PLACES TO VISIT
Attractions Around
Known as the "Golden City," Jaisalmer is distinguished by its yellow sandstone architecture. The central location of Jaswant Palace will make it easier for you to visit some of the popular attractions in Jaisalmer like the Jaisalmer Fort, Havelis, Gadisar Lake, Bada Bagh, etc.
Jaisalmer Fort
The Jaisalmer Fort was built in 1156 AB by Raja Jaisal Rawat. The fort is located on the Trikuta Hill, the highest point in the area. In addition to being a world heritage site, it is one of the liveliest monuments of the world and is worth a visit.
The colors of the stones are subtly changing as the day progresses, with wonderful tones at the sunset.
Havelis in Jaisalmer
Built with a blend of Rajputana & Mughal architecture these havelis are definitely worth visiting. The major Havelis of Jaisalmer in order of their build period are Patwo Ki Haveli, Nathmal Ki Haveli and Salim Singh Ki Haveli.
All these Havelis are now converted into heritage museums. They are open to the public during general visiting hours.
Gadisar Lake
The Gadisar lake is a man made lake that was also built by Raja Jaisal Rawat in 1156 AD. It boasts of having an ancient Shiva Temple on the banks and various beautiful chattris surrounded by water of the lake.
You can enjoy boating here peacefully. The best time to visit it is at sunrise and at sunset (or before 11:00 AM & after 5:00 PM).
Bada Bagh
The Bada Bagh means “big garden”, a garden of cenotaphs of warriors. It boasts of beautifully carved cenotaphs of the royal kings, noble persons and brave warriors of Jaisalmer. This place has its own energy, and you'll find it calm & peaceful.
This place acts as a popular photographic destination and the best time to visit it is either early morning or just before sunset.
Amar Sagar
In the 17th century, Maharaja Akhai Singh built a palace near a lake to honor his predecessor Maharaja Amar Singh. Later, in 1928, a Jain temple was built here by Patwa Bafna Himmat Ram and this is onw of the priamry Jain temples in Jaisalmer.
The magical calm water of the lake brings a feeling of peace & harmony and should be visited early morning or during sunset.
Kuldhara
The legend goes that one of the king's nobles, Salim Singh, looked at a Brahmin girl with bad intentions. So in order to save the honor of the Paliwal Brahmins, 84 villages were abandoned overnight and no one ever knew where they disappeared.
Kuldhara is one of those villages where you would certainly notice the uncanny silence prevailing around.
Khaba Fort
Khaba used to be the abode of the Maharaja before he shifted to Jaisalmer for strategic defense. The fort overlooks the abondoned village and is now in ruins. It is an ideal place for those with an interest in archaelogy.
If you don't mind waking up early, it is possible to see a flock of peacocks around the fort during sunrise.
War Museum
The Jaisalmer War Museum pays homage to all thee martyrs who lost their lives defending the country in the 1965 Indo-Pak War and the 1971 Longewala battle. It covers the history & the journey of the Indian Army along with its contribution.
The war museum displays war exhibits which include vehicles and equipment captured from Pakistan while operations.
Sam Dunes
The beauty of the amazing Sam Dunes attracts lots of tourists on a daily basis. There are a lot of adventure & leisure activities available at the dunes for you to indulge in like a camel ride, camel cart, jeep safari, parasailing, etc.
The dunes are situated at a distance of about 45 kms from Jaisalmer and the ideal time to visit them is by late afternoon.
Heritage Museum
The Thar Desert museum is an ideal place to soak in some info about the history and the folklore of Jaisalmer. Here you can witness a range of artifacts like fossils, documents, portraits, photos, sculptures, coins, manuscripts, weapons, etc.
There's a 40 rupees entrance fee and puppet shows are often held here in the evenings, adding to the enchantment.
Tanot & Longewala
If you have grown up in India, you can’t forget the 1996 blockbuster movie “Border”, in which the Longewala battle of 1971 was showcased. So you can visit here and relive the victorious moments of the begone era by visiting the museum nearby.
The Tanot Mata Temple is another key attraction in the area which witnesses devotees from all across the globe.