The second largest city (after Jaipur) in Rajasthan, Jodhpur is an architecture feast for sore eyes. The older historic section of the city of Jodhpur is located around the grand Mehrangarh Fort which is bounded by a wall and several gates. Winding streets and unending bazaars run throughout the city that are littered with shops and thronged by visitors throughout the year. Also referred to as the Blue City, Jodhpur is home to the magnificent Umaid Bhawan Palace. A five-hour-drive from the hill-station of Mount Abu, Jodhpur makes for a perfect getaway once the hill station’s charms stop making an impression on you.
The Mehrangarh Fort at Jodhpur is famous for its architecture, the views on offer, as well as its museum – which has a collection of palanquins, howdahs, weapons, paintings, and clothes. The adrenaline addicts may want to swing across the skies by registering for the fort’s aerial ‘zip’ tour, which entails being strapped to a rope and, well, zipped around.
You’ll have to leave for Jaisalmer at least by 1:00 pm, if you intend to see the sunset. If you’ve got time to spare, you may want to spend some at the government museum, which is best known for its collection of stuffed animals and desert birds. This museum also contains ancient teaching materials, and an exhibition of handicrafts.
The road to Jaisalmer is a good one, and you can drive at over 100 km an hour nearly all the way through. Head straight for Khuri village if you want to catch the sunset over the sand dunes. The resorts that organise jeep and camel safaris into the desert also put up folk entertainment shows and offer a typical Rajasthani dinner.
With good planning, you can spend the night at the desert, but since the next day will involve a long journey, you may want to spend the night on a soft bed in the comfort of a hotel room.