in the itinerary
- 24/7 support during your trip
Not included
- International flights
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Personal expenses
- Optional activities
Good to know
Sample itinerary: we adapt the route, hotels and dates to you and confirm everything in your written quote. Best October–March.
You travel with your own driver in an air-conditioned car. The drive between Jodhpur and Jaisalmer takes about five hours each way on a good road, with stops for tea and photographs. The camp is reached by road from Jaisalmer; camels or jeeps are used only for the ride into the dunes.
Frequently asked questions
We choose a comfortable tented camp with proper beds and an attached bathroom in each tent. It is simple compared with a hotel, but warm bedding is provided. Desert nights in December and January can be cold, so bring a warm layer.
Not at all. A camel ride is a gentle, slow way into the dunes, but a jeep is always an option. Rides are short, usually an hour or so, and can be adjusted to suit you.
October to March brings warm, sunny days and cool or cold nights. From April to June the desert in western India is extremely hot, and a night in the dunes is best avoided in those months.
