Khimsar

Khimsar is a village in the Nagaur region, located midway between Jodhpur and Bikaner along the eastern rim of the Thar Desert. The same family of Rajput rulers has continuously inhabited the 16th-century fort which forms Khimsar's centre for almost 500 years. Unlike the large tourist centres, Khimsar maintains the ambience of a real, functioning desert settlement rather than a tour economy - indeed, members of the descendancy continue to inhabit parts of the fort – and its own dunes, scrublands, and herds of antelope provide the real feeling of isolation found at Jaisalmer’s world-famous dune sites but can no longer guarantee.

Rao Karamsji, the eighth son of Rao Jodha (founder of Jodhpur), built the fort in 1523 and became its chief, establishing the Karamsot Rathor clan's seat. The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb lodged in the fort during campaigns and visits to Nagaur, adding a distinct Mughal aura to its Rajput character. An eighteenth-century women’s apartments (zenana) were added later. Marks of battle still feature on the fort's walls, and its old stables, towers, and cannons carry a palpable militaristic atmosphere; parts are still privately occupied by the family who built it.

Spanning eleven acres of gardens and orchards, framed by dunes, the fort has rooms inside, but you can choose between eco-conscious huts and tents in a dune village a few kms away for the ultimate desert experience. Evening cultural displays featuring folk music and dance beside bonfires on dune tops, a camel safari or jeep safari to spot blackbuck, or a walking tour through local farms would complete your stay. The restaurant serves traditional Rajasthani cuisine with a few nuances, thanks to the Nagaur district style, which is a shade different from Jodhpur’s version.

You can spot blackbuck, chinkara and nilgai grazing in the scrubland here. A refuge about 16 km from the fort offers close encounters with these antelope species in your jeep. Camel treks across nearby dunes offer sunrise and sunset views of the arid environment, while desert birds like sandgrouse, larks, and several raptors inhabit the area year-round. The landscape's remote feel allows for unique wildlife encounters.

Also try this: One of the biggest - and most genuine - cattle and livestock markets in India, the fair at Nagaur town (about 45km north of Khimsar) is held each Jan or Feb and attracts tens of thousands of farmers and traders from all over the state. While Pushkar’s fame is international, Nagaur is real, live commerce happening; in the first couple of days, you'll find trade rather than tourism, and bullock and camel races and folk shows keep the atmosphere lively. It attracts fewer international tourists than Pushkar, and it’s got something raw you may want to witness; taking Khimsar as a base is easy enough (a 45-minute drive).

A day trip to Nagaur Fort (45 kilometres) from Jodhpur. Nagaur Fort is considered one of Rajasthan's largest, least visited, and finest walled citadels and royal residences, one of Rajasthan’s more overlooked heritage jewels. The palaces and gardens have received international awards. Another option for a day or over-day trip is Osian (65 kilometres towards Jodhpur): a collection of beautiful 8th– to 11th–century Jain and Hindu temples. Jodhpur, 92 kilometres away, is doable for a day visit to Mehrangarh Fort & the Blue City, and Bikaner (roughly 130 kilometres) might be a more involved day.

September to March is the best time to visit, with pleasant days and intense, sunny desert heat. If you wish to time it with the Nagaur Cattle Fair, then January should work. April/May get hot, up to 42 to 44 deg C, and June is excessively hot. Rain in this part of the Thar is negligible during the monsoon.

One to two nights. An overnight stay lets you ride a camel across the dunes at sunset, followed by a bonfire and a blackbuck safari the next morning, then onward to Jodhpur or Bikaner. An extra night adds a visit to Nagaur Fort and lets you take on the dunes at a relaxed pace. It is perfectly situated on the road between Jodhpur and Bikaner as an overnight stop rather than a destination in itself, and to break a four-hour journey into two reasonably paced days.

It is nearly 92 km and about a 2-hour drive from Jodhpur on the Jodhpur-Nagaur-Bikaner highway. It’s about 130 km from Bikaner, a 1.5-hour drive. Jodhpur, the nearest airport, is well connected by rail, and Nagaur also has a station, which is a 45-km drive from Khimsar. People prefer arriving in their own cars, booked with an operator or the fort hotel.

This falls most reasonably between Jodhpur and Bikaner and makes perfect sense as your overnight pitstop on this itinerary, as the loop through Jaipur – Jodhpur – Khimsar – Bikaner – Jaisalmer hits all the main desert points with an authentic village buffer that adds much-needed weight and grit to the journey from an overland perspective. Those with time who want to slot in Nagaur Fort will find it works best from Khimsar, as Nagaur Fort offers few options, but Khimsar village fits more comfortably for any traveller who wants a slower pace after Jodhpur as you push into the desert.