A Good Tour

In Jaisalmer it's next to impossible to follow a straight path—the city is a maze of streets and passageways—so trust your instincts and don't be afraid to ask the locals for directions. You can't get too lost, because Jaisalmer is fairly small. The major landmark is the Golden Fort, which is every bit as labyrinthine as the rest of the city; allow several hours to explore the attractions within. After visiting there, walk north to the Salim Singh-ki Haveli, Patwon-ki Haveli, and Nathmal-ki Haveli. Finally, you can hail an auto-rickshaw—or hop a camel to the desert, if you've arranged this with a local travel agent the day before—and head southeast toward Gadsisar Lake You can end your day with a puppet show at the Desert Culture Centre.

Timing

You can do this tour in a day. If you spend a second day in town, visit the royal cenotaphs at Bada Bagh or the earlier capital of the Bhatti Rajputs at Lodarva and then head out of the city to Sam Sand Dunes for a sunset camel ride back.