Jaisalmer, India’s westernmost town, seems at first glance to be caught in a time warp. Dominated by one of India’s most impressive forts- which is, incidentally, home to a quarter of the town’s population- Jaisalmer is a city of cobbled streets, medieval architecture- and the desert. Golden sand dunes surround Jaisalmer, and this is where the camel reigns supreme- if you can call it that. 

From Jaisalmer, a camel sfari of a few hours takes you to Badabagh, where the tombs of the Bhatti Rajput kings (erstwhile rulers of Jaisalmer) are worth visiting. Close to Badabagh is the village of Baisakhai, with an interesting old Hindu temple. A brief halt at Baisakhai is followed up with a ride to Ramkunda, known both for its picturesque location and for its Hindu temples. Most camel safaris will halt for the night at Ramkunda, and carry on the next day to the village of Roopsi, with its wattle-and-daub houses, straight out of antiquity.

Further on from Roopsi, the camel safari wends its way to the village of  Ludharva, which is dominated by a Jain temple. Chatrayil, a typical Muslim village, complete with a mosque, is the next halt, and is a nice place to spend the night before carrying on the following day to the Rajput village of Salkha, which is in close proximity to the sand dunes of Beri of Kanoi. When you get to this point, make sure you’ve got your camera handy. Beri of Kanoi has lots of traditional Rajasthani wells, and you’ll invariably find village women, in colourful lehengas, fetching water. Kanoi itself is a village of carpenters, and produces excellent handcarved wooden items- perfect for that `souvenir from Rajasthan’ for folks back home.

From Kanoi, the camel safari proceeds to Masooradi village, and then on to the oasis of Jeseiri. After a wash-and-change at Jeseiri (that’s what oases are for!), the camels move on to the Rajput village of Dedha and then to Deegasar, a lakeside hamlet which is picture-perfect.

After Deegasar, the next halt is the village of Kuldhara, where excavations have revealed ancient settlements dating back many centuries. From Kuldhara, the safari heads back to Jaisalmer, passing through the hamlets of Moolsagar and Amarsagar on the way. Amarsagar is home to a finely carved Jain temple, and is worth a halt. This route is really one of the longest camel safaris in the state; a number of shorter versions of it are available, if you don’t have the time or the inclination to go the whole hog.

An abridged version of the first camel safari, this one starts from Jaisalmer, and passes through Moolsagar, Kuldhara and Masooradi, before proceeding to Padiyari and then to the hamlet of Moondardi. From Moondardi, the safari heads back to Jaisalmer. A short trip, but enjoyable enough, especially for someone who doesn’t have the time to spare for a longer expedition.