Day 1: The Long Drive to Jaisalmer
We were so happy and excited for our long-awaited 7-day trip to Rajasthan. Honestly, the trip had already begun even before the “real” trip started.
My husband and packed our bags, took our vehicle, and drove to my cousin’s house. Three more people were joining us — a newlywed couple and our nephew (whom we jokingly call the “side wheel” of the group).
We slept around 11–11:30 PM and set our alarm for 3:00 AM sharp. The plan was clear: leave early and reach Jaisalmer by evening, no matter what.
So, on the morning of 5 February, all five of us geared up for the trip. Our families were not very happy — the usual Indian parents’ worry, wanting to keep their children safe at home. But we convinced them: “Don’t worry, we’ll call every day. We’ll be fine.”
We started our journey at 4 AM. There was no sunrise yet — only pitch-black roads. While people were still tucked under warm blankets, there we were: five people on the road, refusing to let the chilled winter stop us.
We played songs, laughed, teased each other, and enjoyed the ride. Soon hunger kicked in, so we decided to stop at Bikaner for our first meal. We kept searching for a good restaurant or dhaba, but couldn’t find even one. Just as Bikaner was about to end, we spotted a small local dhaba where a few drivers were eating, and we decided to stop.
We ordered our favourite Punjabi breakfast: aloo paranthas with lots of butter, curd, and tea.
The first parantha took 15 minutes, and it disappeared within seconds — we were starving. But the next one again took 15–20 minutes. We joked, “Are they making paranthas or doing mehendi design on them?”
It took almost an hour for our meal.
When the bill came, it was slightly less than expected. Being the calculating one, I said, “Isn’t it supposed to be this much?” The guy cutting the bill heard me and said, “Yes, ma’am is right,” and corrected it.
Within seconds, I got a mixture of angry-but-laughing stares from everyone.
After filling our stomachs, we got back on the road, full of masti, dance moves, songs, and endless laughter. Rajasthan’s people caught our attention immediately — the colourful clothes, the calm vibes, and the driving style where nobody gives way; they simply gesture with their hand for you to stop so they can pass. And most people still prefer walking, camel carts, or cycles.
This fun mood didn’t last long — we suddenly saw a speeding camera flash. All of us went silent.
We prayed it didn’t capture us and made a hundred excuses in our heads… but soon a message arrived:
Over-speeding fine: ₹1500.
The speed limit was too low for such a blank road with almost no traffic. Our excitement dimmed for a bit… until we started seeing deer and peacocks along the roadside. That lifted our mood again.
I loved those roads — empty highways, sand on both sides, sparse trees, random houses far apart, and animals gracefully moving around.
After a long drive, we found a sandy patch where we spotted a deer running behind a small sand mound. We stopped to take pictures. The place was beautiful — small sand hills all around and a completely open sandy area in the centre.
We clicked photos, ran around like kids, did silly poses, and just enjoyed the moment. Soon, other travellers also stopped, seeing us taking pictures. After a short break, we resumed our journey.
Just after crossing Phalodi, tthe raffic police stopped us again. Another guy was already pleading with them not to issue him a challan.
Our turn came, and the officer asked for a fine of ₹1000. We told him we had just paid one. He gave us the challan anyway and warned us to drive slowly.
Our speed was only 120 km/hr, but in Rajasthan, the limit is 100 km/hr.
We continued driving because Jaisalmer was still around 250 km away.
We eventually reached the Jaisalmer War Memorial, which was already on our itinerary and right on the road. So we decided to stop.
The place is full of emotion — statues of martyrs, their pictures, weapons, and a documentary dedicated to soldiers who sacrificed their lives for us.
We spent around 1 to 1.5 hours there.
They also have clean restrooms, so we freshened up.
For a quick snack, we grabbed patties, burgers, sandwiches, shakes, coffee, and tea. We avoided filling our stomachs too much because our camp stay included dinner and cultural activities.
We had booked one night at Desert King Resort Camps at Sam Sand Dunes, roughly 42–43 km from the city.
The drive towards the camps was beautiful — massive windmills on both sides, roads going up and down like a roller coaster, camels occasionally crossing, people returning from desert safaris, the sun setting in warm orange shades, and endless tourist jeeps honking.
Our camp was almost at the far end. As soon as we reached, we were welcomed by a girl dancing to a Rajasthani song with her partner playing music. Another girl greeted us with a traditional tilak thali.
We recorded everything like typical tourists and then went inside.
The camp area was big — a small room at the entrance leading to a wide open space where the camp rooms were arranged in a U-shape. The centre had a stage and sitting area for cultural performances.
We kept our luggage, freshened up, and joined the cultural program. Around 3–4 singers performed Rajasthani folk songs, and dancers performed different styles. We were served hot tea and fritters.
Sitting under the open sky, sipping tea, and watching beautiful performances was truly soothing.
After the program, we went to the dining area for a traditional dinner — dal baati churma and other dishes. Then we headed to our camp to rest.
Honestly, the camp stay wasn’t hygienic. The rooms were decent, but the food wasn’t enjoyable. Behind the camp, there was a pile of garbage.
I could hardly sleep because the next camp was blasting loud music, and people were shouting throughout the night.
I would recommend staying at desert camps for only one night — the experience is good, but most camps are not well-maintained.
That was the end of Day 1 of our Rajasthan trip.
If you enjoyed this part, you’ll love what comes next.
Click here for Part 2 — Jaisalmer Fort, serene lakes, and everything we explored next.