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Frequently asked questions
Where is the desert in India?
For a desert safari, it is the Thar Desert of western Rajasthan, with Jaisalmer as the base. IMD classes Jaisalmer district's climate as desert, and its annual rainfall is the lowest of any district in Rajasthan. Rajasthan Tourism names the Sam and Khuri dunes near the city for camel safaris, and the Desert National Park nearby protects the Thar's dunes and wildlife.
What happens at the desert camp after the ride?
After the sunset over the dunes, you move to the camp for folk music, dance and dinner as the temperature drops. On the sunset version you are then driven back to Jaisalmer; on the overnight package, dinner, the folk entertainment and camp accommodation are included, and you return to Jaisalmer the next morning. Alcohol is available only where the camp itself offers it.
How do I decide between the sunset ride and the overnight camp?
Think about where you want to wake up. The overnight package keeps you in the desert after dinner and includes your accommodation at the camp; the sunset version returns you to your Jaisalmer hotel the same night. Both include the camel ride with a handler, the private transfer to and from the dunes and the stop at a sunset viewpoint.
What should I pack for a night in the desert?
Light, loose clothes that cover your skin, a hat, sunglasses for the wind, closed shoes for walking on the sand, water and sun protection. Between November and March, add a warm layer: IMD records January nights averaging 6.9°C in Jaisalmer district, with the temperature falling very fast after dusk, and cold waves can take it below freezing.
What if I cannot ride a camel?
Tell us when you book. If you are pregnant, have back or joint problems, or are travelling with very young children, we will advise on a shorter ride or a camel cart instead of riding. Handlers help everyone mount and dismount, and the camel does the walking, so the ride itself takes little effort; the moment the camel stands up or sits down is the unsteady part.
Why do desert safaris start from Jaisalmer?
Because the dunes are close. Rajasthan Tourism describes Jaisalmer as close to the Thar Desert and lists the Sam and Khuri dunes for camel safaris, and our safari collects you from your Jaisalmer hotel in the afternoon. The town has its own sight: Jaisalmer Fort, or Sonar Qila, which Rajasthan Tourism notes is still lived in, with shops, hotels and old havelis inside its walls.
About Glamping & Desert experiences in India
Our desert safari in India heads into the Thar Desert west of Jaisalmer, most often to the Sam dunes: a camel ride across the sand towards a high point for sunset, then folk music, dance and dinner at a desert camp as the air cools. Return to Jaisalmer after dinner or stay the night at the camp. Go between October and March; April to June is intensely hot.
Reviewed by Experience My India Editorial Team · Updated 20 Oct 2026
How to choose your desert night
Where: Jaisalmer is the base. Rajasthan Tourism describes the city as close to the Thar Desert and names two dune areas for camel and camel-cart safaris, Sam and Khuri, run mainly by local camel owners and by some camps. Our Thar Desert camel safari heads to the Sam dunes or another dune site, depending on the package. Our Jaisalmer travel guide covers the fort town itself.
Sunset ride or a night at the camp: the shorter version is the camel ride and the sunset stop, with the evening at the camp, and you are driven back to Jaisalmer after dinner. The overnight package includes dinner, folk entertainment and camp accommodation, and you return to Jaisalmer the next morning. Choose the night if you want to stay on in the desert after the music ends; choose the sunset version if you would rather sleep in your Jaisalmer hotel.
Glamping: if glamping in India is what you are looking for, the overnight package is the camp stay on this page. Ask us to describe the camp and your accommodation in it before you book, so that you know what you are choosing.
Folk music without the dunes: the camp evening has folk music and dance. To see Rajasthan's folk performers in a city, our Rajasthani folk evening is staged in a haveli courtyard or on a fort terrace.
What to expect
We collect you from your Jaisalmer hotel in the afternoon, timed so that you reach the dunes with several hours of daylight left, and a private vehicle drives you out. A handler helps you mount, and the camel does the walking, led by the handler on foot or on camelback, across the dunes towards a high point for sunset. Getting on and off can feel unsteady the first time, as the camel stands up or sits down.
After sunset you move to the camp for folk music, dance and dinner as the temperature drops. On the sunset version you are driven back to Jaisalmer after dinner; on the overnight package you stay at the camp and return to Jaisalmer the following morning. Alcohol is served only if the camp itself offers it.
When to go
Jaisalmer district has a desert climate. IMD's records show winter from November to about mid-March, a hot season to the end of June, and a short southwest monsoon from July to mid-September.
- Heat: May's average daily maximum is 41.6°C, and on some days the temperature reaches about 49°C.
- Cold: January's average minimum is 6.9°C, cold waves can take nights below freezing, and the temperature falls very fast after dusk.
- Rain: the district averages 172.9 mm a year, 88 per cent of it in the monsoon, and skies are generally clear the rest of the year.
Rajasthan Tourism gives October to March as the time for camping, which matches our advice for this safari. Its Department of Tourism holds the Desert Festival in Jaisalmer around January and February. For the rest of the state, see our guide to the best time to visit Rajasthan.
Rules and practical points
- Wear light, loose clothing that covers your skin, and a hat; sunglasses help in the wind.
- Closed shoes are easier than sandals once you are walking on the sand.
- Carry water and sun protection, even for a short ride: the heat and dry air are more tiring than they feel.
- From November to March, pack a warm layer for the evening at the camp.
- Tell us when you book if you are pregnant, have back or joint problems, or are travelling with very young children, so that we can advise on the ride's length or a camel cart instead of riding.
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