Jaisalmer Trip Plan: 2-Day Itinerary Budget, Top Places to Visit, and Things to Do

To experience the true essence of Rajasthan, the one that makes you feel the real meaning of “kesariya balam aavo ni, padharo maare desh,” go to Jaisalmer.

Although commercialized over the past 1.5 decades, the city still holds the true charm of Marwar. From dunes that make you wonder how life thrives here to walking in the lanes of the only living fort in India, Jaisalmer offered me some unique experiences, which I wasn’t prepared for.

Read on to learn how to plan a 2-day trip to Jaisalmer and what it was like exploring the Golden City as a female solo traveler. I will also share some interesting facts I learned on the way (and in the books).

Note: I’ve added TL;DR summaries under each section for quick reference. You’ll also find fun facts, bits of history, and geography nuggets tucked into dropdowns; feel free to open them if you want to dig a little deeper.

When is the Best Time to Visit Jaisalmer

October to February is ideal; warm days and chilly nights. Avoid visiting after March due to extreme heat when camps close, and tourism drops.

The best time to visit Jaisalmer is between late October and late February. During this time, temperatures average around 25 degrees. It is warm during the daytime, but as the day passes, temperatures can drop drastically, reaching subzero.

I was there in late December, when the entire city is bustling with tourists, and one could experience peak hospitality. However, as the summer sets in March, the temperature starts increasing and even crosses 50 degrees.

I met two men from Churu, a district located 500 km from Jaisalmer. They shared how their hometown has one of the worst summers in the country, and you cannot see a single soul on the street after 10 am. And, in winter, it easily drops below zero. Here’s an article showing the extreme summers in Churu.

The desert camp, located about 50 km from the main city, has over 300 camps, all fully booked in winter.

Desert Camp Mud House

Desert Camp Swiss Tent

Barring mud houses, all tents are removed in summer, and all you can see is a barren land, something I learned from the manager of the camp I stayed in.

Deserts experience extreme temperature changes because sand heats up and cools down quickly. During the day, the sun shines directly on the sand. With little vegetation to absorb or reflect the heat, it gets scorching hot.

But at night, there's barely any moisture in the air to trap that heat, so it escapes quickly, making the nights cold. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself in Jaisalmer sweating at noon and shivering by 8 PM!

How to Reach Jaisalmer

Reach via Jodhpur airport or directly by train/bus. Private buses are safer for solo female travelers than sparsely occupied government ones.

Jaisalmer is well-connected to all parts of India.

• Air Transport: The nearest public airport is Jodhpur Airport, 300 km from Jaisalmer. From there, take a cab, train, or bus. There’s an Indian Air Force airport in Jaisalmer, but I don’t know if it’s functional for commercial flights.
• Train: The nearest railway station is Jaisalmer Junction, about 5 KMs from the City Centre. It is said to be one of the most sought-after train journeys in the country due to the scenic view of the desert.
• Bus: There are many intrastate buses, both private and government. For instance, I took an overnight bus from Jaipur to reach Jaisalmer.

💡Travel Tip: Female travelers, opt for government buses only if you’re traveling in a group. Although much cheaper than their private counterparts, some government buses were eerily empty.

How Many Days are Needed to Explore Jaisalmer

You can comfortably cover Jaisalmer in 2-2.5 days, if you cover Tanot (temple and India Pakistan Border), otherwise, one day is sufficient to explore the city.

Jaisalmer Tour 2-Day Itinerary

Here’s a brief overview of my 2-day itinerary of Jaisalmer

My bus dropped me off at 7 in the morning near Jaisalmer Fort. Still half asleep, I walked inside the Fort to find my hostel. It was when I discovered that people actually live inside the fort. I spent the morning chatting with the receptionist, asking him how one should go about exploring the city.

He suggested the best way would be to stroll around, talk to people, and ask them how a desert city that practically supports no vegetation is home to over 80,000 people and is a major tourist hub at this time of the year.

There was no tourism in Jaisalmer until the early to mid-2000s. Youth would leave the city, and only the elderly would stay behind, looking after the cattle. Sometime in the 80s or 90s, a European photographer stumbled upon this place, and his photos got published in one of the travel magazines. It was only after that that the city started attracting tourists.

I spent the entire afternoon walking around the fort, crossing the same lanes at least 4 times.

Around 3 PM, I left for the Desert Safari, which included adventure activities, cultural performance, and a night stay.

The next morning, we were taken to the famous haunted village of Kuldhara, which, by the way, has weird wall paintings and does not look haunted at all.

After returning to the city, I explored Maharwal’s Palace, Patwon ki Haveli, and Gaddi Sagar Lake.

So, in all, I spent a good 2 days in Jaisalmer.  

Top Places to Visit in Jaisalmer in 2 Days

Must-sees include Jaisalmer Fort, Maharwal’s Palace, Patwa Haveli, and Gaddi Sagar Lake. Jain temples close early. Bada Bagh is optional.

Jaisalmer Fort

The Fort has about 5,000 residents within its walls. Spend at least 3-4 hours just walking around the lanes, looking at the intricate jali work in the windows, and admiring the people’s commitment towards painting all their homes in the same shade of Gold.

Lane inside the Jaisalmer fort

Random window

A random building inside the Jaisalmer Fort

Lane inside the fort

A temple inside the fort

A window/balcony in one of the properties

Take a moment to look at the fort’s exterior when the sunlight directly falls on its walls, and everything appears to be made of Gold.

Go to the highest points and see the entire city of Jaisalmer.

Enquire about Ganesha’s paintings on house walls.

Ganesha's painting on the wall of the one of the houses

Ganesha's painting on the wall of the one of the houses - 1

Think why the fort has a hairpin bend at the Ganesh Pol (a phenomenon I observed across all forts in Rajasthan).

Count the number of gates….

…you cross before reaching the main Chowk where about 700 years ago, women committed jauhar (leaping from the palace into the flames of a huge fire).

Standing in the chowk, see Maharwal’s Palace, with several balconies on the left,…

… and Maharani’s Palace, with latticed windows (Jharokha) to the right.

Balconies for everyone to see the Maharaja and latticed windows so that Maharani (s) could see the same things without being seen.

It was founded in 1156 by Rawal Jaisal Singh of the Bhati clan, who named the city after himself. Frequent skirmishes with the surrounding states of Jodhpur, Bikaner, and the cities of the Delhi Sultanate marked the early years of the city.

The seven-year siege by Alauddin Khilji ended with men of the city committing saka (riding into the hands of the enemy to die) and royal women committing jauhar in the main Chowk in 1298. Before the mass suicide, the Bhatis managed to smuggle two infant princes out of the city.

When Khilji could not hold the city, the smuggled princess regained Jaisalmer. By 1326, Muhammad bin Tughlaq initiated another siege, which again ended with the defenders committing saka and jauhar.

Gharsi Bhati, one of the earlier smuggled infants, negotiated a peace, and Jaisalmer remained in Bhati's hands, though now as a vassal state. This status quo continued under the rule of the Mughals, and the city’s position on the overland route between the riches of the east and west brought prosperity.

Under the British, Jaisalmer was a princely state, but the opening of sea routes for trade and the growth of Bombay (now Mumbai) sidelined the desert city. Poverty and famine were frequent visitors in this drought-prone area in the late 19th century. Independence brought partition and the closing of old trade routes into Pakistan, but ironically, the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan started Jaisalmer’s renaissance as it became an important military outpost. Now tourism is seen as the route to economic growth.

Source: The Travels of a Curious Old Man

Maharwal’s Palace

The five-story palace is home to intricately carved windows and highly decorated balconies.

Look at the marble throne from where the generals and ministers used to summon orders. Higher up in the palace, there’s also a silver throne, I believe, used during the coronation.

Like other palaces in Rajasthan, there’s an armoury, paintings of past rulers, and a family tree tracing the royal family’s lineage to Krishna.

There are also private quarters of the Maharajas with low beds – assassins cannot hide under them.

The highlight of the palace is its terrace, from where you can see the fort’s residential area, now packed with hostels, homes, and shops…

…the main entrance, where you can see the parking and Rickshaws… 

…and the “new city” settled outside the fort.

Jain Temples

After this, head to the Jain Temples, which were closed by the time I reached. Make sure you arrive before 2 PM. From what I have heard, the temple has intricately carved pillars, ceilings, and galleries.

The Famous Havelis

Step out of the fort and head towards the famous Havelis of Jaisalmer. There are two: Nathmalji-ki-Haveli, built for the PM of Jaisalmer in 1885. I didn’t spend much time here as there isn’t much apart from a gift shop. Another Haveli, the more famous of the two, is Patwa Haveli, built for five Jain banker brothers who made their money by trading in brocade and opium.

Patwa Haveli

Patwon Ki Haveli Jaisalmer

Patwa Haveli

💡Travel Tip: You can easily walk up to the Havelis from the fort, don’t get duped by the Rickshaw drivers.

Bada Bagh

These are all the places worth exploring in and around Jaisalmer City, besides Bada Bagh, the cenotaphs of the royals, located about 6 km from the city. I decided to skip it, as I had already seen enough cenotaphs.

How Much Does a Jaisalmer Budget Trip Cost

A budget of ₹4,000–₹5,000 covers 2.5 days, including stay, food, fort entry, and desert safari. Walking helps cut transport costs.

Depending on the time and duration of your visit, a 2.5-day trip to Jaisalmer should range between ₹4,000 and ₹5,000, including a night’s stay in the city, another in the desert, a desert safari, food, and the tickets for the palace and the havelis.

Since you can cover the entire city/fort on foot, there’s no need to spend on traveling, except to reach and come back from the desert.

In case you go to Tanot (here’s the temple Sunil Shetty was dying to save in the Border film) and the India-Pakistan border, account for an additional expense of about ₹1,000.

For my 2-day trip to Jaisalmer, I spent around ₹2,400 on my stay and around ₹600 – ₹700 on food.

💰 Rajasthan Trip Cost: How I explored Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur, and Jodhpur Under 25K

How Much Does a Desert Safari Cost in Jaisalmer

Expect to spend ₹500–₹4,000 depending on activities and stay. Overnight options include meals, performances, and a starry sky experience.

It can range between ₹500 and ₹4,000, depending on what is included. For example, if you only opt for adventure activities, it should cost around ₹800 to ₹1,000, and if you spend the night in the desert and go for star gazing, be ready to splurge around ₹2,500 per person.

I opted for Zostel Sam Desert, where I paid ₹1,610 for a bed in a Swiss tent, and an additional ₹2,050 on to and from the city, safari activities (a short camel ride and a short jeep safari), dinner, a cultural night, and a trip to Kuldhara.

To sum up, I spent around ₹5,060 on a 2-day trip to Jaisalmer during Christmas week.

Enroute to Sam Desert, you can see one of the largest onshore wind farms, the Jaisalmer Wind Park. It was initiated in 2001 and has a total installed capacity of 1,064 MW.

What are the Best Places to Stay in Jaisalmer

Stay inside or near the Fort for ease and charm. Skip hotels in the new city. Zostel Sam Desert is okay, but overpriced—explore other camps.

Any place near or inside the fort is the ideal place to stay in Jaisalmer, where all the attractions are. It is near the bus stop and the railway station, and you can find many hotels and desert safari providers there.

Don’t book accommodation outside the fort in the “new city.” I booked The Hosteller for my second night. It was practically 2 km from the fort and required me to take a rickshaw to the bus stop the next morning, while leaving for Jodhpur.

For the desert safari, there are many options. I found the package and the facilities offered by Zostel average and expensive, and wouldn’t recommend it.

Final Thoughts on My Jaisalmer Trip

Jaisalmer stays with you, not just for its architecture or desert skies, but for the silence it holds between. Walking through the fort, listening to how life unfolds in a place that seems frozen in time, made me pause in a way few places have. Something is humbling about seeing how people have lived, thrived, and held on here despite everything the desert demands.

If you’re planning to visit, let it be more than a checklist of attractions. Walk slowly, ask questions, and listen to what the city is trying to tell you. That’s when Jaisalmer begins to feel real.

If you’re looking for help planning your own trip, feel free to drop a comment or question.