For most travellers from the UK, the US and Australia, one night in a desert camp near Jaisalmer is the right amount, booked between November and February. Choose the place before the tent. Sam, about 42 km from town, has the big dunes, most of the camps and the busiest evenings. Khuri, about 45–50 km away, is quieter and smaller. Then choose a camp with a proper bathroom and heating for December and January nights, which fall to around 5 °C.
This guide explains the difference between the dune areas, the four kinds of camp you will be offered, what the evening and morning really look like, how cold it gets, how to fit Jaisalmer into a Rajasthan route now that there are more winter flights, and the 2026 rules that affect foreign visitors in the border district. Our Jaisalmer and Thar Desert itinerary shows a full day-by-day trip.
The short answer
| How many nights | One in a camp, plus one or two in Jaisalmer town for the fort |
| Best months | November to February; late February for the Desert Festival |
| Where | Sam for the classic dunes and atmosphere; Khuri for a quieter night |
| Which camp | A deluxe or luxury tent with an attached bathroom, hot water and a heater from December to February |
| Getting there | About 5 hours by road from Jodhpur; winter flights to Jaisalmer from Delhi and, from 25 October 2026, Mumbai |
| Who it suits | Couples, families with older children, photographers; less so anyone who needs a fully step-free stay |
Sam or Khuri: choose the place first
Most first-time visitors book a tent and only later realise the location decides most of the experience. There are two main dune areas west of Jaisalmer:
| Sam | Khuri | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance from Jaisalmer | About 42 km | About 45–50 km |
| Dunes | The tallest, most photographed dunes near Jaisalmer | Smaller dunes, more open desert around them |
| Camps | The largest concentration, from basic to luxury | Fewer camps, though the state government has announced plans to develop Khuri as an ultra-luxury tourism zone |
| Sunset | Busy: camel rides, jeeps and crowds on the main dunes | Calmer; easier to find a quiet spot |
| Evening programme | Folk music and dance at most camps, sometimes loud | Usually smaller and quieter |
| Best for | First visits, families, people who want the classic scene | Couples, photographers, anyone who wants stillness |
One change worth knowing: most resorts and camps near Sam now take bookings only from families and couples, a policy they adopted after problems with large, noisy groups. It has made the evenings there noticeably calmer for overseas guests.
The four kinds of desert camp
"Desert camp" covers very different stays. The words used to sell them are not consistent, so judge each by what it includes rather than by its name.
- Standard Swiss-tent camps. Canvas tents on a fixed base, an attached bathroom, a buffet dinner and a folk programme around a fire. This is the most common type at Sam. Comfortable enough, but often large, with thin walls and a lot of people.
- Deluxe and luxury tents. Larger tents, better beds and linen, proper bathrooms with hot water, heaters in winter, and often a private sit-out. Fewer tents per camp, so quieter nights. This is what we usually recommend for international guests.
- Luxury desert resorts. A small number of high-end properties with tented suites or cottages, private dinners on the dunes and a much higher price. Worth it if the desert night is the highlight of your trip, not a one-night stop.
- Open-dune camping. Bedrolls under the stars after a camel safari, away from any camp. Memorable but basic: no proper bathroom and very cold in winter. Only for the adventurous, and only with a trusted local organiser.
Prices vary widely by camp, tent and date, so we quote them inside your itinerary rather than as a fixed figure. Christmas and New Year are the most expensive nights by a distance, and most camps charge a compulsory gala dinner on 31 December.
Not sure which camp suits you?
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and whether you want the classic dunes or a quiet night. We will suggest two or three camps we would choose ourselves, inside a private Rajasthan itinerary.
What one night actually involves
- Mid-afternoon: leave Jaisalmer town by car, about an hour to the dunes. On the way you can stop at Kuldhara, the abandoned village, or Bada Bagh's royal cenotaphs.
- Late afternoon: check in, then head out to the dunes for sunset by camel, jeep or on foot. A short camel ride of 30–45 minutes is enough for most people.
- Evening: tea and snacks, then folk music and dance by the fire, followed by dinner. In smaller camps this is gentle; in larger ones it can run late.
- Night: the sky is the reason to come. Step away from the camp lights for ten minutes and the stars are extraordinary on a clear winter night.
- Morning: sunrise on the dunes, breakfast, and back to Jaisalmer or on to your next stop by late morning.
Two practical notes. Getting on and off a camel is the jerkiest part of the ride, so if anyone has back or knee problems, choose a camel cart or a walk instead. Jeep "dune bashing" is bumpy and best avoided by older travellers; our guide to India at an easy pace for travellers over 60 covers this in more detail.
When to go, and how cold it gets
Desert camps are comfortable from November to February. In March and October the days are already hot, and from April to September the Thar is too hot for a pleasant night outdoors.
| Month | Average day | Average night | What it means for a camp night |
|---|---|---|---|
| November | About 31 °C | About 11 °C | Warm days, pleasant evenings: the easiest month |
| December | About 25 °C | About 7 °C | Cold after sunset; a heater makes a real difference |
| January | About 24 °C | About 5 °C | The coldest nights; bring a warm jacket and hat |
| February | About 26 °C | About 8 °C | Mild days, cool nights; Desert Festival late in the month |
The dunes are often colder than the town, because sand loses heat fast after sunset. The Jaisalmer Desert Festival is expected around 18–20 February 2027, ending on Magh Purnima (Saturday 20 February); confirm the dates with Rajasthan Tourism before you book. Camps near Sam are busy that week. For the season as a whole, see our guide to the best time to visit Rajasthan, and for the holiday weeks, Christmas and New Year in Rajasthan.
Fitting Jaisalmer into your route
Jaisalmer is about 285 km beyond Jodhpur, roughly five hours by road, and there is no sensible road onward to Udaipur. That is why it only fits trips of ten nights or more, and why the winter flights matter:
- Drive in, fly out. Drive Jodhpur to Jaisalmer, then fly out of Jaisalmer instead of driving five hours back. There are winter flights to Delhi, and Air India adds a daily Mumbai–Jaisalmer service from 25 October 2026. Schedules change by season, so check your dates.
- Town first, then the camp. Spend the first night in Jaisalmer town so you see the fort at sunset and its lanes and havelis in the morning. Move to the camp the next afternoon.
- Two nights, not one, in the region. Arriving in the afternoon and leaving for a camp the same day means you see the fort only from the car.
A typical private route for international guests: Delhi → Agra → Jaipur → Jodhpur → Jaisalmer (town 1 night, camp 1 night) → fly to Delhi or Mumbai, or on to Udaipur via a connection. Our Rajasthan planning guide for UK and European travellers and our guide for travellers from the USA, Canada, Europe and Japan compare route lengths. The Jodhpur–Jaisalmer transfer page covers the drive.
2026 rules for foreign visitors
Jaisalmer is a border district. On 18 June 2026, India's Home Ministry amended the rules for foreign nationals in Rajasthan's border districts, placing areas near the Pakistan border under a protected-area framework where foreigners may need prior approval. The notification specifically exempts the places most visitors go:
- Jaisalmer city limits.
- The tourist areas used for desert safaris and camping: Sam, Khuri, Kuldhara, Bada Bagh, Amar Sagar, Lodurva (Ludrava), Akal and Unda, plus 500 m either side of the roads to them.
Places closer to the border, such as the Tanot Mata temple and the Longewala war memorial, are not on that list. If you want to include them, we check the current requirements for your passport before confirming the plan. Visitors to the border area near Tanot have also needed an online pass from the temple trust since February 2026.
As for general safety, Jaisalmer, Sam and Khuri are long-established tourist areas. Read your own government's travel advice before you book, and see our page on whether India is safe for tourists.
Questions to ask before you book a camp
- Sam or Khuri, and how far from the main dunes? Some "Sam" camps are several kilometres away by road.
- Is the bathroom attached, with hot water in the evening and the morning?
- Is there a heater in the tent from December to February? Ask for extra blankets too.
- How many tents are there? Twenty tents and two hundred are very different nights.
- How late does the music run?
- Are the sunset camel ride and the evening programme included? And is the New Year gala dinner extra?
- How many steps, and how much sand, between the parking and the tent? This matters for older travellers and anyone with luggage.
Mistakes to avoid
- Choosing a camp by its photographs. Ask the questions above; wide-angle pictures hide a lot.
- Going straight from Jodhpur to the camp. You arrive tired and miss the fort. Stay a night in town first.
- Packing for a hot desert in January. Nights near 5 °C need a warm jacket, a hat and socks.
- Driving back to Jodhpur when you could fly. Check the winter flights to Delhi and Mumbai first.
- Planning Tanot or Longewala without checking. Under the 2026 rules they are outside the exempt tourist areas.
- Two camp nights on a short trip. One is enough for most people; spend the other night in the town or elsewhere in Rajasthan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a desert camp in Jaisalmer worth it?
Sam or Khuri: which is better?
How many nights should we spend in a desert camp?
How cold is a desert camp in winter?
What is the best month for a Jaisalmer desert camp?
Do foreigners need a permit for Sam or Khuri?
How do we get to Jaisalmer?
Is a desert camp suitable for older travellers or young children?
Are desert camps safe for couples and families?
Can you combine Jaisalmer with Udaipur?
Planning Your Desert Night
The desert night is often the moment international guests remember most from Rajasthan, and it is also the part of a trip most often booked badly: the wrong dune area, a crowded camp, a cold tent, or a five-hour drive back that a flight would have saved.
We plan private, tailor-made Rajasthan tours for international guests, with your own car and driver throughout, camps and hotels we would choose for our own families, and support across time zones. Quotations are itemised and in US dollars.
Tell us your dates, the number of travellers and whether you want the classic dunes or a quiet night — we will suggest a private itinerary.
Adding the desert to your Rajasthan trip?
Send us your dates and route. We will tell you whether Jaisalmer fits, which camp we would book and how to fly in or out.
More on Rajasthan: Rajasthan tour packages · Rajasthan tour cost · touring India with a car and driver · India tourist visa guide
Distances to Sam and Khuri are approximate road distances from Jaisalmer town. Temperatures are long-term monthly averages for Jaisalmer. The family-and-couples booking policy at camps near Sam was reported by Rajasthan Patrika in December 2025; the plan for Khuri as an ultra-luxury tourism zone was reported in August 2026. The border-district rules are from the Home Ministry notification of 18 June 2026 as reported at the time; the Tanot online pass was introduced in February 2026. Air India's Mumbai–Jaisalmer service was announced on 11 March 2026 to start on 25 October 2026. Desert Festival dates are expected and should be confirmed with Rajasthan Tourism. Checked 20 October 2026.
