Hidden Details

Choose the non touristic desert safari offered by the hotel rather than the large camps at Sam. Sleeping in open dunes under a sky full of stars, with dinner cooked on fire, is the true desert experience.

Visit the fort early in the morning. By midday the lanes fill with visitors and the heat reflects from the stone. Early light also gives the best photographs.

About Kuldhara, the abandoned village around eighteen kilometres west: visit it on the way to the dunes. The empty stone houses and the legend of the Paliwal Brahmins who deserted it in one night make an eerie stop.

Taste ker sangri, a Rajasthani dish of desert beans and berries, and dal baati churma in a local restaurant. Makhaniya lassi, thick and sweet, is a Jaisalmer speciality.

Bring a scarf and sunglasses for the desert. Sand and wind can be strong, and a scarf protects the face and hair during jeep and camel rides.

Plan your visit between October and March. From April to June, temperatures in the Thar Desert become extreme, and many desert activities pause during the hottest weeks.