A camel safari in Rajasthan is on almost every wish list we receive from the UK, the US and Australia, usually as one line: "and a night in the desert". The questions come later, and they are nearly always the same ones. Our planners in Jaipur have been arranging desert days since 2005, so here are the answers we give our guests, including the ones that talk people out of things.
Where should I do a camel safari in Rajasthan?
Three places come up: Jaisalmer, Bikaner and Pushkar. They are not the same experience, and the right one depends far more on your route than on the camels.
Jaisalmer is the real desert. The city sits deep in the western Thar, and the dunes you picture when you hear "Rajasthan" are out here: rolling sand, very little else, and a sky that goes on for ever after dark. If the desert is the point of your trip, this is where we send you.
Bikaner is camel country rather than dune country. The city grew rich on the caravans that crossed this part of the Thar, and camels are still working animals here, pulling carts in the old town. The land around it is flatter scrub, so the ride is less photogenic, but you see camels as part of daily life.
Pushkar is the easy option. It is a short drive from Jaipur, and local operators run sunset rides into the sandy country just outside town. Be honest about what that is: low dunes, farmland and scrub, pleasant for an hour, not a desert in the Sahara sense.
What does a desert day with us actually look like?
On our 12-night Best of Rajasthan with Agra and Jaisalmer tour, the drive from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer is 300 km, which the itinerary allows six hours for, with a stop at the carved temples of Osian on the way. You arrive in the afternoon and have the evening for the lanes of the town.
The next day is the one people remember. The morning goes on the fort, which is one of the few in India that people still live inside, the carved havelis and Gadisar Lake. After lunch you drive out to the dunes at Khuri village, 50 km from Jaisalmer, ride out on camels for the sunset, and come back to your hotel for the night. The 15-night Classic Rajasthan tour uses exactly the same day.
We build it this way deliberately: sightseeing in the cooler morning, the desert in the last light, and a proper bed afterwards.
Sam or Khuri?
Both dune areas lie roughly 40–50 km west of Jaisalmer, about an hour by road. Sam is the better known and, in season, the busier: jeeps, quad bikes, rows of camps and loudspeakers by early evening. Khuri is a little further out and noticeably quieter, which is why our itineraries use it. We'd suggest Khuri for almost everyone.
How long will I actually be on the camel?
Less than you think, and that is a good thing. A typical sunset ride is one to two hours. Camels sway, the saddle is wide, and after an hour most people have had enough, especially anyone with a stiff back or knees.
Multi-day camel treks with nights on the sand do exist. We advise against them for a first trip unless you are fit, happy with very basic camping and travelling in the cooler months. A full day in the saddle is hard on the body and costs days you could spend elsewhere in Rajasthan.
When is the best time to go?
October to March. In the heart of winter, December and January, the days are pleasantly warm but desert nights can fall to around 5°C, so if you sleep in a camp, bring a warm layer and socks (our season-by-season packing list covers this). From April the heat builds fast, and by May and June we would not put anyone on a camel in the afternoon.
If you want camels on a grand scale rather than a ride, time your trip to a fair. The Pushkar Camel Fair follows the lunar calendar and this year centres on the full moon of 24 November 2026; the exact programme is set locally and published late, so we confirm it closer to the date. Our guide to planning around the Pushkar fair covers the crowds. In January, the Bikaner Camel Festival has parades of decorated camels, and Jaisalmer's Desert Festival usually follows in late winter.
Is Jaisalmer worth the distance?
This is the honest downside. Jaisalmer is far from everything else on a classic route. Jodhpur is six hours away, and if you continue to Bikaner, as the 15-night tour does, it is roughly 330 km, which takes five to six hours on the road once you allow for stops at the temple at Ramdeora and the village of Kheechan, where demoiselle cranes gather between August and March. Domestic flights to Jaisalmer run only in the winter season, and the airport closed for summer again in March 2026. At the time of writing we cannot promise you a flight in or out for 2026–27 until the airlines publish their schedules, so we plan the route to work by road.
Our rule of thumb: Jaisalmer needs at least two nights and a trip of about two weeks. On a shorter trip we would rather you rode at Pushkar and kept your days, a trade-off we explain in our comparison of 7, 10 and 14-day Rajasthan routes.
Is it fair to the camels?
More of our guests ask this every year. Rajasthan made the camel its state animal in 2014 and banned camel slaughter and their movement out of the state in 2015. The herds have shrunk since, by roughly a third between the 2012 and 2019 livestock censuses, and the families who breed them say tourism is one of the few incomes they still have. Riding a camel that is well kept supports those families rather than harming the animal.
The difference is in the animal. A healthy camel carries weight easily; one with sores under its saddle, ribs showing or a torn nose peg should not be working. Our drivers know the handlers we use and will steer you away from the wrong ones. In Bikaner, the government's National Research Centre on Camel, about 8 km from the city, breeds camels and is worth an afternoon if you are curious, and it combines easily with the Karni Mata temple at Deshnoke.
Do I need a guide or just a driver?
For the desert day itself, the camel handler leads, and your driver deals with the logistics: timing the drive so you reach the dunes before sunset, carrying water, and waiting for you afterwards. Guests often mention how much the driver does beyond driving. Dino N, writing on TripAdvisor in February 2026 about his driver Dhara Singh, said he "waited for us with so much patience he also gave us many useful tips on how we should behave regarding places to visit." There are more reviews like that on our reviews page, and you can read how our private cars with drivers work before you book.
Short answers to the other questions we get
Can children ride a camel?
Yes. Young children usually ride in front of a parent or on a camel cart, which is steadier. Keep the ride short and go late in the afternoon, when the sand has cooled.
Is a night in a desert camp worth it?
If you want the stars and silence, choose a small camp away from the Sam strip. If you sleep badly anywhere unfamiliar, do the sunset ride and go back to Jaisalmer, as our standard itineraries do.
Do I need a visa to visit Rajasthan?
UK, US and Australian travellers can apply for India's e-Tourist Visa online, at least four days before arrival. Use the official government portal only.
If you would like a Rajasthan route with a desert day built in at the right pace, tell us your dates and how long you have, and we will suggest where to ride: send us your Rajasthan enquiry.
