Desert Thrills

Jaisalmer Desert Camp in Pictures

(Organised 13-15th January, 2019 by Gujarat Adventure Club)

Day I:

We arrive at Jaisalmer from Ahmedabad after a 10-hour comfortable bus ride overnight; we are greeted by a fierce thunderstorm and chilly weather. We will reach our campsite, another 40 km away at Sam village, only by 4 pm after seeing the Golden Fort of Jaisalmer.

Showers on arrival - short get-fresh stop; the sight of the Sonar Killa is refreshing

Entrance to the Fort with old city - all sandstone with lime with no steel infrastructure

The Old city lives! 400 people still stay inside - an unusual Live-in Heritage with true democracy - where the praja stays inside the fort-city while the raja is outside with the common men!!

End of Day I: The Accommodation with food - lovely Swiss tents against a setting sun

Day II

Dense fog and strong, chilly winds - a cup of hot tea please!

After Breakfast of hot Toasts with butter, jam and upma, we go riding the sand dunes nearby on camels and camel carts.

Tanot Rai MatajiTemple managed by uniformed men from the BSF, 120 kms from the tent site; it has survived some 2000 bombs during the 1965 war; another 20 kms further north takes us to the Indo-Pak border, with double-fencing, no-man's land, a milestone depicting 'India' & 'Pakistan' further down; a manned watchtower with guns and, at a distance, one can see the Pakistani watchtower - Pretty exciting, I say! (taking pics not permitted)

Huge male goats have a free run in Tanot mandir - no monkeys or street dogs; they are found inside the sanctum sanctorum too..and like monkeys, they also harass the visitors and 'beg' for nasta.

Day II ends (around 7 pm) on a tired, hungry note; around 7 pm, we are entertained to a live Rajasthani vocal music and folk dance show, served with hot pakoras and tea! Hot dinner follows.

Day III

One for the speed demons! The Desert Safari with no roads but only thrills in an open jeep - apparently with no one at the steering or accelerator! Screams of whoopies and wows all round!

 Post lunch, around 2 pm, the group say goodbye to the camp site and go sight-seeing even as we inch back towards home. The Kuldhara ruins is our first stop; here, legend has it that people in 84 villages around, suddenly left their homes overnight; earthquake or drought does not explain. One story is about a Minister, Salim Singh whose intense harassment drove the Palliwal community out in desperation - a forbidden love angle is not ruled out!

The Masterpiece (s) !

The 42 Centopaths or the final resting places (Chhatris or Chattardis in Kachchh))

of all the Kings of Jaisalmer

A Guide is must here to appreciate the culture behind these exquisite memorial of  sandstone and lime with joints (no concrete or steel  used)

Despite this writer's extensive tours of Rajasthan over the years, this was the first guide that informed me about why different titles are used - Maharanas for kings of Udaipur state, Sawai for the those in Jaipur state, and Maharawals for royalties of Jaisalmer. I congratulate the guide! 

The royal families continue to visit their late elders to pay respects when a child is borne

Just an expression of thought - Modern technology and heritage of old crafted, designed architecture - the two can co-exist!

Entrance to Gadisar Lake in Jaisalmer ...

.. and the lake itself

Call of Nature?? What an inviting idea!



The hectic but a thrilling camping tour comes to an end. Hope I could share with you, our excitement, albeit through pictures!

Pics: Dr. Yashesh Anantani