The desert town, lying in the Thar desert which is the largest desert in India is also called the ‘Golden City’. Standing on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by the Jaisalmer fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain temples, it is the only living fort wherein about a quarter of city’s population still live inside the fort. The main attractions inside the fort are: Raj Mahal (Royal palace), Jain temples and the Laxminath temple. Jaisalmer also boasts some of the oldest libraries of India which contain rarest of the manuscripts and artefacts of Jain tradition. Jaisalmer is named after Maharawal Jaisal Singh, a Rajput king who founded the city in 1156 AD. “Jaisalmer” means “the Hill Fort of Jaisal”. Jaisalmer is called the “Golden City of India” because of the yellow sand and the yellow sandstone used in every architecture of the city gives a yellowish-golden tinge to the city and its surrounding area.
MAIN HIGHLIGHTS:
Jaisalmer Fort – Honeycombed with narrow, winding lanes, lined with houses and temples, Jaisalmer’s unique fort is a living urban centre, with about 3000 people residing within its walls. There is a large number of handicraft shops, guesthouses and restaurants inside as well.
Sam Sand Dunes – A very popular place to be visited for camping in the desert or going for Camel Safaris on the expansive desert and the dunes, the Sam Sand dunes is best visited when the sun goes down or in the wee hours of the morning. These dunes are 42-45 Kms away from the golden city (Jaisalmer) and has a nice sealed non-bumpy road which is maintained by Indian Arm forces.