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Jaisalmer

Rajasthan

India Travel Guide

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Portrait of man from Bishnoi Hindu sect with camel.

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Overview

The fort of Jaisalmer is a breathtaking sight: a massive sandcastle rising from the sandy plains like a mirage from a bygone era. No place better evokes exotic camel-train trade routes and desert mystery. Ninety-nine bastions encircle the fort’s still-inhabited twisting lanes. Inside are shops swaddled in bright embroideries, a royal palace and numerous businesses looking for your tourist rupee. Despite the rampant commercialism, it’s hard not to be enchanted by this desert citadel. Beneath the ramparts, particularly to the north, the narrow streets of the old city conceal magnificent havelis (traditional, ornately decorated residences), all carved from the same golden-honey sandstone as the fort – hence Jaisalmer’s designation as the Golden City.

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Best Things to Do

A desert trading post for centuries, the Rajasthani city of Jaisalmer brings ancient India vividly to life. Here are the best things to do in Jaisalmer.

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