Most safari operators route journeys through the desert so you are close to villages, but remain hidden from them. In the afternoons, trips to the villages can be planned. An advance group moves ahead to set the evening's camp-usually self-sustained, with its own kitchen (food is cooked over wood fire), and tented accommodation. Baths are prepared for the travelers, and kerosene lamps used for lighting. A bonfire is organized around which evening cocktails and dinner is served. Here, in this enchanted setting with the stars looming large under the dark sky, village balladeers and minstrels are invited to sing, dance, play a musical instrument or two….
It goes without saying that winter is the season for such safaris (October to March) and to attempt it is summer would be impossible. In the cold months, the dry climate and the reflection of the sun's heats on the sand can make the day under the sun warm, and the nights bitterly cold. It is advisable, therefore, to carry a mix of woolens and lighter clothing, and to have suntan lotions and moisturizers for the skin.
Most meals will be Rajasthani affairs with vegetables and, usually, chicken and mutton cooked in fiery spices (after a while you get addicted to the chillies). Buttermilk and yoghurt accompaniments are best to cool (and calm) the palate. However, on request and with advance notice, simple Western pasta and salads can be prepared. Don't ask for sandwiches, however, for bread is an unknown factor in the villages, and you'll have to get by on the more-than-sufficient Indian varieties that will be served before you.
So what's a good place to go on a camel safari? These days, almost anywhere in Rajasthan is fine, so it will depend on your schedule and plans. However, since the desert is the best for the sport, the regions of Mewar (Udaipur and its surroundings which, however, are ideal for horse safaris)and around Kota should be avoided. For many, the best areas constitute what forms the golden triangle for the desert: Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner. In these three former royal kingdom, the fortified cities are surrounded by vistas of sand.
Those adventurous can take an entire trail combining these three cities, and including in it parts of the Shekhawati region (which can be used as a starting or concluding point because of its proximity to Delhi). Jaisalmer is the heart of the desert with a beautiful fort which is inhabited, and which is known for its carved, sandstone mansions. Bikaner has a camel farm, the only one of its kind in the country, and along with Jodhpur, forms two ends of a route which has several other interesting settelements along its route. These include Khimsar and Nagpur. From Bikaner, one can head for Shekhawati where the attraction is a number of fierce castles with a bristling history, and the painted mansions of the merchants who once lived here.
However, those who would prefer a smaller safari (a night or two in the desert), should plan a journey so that they move out of the town into the desert, and choose a route devoid of sightseeing options. This way, they can feel the essence of the desert, and the loneliness of the landscape, while being in close distance to modern conveniences.
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Shorter safaris still would merely be in the nature of rides, stretching to a full day for those so inclined, or merely a few hours with a meal thrown in. however, to be able to spend at lest one night in the desert would be a unique experience, and should be built in if at all it is possible.
There is no fixed cost for a safari either. While the destination, route and duration will decide it to an extent, the facilities provided on the safari will be the final dictate of the costing. The quality of the camps, the size and the accompanying attendants can help make the safari more comfortable, but even on a Spartan budget (and it can be an inexpensive activity), a camel safari can be a memorable experience.
Rajasthan's Thar is the only desert in world which is rich in colour and culture (in most other deserts, for example, the people wear only white), and warm with the hospitality of courtly traditions. These find a reflection in the camel safari too. And the splendour of the desert combined with the experience of camping and riding in it, truly makes one of the most impressive activities for travelers. It also brings alive an era when this was the way a elements to create romantic kingdoms in the desert.
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