Jodhpur
Rising perpendicular and impregnable from a rocky hill that itself stands 120m above Jodhpur’s skyline, Mehrangarh is one of the most magnificent forts in…
Must-see attractions in Jaisalmer, Jodhpur & Western Rajasthan
Jodhpur
The fort's museum encompasses its former palace, and is a superb example of Rajput architecture. The network of courtyards and halls features stone…
Bikaner
This most impressive fort was constructed between 1589 and 1593 by Raja Rai Singh, ruler of Bikaner and a general in the army of the Mughal emperor Akbar…
Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer’s fort is a living urban centre, with about 3000 people residing within its walls. It is honeycombed with narrow winding lanes, lined with…
Jaisalmer
Towering over the fort’s main square, and partly built on top of the Hawa Pol (the fourth fort gate), is the former rulers’ elegant seven-storey palace…
Bikaner
Of Bikaner’s two Jain temples, Bhandasar is particularly beautiful, with yellow-stone carving and vibrant paintings. The interior of the temple is…
Jaisalmer
The biggest fish in the haveli (traditional, ornately decorated residence) pond is Patwa-ki-Haveli, which towers over a narrow lane, its intricate…
Kothari’s Patwa-ki-Haveli Museum
Jaisalmer
The first of the five sections of Patwa-ki-Haveli is opened as the privately owned Kothari’s Patwa Haveli Museum, which richly evokes 19th-century life.
Jaisalmer
Within the fort walls is a maze-like, interconnecting treasure trove of seven beautiful yellow sandstone Jain temples, dating from the 15th and 16th…
Bikaner
Still with a faint medieval feel despite the fume-belching motorbikes and autorickshaws, this labyrinth of narrow, winding streets conceals a number of…
Jaisalmer, Jodhpur & Western Rajasthan
The extraordinary Karni Mata Temple at Deshnok, 30km south of Bikaner, is one of India’s weirder attractions. Its resident mass of holy rodents is not for…
Jodhpur
This milky-white marble memorial to Maharaja Jaswant Singh II, sitting above a small lake 1km northeast of Mehrangarh, is an array of whimsical domes. It…
Jodhpur
Situated 9km north of the centre of Jodhpur, Mandore was the capital of Marwar prior to the founding of Jodhpur. Its gardens, complete with rock terraces…
Jodhpur
Gaj Singh II still lives in part of this hilltop palace, built in 1929 for Maharaja Umaid Singh. It was designed by the British architect Henry Lanchester…
Jaisalmer, Jodhpur & Western Rajasthan
Nagaur's massive 12th-century Ahhichatragarh underwent a two-decade, Unesco-award-winning restoration program under the auspices of Jodhpur's Mehrangarh…
Jaisalmer, Jodhpur & Western Rajasthan
One of the strangest temples in all of India stands 8km south of Rohet beside the Pali road, near Chotila village. The deity at Om Bana Temple is a…
Jaisalmer, Jodhpur & Western Rajasthan
This hilltop temple, about 200m north of the bus stand, receives crowds of pilgrims, both Hindu and Jain. People usually come here after the marriage of…
Jaisalmer
The silky Sam dunes, 41km west of Jaisalmer along a good sealed road, are one of the most popular excursions from the city. About 2km long, the dunes are…
Jaisalmer, Jodhpur & Western Rajasthan
Dedicated to the last of the Jain tirthankars (great teachers), this temple features an open-air pavilion-style mandapa (temple forechamber) supported by…
Jodhpur
This 72-hectare park – and model of ecotourism – sits in the lee of Mehrangarh. It has been lovingly restored and planted with native species to show the…
National Research Centre on Camels
Jaisalmer, Jodhpur & Western Rajasthan
The National Research Centre on Camels is 8km southeast of central Bikaner, beside the Jodhpur–Jaipur Bypass. While here you can visit baby camels, go for…
Desert Cultural Centre & Museum
Jaisalmer
This interesting little museum tells the history of Rajasthan’s princely states and has exhibits on traditional Rajasthani culture. Features include…
Jaisalmer
This private museum has an intriguing assortment of Jaisalmer artefacts, from turbans, musical instruments, fossils and kitchen equipment, to displays on…
Bikaner
The splendid Hindu Lakshminath Temple, behind Bhandasar Temple, was built during the reign of Rao Lunkaran between 1505 and 1526. Lakshminath was the…
Jodhpur
The century-old clock tower is a city landmark surrounded by the vibrant sounds, sights and smells of Sardar Market. The market is bordered by triple…
Prachina Cultural Centre & Museum
Bikaner
Across the fort’s main courtyard from the palace entrance, this museum is fascinating and well labelled. It focuses on the Western influence on the…
Jodhpur
This geometrically handsome step-well (also known as a baori or wav) has been rejuvenated after decades as a rubbish dump. Its clean lines and clear, fish…
Jaisalmer, Jodhpur & Western Rajasthan
The marble and red-sandstone royal chhatris (cenotaphs) of the Bika dynasty rulers, with some fine frescos, are located 8km east of the centre of Bikaner…
Jaisalmer, Jodhpur & Western Rajasthan
Most tours include a stop at a viewing platform overlooking the small (and full only after a good monsoon) Guda Lake. Migratory birds, such as demoiselle…
Jaisalmer
This 450-year-old haveli (traditional, ornately decorated residence), once belonging to Brahmin priests that advised the maharajah, now houses an…
Jaisalmer, Jodhpur & Western Rajasthan
The Jain temples at Lodhruva, rebuilt in the late 1970s, are the sole reminders of the city’s former magnificence. The inner sanctum of the main temple…
Jaisalmer
This stately tank, southeast of the city walls, was Jaisalmer’s vital water supply until 1965, and because of its importance it is surrounded by many…
Jaisalmer
This abandoned village is 19km west of Jaisalmer, 6km south of the Sam road. It was abandoned by its Paliwal Brahmin inhabitants – just like the area’s 83…
Bikaner
This museum houses well-displayed, interesting exhibits including terracotta ware from the Gupta period, Rajasthani traditional musical instruments, rich…
Jaisalmer
This late-19th-century haveli (traditional, ornately decorated residence), once used as the prime minister’s house, is still partly inhabited. It has an…
Jaisalmer
This 14th-century gateway, which straddles the road down to Gadi Sagar, is said to have been built by a famous prostitute. When she offered to pay to have…
Jaisalmer
This 18th-century haveli (traditional, ornately decorated residence) has an amazing, distinctive shape. It’s narrow for the first floors, and then the top…
Jaisalmer
The Hindu Laxmi Narayan Temple, in the centre of the fort, is simpler than the Jain temples here and has a brightly decorated dome. Devotees offer grain,…
Jaisalmer
This atmospheric assemblage of golden sandstone chhatris (cenotaphs), in an old Brahmin memorial ground on a rise on the northwestern edge of town, forms…
Jaisalmer, Jodhpur & Western Rajasthan
The Tarkin-ki-Dargah was commissioned by the Mughal emperor Akbar for Hamiduddin Nagori, a disciple of the Sufi saint Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti. It is a…
