Top things to see and do in Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer Fort (Sonar Quila). The reason you came, and one of the most extraordinary places in Rajasthan. Founded in 1156 by Rawal Jaisal on the triangular Trikuta hill, this vast yellow-sandstone fortress is a living fort — a walled town of narrow lanes, homes, temples, guesthouses, shops and rooftop cafés where several thousand people still live inside the ramparts. You enter through a sequence of gateways (pols) and simply wander: the views over the golden town below are superb, and the fort glows most beautifully at sunrise and sunset. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of the Hill Forts of Rajasthan (inscribed 2013). One responsible-travel note: the fort's medieval drainage was never designed for today's population and tourist volumes, and water seepage has become a real conservation concern, so use water sparingly if you stay or eat inside. Entry to the fort precinct is free; individual sites within it (the palace museum, the Jain temples) charge separately — verify current fees before visiting.
Jain Temples inside the fort. A cluster of intricately carved Jain temples, dating in stages from around the 12th to the 16th centuries, sits within the fort walls, connected by corridors and dedicated to various Tirthankaras. They are a masterclass in Jaisalmer's signature sandstone carving — dense with figures, filigree and columned halls — and far quieter than the fort's main lanes. Visitor hours are usually limited to the morning, entry is inexpensive, and photography may carry a small charge or be restricted; dress modestly and remove leather items. Verify timings and fees before visiting.
Raj Mahal (Fort Palace Museum). The former royal palace of the Jaisalmer rulers, rising over the fort's main square (Dashera Chowk), is now a museum you can tour, ending on the rooftop for one of the best panoramas of the town and desert. Displays cover the Bhati dynasty, royal artefacts and the fort's history. There is an entry fee, often including an audio guide; verify before visiting.
Patwon Ki Haveli. The grandest of Jaisalmer's merchant mansions and, for many, the highlight of the old town. It is not one building but a cluster of five havelis built in the early 19th century by the wealthy trader Guman Chand Patwa and his family — the "mansion of the brocade merchants" — and its façade is a riot of carved balconies, brackets and stone screens so fine they look like lacework. Some sections are museums; others house shops. Allow an hour to take in the carving and the interior courtyards. There is an entry fee for the museum portions; verify before visiting.
Nathmal Ki Haveli. A late-19th-century mansion built as the residence of Jaisalmer's then prime minister, famous for a charming quirk of construction: it was reputedly carved by two brothers working simultaneously on the two halves, producing a façade that is subtly asymmetric yet harmonious. Look for the carved elephants flanking the entrance and the fine detailing of horses, flowers and even motifs the carvers picked up from the wider world. Part of it remains occupied; you can admire the exterior freely and view accessible sections. Entry is nominal or free; verify before visiting.
Salim Singh Ki Haveli. A dramatic 19th-century haveli built by the powerful — and, by repute, ruthless — prime minister Salim Singh Mehta, instantly recognisable for its peacock-shaped upper storeys and the tier of arched, bracketed balconies crowning it. Its descendants still own part of the building, so only a portion is open, but the distinctive silhouette makes it one of the most photographed structures in town. There is a small entry fee for the open section; verify before visiting.
Gadisar Lake. A serene, man-made rainwater tank on the southeastern edge of town, originally created in the 12th century by Rawal Jaisal and rebuilt in the 14th century by Maharawal Gadsi Singh — for centuries the town's principal water source in a land with almost none. Today it is a peaceful escape ringed by ghats, small temples, shrines and chhatris, entered through the ornate Tilon-ki-Pol gateway. You can hire a paddle or rowing boat, and in winter migratory birds gather here. It is loveliest at sunrise and sunset; entry is free, with a small charge for boating.
Bada Bagh. About six kilometres north of town, this is the royal cenotaph complex of the Jaisalmer maharawals — rows of domed sandstone chhatris on a low rise, each memorialising a former ruler, set in what was once a garden watered by an ancient dam. It is one of the finest sunset viewpoints in the area, the low light setting the yellow stone ablaze, and the modern wind turbines on the ridge behind make for a striking old-meets-new contrast. There is a small entry fee; verify before visiting.
Kuldhara (abandoned village). Roughly 18 kilometres southwest of Jaisalmer, Kuldhara is the atmospheric ruin of a village founded by Paliwal Brahmins around the late 13th century and, according to local legend, abandoned overnight in the early 19th century — its people said to have left en masse, cursing the land as they went. Whatever the truth, the roofless sandstone houses and empty lanes make for an eerie, photogenic stop, now maintained as a heritage site. There is a modest entry fee; verify before visiting.
Sam and Khuri sand dunes. The dunes of the Thar are Jaisalmer's other signature experience (covered in detail in the day-trips section). Sam, about 40–42 km west, has the largest, most dramatic dunes and the liveliest, most organised scene — camel rides, jeep dune-bashing, and evenings of folk music and dance. Khuri, about 45 km southwest, is a quieter desert village with a gentler, more rustic feel. Sunset over the dunes, from a camel's back or the crest of a ridge, is the classic Jaisalmer moment.
Desert National Park. Spreading over roughly 3,162 square kilometres southwest of Jaisalmer, this is one of India's largest national parks and the best window onto the true Thar ecosystem — sand dunes, scrub, rocky ridges and salt flats. It shelters chinkara, blackbuck, desert fox and desert cat, well over a hundred bird species, and, most famously, the Great Indian Bustard (Godawan), Rajasthan's critically endangered state bird, of which only a small remnant population survives. Access is by permit and hired jeep with a local guide; arrange it through a reputable operator, and verify permit requirements and fees before visiting.