Jaisalmer

Old town:

The fort complex of Jaisalmer can be seen as the literal and figurative highlight of the city. The whole was built in 1156 by Jaisala (Rajput leader) on the 80 meter high hill Trikuta. It houses a palace, temples, houses with havelis and numerous small alleys and streets. Until today, about a quarter of the local population of the old city lives in the complex.

The most important building of the fort is the palace that you can (partly) visit as a tourist. After a number of gates and a courtyard where once (military) parades were held you come to the seven-storey palace which gives you a beautiful view of the city. The highlight is the small but very elegant Grade Mahal mirrored and painted gallery with, among other things, 15th century sculptures.

Take a look at at least one of the seven yellow sandstone Jain temples in the forts complex that together form a labyrinth. These were built between the 12th and 15th century and contain beautiful stone treatments. 

Jaisalmer contains several places with beautiful havelis. The most admirable must be the Patwa-ki-Haveli in the heart of the old city. It was built between the years 1800 and 1860 by five Jain brothers who were all jewelers by profession. Even though the work is the most beautiful from the outside you have also a beautiful view over the Jaisalmer fort. In addition, the house is decorated with 19th century furniture.

Thar desert:

The Thar desert with all its legends and myths lies on the border between India and Pakistan and is mostly visited as a camel safari from Jaisalmer. The desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert lies for a third in Pakistan and the rest in the Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and Rajasthan (60%).

The largest part is rock and a small part in the extreme west of the desert, consists of sand. The emergence of the Thar Desert is uncertain. Some geologists believe that the desert is four to ten thousand years old, but others think that desertification started much earlier.

The area is characterized by the extreme temperatures of 45°C in the summer to below the freezing point in the winter. The rainfall is uncertain and irregular, and the annual total varies between 120 mm in the far west and 375 mm to the east. See the tours to the desert. 

Other attractions:

• The Desert Culture Center Museum, Tilon-ki-Pol (Gadi Sagar lake) and the alim Singh-ki-Haveli.