State of Rajasthan Favorites

  Chapatti Making
by RAJASTHANBYCAR
 
  • Chapatti Making
      Chapatti Making
    by RAJASTHANBYCAR
  •   Favorites
    by RAJASTHANBYCAR
  •   Favorites
    by RAJASTHANBYCAR
  •   Favorites
    by RAJASTHANBYCAR
  • My sweet Sara beams in front of the Peacock Gate
      My sweet Sara beams in front of the...
    by 850prc
 
Find the perfect activity!
Expedia.com Book early before things sell out. Skip long lines and save on tickets!
Great Prices, Great Rooms
hotels.com We Know Hotels Inside And Out. Click or call now: 1-800-914-6835

Sponsored Links

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Camel safari: something about the work

by Bonobo2005

During the camel safari, a lot of work has to be done, but it always irritated Lep if I wanted to assist him. I was allowed to help with collecting wood, though, a 2 times daily job. Then he could already start with preparing tea. Also when (un-)saddling and (un-)packing the camels he demanded my help. This is an extensive and accurate job, that is repeated 2 times a day. It’s really a craft to distribute the load correctly over the camels. If the job’s done not well, the camels feel very uncomfortable and they’re not nice to ride on.And we brought a lot into the desert. A big bag of fodder for the camels, food for us enough for 6 days, 2 small tanks of water, numerous blankets, 24 bottles of drinking water and my own backpack.And everywhere we stopped locals came around. They know from experience that tourists bring a lot of delicacies. Lep was very generous. He knew it was a good idea...

Tip Photo
Camel safari: something about water

by Bonobo2005

In this desert area are very few water sources, which are irregularly fed by pipelines from town. At these places it was always very crowded and lively. People from nearby settlements came to fill up their water bags, and also huge numbers of camels, cows, sheep and goats –that usually hang around more fertile area’s- cover large distances for their daily drink.Of course our camels had to drink as well (daily or once in 2 days) and Lep took that into account when planning our route. For me this always was some kind of highlight. As there was an opportunity to visit the villages, I could observe desert life closely and mingle with the friendly people. Kids approached me and took me to their parents houses, where I had to take their pictures and where they offered local products like opium, desert wine or crafts products.

Tip Photo
Camel Safari: something about camels

by Bonobo2005

Camels are fairly relaxed and slow animals, that are much more easy to steer and ride than horses. Unlike during my horsetrek in Kyrgyzstan, I didn’t suffer from saddle soreness at all; I only felt the muscles a bit in the beginning.One of the 2 (male) camels was in his yearly mating quarter; As soon as a female was around he started producing impressive gargling noises and he wagged his tail strongly between his legs.My camel boy annex guide Lep said he already had been bitten by an angry and helpless camel before and that I had to be careful. So I rode the other one, that instantly hardly wanted to listen to me. It took quite a while before I managed the local command for “sit down”. But the reins were fastened through the nostrils, so I learned fast to make him listen in the end!A less attractive feature of the camels is that they are extremely flatulent. They produce gigantic farts...

Tip Photo
Camel safari: looking for a chicken all day

by Bonobo2005

The fifth day we searched most of the day for a chicken. That’s what I had negotiated with Mieerh! But according to Lep it was not that easy to find one. He had already informed at the village the day before, but no chickens there!Chickens are not common in the desert and are only eaten at very special occasions!Eventually we obtained one at an abandoned settlement where only one family still lived. After lunch he skilfully slaughtered the animal and when he wanted to halt in the vicinity of a group of houses that evening, I refused staying there. While the kids already came out to beg, I felt so much ashamed of the chicken (locals only eat chicken at very rare occasions, like weddings), and there would never be enough for all.The 6th day I was fed up with the solitude and I told Lep that I wanted be back in Jaisalmer before lunch, something that he approved heartily. Of course he...

Tip Photo
Camel safari: sleep under the stars

by Bonobo2005

During the second night, just after we were asleep, our dog woke me up with a lot of noise. This dog followed us all the time and defended it’s territory heroically. Suddenly a man stood besides my sleeping bag, who started arguing heavily with Lep. The man left and Lep told me; “this man is crazy, he will come back soon”! It frightened me a bit. It were so vulnerable here, sleeping in the sand!The stranger came back at sunrise and turned out to be, besides curious, aiming at no more than a share in our breakfast!We always slept in the dunes, under the amazingly star filled sky. After some nights I could even recognise them and calculate the actual time!

Tip Photo
Camel safari: something about the daily routine

by Bonobo2005

About every day we got into an addictive routine:1. At sunrise: preparing breakfast, doing dishes, saddling and packing the camels;2. Riding for about 3 hours;3. Unloading the camels, preparing lunch, doing dishes, saddle and pack the camels;4. Riding for about 2,5 hours;5. Before sunset: unloading the camels, preparing supper, doing dishes and making up sleeping spot (open air); Lep always consulted me what I wished to eat, but the choice was, of course, limited. The common menu was: Breakfast: Indian tea (Chai), followed by toast with jam, porridge and fruit (banana or orange)Lunch: Chai, instant noodles with fresh vegetables or lentils and herbs, together with chapatti (Indian flat bread);Supper: Chai, rice with fresh vegetables or lentils and herbs (richer than lunch), and chapatti;Since he cooked on a small fire, he first made tea, then noodles or rice, then the sauce and vegetables...

Tip Photo
Jaisalmer: organise a camel safari

by Bonobo2005

In Jaisalmer, the main activity is organising a camel safari. I never had been on a camel before, neither did I travel that intensively in the desert and I really wanted to experience it.The season of 2001/02 was disastrous due to 09/11 and the tensions with Pakistan on the border.And, to be honest, with such large numbers of troops in Jaisalmer, an ever continuing flow of vehicles and tanks driving through the Rajasthani desert towards the border, and the never ending noise of the military planes above the area, made the region a bit less attractive indeed. But I didn’t believe there was a war upcoming, and didn’t feel unsafe for a single second!Mieerh brought me tea, rum en cigarettes and of course he soon brought up the camel trek. He told me that next day a nice Norwegian girl and a French couple took off for 6 days in the desert, and that they were looking for others. I was charmed...

Tip Photo
Blue Houses of Jodhpur

by herzog63

You can get a good view of the Blue Houses of Jodhpur from the Meherangarh Fort! It is a pretty nice experience to wander around the houses also. The people were pretty friendly and I had a great time! The kids can be a little bothersome at times but just have fun with it!

Tip Photo
Jodhpur Fort

by herzog63

The Jodhpur Fort is called the Meherangarh or Majestic Fort! It deserves it's name. I spent some time hanging around the fort and writing some letters home from the edge of the fort. In the mornings when all is calm and your sitting on the edge of the walls you can hear the voices of the locals travelling across the city and rise right up to you. It is quite magical! It was for me anyway! You will see lot's of houses all painted in a beautiful blue that used to signifiy the home of a Brahmin. But now I think it is a city identity. It does make the city look nice though!.

Tip Photo
Jagniwas Island - Udaipur

by herzog63

I didn't actually go out to the island as it is the home of a Luxury Hotel but it looked cool anyway. It might be a nice place to stay if you've got the cash! Part of the James Bond Film Octopussy was filmed here!

Tip Photo
Related State of Rajasthan Favorites Tips

Top 3 Hotels in State of Rajasthan

Neemrana Fort-Palace  State of Rajasthan

 2 Reviews and 235 Opinions  This is such a lovely place, whether for a couple celebrating their love or for a singleton,... 

 Hotels in State of Rajasthan

Taj Rambagh Palace  Jaipur

 4 Reviews and 330 Opinions  First Impression - Smartly dressed staff greeted us upon arrival and escorted us to the reception.... 

 Hotels in Jaipur

Taj Lake Palace  Udaipur

 9 Reviews and 552 Opinions  A resplendent creation in marble sparkling amid the calm waters of the Lake Pichola, (Udaipur), is... 

 Hotels in Udaipur

584 Hotels in State of Rajasthan
 
Explore the World
Travel Destinations
Travel Highlights

The Place

Reviews and photos of State of Rajasthan attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for State of Rajasthan sightseeing.

Experience State of Rajasthan
Favorites: Cities in State of Rajasthan
  1. Jaipur Favorites
  2. Udaipur Favorites
  3. Jaisalmer Favorites
  4. Jodhpur Favorites
  5. Fatehpur Sikri Favorites
  6. Shimla Favorites
  7. Bikaner Favorites
  8. Bharatpur Favorites
  9. Ajmer Favorites
  10. Udaipur Favorites
  11. Fatehpur Favorites
  12. Bundi Favorites
  13. Barmer Favorites
  14. Chittaurgarh Favorites
  15. Bassi Favorites

More Cities in State of Rajasthan

 

Questions and Answers

srorly profile photo

Q:  Hello! I will travel to India in December this year. I intend to visit the Ranthambore National Park and do a safari in a... 

lynnehamman profile photo

A: Hi We stayed here, and it is THE very best value. It is actually inside the park. Just copy and paste the link into your browser. However, you cannot do the safari... 

Read 4 Replies

postQuestion_button

Click here for best deals for Rajasthan

Plenty of choices
agoda.com Save up to 75%, Don't miss! Live support, Instant confirmation.
Save up to 50% off Hotels Everyday
Expedia.com Photos, Reviews and the Guaranteed Lowest Prices
Find the perfect activity!
Expedia.com Book early before things sell out. Skip long lines and save on tickets!
Vacation Package Specialists
Expedia Vacations Save on flight + hotel packages. Click or call now: 1 - 800-713-8214

Sponsored Links