Jaisalmer

The fort, along with most of the palaces, havelis, and even the temples, is built from yellow local sandstone that glows from within, shaded from light amber by day to deep honey-gold as the sun begins to sink. The Sonar Kella, which is a more romantic moniker, is at its best by twilight when its 99 bastions gain a sort of metallic sheen, casting its spell on this golden city, which itself is built upon a small rocky hill named Trikuta, the foundations of which were laid as long ago as 1156, 900 years ago, by Rawal Jaisal of the Bhati Rajputs.

October and February. Daytime highs are around 18C (64F) to 26C (79F), while the clear desert nights are cool and ideal for stargazing. The light here during this period is often superb, particularly at dawn and dusk, when the sandstone colours are deepest gold. Jaisalmer Desert Festival: During the full moon in the month of Magh (generally January or February), Rajasthan’s colourful desert festival offers another brilliant occasion to time a visit around. By May, temperatures soar past 42C (107F), and in June they often creep into the mid-to-high 40 °C (46–48 °C).

Stay at least two to three nights; you can reserve one night for the fort, which takes at least three hours (including the Jain temples in its compound and an evening walk through its residential lanes). The three imposing havelis, Gadisar Lake, and the bazaars fit best on day two. Day three should focus on desert life, with a visit to Sam Sand Dunes (42 km from the city) and an afternoon and evening there. For more time, include a camel safari ( multi-day) and visits to the haunted village of Kuldhara and Bada Bagh cenotaphs.

Built in 1156 CE, Jaisalmer Fort is one of the world’s rare ‘living’ forts, as the stone walls still enclose about 4000 inhabitants. Jaisalmer also has Jain temples built between the 12th and 15th centuries, featuring some of Rajasthan’s finest stonework. At the same time, the three grand merchant havelis, Patwon Ki Haveli, Salim Singh Ki Haveli and Nathmal Ki Haveli, boast exquisite golden sandstone carving on their exteriors. Excavated in 1367 as the main water reservoir for the city, Gadisar Lake is tranquil at dawn; at Bada Bagh, north of the town, are royal cenotaphs at late afternoon, whereas the Sam dunes are at their best at sunset: this is “the” desert experience.

They are Rajasthan’s finest examples of merchant architecture, dating back to rich Jain trading clans who made their fortunes in the city because it was an entrepot on the old Silk Road. The most imposing of these, and the largest, is Patwon Ki Haveli – the group of five interconnecting homes of a Patwa family, built between 1800 and 1860. Their façades are so deeply and fantastically carved they seem more like lace than stone; Salim Singh Ki Haveli, from the early 19th century, has a distinctive Peacock topping on the uppermost tier, and Nathmal Ki Haveli (designed in 1885) was commissioned to be carved from both sides by two brothers until they met somewhere in the middle, resulting in a design of almost perfect symmetry. The three are easily within walking distance of the fort.

Yes, and this can be truly unique when done well in India. Typically, you go on a sunset camel ride or jeep safari near Sam Sand Dunes, 42 km from town, and have an evening of folk music, a bonfire, and a night in a luxury camp under the dazzling desert stars. Luxury camp near the Serai, which is a private game reserve 35km from the city, but a superior interpretation of the standard. Alternatively, go to the dunes near the small village of Khuri, 48 km southwest; there are fewer tourist facilities and a simpler arrangement of tents run by local staff, serving authentic food, which some prefer to larger, more commercial-style camps.

Suryagarh (6 km outside town) is our area’s best bet for a pure luxury experience, with well-designed rooms decorated in an elegant desert style. If you crave total desert immersion, book into The Serai (35 km away), a private-estate tented camp. Fort Rajwada (just outside the fort walls) offers a very pleasant mid-luxury stay with views to the fort. Avoid staying inside the fort itself, where years of house guests accommodated within have eroded some of the structural foundations, something most organisations point out directly.

You’ll be treated to embroidery, mirror work and camel leather items, the crafts of the Thar Desert. Look out for camel leather bags, belts and shoes, a speciality that is freely available. Chunky, desert-style silver jewellery studded with semi-precious stones can also make for interesting purchases. Pansari Lane, close to the fort, is best for textile and spice merchants, while the lanes running off from the vicinity of the three havelis sell craft goods of acceptable quality for slightly less than the entrance to the fort shops.

Yes, it was added in 2013 as part of the Hill Forts of Rajasthan, a group of six forts recognised for their excellent Rajput military architecture: Amber (in Jaipur), Jaisalmer, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore, Gagron, and Chittorgarh. Of these, Jaisalmer is probably the most notable, not least because it is one of the handful of living forts in the world with a significant resident community that has lived within its walls continuously for more than nine centuries.

The three-day annual festival, celebrated on the full moon of the Hindu month of Magh, which often falls around January or February, is a Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation event. Events take place all over the city, as well as at the Sam Sand Dunes: camel races and adornment contests, turban tying, the hugely popular Mr Desert competition, singing and dancing performances, puppetry, and traditional sporting games are held, and the occasion of the full moon at the dunes is where the actual spectacle begins-hotel rooms get booked up fully months in advance.