Hi there!

 

So you’re looking at planning your trip to Rajasthan, and you’re trying to figure out your itinerary and how many days to spend in Jaisalmer.

3 days can be a PERFECT number of days to spend in Jaisalmer!

 

3 days in Jaisalmer itinerary. Best places to visit in Jaisalmer. Best things to do in Golden City. Backpacking Rajasthan, India

 

Below is a guide to Jaisalmer and ideas for how exactly to plan out each of those days in Jaisalmer.

You can also see how to spend your days in the Thar Desert (camel safari), Jaipur (pink city)Jodhpur (blue city), Udaipur (city of lakes)Agra, and the Taj Mahal!

And oh hey! After Jaisalmer and North India, you can head to South India which is where Kerala is! Also see how to spend one week in Kerala and how to spend one month in South India!

Get ideas on how to get around Rajasthan, including by local train to Jaisalmer and overnight train from Jaisalmer, along with taking the bus.

And if you’re backpacking to Jaisalmer alone, you may like the idea of staying at one of the best hostels in Jaisalmer

 

How golden is the Golden City?

Best places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days itinerary. Best things to do in the Golden City of India. Backpacking Rajasthan.

 

Rajasthan is a state of colors.

With Jaipur being called the Pink City, there are certain parts of the city, as well as the Jaipur City Palace, that are truly pink.

With Jodhpur being called the Blue City, you kind of need to go hunting for the blue streets.

 

How about Jaisalmer as the Golden City?

It is truly “golden” everywhere! You really don’t have to go looking for it, and you don’t need to be in a certain part of the city to see it. You can truly see the same shade of color no matter where you are!

Best places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days itinerary. Golden City in India. Backpacking Rajasthan.

 

Now…

First, the quick list of the must-visit places in Jaisalmer.

Then, a more detailed look into how you can fit ALL of these places into your 3 day Jaisalmer itinerary.

 

 

6 best places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days

 

1. Jaisalmer haveli

Best places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days itinerary. Jaisalmer haveli. Backpacking Rajasthan, India.

 

2. Gadisar Lake

Best places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days itinerary. Sunset boat ride at Gadisar Lake. Backpacking Rajasthan, India.

 

3. Jaisalmer Fort

Best places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days itinerary. Jaisalmer Fort. Backpacking Rajasthan, India.

 

4. Sunset point

Best places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days itinerary. Sunset point with Jaisalmer fort views. Backpacking Rajasthan, India.

 

5. Golden streets of the Golden City

Best places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days itinerary. Golden City, Jaisalmer Fort. Backpacking Rajasthan, India.

 

6. Thar Desert for overnight camel safari

Best places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days itinerary. Thar Desert for overnight camel safari desert tour. Backpacking Rajasthan, India.

 

 

How to put the best places to visit into a 3 day Jaisalmer itinerary?

 

Day 1 in Jaisalmer

List of things to do for day 1:

  • Visit to a Jaisalmer haveli
  • Sunset boat ride on Gadisar Lake

 

Day 2 in Jaisalmer (and desert)

List of things to do for day 2:

Make a trip to the Thar Desert on an overnight camel safari tour from Jaisalmer.

  • Sunset camel ride with overnight desert tour
  • Campfire in the desert with Rajasthani cuisine
  • Sleeping under the stars in the desert

 

Day 3 in Jaisalmer (and desert)

List of things to do for day 3:

  • Sunrise over the sand dunes
  • Morning camel ride through the desert
  • Visit to Jaisalmer Fort
  • Get lost on the golden streets of the Golden City
  • Visit a sunset point for iconic views

 

I took a midnight train from Jaisalmer to Jaipur. I talk a little bit about public transportation in Rajasthan, including the Jaisalmer to Jaipur train, in this backpacking India itinerary for 2 weeks in Rajasthan.

 

More for your Rajasthan itinerary:

 

Now, here’s a bit more about the Jaisalmer itinerary to see if it’s something you want to follow!

 

DAY 1 IN JAISALMER

 

Visit to a Jaisalmer haveli

Best places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days itinerary. Jaisalmer haveli. Backpacking Rajasthan, India.

Apart from desert experiences, one thing that Jaisalmer is famous for is its havelis. These are a specific style of homes or buildings, and there are a number of them scattered throughout the city.

Among the famous havelis are:

  • Patwa-ki-Haveli
  • Nathmal-ki-Haveli

 

Sunset boat ride on Gadisar Lake

Places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days itinerary. Sunset boat ride at Gadisar Lake. Backpacking Rajasthan, India.

For a nice relaxing evening, you can head on over to the Gadisar Lake.

This boat does require manual labor though!

These are cycling boats, which means it requires pedal power in order to move! So be prepared to get a little bit of exercise during this sunset boat ride!

 

DAY 2 IN JAISALMER (and Thar Desert)

 

Overnight camel safari in the Thar Desert

Places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days itinerary. Thar Desert for overnight camel safari desert tour. Backpacking Rajasthan, India.

There are a number of different types of overnight desert tours that start at different times during the day, and that last for a different number of days.

You can find overnight tours that start in the morning or afternoon. And you can find overnight tours that last for just one night, or you can stay longer in the desert if you want to.

I did an overnight desert tour that started in the afternoon and ended the next day in the morning.

 

Best things about an overnight desert tour

 

1. Sunset camel ride

Places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days itinerary. Overnight camel safari desert tour, sunset camel ride. Backpacking Rajasthan, India.

 

2. Campfire dinner with Rajasthani cuisine

Places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days itinerary. Overnight camel safari desert tour, campfire dinner food. Backpacking Rajasthan, India.

 

3. Sleeping under the stars in the desert

Places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days itinerary. Overnight camel safari desert tour, sleeping under the stars. Backpacking Rajasthan, India.

 

4. Sunrise over the sand dunes

Places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days itinerary. Overnight camel safari desert tour, sunrise over sand dunes. Backpacking Rajasthan, India.

 

See here for more about what you get with an overnight camel safari, including the average cost of these kinds of tours.

 

DAY 3 IN JAISALMER

After you return from the overnight camel safari in the morning…

 

Get lost on the golden streets of the Golden City at the Jaisalmer Fort

The Jaisalmer Fort has a lot of narrow streets that can make you feel like you’re in a maze the first time you go.

This can make it a good place to explore!

You’ll want to make sure you locate the cannon. This is where you can find some of the best views of Jaisalmer from inside the fort!

 

Best places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days itinerary. Jaisalmer Fort cannon. Backpacking Rajasthan.

 

There are also places to stay within the fort if you’re looking for a unique experience!

 

Visit a sunset point for iconic views

The best way to locate the sunset points in Jaisalmer near where you are staying is to ask the staff at your hotel!

Whether it’s one of the spots that’s called a sunset point across the city, or it’s on a rooftop of a restaurant or building, there’s no better way to end your time in Jaisalmer than watching the sunset!

 

Places to visit in Jaisalmer in 3 days itinerary. Jaisalmer sunset rooftop fort views. Backpacking Rajasthan, India.

 

HAPPY JAISALMER ITINERARY PLANNING!

 

How to spend 2 weeks in Rajasthan

 

PLUS: One month in South India

 

Jaisalmer itinerary: Jodhpur to Jaisalmer bus or train. Backpacking Rajasthan India

Jaisalmer itinerary: Jaipur to Jaisalmer train, bus, or flight. Backpacking Rajasthan India

 

Nervous about taking public transportation in India?! Sometimes just knowing what to expect can ease the mind! While I have traveled in India with travel partners (people I've met while traveling in India), here are some of my public transport trips in India, most of which I did as a solo female traveler:

For examples of general class train travel, see:
For examples of AC train travel, see:
For examples of local bus travel, see:
For examples of overnight bus travel, see:
See more backpacking India travel tips!