Camping in the Rajasthani Desert

While in Jaisalmer, we were constantly asked if we wanted to do a camel safari. It seems like one of the main attractions for the area. So we decided to pack our things and head off to explore the desert hinterlands around Jaisalmer.

We drove 50km west of the city to a remote village in the desert. After a quick pit-stop, we were up on some camels and being led through the desert scrub and local villages. All around us goats, cattle, and camels were grazing and we saw herds of wild deer roaming around.

For sunset we were led up the sand-dunes to “Sunset Point' – the highest part of the dunes where you can get a clear view of the sunset. Some ingenious locals were selling cold drinks and snacks so we settled in on the sand with some beers to watch the sun go down while our camels went off to make more money bringing other people to the top who had arrived by jeep.

After sunset, we headed back to the camp. The camel drivers thought it would be fun to trot back. Considering how uncomfortable these camels were at a stroll, you can imagine how much fun they were at faster speeds.... Back at camp, we were treated to traditional Rajasthani food, music, and dance. The food was delicious and the music and dance amazing. At one point one of the women danced around with a 3ft/1m high metal jar on her head and managed to “limbo” her way completely parallel to the ground with the jar still in place!

Our sleeping arrangements for the evening were simple – we were driven out into the desert with some blankets and made camp high on the sand-dunes. It was a beautiful night, so the stars were in abundance and the silence was serene. Unfortunately it was too cloudy for a good sunrise the next morning, but it was still a nice experience sleeping out under the stars.  

After a quick breakfast, we were off again. And although we enjoyed the desert safari, we were quite unhappy with our driver since the whole thing cost twice as much as we had agreed before driving out there. We resolved to rid ourselves of our driver as soon as possible for this and a few other reasons.