We're planning a trip to Rajasthan in November. We are visiting Jaipur and Jodhpur and were wondering if it was worth the effort to get to Jaisalmer. If yes, any recommended activities once we're there (camel caravans, wildlife trips, etc)? What is the best way to get to Jaisalmer?

Conversely, are there areas around Jodhpur which are nearly comparable to Jaisalmer but clearly easier to get to?

Thanks,

GJSO

Nothing we saw in India was "nearly comparable" to Jaisalmer (even though I hear that the camel treks from Bikaner are better, but Bikamner isn't as easy to get to and isn't as exotic a city).

Jaisalmer is not the easiest place in the world to get to, as the military have commandeered the airport and forbidden any commercial flights; but this is, I am sure, one of the reasons it is worth going to.... while there are lots of tourists there, it hasn't yet turned into, say, Agra.

The best way to get to Jaisalmer is by train... there's an early-morning one from Jodhpur that arrives at around noon every day. As soon as you get off the train, you will see the hotel transport drivers lined up behind a barrier like runners waiting for the starting gun. They are all holding up signs advertising their particular hotel, to which they will transport you free. Most people choose a hotel within the old walls, but, in our case, after thinking about this, we decided that it was probably better to choose one outside the walls, as this meant that we were looking AT the walls from our window.... and this is quite a unique view; you won't see anything like it in India. We chose the Shahi Palace, as it was only a six-minute walk from our room (with that view!)to the main gate. Also, the camel tour was another reason for choosing this particular hotel, but in telling you this next bit I must emphasise that my information is now six months old, and I am not sure that it is true anymore.

Every hotel in Jaisalmer will offer you a camel safari, ranging in duration from a half day to a week. I have no idea where the week-long ones go, but in nearly all cases the one or two-day ones all go to the Sam Dunes, which is, apparently, very picturesque but is now showing signs of continuous tourist infiltration -- litter everywhere, and other safaris just like yours wherever you look. Three or four of the hotels, however, have their "special" areas, and one of these hotels is the Shahi Palace. They had, last November, an employee there named Setan who came from a small village towards the Pakistan border, named Barna; just beyond Barna there is a stretch of sand dunes that no one except the Shahi Palace tour groups can visit. Sitting on the sand there, surrounded by emptiness and a pristine (and silent) environment, watching the sun set behind the dunes, is a wonderful experience -- as, in fact, is meeting Setan's relatives, especially the children who go to the little school right there in the village at Barna. This trip is not as cheap as the one-day tours offered by some of the other hotels, but it has a lot of advantages over the cheaper ones (which aren't that much cheaper, anyway..... I think the cost was 550 rupees each, whereas the ones to the Sam start at about 400 rupees). The day Setan took my wife and myself, we were the only people on the trek.

Setan and the proprietors of Shahi P{alace were so hospitable that we received several emails from them for months after we returned home; in one of these, Setan mentioned that he was no longer working there. I don't know how this has affected their tours -- whether they still go to Barna with another guide, or whether the villasge of Barna has now told them to find a differenet destination. It's something to check on before you commit yourselves. I know there are a couple of other hotels who also do "different" safaris, so if you need me to, I can look these up for you.

A safari is one of the must-do things in Jaisalmer, but, apart from that, the best fun is in just walking through the labyrinth of alley ways in the old town, which will remind you of something out of the Arabian Nights. There are numerous cheap restaurants on top of the various hotels in the old town, and we used one of these (Desert Boys)one evening to get the view looking down, which, of course, we didn't get from Shahi Palace, where we were looking up. The proprietor was nice enough to let us look through the rooms at this hotel (which was one of the recommendations in one of the guide books), and I must say that we were impressed by the decor, with "island beds" and hanging draperies.... but not only were there no views from the rooms, in many cases there were no windows! So, if you do decide to stay in a hotel inside the old city, make sure that you get a room which actually does have a view, otherwise there isn't much point, really.

Our best meal in Jaislamer was also our best meal in all India; it was a tiny restaurant which we came upon as we strolled, and, once again, we were the only customers in the place, so I guess they gave us the full works with the best and most extravagant thali I have ever tasted (cost for two people: 100 rupees). It was run by two very old people (husband and wife) who are both getting so frail that they can't even get upstairs to the dining area to carry your meal; they ring a bell and you walk down and bring it up yourself. But, boy, can that old lady cook! I can't remember the name of this restaurant, but if you decide to do the Jaisalmer trip, write back and I will look it up for you.

As you can see, I don't think you should allow yourself to miss Jaisalmer, especially since you are going in November, which must surely be the best month in the year to visit this amazing town. It was our favourite experience in five weeks of great experiences.