Route library · Outstation · Desert
Delhi to Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer is a sandstone city in the western Thar, built around a 12th-century hill fort that is still lived in — one of the very few ‘living forts’ left. Beyond it the desert runs flat and open to the Pakistan border, past the dunes of Sam and Khuri, the abandoned village of Kuldhara, and the war memorials at Longewala and Tanot. The riding is fast and easy; the heat is the thing to respect.
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At a glance
- Round trip
- About 1,650–1,750 km
- Riding days
- 4. Two long days each way (split at Jodhpur or Bikaner), with a day around Jaisalmer
- Nights
- Nights on the road: 3–4
- Start point
- Delhi (via Jaipur, Ajmer and Jodhpur)
- Highest point
- Flat desert throughout — Jaisalmer sits around 230 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate. Roads are fast and easy; the challenge is distance, sun, wind and desert heat, not terrain.
- Surface
- Mostly excellent four-lane to Jodhpur, then good two-lane and single-lane highway to Jaisalmer; smooth border roads beyond
- Best season
- October to March. April to September is dangerously hot on an open bike (45 °C+). December and January nights in the desert are genuinely cold. Sandstorms are possible in April–May.
The ride
Delhi → Jaipur → Ajmer → Jodhpur is the fast way in — four-lane most of the way. From Jodhpur it is good highway through Pokhran to Jaisalmer. (The alternative via Bikaner is emptier and has longer fuel gaps.)
Around Jaisalmer: the living fort and the Patwon Ki Haveli in town, Gadisar lake at dawn, Kuldhara's ruins, and a night at a Sam or the quieter Khuri dune camp. If you want the border run, Longewala and the Tanot Mata temple are a long day out on smooth BSF-maintained roads — carry ID.
Day by day
Delhi to Jodhpur
Delhi → Jaipur → Ajmer → Jodhpur (9–10 hours, fast). Overnight at Jodhpur — worth an evening at Mehrangarh.
Jodhpur to Jaisalmer
Jodhpur → Pokhran → Jaisalmer (4–5 hours). Afternoon in the fort and the old town.
Desert day
Kuldhara and Gadisar early, rest through the mid-day heat, then out to a Sam or Khuri dune camp for sunset and the night. Optional Longewala–Tanot border run instead, if you start at dawn.
Jaisalmer to Jodhpur / Bikaner
Start back. Overnight at Jodhpur, or loop home via Bikaner for variety.
Back to Delhi
The final highway leg. Leave at first light to beat the heat and the Jaipur traffic.
Fuel & services
- On the Jaipur–Jodhpur–Jaisalmer axis fuel is easy — regular pumps the whole way.
- If you take the Bikaner route instead, the Bikaner–Jaisalmer leg has 80–100 km stretches with nothing. On the border run, fuel up fully in Jaisalmer — Longewala and Tanot have little or none.
- Jaisalmer has everything from fort-wall heritage havelis to budget guesthouses; the dune camps at Sam and Khuri range from basic tents to luxury. Book dune camps ahead in season, especially around the Desert Festival (Feb).
Road & conditions
Fast and easy by the library's standards. Four-lane most of the way to Jodhpur; good two-lane and single-lane highway on to Jaisalmer; and smooth, empty, BSF-maintained roads out to the border. The real hazards are heat and dehydration, crosswinds and blown sand on the open desert stretches, free-roaming cattle and camels on the highway, and long boring straights that invite fatigue — take regular breaks and ride the cooler ends of the day.
Bike, fuel & getting help
- Suggested bike
- Fine on a well-maintained 150–200cc commuter.
- Fuel gap
- One long stretch without a pump — fill up before it and top off where you can.
- Spare fuel
- Carry 3–5 litres of spare fuel.
- Emergency & logistics
- The nearest well-equipped hospital is the valley/district town, one to two hours off; signal is patchy above the bazaar; carry the group lead's number and an emergency card.
Permits & local rules
No permit is needed for Jaisalmer, Sam, Khuri, Kuldhara, Longewala or the Tanot Mata temple — the border road is open to Indian nationals with photo ID. Areas beyond Tanot (Kishangarh, the actual border pillar zone) may need BSF permission arranged locally. Foreign nationals face tighter restrictions near the border. Carry ID and vehicle papers.
Best time to ride
October to March, and really November to February for comfort. December and January are ideal by day but cold at night in the desert. March warms up fast; April to September is genuinely dangerous heat on an open motorcycle and not worth attempting. Watch for sandstorms in April and May.
What to add to your kit
Beyond the standard ride kit: a hydration pack and more water than you think you need, sun protection for any exposed skin, a buff or bandana for blown sand, tinted and clear visors for glare and night, a warm layer for the desert night and the dune camp, lip balm, and cash. Basic tools and a puncture kit for the empty stretches.
Ride this with a group
We run Jaisalmer as a four-day desert ride in the cool season — long days paced around the heat, dune camp and any border run pre-planned, and a dune-field clean-up as the service action.