Top Tourist Attractions in Jaisalmer
In the western Indian state of Rajasthan, in the middle of the Thar Desert, Jaisalmer is a historic mediaeval commercial hub and a princely kingdom. It’s known as the “Golden City” because of its golden sandstone buildings. The Jaisalmer Fort, a vast hilltop fortress buttressed by 99 bastions, dominates the skyline. The magnificent Maharaja’s Palace and elaborately carved Jain temple are hidden behind its enormous walls.
Best Places to Visit in Jaisalmer
- JAISALMER FORT
- JAISALMER GOVERNMENT MUSEUM
- NATHMAL JI KI HAVELI
- SALIM SINGH KI HAVELI
- PATWON KI HAVELI
- MANDIR PALACE
- JAIN TEMPLES OF JAISALMER
- GADISAR LAKE
- BADA BAGH
- KULDHARA
- TANOT MATA TEMPLE
- RAMDEVRA TEMPLE
- JAISALMER WAR MUSEUM
- LAUNGEWALA WAR MEMORIAL
- AKAL WOOD FOSSIL PARK
- VYAS CHHATRI
- AMAR SAGAR LAKE
JAISALMER FORT
The Jaisalmer Fort is also known as Sonar Quila (Golden Fort) because it rises from the desert and appears to merge with the golden colours of the sand. The fading sun adds its own magic to the fort, shrouding it in mystery. Local craftsmen built the fort in the classic style of the royals. This fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it plays a major role in one of Satyajit Ray’s classic Feluda stories and the related film, Sonar Kela (The Golden Fortress).
JAISALMER GOVERNMENT MUSEUM
It was established by the Department of Archaeology and Museums and is a popular tourist destination in Jaisalmer. The prize of Rajasthan’s state bird, Godawan, is the most eye-catching presentation (the great Indian bustard). Traditional household goods, rock-cut crockery, jewellery, and statues dating from the 7th and 9th centuries AD are on display as vestiges of the city’s rich cultural legacy.
NATHMAL JI KI HAVELI
Nathmal Ji Ki Haveli was erected in the nineteenth century by two architect brothers. They worked on the haveli from all sides, and the result is a lovely symmetrical construction. For adornment, little paintings and huge tuskers cut from yellow sandstone are used.
SALIM SINGH KI HAVELI
This haveli was erected in the first half of the 18th century, and descendants of the original residents still live in part of it. The high arched ceiling is supported by carved brackets shaped like peacocks. According to legend, there were two further wooden stories that brought it up to the same height as the Maharaja’s palace, but he ordered that the upper level be removed.
PATWON KI HAVELI
This five-story edifice stands boldly in a tiny street and is one of the largest and most artistically carved havelis in Jaisalmer. While the haveli has lost part of its original lustre, a few paintings and mirror work art can still be found on the inside walls.
MANDIR PALACE
The five-story splendour of the Badal Mahal (Cloud Palace) is heightened by the Tazia Tower, which resembles a pagoda. The palace’s balconies are artistically carved on each storey. The Badal Palace’s beauty is due to the abilities of Muslim craftsmen who shaped the tower in the shape of a Tazia (a float that is part of the Muharram procession).
JAIN TEMPLES OF JAISALMER
The Jain Temples within Jaisalmer Fort originate from the 12th and 15th centuries. The temples honour Rikhabdevji and Shambhavdevji, two prominent Jain hermits known as ‘Tirthankars’ (wise teachers who taught people how to attain nirvana). The temples, like all other constructions in Jaisalmer, are made of yellow sandstone. They were constructed in the well-known Dilwara style, which is noted for its exquisite architecture.
GADISAR LAKE
Maharawal Gadsi Singh built Gadisar Lake in the 14th century to address the water demands of his dry domains. Given its significance, several small temples and shrines were built around it, creating it into a pilgrimage site and tourist destination.
BADA BAGH
Bada Bagh, commonly known as Barabagh, is located around 6 kilometres north of Jaisalmer (literally Big Garden). This garden complex contains chhatris, or royal cenotaphs, of Jaisalmer’s Maharajas, including Jai Singh II’s. The garden’s location allows travellers to enjoy beautiful sunset views.
DESERT NATIONAL PARK
Desert National Park showcases the best of the Thar Desert’s environment and animals. The Park’s terrain includes undulating sand dunes, jagged boulders, deep salt lake bottoms, and inter-medial areas. The Park is home to a variety of animal species, including black deer, chinkara, and desert fox. One of the world’s heaviest flying birds, the severely endangered Great Indian Bustard, can also be seen here. During the winter, the park attracts a wide range of migrating raptors, including Himalayan and Eurasian Griffon Vultures, Eastern Imperial Eagles, and Saker Falcons.
KULDHARA
The underlying history of Kuldhara has attracted the interest of one too many visitors, making it one of the most mysterious places to visit in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. A beautiful daughter, an unethical minister, terrified villagers, an evacuation in the middle of the night, and no knowledge where the villagers went are all part of the storey. This is not a film plot, but rather the enigmatic legend that lurks behind the abandoned settlement of Kuldhara. This historic settlement, some 18 kilometres from Jaisalmer, was abandoned by its people in the 1800s. It was as though the entire town vanished in a single night. With roughly 85 villages full of people, it’s a mystery how no one saw them depart; in fact, no one knows where they all went to this day.
The village is still abandoned and in the same condition that the residents left it hundreds of years ago. The area has become a popular tourist destination, with visitors coming from all over the world to explore the mysteries of the past. If you are willing to read it, the bleak outline of Kuldhara etches a storey in front of your eyes!
TANOT MATA TEMPLE
Tanot Mata Temple is located 120 kilometres from Jaisalmer. Tanot Mata is thought to be a reincarnation of the Goddess Hinglaj. There are numerous accounts of Tanot being heavily attacked and shelled during the 1965 India-Pakistan conflict. None of the shells or explosives thrown at the temple, however, exploded. People’s confidence in the Goddess temple was reaffirmed as a result of this. Following the conflict, the Border Security Force (BSF) reconstructed the temple, which is now overseen by a BSF Trust.
RAMDEVRA TEMPLE
Ramdevra Temple is located 12 kilometres from Pokhran on the Jodhpur-Jaisalmer highway. Most people believe it is a temple dedicated to Lord Ram, however it is actually dedicated to famed saint Baba Ramdevji. The temple commemorates Baba Ramdevji’s eternal resting place and is visited by people of all faiths. A big fair called as Ramdevra Fair is held here between August and September, and it attracts a great number of devotees who sing devotional songs all night long.
JAISALMER WAR MUSEUM
“Thank a farmer if you ate today, and a soldier if you ate in peace!” Our military and defence forces spend their days confronting dangers and adversity so that Indian civilians can sleep peacefully. While we all appreciate and respect what they do for us, the Indian Army has memorialised their soldiers’ sacrifices in a spectacular display at this war museum, which is located at the Jaisalmer military installation. The purpose of this display is to pay tribute to all the soldiers who fought and died in the 1965 India-Pakistan war and the 1971 Longewala fight. A visit to this museum allows you to observe a number of captured tanks and other battle relics, creating enormous pride in your country and its heroes.
The museum also has an audio-visual section where videos about the fight are shown. There is also an interview with Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, who was a key figure in the Longewala war. In the video, he describes in detail how the soldiers fought in the Longewala combat. The museum also includes a war monument with various combat trophies and vintage equipment, as well as tanks, guns, and military vehicles, murals commemorating soldiers who died in the fight, and weapons used throughout the war. Even the Air Force has given the museum a Hunter aircraft that was utilised during the Battle of Longewala in the 1971 Indo-Pak War as a gift. The museum, which is located on the Jaisalmer-Jodhpur Highway, is free to enter and contains an essential part of our country’s history. It is undoubtedly one of the places you should not miss.
LAUNGEWALA WAR MEMORIAL
The Battle of Laungewala, one of the first significant actions in the Western sector during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, is an amazing storey of bravery in the face of insurmountable odds. The Battle of Laungewala, a shining example of Indian soldiers’ fortitude, bravery, and valour, made history on December 4, 1971, when around a hundred Indian defenders halted the advancing army of about 2000 Pakistani soldiers and 60 tanks. The Desert Corps at Laungewala built the Laungewala Was Memorial to commemorate the tenacity and steely will of Indian soldiers who prevented Pakistani forces from cutting deep into Indian territory. This amazing attraction recalls the heroism and supreme sacrifice of our heroic troops, evoking a sense of pride in you when you visit this monument.
AKAL WOOD FOSSIL PARK
Rajasthan is a rich trove of history and historical treasures, but one location in particular transports you past the ‘current timeline’ and into the prehistoric Jurassic era. The Akal Wood Fossil Park is a 21-hectare preserve located around 17 kilometres from Jaisalmer in the direction of Barmer. A forest stood where the park is now 180 million years ago. The area was later submerged under water, and the tree trunks were preserved as fossils. The park is a must-see attraction, with fragments of fallen and fractured logs dating back to prehistoric times. Large petrified trunks from various sized trees have been arranged in corrugated iron shelters here. There are about 25 numb trees, as well as centuries-old fossils, and you may also brush a fossil of an ancient red-wood tree trunk right at the entryway.
An full forest of massive trees was petrified in a geological area with only non-flowering trees. The presence of these massive trees suggests that, in the lower Jurassic period, the area had a hot and humid environment capable of supporting a lush forest, as opposed to the harsh dry climate of today.
VYAS CHHATRI
Vyas Chhatri, located in Jaisalmer’s Bada Bagh, is one of the most exquisite specimens of Rajasthani architecture. This historic Brahmin cemetery, full of localised cenotaphs, is dedicated to Ved Vyaas, the sage who composed the Mahabharata epic. This location, which is dotted with cenotaphs, is more often known as Jaisalmer’s sunset point. Every evening, throngs of people flock to the Vyas Chhatri to catch a view of the stunning desert sunset. Beautiful golden sandstone chhatris with elaborate and exquisite carvings can be found all over this area. Vyas Chhatri, a renowned tourist site, provides a bird’s eye view of Jaisalmer, the fort, and even the surrounding surroundings. Visitors can also see a lot of natives at Vyas Chhatri playing Rajasthani tunes on the algoza, a double fluted instrument, providing an awe-inspiring sensory experience.
AMAR SAGAR LAKE
Amar Sagar Lake, located about 7 kilometres west of Jaisalmer, is a lake and oasis near to the Amar Singh Palace. The palace itself was constructed in the 17th century. The complex, which contains the palace and the lake, also includes various ponds and wells, as well as an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Numerous carved stone figureheads of animals surround the lake, and history has it that these carved figureheads are considered to be protectors of the royal family. There are pavilions with stairs leading down to the lake at one end, and a lovely, beautifully carved Jain temple at the other. The Amar Sagar Lake, a serene and tranquil location, is yet another location in Jaisalmer where you may enjoy a beautiful sunset.
Best Time to Visit in Jaisalmer
The best time to visit Jaisalmer is between October and March, when the temperature ranges from 10°C to 27°C. As a desert city, winter is the finest time to visit Jaisalmer because the sun is ideal for all of the sightseeing that the city is famed for.
How to Reach Jaisalmer
AIR
Rajasthan is a tourism hotspot with excellent aviation connections. Whether you’re flying in from inside the nation or from another country, you’ll discover a variety of alternatives depending on your travel plans. Sanganer International Airport in Jaipur, Jodhpur Airport, and Dabok Airport in Udaipur are the three major airports in Rajasthan. While Sanganer accepts both local and international flights, Jodhpur and Udaipur only accept domestic flights, and Jodhpur also serves as an Indian Air Force facility.
These three airports link Rajasthan to the majority of India’s main cities, with Jaipur Airport additionally connecting to foreign destinations including Muscat, Singapore, and Abu Dhabi. With the state’s tourism industry flourishing, plans are in the works to build an airport in Ajmer and restore service to Kota, Jaisalmer, and Bikaner in the future, making flying to Rajasthan more convenient.
RAIL
Rail is one of the most comfortable and cost-effective methods to get to Rajasthan from anywhere in India. The state is well-connected to all of the nation’s main cities, with various routes to choose from. Jaipur, Kota, Bharatpur, Bikaner, Ajmer, Alwar, Udaipur, Abu Road, and Jodhpur are the important railway stations in Rajasthan. However, Jaipur and Kota are key hubs linking India’s main cities with Rajasthan.
Road
There are 20 national roads that go across Rajasthan, with a total distance of 6373 kilometres. The NH-8, which goes through Ajmer, Jaipur, Udaipur, and Chittorgarh and links Mumbai and Delhi, is the busiest national highway in Rajasthan. Rajasthan is connected to other major Indian cities such as Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Indore by state roads in addition to the NH-8. If you want to go by road, you may either drive to Rajasthan or take a bus provided by the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation.
Best Time to Visit in Jaisalmer
From November through March, Jaisalmer experiences its winter season. It’s also a fantastic time to go to Jaisalmer. The highest temperature does not exceed 24 degrees Celsius, making sightseeing and other outdoor activities like camel rides and desert safaris more pleasurable.