Want to see desert and sand dunes

tsk1979 · 13th December 2007, 01:52

Hi guys,
The deepest I have been in Rajasthan is Jaipur. Unfortunately it was very much like Haryana. Just fields and some barren area. No movie style sand dunes. What I mean is sand everywhere the eye can see?
So we are thinking of going somewhere there there are proper sand dunes.
The criteria
1. Drivable from Delhi - 8 hours max would be great
2. Lots of sand, proper dunes
3. Nice places to stay
4. Good roads

ashutoshb · 13th December 2007, 04:01

Your answer is Jaisalmer. You'll get to see the sand dunes and the desert. Actually, the desert starts from Jaisalmer. Following is a pic I clicked of the sand dunes from a village 40 kms from Jaisalmer:

There are two routes you can take.
1: Delhi - Jaipur - Jodhpur - Pokharan - Jaisalmer.
2: Delhi - Jaipur (there is a bypass, so you won't have to go into the jaipur city) - Bikaner - Pokharan - Jaisalmer.

I covered the first route in 5 days so don't know how much time should it take in one go. While coming back it took me 13 hours from Jaisalmer to Noida (Left at 11:00am and reached at 12:00am), which should be less if you leave early in the morning.

tsk1979 · 13th December 2007, 10:50

How good are the roads? Can you point me to a decent place to stay(not too expensive, but safe and nice) in Jaisalmer?
I reckon that the second route is shorter?

spadival · 13th December 2007, 11:07

Yeah.. Jaisalmer is the correct answer !! A cheapish place to stay would be the RTDC hotel there.. But be aware that you'll find sand dunes inside the hotel lobby also !!

Also, don't miss out on the camel ride to the middle of nowhere and the campfire side folk music and dance program. This was featured in the "Best of India" in the last India Today edition and rightly so -> India Today - The most widely read newsweekly in South Asia.

hvkumar · 13th December 2007, 11:13

Sam which is 40 kms from Jaisalmer is the land of sand dunes. You can stay in tent resorts there. Some travel agents organise camel safaris from Jaisalmer to Sam. Sam is also a great place to watch sun set, and very popular with movie folk for dance scenes! Lots of budget hotels in Jaisalmer which is a good base. To travel from Dehi, ideally, drive via Jodhpur and Pokhran.

tsk1979 · 13th December 2007, 11:30

Can we see the site of the nuclear test at pokhran, or its a restricted area?

tsk1979 · 13th December 2007, 11:32

Can somebody post a city by city detailed route please?
Some driving time markers would be nice too.
The car will be an indica capable of 160kmph on downward inclines with a 200kmph tailwind. Normally top speed would be restricted to 120kmph.

simply_sunny001 · 13th December 2007, 11:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Sam which is 40 kms from Jaisalmer is the land of sand dunes. You can stay in tent resorts there.

it will be tough staying for night in tent(unless you are dead drunk) cos we are not habitual of it and it gets very cold at night.

so go there enjoy the camel safari and watch the sunset(best part) and come back to the hotel in night

hvkumar · 13th December 2007, 11:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Can we see the site of the nuclear test at pokhran, or its a restricted area?

Pokhran town is the junction between the Jodhpur-Jaisalmer and Bikaner-Jaislamer roads. I was told that the N-site is around 30 kms in the interior (south side, I think) and still a restricted area. Pokhran itself has an ancient fort and a good RTDC hotel.

spadival · 13th December 2007, 11:51

And I guess there isn't much to see in Pokhran.. probably a big hole in the ground.

We had gone in 2004.. Road stretches are pretty good.. We saw army tanks being transported using tank carriers. If I remember correctly, the road deteriorates just before you enter/leave Jodhpur..
Jodhpur also has a nice fort.

Steeroid · 13th December 2007, 11:54

Find a budget airline and fly to Dubai. Spend a weekend here, see desert, have fun. I'll take care of it personally.

tsk1979 · 13th December 2007, 12:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Find a budget airline and fly to Dubai. Spend a weekend here, see desert, have fun. I'll take care of it personally.

Thanks

. Will do that sometime, right now in severe severe budget mode to finance some big things

simply_sunny001 · 13th December 2007, 12:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979

How good are the roads? Can you point me to a decent place to stay(not too expensive, but safe and nice) in Jaisalmer?

my frnds from Rajasthan tell that roads are great and you should go all the way to Jaiselmer to enjoy the sand dunes etc.

budget hotels in Jaiselmer are :-

Hotel Moonlight
Hotel Panihari
Moonlight Khuri Resort
Hotel Priya

pick your hotel and i beileve depending on the number of audience,hotel guys also arrange "kaal Beliya Dance" in sand dunes,the one which we saw in movie "Lamhe"

dont miss it

SumitB · 13th December 2007, 12:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Thanks

. Will do that sometime, right now in severe severe budget mode to finance some big things

....and that big thing is probably a 4x4 BEAR/BEAST/HULK/CANNON

kpzen · 13th December 2007, 13:11

Delhi ---(NH-8)--> Jaipur---(NH-11)---> Chomun----> Ringas----> Palsana----> SIKAR-----> Ratangarh ----> Lacchaarsar ---> Bigga ---> Jodhasar ---> Seruna-----> Naurangdesar ----> Bikaner ----(NH-15)---> Nokhra---->Bap ----> Phalodi-----> Ujlan----> Pokhran -----> Chandan -----> JAISALMER----> Khabha ----> Dedha----> Sam

13th December 2007, 01:52	#1
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,695 Thanked: 23,484 Times View My Garage	Want to see desert and sand dunes Hi guys, The deepest I have been in Rajasthan is Jaipur. Unfortunately it was very much like Haryana. Just fields and some barren area. No movie style sand dunes. What I mean is sand everywhere the eye can see? So we are thinking of going somewhere there there are proper sand dunes. The criteria 1. Drivable from Delhi - 8 hours max would be great 2. Lots of sand, proper dunes 3. Nice places to stay 4. Good roads
	() Thanks

13th December 2007, 04:01	#2
ashutoshb Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: NOIDA Posts: 1,957 Thanked: 5,353 Times View My Garage	Your answer is Jaisalmer. You'll get to see the sand dunes and the desert. Actually, the desert starts from Jaisalmer. Following is a pic I clicked of the sand dunes from a village 40 kms from Jaisalmer: There are two routes you can take. 1: Delhi - Jaipur - Jodhpur - Pokharan - Jaisalmer. 2: Delhi - Jaipur (there is a bypass, so you won't have to go into the jaipur city) - Bikaner - Pokharan - Jaisalmer. I covered the first route in 5 days so don't know how much time should it take in one go. While coming back it took me 13 hours from Jaisalmer to Noida (Left at 11:00am and reached at 12:00am), which should be less if you leave early in the morning.
	() Thanks

13th December 2007, 10:50	#3
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,695 Thanked: 23,484 Times View My Garage	How good are the roads? Can you point me to a decent place to stay(not too expensive, but safe and nice) in Jaisalmer? I reckon that the second route is shorter?
	() Thanks

13th December 2007, 11:07	#4
spadival Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Melbourne, AU Posts: 1,772 Thanked: 29 Times View My Garage	Yeah.. Jaisalmer is the correct answer !! A cheapish place to stay would be the RTDC hotel there.. But be aware that you'll find sand dunes inside the hotel lobby also !! Also, don't miss out on the camel ride to the middle of nowhere and the campfire side folk music and dance program. This was featured in the "Best of India" in the last India Today edition and rightly so -> India Today - The most widely read newsweekly in South Asia.
	() Thanks

13th December 2007, 11:13	#5
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,466 Times	Sam which is 40 kms from Jaisalmer is the land of sand dunes. You can stay in tent resorts there. Some travel agents organise camel safaris from Jaisalmer to Sam. Sam is also a great place to watch sun set, and very popular with movie folk for dance scenes! Lots of budget hotels in Jaisalmer which is a good base. To travel from Dehi, ideally, drive via Jodhpur and Pokhran.
	() Thanks

13th December 2007, 11:30	#6
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,695 Thanked: 23,484 Times View My Garage	Can we see the site of the nuclear test at pokhran, or its a restricted area?
	() Thanks

13th December 2007, 11:32	#7
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,695 Thanked: 23,484 Times View My Garage	Can somebody post a city by city detailed route please? Some driving time markers would be nice too. The car will be an indica capable of 160kmph on downward inclines with a 200kmph tailwind. Normally top speed would be restricted to 120kmph. Last edited by tsk1979 : 13th December 2007 at 11:33.
	() Thanks

13th December 2007, 11:51	#10
spadival Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Melbourne, AU Posts: 1,772 Thanked: 29 Times View My Garage	And I guess there isn't much to see in Pokhran.. probably a big hole in the ground. We had gone in 2004.. Road stretches are pretty good.. We saw army tanks being transported using tank carriers. If I remember correctly, the road deteriorates just before you enter/leave Jodhpur.. Jodhpur also has a nice fort.
	() Thanks

13th December 2007, 11:54	#11
Steeroid Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: N.A Posts: 7,026 Thanked: 2,757 Times	Find a budget airline and fly to Dubai. Spend a weekend here, see desert, have fun. I'll take care of it personally.
	(1) Thanks

13th December 2007, 13:11	#15
kpzen Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Faridabad Posts: 5,609 Thanked: 1,882 Times View My Garage	Delhi ---(NH-8)--> Jaipur---(NH-11)---> Chomun----> Ringas----> Palsana----> SIKAR-----> Ratangarh ----> Lacchaarsar ---> Bigga ---> Jodhasar ---> Seruna-----> Naurangdesar ----> Bikaner ----(NH-15)---> Nokhra---->Bap ----> Phalodi-----> Ujlan----> Pokhran -----> Chandan -----> JAISALMER----> Khabha ----> Dedha----> Sam
	() Thanks