IN · Rajasthan · 26.91°N 70.92°E

jaisalmer

A sandstone fort full of lived-in lanes, carved mansions and dunes beyond town.

Best time
November–February is the desert season, with warm days and cold nights. March and October can still be hot, and April–August is too hot for much time outdoors.
How long
2–3 days
Getting there
No direct flights from KL. Fly with one stop, usually via Delhi or Mumbai, to Jodhpur (about 9–11 hours all in), then it's about 5 hours by road or train. In winter there are also flights straight to Jaisalmer from a few Indian cities. India is 2.5 hours behind KL.
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IN · Rajasthanjaisalmer26.91°N 70.92°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,A sandstone fort full of lived-in lanes, carved mansions and dunes beyond town.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingJaisalmerIN, Rajasthan
KLjaisalmer
≈ 4,207 km from KL, as the crow flies
Old town / Fort of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India

Photo: Adrian Sulc · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Jaisalmer is a golden sandstone fort town in the Thar Desert, and families still live inside the walls. Carved havelis and an old lake fill the days, and the dunes are a short drive west for a night under the stars.

Makan

  1. Ker sangriDesert berries and dried beans cooked into a tangy, spicy dish.Map ↗
  2. Bajra rotiThick millet flatbread, eaten with dal and plenty of ghee.Map ↗
  3. Ghotua laddooSmall, dense gram-flour sweets, a Jaisalmer speciality to take home.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Jaisalmer FortA living fort, with homes, Jain temples and shops in the lanes inside its sandstone walls.Map ↗
  2. Patwon Ki HaveliFive merchant mansions in a row, their façades carved like lace.Map ↗
  3. Gadisar LakeAn old reservoir with shrines and pavilions at the water's edge, best at sunrise.Map ↗
  4. Khuri dunesA village southwest of town and a quieter base than the busier Sam dunes for a camel ride and a night in a desert camp.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Many people stay outside the fort walls, because hotel water use is straining its old drains and foundations.
  • Desert camps vary a lot: some are quiet tents under the stars, others come with loud music and jeep rides.
  • Halal meat is hard to arrange at the camps, but vegetarian dinners are standard there.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.