Introduction
Rajasthan, a land of golden past and cherished culture charms each and
every holidaymaker with its immense beauty. Apart from the lavish palaces
and imposing forts, this land of Rajputana rulers famed all across the globe
for the Great Indian Thar Desert.
This vast and sole desert of India occupies around 70% of Rajasthan's total
land area and comprises distinct flora and fauna that are unmatched to other
regions of our country. This barren land is adorned with golden sand that
really creates a dream like image in the mind of onlookers. The hot climate
and scarcity of water only permits few kind of vegetations like thorny
bushes, scrubs and shrubs. This desert also provide shelter to 25 species of
serpents and 23 species of lizards.
While your Rajasthan trip, if you have the desire to explore every nook and
corner of this vast desert, than you must book a Rajasthan desert safari
tour. This tour will enable you to have an insightful view of the true
desert life that includes camel ride, living in traditional mud huts of
Rajasthan and enjoying the folk dance and music performances of the local
artists.
Desert safari will also give you a golden opportunity to interact with the
simple, rustic, warm and friendly people of the region.
Popular Destinations Of Desert Safari in Rajasthan
Rajasthan whose major portion is covered by desert, is renowned for its
desert safaris. The Great Thar Desert of this western India state, embraces
four major districts such as Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Shekhawati belt,
Naguar and Barmer. Out of them, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Bikaner makes a
desert triangle. The culture and history of these three cities of Rajasthan,
mainly revolves around the Indian Thar desert, attracts thousand of tourists
folks every year.
Jaisalmer: Jaisalmer, popularly known as the “golden
city of Rajasthan”, is the most common desert safari destination of
Rajasthan. It is the starting point of an exciting desert safari. This city
of Rajasthan is famed among the globetrotters for the 12th century Jaisalmer
fort, also known as Sonar Quilla. While your desert safari tour to
Jaisalmer, you can even enjoy a relaxing camping at the famous Sam Sand
dunes amidst the wilderness of the Thar desert. The Sam Sand dunes of this
carvan city is just 42 km from the boundary of the city. So, it is best
place to spend a romantic evening with your spouse in completely different
ambiance.
Jodhpur: The blue city of Rajasthan, Jodhpur is another
popular destination for desert safari in the state. This city of Rajasthan
is positioned in the stark landscape of Thar desert and offers a golden
opportunity to its guests to unveil the hidden treasures of the desert.
While your desert safari, you can even visit Osian, a place famous for
ancient Jain temples, majestic Mehrangarh Fort and the nearby Sam sand
dunes.
Bikaner: Last but not the least, Bikaner which is another
desert city, is positioned at the north side of the state. This city is
famed among the globetrotters for the best camel safari in Rajasthan as it
has a camel breeding farm. Due to its position in the middle of the Thar
desert, this camel city always choc-a-block with the tourists from various
parts of world for an exciting and thrilling desert safari experience. The
sand dunes of the city are really creates a panoramic view of the large
golden sand of the Thar desert.
Various modes of Desert Safari in Rajasthan: beautifully
Desert
safari in Rajasthan is a potpourri of Camel safari and Jeep safari. Both
these forms of transportation will enable a visitor to explore the unending
patches of golden sand that will surely mesmerize a person with very first
glimpse.
The best time to unveil this unending horizon of desert are at dawn and
dusk. During these time of day, the golden sand of the desert creates a
dream like image. Also, during both dawn and dusk, it seems that the sun
emerges and submerges in the horizon, giving a magnificent vista to the
entire ambiance.
Information on Thar Desert in Rajasthan
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.
Rajasthani woman, India Travel Guide, States, Rajasthan, Thar Desert 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 thardesert 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 sun-scorched 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, Shri Ram 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 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. Thar Desert, India Travel Guide, States, Rajasthan, Thar Desert
Vegetation of The Thar Desert
Providing nutritive and delectable pasturage, grasses form the main natural vegetation of the desert. These also have medicinal value and hence alkaloids, used for making medicine, and oils for making soap, are also extracted therefrom. There is a great paucity of water and hence, the desert vegetation is mostly herbaceous; with the trees very rarely dotting the landscape. On the hills, Gum Arabic Acacia and Euphorbia may be found. The Khajri (Prosopis Cineraria) tree grows throughout the plains. Water is very scarce.
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.
Climate of Thar Desert
Women folk, India Travel Guide, States, Rajasthan, Thar DesertThe area receives very scant rainfall, with the average annual rainfall varying from 100 to 500 mm. With around 90% of the rainfall attributable to southwest monsoon during the months of July and September, there are wide fluctuations in the amount of rainfall from year to year. May and June are the hottest months of the year while January is the coldest month. The mean average temperature varies from a minimum of 24 to 26 degrees C in summer to 4 to 10 degrees C in winter. Dust storms and dust raising winds blowing at very high velocity are very rampant.
Camel safari: Camel, fondly known as the “ship of
desert”, is the best mode of transportation in the vast Thar desert of
India. A camel safari will aid you to peep into the traditional bucolic
ambiance of Rajput villages, positioned at the remotest areas of the desert.
Moreover, Camel safari is an excellent way to indulge in a short safari
through a Rajasthani village or long safari for a few days, unfolding the
vast stretches of sand. Camel ride is a difficult but is one of the most
exciting and thrilling ride.
Jeep Safari: A jeep safari in the Thar desert of
Rajasthan, probably be the fastest and the most comfortable way to explore
the wonders of deserts. A jeep safari is an apt one for the adventure
enthusiasts and nature lovers. An open jeep safari is more ideal to have a
close look on the breathtaking views of the countryside and and wildlife of
Rajasthan.
