Jaisalmer

The Golden City

Our bus rolled into Jaisalmer at 9:30 pm, and thankfully, we managed to get dropped off slightly closer to our hotel. However, navigating the narrow, winding streets in the dark proved to be a challenge. Google Maps, while helpful, didn’t quite account for the labyrinthine alleys or the random cows blocking our path. Just as we reached the entrance of our homestay, Jess had a run-in with a Rock Dove—not in the majestic, birdwatching sense, but in the “it-pooed-on-her” sense. A sign of good luck, they say? Jess wasn’t convinced.

After some kerfuffle at check-in—which involved hunting down the night staff—we discovered the restaurant was closed. With no other options nearby, we went to bed a little hungry, dreaming of breakfast.

Thankfully, the next morning came with a redemption arc in the form of a free breakfast. Spirits lifted and stomachs sated, we set off to explore the city’s crown jewel: the Jaisalmer Fort. Unlike the other forts and palaces we’d visited, this one is still very much alive. People live and work within its sandstone walls, making it feel more like a bustling medina than a historic monument. It reminded me of the medinas in Morocco, with narrow streets lined with shops selling embroidered shawls, rugs, and other trinkets. We even saw some canons perched atop the fort, and at sunset, the Rock Doves redeemed themselves with an impressive aerial display (though Jess was still suspicious of their motives).

That evening, we returned to our hotel to book a desert safari for the next day. Feeling adventurous, we ventured out to one of the other hotels along the strip for dinner, only to find it closed. Foiled again, we resigned ourselves to eating at our own hotel. The food was decent enough, but we were starting to sense a theme.

The next morning, we laced up for a run around the lake. Or at least, what Google Maps said was the lake. It seems the lake had expanded somewhat, likely due to recent rains, so our route turned into a bit of an unplanned detour. After cooling down back at the hotel, we geared up for our much-anticipated desert safari.

The safari began with a stop at Kuldhara, an abandoned village steeped in mystery and legend. Wandering through its eerie ruins, it was easy to imagine the stories of why its inhabitants vanished overnight. Our next stop was a desert oasis and shrine, which provided a surprising splash of green in the otherwise arid landscape. Finally, we drove deep into the Thar Desert, where we mounted camels for a short ride. Sambhu, our guide, led the way with his infectious humor and endless desert wisdom. As the sun dipped below the dunes, we enjoyed a simple but delicious dinner under the stars. The stillness of the desert was magical—a highlight of our trip so far.

On our final day in Jaisalmer, Jess started coming down with a cold, so I went for a solo run while she rested. Later, we took one last walk into town to explore the Havelis—beautiful, intricately carved mansions that whispered stories of Jaisalmer’s rich past. However, the midday heat was relentless, and we soon retreated to the hotel for lunch and an afternoon of rest.

As evening approached, we packed up and prepared for yet another overnight bus, this time to Jaipur. Jaisalmer had been a golden adventure, quite literally, and while the Rock Doves and closed restaurants had their moments, the desert magic and living history of the fort made it a place we won’t soon forget.