From Desert Dawn to Golden Forts – Our Jaisalmer Day 2 Experience

Day 2 of our Rajasthan trip was a perfect combination of desert sunrise, camel rides, adventure sports, heritage sightseeing, lake views, and a comedy series created by our group of friends — unintentionally, of course.

If Day 1 was about settling into the desert, Day 2 was the real “Rajasthan experience”—golden sand dunes, warm hospitality, ancient forts, chaotic jeep rides, and food that we still argue about.

A Magical Start: Sunrise in the Thar Desert

We woke up before sunrise, half-asleep, half-frozen, and fully excited. The entire desert was dark, silent, and still — as if someone had pressed the mute button on nature.

Except us.

Because we didn’t have toothpaste.

😂 The Toothpaste Story

The camp didn’t provide it, and out of five adults, only one person had some left. My husband confidently said,

“Harsh must have toothpaste. Just go take it from his tent.”

Our tents were in a row — two couples and then Harsh’s tent. When I reached his tent, the door was locked from outside. I stood there wondering why he would lock himself out. So I went to the other couple, Yaad and Rupi, and they casually said,

“Yes, he’s inside. We locked him for safety because the latch wasn’t working.”

I literally said, “What the hell!”

Who locks someone for safety in the desert?!

Anyway, we rescued him, took the toothpaste, and all got ready by 7:30 AM.

Camel Ride at Sunrise – The Real Desert Experience

Our day started with the camel ride included in our package. They brought three camels — one for each couple and one for our “solo king” Harsh. (Honestly, we truly wish he finds a Rajasthani girl soon so we have an excuse to visit again!)

The camel guide warned us:

“When the camel gets up, lean back. Otherwise, aap seedhe niche.”

When my camel stood up, I felt like I was about to somersault into the desert. Thankfully, gravity was kind that morning.

Our camel guide had one mission — to scare me.

He kept asking,
“Madam, fast chalayein? Run karwaye?”
And I kept replying,
“No please! The sand is not even flat. If we fall, you won’t find us!”

We reached the ridge just as the sun peeked over the dunes.
The entire sky turned orange and pink, and the sand looked like melted gold. It was calm, silent, and unbelievably beautiful — the kind of moment you wish you could pause forever.

We clicked pictures, laughed, soaked in the view, and returned to the camp.

Meanwhile, the boys decided to race their camels.
Imagine two grown men bouncing like popcorn kernels — that’s the visual.

Breakfast, Packing & Heading for Adventure

We had a simple yet filling breakfast: sandwiches, aloo-puri, curd and tea.

We packed our bags, kept them in one tent, and a jeep arrived to take us for desert adventure activities.

Quad Biking – Desert Thrill Level 100

The desert had different adventure zones. We chose quad biking first — each couple sharing one bike with a pilot.

Our pilot had only one goal: scare me.

“Madam, fast chalayein? Jump? Drift?”

Before I could even say “no,” he started drifting, circling, hitting bumps — and I screamed so much that even the desert wind paused to listen.

But I loved it.

The bike ride gave us a thrilling, adrenaline-pumping tour of the dunes.

After our turn, Harsh went next while we clicked pictures and booked the jeep safari.

Jeep Safari – The Most Chaotic, Hilarious Adventure of the Trip

We thought we would record videos.
Instead, we spent the entire ride bumping into each other, hitting our heads, screaming, laughing, and holding on to anything we could grab.

Desert jeep safaris aren’t rides —
they’re full-body workouts.

But absolutely worth it.

Motor Gliding – Flying Over the Dunes

Next stop — motor gliding.
Deep really wanted to try it, but the price was too high. After bargaining, we got it for ₹3500.

The ride lasted around 10–15 minutes. When he came back, Deep said it was amazing but scary.m He sat right in front, with nothing to hold onto. The pilot made the glider tilt left and right, giving him an extra dose of fear.

In his words,

“It was amazing… and also, I almost died.”

We laughed, clicked a few more photos, and headed back to the camp to check out.

Drive to Jaisalmer: Celebrity Wedding Buzz

On the way to Jaisalmer, we saw large palace-style resorts with heavy security. A local informed us:

“Celebrity wedding chal rahi hai.”

We checked, and yes—Sidharth Malhotra & Kiara Advani were getting married on 7th February.

Did they invite us?
No. Rude.

Check-in at Hotel Surya Villas

Our hotel, Surya Villas, was right opposite Vyas Chhatri.

Carved jharokhas, colourful umbrellas, warm lighting, Rajasthani décor — it had the perfect golden-city vibe.

After resting, we got ready to explore Jaisalmer Fort.

Exploring Jaisalmer Fort – A City Within a Fort

We reached around 2 PM.
Before entering, we grabbed some fresh mixed fruit juice because Rajasthan sun is no joke.

Entry tickets:
₹50 per person (₹250 for foreigners)

Exploring Jaisalmer Fort felt like entering a giant maze made of golden stone. The fort is huge — so huge that you never really know whether you’re entering a new section, exiting an old one, or simply walking in circles. There are barely any signs, so most of the time you depend on passersby:

“Madam, museum udhar.”
“Temple yahan se.”
“Palace straight jao.”

At one point, coming back to the starting gate felt like solving a puzzle game. Every lane opened into another, every corner looked similar, and yet every turn had something new.

We explored the Royal Palace, where the actual royal life of Jaisalmer comes alive — gold-plated beds, walls and ceilings carved with stones, ancient utensils, royal artefacts, and so many details that honestly… I hardly remember half of what I saw. It was overwhelming in the best way.

What I do remember clearly are the narrow local shops inside the fort, and a lively chowk where a single chair is placed — the spot where kings once conducted meetings and made decisions. On the right side, a small museum was running a video documentary showcasing the history of the royal family, which was fascinating to watch.

A bit ahead, we found a cannon point from where you can see the entire golden city spread out like a postcard. Then there was a beautifully carved Jain temple, where the architecture itself felt like a piece of art. Women were performing traditional Kathputli dance, adding charm to the atmosphere. We even saw a peaceful little pond inside the fort with another temple at the far end.

There is just so much inside Jaisalmer Fort — every wall, every corner, every lane has something to tell. By the time we ended, we felt like we had explored a mini city rather than a fort.

We spent nearly three hours exploring different corners of the fort. Even though we had eaten earlier, we still grabbed roasted sweet corn inside the fort before leaving.

Patwon Ki Haveli – A Stunning Architectural Gem

Next, we visited Patwon Ki Haveli, a cluster of five havelis known for its intricate Our next stop was Patwon Ki Haveli.

It was filled with old artefacts — silver cradles, antique utensils, beautiful artwork, carved rooms, and perfectly preserved heritage interiors.

Entry was around ₹50–60 per person.

We skipped Nathmal Ki Haveli thinking it would be similar.

Gadisar Lake – Peaceful Evening in Jaisalmer

By 6:30 PM, we reached Gadisar Lake, one of the most peaceful sunset spots in the city.

Floating chhatris, small temples, and calm water made it the perfect place to slow down after a long day.

Boating wasn’t available, so we skipped it.
Instead, we bought attar, earrings, and had tea and coffee from the lakeside vendors.

There was a light & sound show, but our stomachs were louder — so we went to search for dinner instead.

Dinner Hunt – A Pretty Rooftop & Terrible Food

We roamed inside the old city lanes searching for a good restaurant.
The lanes were narrow, dirty, and nothing like the royal photos you see online.

Finally, we found a rooftop palace-style restaurant with beautiful décor — jhulas, antique frames, and foreign tourists.

But the food… oh God.

• Malai kofta – sour
• Curd – sour
• Dal – tasteless
• Paneer – hopeless

Only the ambience deserved 5 stars.

As we reached our hotel late at night, dusty, tired, and laughing about the day’s chaos, one thing was clear — Rajasthan has a way of surprising you. The golden dunes, the ancient fort, the peaceful lake, the adventure rides, and even the disastrous dinner… everything came together to create a day we will remember forever.

Thank you for reading.

That’s a wrap on Day 2 in Jaisalmer!

Join us next as we continue our journey to Jodhpur — exploring its gardens, markets, and vibrant streets. Don’t miss the adventure