I went to the desert in India.

Generally, when you think of traveling to India, images of the Taj Mahal or the Ganges River might come to mind, but you can also have fun in the desert.
This is quite an interesting experience, so let me introduce the activities in the desert area this time!

Desert activities in India are fascinating!

I visited the area of Jaisalmer, located in the northwestern part of India in the state of Rajasthan.
This area is largely covered by desert and has many yellow buildings, earning it the nickname 'Golden City' due to its scenery.

I had my desert experience in an area called the Sam Desert.

In reality, when I stayed at a local glamping facility, the staff there took me to the desert in a jeep.
(It seems that having the option to be taken to the desert is quite common when staying in this area.)

After hopping into a jeep from the accommodation and traveling for about 10 minutes, a vast desert stretching to the horizon comes into view!
The driver didn't slow down much, going up and down the dunes like a roller coaster.
Even grown adults were shouting with joy, haha.

According to the guide, building accommodations in the middle of the desert is prohibited by the government, so desert camps are usually set up near the desert.
Because if tourists stay in the desert, it gets dirty with littering...
I see.

In the desert, there were various activities like riding camels, driving buggies, and paragliding, and it was so much fun.
I rode a camel, and the only fee was a tip of 100 rupees (about 200 yen) to the boy who led the camel. Cheap...

Just watching the sun slowly set over the desert horizon was an experience that made me feel glad I came on this trip.

Stargazing in the desert at night

Actually, you can visit this desert at night as well.
In our case, the accommodation staff took us again by jeep around midnight.

When we arrived at the desert, there were no other people, and only silence surrounded us.
When the jeep's lights were turned off, there was no light at all, and a sky full of stars came into view.
We just quietly watched the starry sky and took a short walk in the deserted desert, but it was truly a precious experience.

By the way, the accommodation staff made a bonfire and served us warm chai.
It was quite chilly at night, so the warm chai we drank in the middle of the desert was very delicious.
It was a precious experience that I look back on fondly.

By the way, if you request in advance, it seems possible to stay overnight in the desert using a sleeping bag.
Well, it was cold at night, so glamping felt sufficient, but if you're interested, why not inquire about it?

I never thought I could have the perfect 'camel in the desert' experience in India.
In the case of India, it's worth incorporating a desert experience into an itinerary that includes various tourist spots.
(Personally, the desert area (Jaisalmer) was the most enjoyable part of my trip to India.)

When visiting India, be sure to consider staying in the desert area!