Amongst all the places to see in Jaisalmer, the Jaisalmer Fort is the largest. It is in fact, one of the largest forts around the world. Located on the Tirukuta Hill, this fort was built by Rao Jaisal, one of the mightiest rulers of Jaislamer. Due to its location at the golden stretches of the Thar Desert, this fort is also known as the ‘Sonar Quila’ or the ‘Golden Fort’.
Located on the outskirts of Jaisalmer, Khuri sand dunes are a popular visiting spot. The Khuri village is one of the best places to visit in Jaisalmer to witness how people live in a desert. You can see the many mud and straw houses at Khuri. These homes have impressive exterior decorations. Camel riding is one of the main activities in this village and while visiting this village, you can explore the vast expanses of the desert outskirts on a camel back.
Located 18 km away from Jaisalmer, the Kuldhara village is known as the ghost village. Lying abandoned from the past few centuries, this village has no signs of human life and is also known as one of the haunted places in Rajasthan. However, during the contemporary times, this hamlet has become one of the significantly visited places in Jaisalmer. A clan of eighty-five villages, Kuldhara was once inhabited by the Paliwal Brahmins, but due to some adverse happenings, the natives evacuated the village within a night.
A visit to the Desert National Park will give a better understanding of how the plants and animals have survived the aridness of the Thar Desert. Displaying the unique range and collection of different species of flora and fauna, this museum attracts the nature enthusiasts and the botanists to a large extent.
Even though Jaisalmer is known to be a desert city, the rulers made attempts to add some greenery to its landscape. The Bada Bagh was one such endeavour that stood the test of time and is now a sprawling garden. Located six kilometers from Jaisalmer, this garden complex is home to the royal tombs and is among the popular places to visit in Jaisalmer.
An architectural marvel in the streets of the city and marked by intricate carving and murals is what Patwon ki Haveli is. Built in the 19th century, this Patwon ki Haveli is a combination of 5 different havelis in one single premise. It consists of a museum having rare artifacts, furniture work, miniatures, mirror-work and a large collection of paintings and interestingly, used to be a hotspot for travelers all around the world.
Maharwal Gadsi Singh, the then Maharaja of Jaisalmer constructed this lake in 1400 AD. The lake was originally built as a conservation reservoir for rainwater harvesting; during the ancient times, and it happened to be one of the major water sources for the entire city.