Jaisalmer - the yellow desert town of India is perhaps among the few places in the world which still have a living fort. Although heavily commercialised and crumbling in parts – it is probably an apt candidate for the wonders of the world. Unlike any other city, this desert fortress is one of Rajasthan's most exotic and unusual towns. Jaisalmer, an important ancient trading centre because of its strategic location on the camel trade route, is often described as the Golden City. The havelis, built by merchants of the 19th century, are exquisitely carved from golden-yellow sandstone and are still in a beautiful condition. The fort built by Rawal Jaisal in the 12th century, stands on the 80 metre high Trikuta hill, with beautifully carved Jain temples.
As a place which is now thriving on tou
+ more about JaisalmerJaisalmer - the yellow desert town of India is perhaps among the few places in the world which still have a living fort. Although heavily commercialised and crumbling in parts – it is probably an apt candidate for the wonders of the world. Unlike any other city, this desert fortress is one of Rajasthan's most exotic and unusual towns. Jaisalmer, an important ancient trading centre because of its strategic location on the camel trade route, is often described as the Golden City. The havelis, built by merchants of the 19th century, are exquisitely carved from golden-yellow sandstone and are still in a beautiful condition. The fort built by Rawal Jaisal in the 12th century, stands on the 80 metre high Trikuta hill, with beautifully carved Jain temples.
As a place which is now thriving on tourism for its main source of livelihood – the camel safaris are now very popular across India. Conventional tours to the desert are to Sam and Khuri. However, there are a few operators who take offbeat tours to villages in the radius of 15-20km of these. There are some hidden gems of visit within Jaisalmer itself and is a place worth visiting at least once a lifetime.
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