Your Guide to Going on a Thar Desert Safari

Last Updated on July 29, 2025

Ready to go on a Thar desert safari? This guide has you covered.

The Thar Desert is on the western side of the Indian subcontinent. From Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, you can enjoy the unique experience of exploring the rolling sand hills while on a Jaisalmer desert safari. 

As my partner and I traveled across India from the eastern city of Kolkata towards the desert state Rajasthan, my interest in exploring the Thar desert grew. I’ve always been fascinated by deserts. (It all started with my trip to the Sahara Desert in Morocco.)

The silence and sprawling sand of the desert captured me in a way that no other landscape ever had. I was hooked. Since then, I’ve traveled to the Arabian Desert out of Dubai, the Nevada desert, and the Jordanian desert Wadi Rum.

So when I heard that it’s possible to visit India’s Thar Desert while in Rajasthan, I was intrigued!

About the Thar Desert, Rajasthan

First, a little bit about this desert. The name Thar is derived from thul, the general term for the region’s sand ridges. The Thar Desert covers around 200,000 square kilometers across India and Pakistan (about 80% of the desert is in India, though).

It’s actually one of the most populated deserts in the world, home to Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Muslims, who rely on agriculture and animal herding to sustain themselves. 

I’d done some googling but hadn’t found much information about going on a Thar Desert safari – but I’d read that the best place to do the Thar Desert safari was out of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. So with that knowledge, my partner and I added Jaisalmer to our route, and a couple weeks later we found ourselves sleeping in the Thar Desert. 

How to Get to Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

Jaisalmer is a fort city that lies about as far west in India as most travelers will find themselves, in fact, it’s very close to the Pakistan border. The Golden City is part of the state of Rajasthan. 

There are three main ways to get to Jaisalmer, depending on where you’ll be transiting from: train, bus, or private transfer (car). Jaisalmer doesn’t have an airport, and so using an overland method is the only way to reach Jaisalmer. 

In our case, we opted for an overnight bus as we were traveling to Jaisalmer from the nearby city of Jodhpur. The train system in Rajasthan isn’t quite as developed as in other parts of India, so we found that in many cases, the bus was cheaper and quicker than going by train when traveling between cities.

And the overnight busses are comfortable! Most of them have flatbeds with a curtain, so we were able to hunker down in our own private nook and have a cozy sleep. So for us, the bus was our ideal way to get to Jaisalmer. 

Alternatively, most cities offer connections to Jaisalmer by train, including from Delhi, Jaipur, Ajmer and Jodhpur. Train travel in India is very comfortable, especially if you opt for the pricier class of train ticket. In our experience, the classes of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd tier AC are the most comfortable for night travel. If training isn’t your jam, you can always hire a private car to take you to Jaisalmer.

Places to Visit in Jaisalmer

There are many places to visit in Jaisalmer beyond the Thar Desert, so I recommend that if you make the trip, you book a couple days in this ancient city. Jaisalmer is a former medieval trading centre, known also as the Golden City because of its yellow sandstone architecture. 

The city is recognizable because of the Jaisalmer Fort, a massive citadel that stands 100 meters above the desert. For most of the Fort’s 800 year history, the Fort was the city of Jaisalmer. It’s only in recent centuries that the city has expanded to include the area surrounding the fort.

Within this citadel you’ll find quiet streets, ornate havelis (the term for an Indian mansion) and intricately carved Jain temples. You can dedicate an entire day just to exploring the Jaisalmer Fort.

The Jaisalmer Fort is unique in that it is considered on of the world’s only remaining live in forts. Nearly one fourth of the old city’s population resides within the fort still. This means that when visiting Jaisalmer you can opt to stay in a hotel within the fort!

Other Things to See in Jaisalmer 

• Patwon Ki Haveli – This haveli is one of the largest in Rajasthan, consisting of 5 separate buildings. This series of early-1800s palaces which now function as a museum that features intricate carvings, furniture, and artwork. Patwon Ki Haveli is famous for its wall painting, balconies, archways and gateways.
• Bada Bagh – Bada Bagh, which literally means ‘Big Garden’, is a site made up of royal cenotaphs that commemorate a previous royal family. Located about 6kms outside of Jaisalmer and in the desert, the royal cenotaphs are fascinating to explore.
• Thar Heritage Museum – This small, privately owned museum makes for a quick but insightful visit. In it you’ll find an assortment of Jaisalmer artifacts including musical instruments, fossils, clothing, and more. The museum is brought alive by its founder, local historian and folklorist LN Khatri – he’ll give you a guided tour.

These are some of the top places to visit in Jaisalmer, but truly, just wandering Jaisalmer is a treat in itself. My partner and I spent many afternoons and evenings (when the air becomes cooler!) exploring the fort and people watching.

It was also in Jaisalmer that we discovered the gentle nature of cows. Stopping to pet the local cows became our routine when we discovered that many cows enjoy some human attention. 

Our Thar Desert Safari Experience

After a couple days of exploring Jaisalmer, it was finally time to head out for our Thar desert safari experience! My partner and I packed only our day bags for the trip, leaving our big packs with our hotel for the night. In the late afternoon we were picked up from our hotel by a guy driving a 4×4.

After hopping in, he made a couple more stops, picking up locals who needed to hitch a ride. The drive out into the desert was about one hour – but it flew by. Driving away from the Jaisalmer Fort was a surreal experience because from afar you can see the true grandeur of the fort, which rises up from the desert majestically.

We eventually arrived in a small village. Our driver explained that the village was his home, and where he keeps his camels. We hopped out of the 4×4 truck and met with our guide for the night, a young Rajasthani guy. Next thing we knew we were hopping onto the camels and off we went, waving goodbye to our driver. Our guide explained that we would ride an hour or two into the desert, set up camp, and cook our dinner.

Camels on the Thar Desert Safari

An hour or two on a camel sounds fantastic, right? Here’s the hard truth. Riding camels is not comfortable unless you’re a seasoned rider. Within 20 or so minutes I was howling laughing at the faces of discomfort my partner Lucas was making from his camel ahead of me. 

We started experimenting with different ways to sit on our camels. There’s the side saddle strategy, that one helps a lot, as well as the lay forward strategy, which takes weight off your legs. At one point we even tried shifting ourselves to lay draped over the camel’s back, pure dead weight.

Finally, we arrived at our destination – a collection of romantic sand dunes. We enthusiastically hopped off our camels and led them to the spot where we would camp for the night.

Camping in the Thar Desert

We helped our young guide unpack the camels. We hadn’t even realized how much the camels were carrying – there were sleeping bags, blankets, pots, water, and food. Once the sun was setting, we took off our shoes, and ran through the sand, letting our feet soak up the warmth of the sand.

There’s something so special about a desert sunset. The sand glistens golden, and the sparse landscape makes for an other-worldly view.

After a fire-cooked dinner of chana masala (traditional chickpea curry), rice, and chai, our guide pointed at the pile of blankets and sleeping bags. That’s how we discovered how we’d be sleeping tonight. Now, we knew we’d be camping that night, but somehow we’d figured there’d be a tent involved. Never assume anything.

We gathered our sleeping materials and wandered off, in search of the perfect dune to settle into for the night. And that’s when we discovered the thumb-size black beetles that emerge from the sand after sundown.

The Thar Desert is filled with these beetles, because, well, it turns out they feed on camel dung. And Rajasthanis will tell you they are harmless. “Beetles are friends,” they say. It’s the desert scorpions you need to watch out for.

Friend or not, the beetles freaked us out. I kept thinking of the flesh eating scarab beetles from the 90s classic movie, The Mummy. My partner hopped out of our dune-bed and started kicking the beetles away one by one, and they’d scurry off down the dune. And not long after that we fell asleep, cozy on a sand dune in the Thar Desert. 

Waking Up in the Thar Desert

We woke up early the next morning to the sound of our guide yelling in the distance. I remember sitting up, a curtain of sand rolling off me. Sand in my ears, in my hair, in my mouth!

And as I looked out into the desert I saw camels slowly galloping towards me – but they didn’t look like ours. I got up and went to our guide, “but where are our camels?” I asked him. He shrugged and told me, “they went to eat.”

I discovered that at night, the camels legs are tied loosely with rope (hence the “slow gallop”) so that they can go and graze, without wandering too far. It was our job that morning to go and find our camels back. After a quick breakfast and a cup of chai tea, we packed up the camels and started the journey back to the village where we would meet our driver.

Our guide laughed when we told him how sore we were from the previous day of camel riding. “We’ll take a shorter route back,” he assured us. After what was indeed a shorter camel ride and a truck drive, we were back in the Jaisalmer Fort, showering away the remnants of sand that came back with us.

How to Book Your Thar Desert Safari

We organized our Thar Desert safari through the host of our hotel, Mr. Ba. We stayed in Hotel Mirage, a small hotel within the Jaisalmer Fort. It lacks air conditioning BUT has incredible ambiance, and the price was right at $4 a night.

There are a couple different ways to do the Thar Desert safari, but we knew one thing for sure – we wanted to ride camels and stay overnight in the desert.

Mr. Ba was a kind host throughout our stay and so we trusted him to help us with organizing a Thar Desert safari. Sure enough, he was able to negotiate a trip for us at 2,000 rupees per person, which works out to approximately $35.00 USD per person.

Our trip would include transport by 4×4 out to a small village in the Thar Desert, where we would transfer to camels. We would ride for an hour or two, before setting up camp for the night.

The following morning we would ride back to the village to catch our ride back to Jaisalmer. Because it was April (one of India’s hottest months) we opted to leave in the evening to avoid the midday heat.

Jaisalmer desert camp rates

The Thar desert safari rate that we negotiated was low because we opted for a short trip, and we opted to do very basic camping. When the weather isn’t as extremely hot, it is possible to do longer trips into the desert. There are also options for safaris that don’t including camel riding, as well as more luxurious camping options. Here are the three most common options for a Jaisalmer desert tour: 

• Half day camel safari tour – The desert and camel experience …without the night time beetles! Also your cheapest option.
• Overnight camel safari tour – Enjoy sleeping under the stars. If you want to avoid the beetles, I’d ask the tour operator for exact details regarding the sleeping conditions. 
• Three day camel safari tour – This tour is 2 nights and 3 days long. We did not opt for this because of the heat. 

In our experience, the key to booking your Thar desert safari is to wait until you are in Jaisalmer and to shop around, exploring your different options. This will allow you to figure out what kind of Jaisalmer desert safari suits you best, and it allows you to negotiate the Jaisalmer desert camp rate that fits your budget.

Tips for Going on a Thar Desert Safari

Look Into Your Options for a Thar Desert Safari

We opted for a budget Thar Desert Safari and it was perfect for us. But, it is definitely possible to opt for an option that might suit your needs better. If you’d like to avoid the black beetles, I’d opt for a tent instead of sleeping directly in the sand. 

Pack Lightly

Riding a camel isn’t the most comfortable, and the more things you have, the less comfortable you’ll be. If you’re headed into the desert for one night, I recommended bringing just a day bag with the essentials. 

Bring the Right Clothing

India is a conservative nation, specifically when it comes to gender roles. Women dress very modestly and tend to take on domestic duties. As travelers we are visitors, and I think it is best as a visitor to educate yourself and be respectful of local tradition.

I recommend taking care to dress modestly (loose pants, shoulders and chest always covered). This goes for traveling in India in general, not just in Jaisalmer. While on a Thar Desert Safari, it’s wise to dress this way because it can become cool in the desert, and the sun is so hot, your covered skin will save you from a sunburn. 

Take Lots of Water

Your guide will likely provide water, but I always recommend carrying extra with you. It can become so hot that heat exhaustion is a real risk, so always be prepared with as much water as you can carry. Better to have too much rather than too little. 

Tips for Traveling Responsibly in Rajasthan

• Acknowledge the diversity of India and of Rajasthan. Did you know that in India there are 22 major languages and over 720 dialects!? This means that going to Rajasthan doesn’t mean you’ve “seen India” – you’ve seen part of India. Each region of India has a unique heritage and cultural identity, and it’s important to recognize that.
  
• Don’t take pictures with locals for your Instagram. This doesn’t mean don’t take pictures – it means be intentional with your photo-taking, and always ensure consent. Some locals in India might ask for a picture with you, great! But their consent to be in a photo with you does not mean they’ve consented to you sharing their image on social media or on your blog.
  
• Do your research, ask questions, and listen. Talk to locals, and listen to what they have to say. I always recommend reading the local news before (and while) you are traveling a region. So, for example, if you’re headed to India – start reading the Indian news! This will get you up to date on current issues, which will lead to a more contextualized and informed experience traveling there.

More from Pina Travels:

• A Chronicle of Culture Shock in India
• Your Guide to Visiting India for the First Time
• Places to visit in Hampi, India: Your complete guide

Do you have something to add? A tip for responsible travel, or want to tell me about your experiences in Rajasthan? Tell me in the comments! I read each one and always respond.

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