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Experience My India

Pushkar Camel Fair trip

Private experience

Festivals & EventsPushkar

The Pushkar Camel Fair is a week-long livestock trading fair and pilgrimage on the shore of Pushkar's holy lake, one of the largest gatherings of camels and cattle in the world, timed to the lunar month of Kartik (typically late October to November). Traders, decorated camels, a fairground and bathing rituals at the lake's ghats run alongside each other; exact dates change yearly and are confirmed on enquiry.

Reviewed by Experience My India Editorial Team · Updated 13 Sept 2026

Government-approved operatorApproved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India

  • RoutePushkar
  • Best seasonOctober or November — the exact
  • IncludedTransfers and sightseeing
  • Free cancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours before the start
  • Private guide and vehicle
  • Reply within four hours, 9am–9pm ISTA named specialist, the same person from first reply to departure.
  • No payment to start planningYou receive a written quote first; nothing is charged to start planning.

Itinerary

  1. Base in or near Pushkar

    Step 1

    • We book a hotel or tented camp ahead — rooms fill early for fair week.

  2. Fairground mornings

    Step 2

    • Early starts are best, when trading is most active and the light is softest for photography.

  3. Lake and ghats

    Step 3

    • Your guide takes you to the ghats respectfully, explaining the rituals without intruding on pilgrims.

  4. Evenings

    Step 4

    • Folk music, funfair rides and food stalls run into the evening; we can arrange a quieter vantage point if you prefer to watch rather than wade in.
A vibrant scene of a cameleer with a decorated camel at the Pushkar Fair in IndiaStep 1 · Base in or near Pushkar
A vibrant scene of a cameleer with a decorated camel at the Pushkar Fair in India

For reference only. The final plan is confirmed in your written quote.

Highlights

  • Photographers and travellers who want to see a working Indian fair rather than a staged show.
  • Pushkar's lake is one of Hinduism's holy sites, ringed by ghats and temples including one of India's few Brahma temples, and every year the town's fairground fills with traders bringing camels, cattle and horses to buy and sell.
  • The fair has grown into a wider event with a funfair, competitions and folk performances layered around the trading, while pilgrims bathe at the lake's ghats throughout.
  • Book accommodation early — Pushkar's hotel rooms and tented camps sell out months ahead of fair week.

Full description

Pushkar's lake is one of Hinduism's holy sites, ringed by ghats and temples including one of India's few Brahma temples, and every year the town's fairground fills with traders bringing camels, cattle and horses to buy and sell. The fair has grown into a wider event with a funfair, competitions and folk performances layered around the trading, while pilgrims bathe at the lake's ghats throughout.

It is loud, dusty, colourful and genuinely unlike anywhere else in Rajasthan — decorated camels, turbaned traders and a temporary tented city on the dunes outside town.

Includes

  • Private guide
  • Vehicle and driver
  • Fairground orientation
  • Ghat visit

Not included

  • International flights
  • Visa fees
  • Tented-camp accommodation upgrades
  • Personal shopping
  • Tips

Price

Experience My India quotes this trip in INR after confirming your dates, hotel category and group size. The written quote names every hotel and inclusion, and nothing is charged until you approve it.

Important information

Pushkar

Know before you go

  • Pushkar itself is alcohol-free and largely vegetarian, being a pilgrimage town.

Duration and season

The fair runs for about a week to ten days; most travellers spend two to three days there. It falls in the Hindu month of Kartik, typically October or November — the exact dates change yearly and are confirmed on enquiry.

For what happens and when it falls, see the Pushkar Camel Fair event page.

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start

  • Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
  • No payment is taken until you approve the itinerary.

Who it suits

  • Photographers and travellers who want to see a working Indian fair rather than a staged show. It suits those comfortable with dust, crowds and long days on foot; it is less suited to travellers wanting a quiet, minimal-walking itinerary.

Honest cautions

  • Book accommodation early — Pushkar's hotel rooms and tented camps sell out months ahead of fair week.
  • Dress modestly and remove shoes before the ghats; ask before photographing pilgrims at prayer.
  • The fairground is dusty and involves a fair amount of walking; comfortable closed shoes help.

How booking works

  1. Send an enquiry

    Dates, who is travelling and how you like to travel. Two fields to start.

  2. We check availability

    Hotels, guides and permits for your dates, with honest alternatives if something is full.

  3. Price and hotels named

    Every hotel and inclusion is named before you pay anything.

  4. Written quote in INR

    One document, no hidden lines, valid for the dates it quotes.

  5. You approve

    Change anything you like. Nothing is charged until you say yes.

  6. A named specialist runs it

    The same person from first reply to departure, Mon–Sun, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM IST.

Your trip designer

Gurudutt Kaushal

Founder, Experience My India · IIT Jodhpur

Gurudutt Kaushal founded Experience My India and set the two rules every trip here runs on: hotels and guides are named before you pay, and a human replies within four hours. Your itinerary is designed by one of the 35+ destination specialists on his team and checked against our vetting standard.

About GuruduttMeet our founderHow we vet

Trust and protection

  • Ministry of Tourism approved

    Approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India

  • Registered business

    GSTIN 09BZFPM8067A1Z9

  • 4.3 / 5 on Tripadvisor

    Independent guest reviews

  • No payment to start

    A written quote first; charged in INR only after you approve.

Why book with Experience My India

  • Government-approved operator

    Approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India

  • 500+ vetted local guides

    35+ destination specialists plan every trip by hand.

  • Human help, every day

    Mon–Sun, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM IST · +91 73022 65809

  • No payment until you approve

    You receive a written quote first; nothing is charged to start planning.

How we vet every guide, stay and routeIndia e-Visa: who needs one and how to applyHave a specialist design this trip

Frequently asked questions

When does the Pushkar Camel Fair happen?

It follows the lunar month of Kartik, typically falling in October or November. The exact dates change every year and we confirm them on enquiry once the year's calendar is published.

Is the fair only about camels?

Trading is the origin and the core of it, but the modern fair also has a funfair, competitions, folk music and the pilgrimage activity at the lake's ghats.

How many days should I plan?

Two to three days at the fair is enough to see the trading, the fairground and the ghats without rushing.

Is it crowded?

Yes, especially in the days around the main lunar dates — book accommodation and transport well ahead.

Can this combine with a Rajasthan tour?

Yes — Pushkar sits close to Jaipur and Jodhpur and slots naturally into a Rajasthan circuit around fair season.

Request a quote

Tell us your dates and we will confirm this year's fair dates and secure accommodation before it sells out.

Ask on WhatsApp
  • Private guide and vehicle
  • Reply within four hours, 9am–9pm IST
  • No payment to start planning

Customer reviews

No reviews for this experience yet — we publish guest reviews after each trip.

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Free cancellation