Know where in India you CAN go for a camel safari TRIP. Check out the must-dos, tips to make your camel safari tour worth memorable.
Deserts have always wield an overwhelming lure along with its mesmerising landscape inspiring people with a plethora of emotions. A Camel Safari is one of the most adventurous and perhaps the best way to discover any desert. In India, Camel Safaris in desert are done in the states of Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir (Ladakh), and Gujarat. The region around Jaisalmer, Bikaner and Jodhpur is popularly known as the desert circuit. These places are especially popular among tourists and adventurers for desert sports; Camel Safari being the most famous of them all. These cities are not usually on the route; however, there is no definite route that one can have to adopt. Navigating routes in the desert is an acquired art, and caravans must be staffed by riders who not only know how to study the stars, but also distinguish the shifting sands of the horizon.
Camel Safaris draw their origins to the time of trade between India and China, when camel caravans used to established trade routes loaded with precious and unique spices, herbs and jewels. Camel Safaris provide an opportunity to tourists to peek into the traditional Indian life in the desert, with all its adversity, beauty, and misery. Night camps are organised on the sand dunes to offer a different experience to the visitors in many parts of Rajasthan’s desert region. It’s the time when the mystifying sand dunes become the stage where traditional regional folk dance and music performances entertain the tourists.
During this journey, the accommodation consists of primitive thatched mud huts. Though Camel Safari is an exciting excursion, but it is not precisely among the relaxing ones. If not properly prepared, it takes a toll on your physical fitness. Unless you are used to horse riding, a day-long camel ride will prove an exhausting affair for you. Even if you are accustomed to horse riding, since the pace of the camel is quite different, it may take some time to get used to it. And, by the time you will get used to it, the excursion will be over for you.
Not many are aware of the fact that Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir is a home to some great desert areas. Here, you can enjoy the breathtaking views of the Nubra Valley on a Bactrian camel’s back. These are found only in the Ladakh region of India. They are a bit shorter than a normal camel and have fur to protect them from the harsh cold of the Himalayas. The most popular attraction during Camel Safari in Ladakh is spending a night under the crystal clear and glaring sky full of stars. Once here, you will never forget this experience for the rest of your life. The experience is so intense and priceless.
The Camel Ride or Desert Safari is one of the most incredibly diverse attractions of Kutch in Gujarat. The famous White Desert of Kutch is fantastic, especially on full moon nights when the sky is full of stars and tourists can enjoy a once in a lifetime experience of star gazing. Everyone walking around the Rann of Kutch, enjoys the feel of rupturing the salt crust on the sand and walking on muddy brown salt marsh. The oldest but the best way to explore the beauty of India’s only White Desert is through Camel Safari.
Must-DoS Before Going For A Camel Safari
Camel Safari Tips
There are certain aspects that you should always keep in mind while travelling the desert on a Camel back. If you are planning for a desert safari, following are the important things you must ensure prior leaving for a Camel Safari.
- Clothes & Dressing: Deserts are extremely hot in the daytime, so it’s better that you cover your whole body with clothes (preferably light cotton clothes). In case of Ladakh, take some good warm clothes with you as it remains cold all-round the year. The dresses should be modest because of the proximity of most safari routes to villages.
- Water: You must carry enough water with you during the safari to stay hydrated at all costs or else, you would be in some serious trouble.
- Other Important Stuff To Carry: Once ready to embark on a desert safari, you should carry certain items such as power bank, snacks, sunscreen, flashlight/torch, facial tissue paper, sunglasses, hat/cap/scarf, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, insect repellent, toothbrush and toothpaste, sleeping bag liner, and last but not least a first aid kit.