Pushkar Camel Fair

Traders bring camels, cattle and horses to Pushkar for one of the country's largest livestock fairs, and the event has grown a substantial tourist and cultural side alongside it: camel races and decoration competitions, folk music and dance performances, and a large gathering for ritual bathing in Pushkar Lake on the Kartik Purnima full moon itself.

Pushkar's small-town scale means the fairground and the lake ghats get genuinely crowded during the main days, with tented accommodation options springing up specifically for the fair. Dust, noise and a lot of livestock are part of the experience — this is not a sanitised tourist show but a working trading fair with a festival grafted onto it.

The fair is timed around the Kartik Purnima full moon, which typically falls in October or November, shifting on the Gregorian calendar each year. Confirm the current year's dates before booking, as accommodation in Pushkar sells out well ahead for the main days. (confirmed on enquiry)

To travel for it with a private guide and a written quote, see our Pushkar Camel Fair trip.