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Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer is a city in the Northwest region of Rajasthan in the middle of the Thar Desert. Known as the "Golden City," it's unique due to its yellow sandstone architecture. The main sight and attraction in the city is Jaisalmer Fort, a sprawling hilltop citadel buttressed by 99 bastions. Jaisalmer ended up being possibly my favourite part of my trip to India. Other than exploring the city itself one other popular activity is doing a Camel Safari. I'll mention it below but you basically ride camels out into the Thar desert and camp out for a night under the stars. Jaisalmer was a very memorable experience and a fantastic place to visit in India.
Jaisalmer Fort is said to be one of the oldest "living" forts in the world. Nearly a quarter of the cities population lives within the fortress. The fort has been around for about 860 years and historically was the city of Jaisalmer. Apparently it wasn't until the 17th century that people started building a city outside of the fort. It's considered a UNESCO world heritage site. Nowadays inside the fort it's rather touristy, you'll find restaurants, souvenir stores and markets. The architecture, history and traditions make it a super fascinating place to see.
A haveli is a traditional mansion or manor house usually with historical and architectural significance. There are many of these in Jaisalmer and they are very unique. The detail of the carvings and the architecture is fantastic. Kothari's Patwaon Ki-Haveli is one of the most popular and beautiful ones. It also offers a great view of the Jaisalmer Fort from the upper levels. The havelis typically featured multiple symmetrical stories around a large courtyard area in the middle. They typically had large accessible rooftop areas and plenty of balconies. Aside from this haveli there are many other ones, many of which have been transformed into hotels. You can actually stay in a haveli here and get a sense of what life must have been like in those old times.
Gadsisar Sagar Lake is a man-made lake near jaisalmer. As the city is in the middle of the desert it needs a water source so this lake as made an supposedly provides water for the whole city. It features some nice temples and architecture that matches the architecture of the city. Entry to the lake area is free and it's a nice place to go for a walk. You can also hire a boat to go for a ride around the lake. There are some of shops, souvenir stands and cafes/ restaurants around the lake too.
One experience I'll never forget was doing a Camel Safari through the Thar Desert. Many of the hotels and tour companies here offer different packages so it's easy to find and get set up for as long as you have the will to camp out in the desert for a night. Surely, there are alternative tours that are just one day camel treks without camping but I opted to camp a night out in the desert. I booked the tour through my hostel in the city (Romany Hostel) for about 16 usd if I'm not mistaken. I met some fellow Canadians earlier in Jaipur and we travelled to Jaisalmer together and decided to all go camping on this trek. Us along with 2 British guys all got picked up early in the morning. We drove through the desert to a few attractions including a small lake and a historic old building. After some sightseeing we arrived at the departure point for the actual camel trek. We hoped on the camels and with a few guides made our way about an hour and a half into the desert. At their predetermined spot was a little wind barrier set up with a few cots inside. There weren't enough for everyone so a few people slept on the floor. It's a great experience to just disconnect from the world. Here there is no wifi or anything. The stars here are maybe the best I've ever seen anywhere. It's a great experience. Our guides made us a nice curry dinner with chipati bread made from scratch on a little campfire. Funny enough a local beer seller drove up to our site (I wonder how he knew we were there) and we enjoyed a few drinks, watched the sunset and ate the fresh food our guides made. After sleeping the night (which in January was quite cold, bring warm clothes in January) we woke up and trekked back about an hour on camel until we got picked up by car and taken back to Romany hostel. This was a great experience that I'd recommend to anyone!
I enjoyed my stay at the Romany Hostel and as such will recommend it. They had private rooms and dorm rooms back in 2020 for very affordable rates. The restaurant on the rooftop had very nice food, free breakfast and great views of the Jaisalmer Fort and the surrounding town. Aside from here there are many haveli's turned hotels in the city. It feels like living in an old time mansion from centuries ago and is a really cool experience. There is plenty of accomodation in Jaisalmer and it's very affordable.
