Jaisalmer. (This travel tip will be long)
The golden city and 3rd largest district of India (areawise) has a lot to offer for tourists.
This tip is primarily based on arrival by 14659 Delhi-Jaisalmer Runicha exp. Accordingly you can adjust.
1. Stay.
After...
more... getting down at Jaisalmer stn, move to a hotel (some cabbies provide a free ride to their hotels, they will be standing with boards mentioned free ride). Its better to stay near to the fort as travel agency, restaurants will be in vicinity.
2. Sightseeing.
a. After taking rest of 1-2 hrs, at around 3-3:30 PM, go to the fort. From the parking there is a steep slope to entry. If you can walk, then well & good or there are share autos at 20 rs. per person. Better take the auto. Enjoy the fort, the view of city from top of the fort with windmills in the horizon.
Fees. Entry - 100 rs. Camera - 250. Without camera ticket, no photography will be allowed.
Guides are available at 100-200 rs. Bargain till 100 rs
b. Gadisar lake
If you have time after visiting fort, go to the gadisar lake and enjoy boating or just sit back there. (Didnt go there, so cant tell rates).
c. Patwon ki Haveli
A very beautiful haveli with bautiful art work on walls. Entry to the museum costs 100 rs. Do visit this. But here one problem is autos are less here, so getting out from here may be bit hard on pocket. (I paid 100rs for Patwo ki haveli to fort).
d. Sam Sand dunes
A place for camel, desert safaris at a distance of 42 kms from JSM. Camping is available too. Taxis cost 1500 rs for up-down journey. You can bargain. If you dont want to camp or do camel/desert safari, then avoid it. You will get to see dunes in Jaisalmer - Tanot- Longewala route too.
e. Tanot & Longewala
120 kms from Jaisalmer (round trip = 2670-280 kms). Hire a taxi from Jaisalmer for 2500 rs + 5% GST ( I took services of Jaisalmertaxiwala.com, office just near the fort, very good service). At tanot, do a darshan in temple and then go to longewala where there is a war museum of Battle of Longewala. A short movie is shown (comprising videos from movie Border and some voice over), whose ticket costs 25 rs per person. No international border is here. No permission required for Tanot & Longewala.
f. Border Pillar 609 (International border)
A famous among tourists, but hard to reach. You will have to get permissions for this from Collectorate office, Jaisalmer and show it at Tanot to move to international border. NOTE - Permit issued only at collectorate, dont expect it at Tanot.
These days they are not giving permit. The BRO (Border road organization) roads are very good (except major part of Tanot - Longewala, which is under construction in Bharatmala project). Also look out for "Ranau" village just after Ramgarh where some dunes are and also Baadshaho movie was shot here. Also, you will see Indira gandhi canal after Ramgarh.
3. Food
Near the fort there are restaurants but near the stations dont expect much. There are 2-3 dhabas type hotels, but quality is not good.
Enroute Jaisalmer - Tanot, the last point where you will get food/water is Ramgarh. At Tanot you will get water. At Longewala, there is a dhaba and a mini canteen by BSF providing Tea, samosa, maggi, colddrinks.
4. Transport
Only auto/cabs are available in the city. No city bus, ola, uber. Do bargain with autos. (E.g. For Station-fort they quote 100, but come down to 50-60).
5. MOBILE NETWORK.
In city, all networks work properly.
Jaisalmer - Ramgarh = All signals work
Ramgarh - Tanot = Only BSNL. Jio only till few Kms after Ramgarh. Around 20 kms from Ramgarh, BSNL gives up too till Tanot. In tanot, BSNL & jio both worked.
Tanot - Longewala (via Sadhewala) = Major part of the route will be without any network. Around 4 kms from Longewala, Jio signal appeared and at the memorial BSNL started too.
Longewala - Ramgarh = Both BSNL, jio worked in patches with Jio losing signal frequently.
So, no need to worry. In 250 kms journey, for around 200 kms, you will have mobile network.
