Safari in Thar - The ultimate adventure

A thrilling experience travelling through a region known as Thar Desert, which till date remains virtually isolated from the rest of the world. A completely different world altogether waits for you. All over the Desert tour , one encounters typical lifestyles, culture, forts, castles, cuisine, desert safaris, customs, mysteries, stories and experiences.

The Great Indian Desert Thar Desert, the huge unending expanse of burning hot sand is spread over four states in India, namely Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, and two states in Pakistan covering an area of about 446,000 square kilometres. Deriving its name from 'thul' denoting the sand ridges of the region, Thar stands divided between Sindh region in Pakistan and Rajasthan in India.

A tract of rolling sand hills, the Thar Desert is bordered by the irrigated Indus plains to the west, the Aravalli Range to the southeast, the Rann of Kachchh to the south, and the Punjab plain to the north and northeast. Yielding salt and gypsum, the desert is formed due to the scant rainfall received by the region as a result of the dryness of the prevailing monsoon winds.

Receiving an annual average rainfall of less than 10 inches, the desert is a largely a region of shifting sand dunes, broken rocks, and scrub vegetation. The sparsely populated region has a pastoral economy. In May 1974, India exploded its first nuclear device at Pokhran in the deserts of Rajasthan.

The Legend - Thar Desert
It is believed that aeons ago, Lord Rama drew an arrow in his bow, targetting Lanka, the island capital where his wife was held captive by the demon king, Ravana. However, such were its destructive powers that the gods pleaded with the Lord to desist from his intended purpose. But the arrow once drawn could not be pulled back and thus Rama pointed the arrow to a far-flung sea. The heat generated by the arrow dried the sea and in its place arose a dry, arid and hot desert.

Archaeological Evidence - Thar Desert
The many excavations of the fossils in the desert have led to the belief that the area was teeming with marine life once upon a time. It is believed that centuries ago, the earliest inhabitants who were a part of an urban civilization that arose 4500 years ago, belonged to this region. Recent excavations of the Indus Valley Civilization reveal that the settlements penetrated deep into the heart of the desert. Archaeologists have found a remarkable resemblance between the citadels and the manner of building along narrow lanes that dissect each other at right angles and more recent settlements.

The Wild In The Arid Land
Stretches of sand in the desert are interspersed by hillocks and sandy and gravel plains. About 23 species of lizards and 25 species of snakes are found here and several of them are endemic to the region. The thinly populated grasslands support the endangered Great Indian Bustard, the Black Buck, the Chikara (gazelle), and some feathered game, notably the Francolin and Quail. Among the migratory birds, Sand Grouse, Ducks and Geese are common.

The Details
The safari crew takes you to the nearby village of Deshnok, famous worldwide for its rat temple. After the "Darshan", that is offering prayers at the temple, the crew heads towards the "Dhani" (a cluster of huts) - Charan. The trip to Deshnok is covered by Jeep. The camels are prepared at dhani for your voyage in deep desert.

The route -

Deshnok - Charan - deep desert - minimum 2 days

Deshnok - Charan - Khinchan(Phalodi) - takes 7 days

Deshnok - Charan - Khinchan(Phalodi) - Jaisalmer - takes 13 days.

The price is minimum Rs. 600/- per day per person. The amount may increase depending upon the facilities you ask for, like - drinks, tents, additional blankets, bed etc.

Special Attractions
Village visit, mud houses, thatched roof houses, spinning wheels, women carrying water pitchers, farm house activities, shepherds, camel herds, wild life, familiarisation with nature, huge golden sand dunes, fire dances etc. If you wanna travel through Jeep all the desert, we also provide jeep safari.

Facilities
Break fast, lunch, dinner, per person one camel, English speaking guide, Transportation upto starting point, mineral water, camp fire in winter. Rajasthani folk music and dancers are arranged on demand. Night is spent under the star studded sky.