Are you interested to know the best time to visit Jaisalmer? Here is a look into our travel experience in the low season and a detailed Jaisalmer travel guide.
We traveled to Jaisalmer India, the magical ‘Golden City’. It really does live up to its name! When we first arrived in Jaisalmer it took our breath away. We felt we had stepped back in time into a land of kings, queens, and Aladin.
It’s narrow golden lanes, stunning sandstone buildings intricately carved into masterpieces and its dominating fort rising up from the desert. With all it’s beauty and history it’s no wonder Jaisalmer’s popularity is rising as a must-see travel destination in India.
However, Reti and I don’t enjoy crowds much and prefer to see a place in its most natural state, free from large tourist crowds. So we tend to stick to very offbeat locations which provide a more local and hassle-free experience.
In saying this, we do know that tourist places become popular for a reason and some tourist destinations you just cannot miss. Jaisalmer is one of those places!
After over 5 months of traveling through India, we would have to say that Jaisalmer was one of our main travel highlights.
It definitely makes our top 5 travel destinations in India and we tell all our friends who are planning their Indian adventures that they must visit the magical golden city!
To see how stunning Jaisalmer is you can also watch our full Jaisalmer travel video here:
So how do you visit Jaisalmer without the large tourist crowds and hiked prices? We did it by traveling to Jaisalmer in the low season. To be exact we traveled to Jaisalmer in April at the start of summer.
Traveling during the low season anywhere definitely comes with its pros and cons. For Jaisalmer, the obvious pro is the low number of tourists and great discounts.
The con is mainly just the heat! So read on to learn about our experiences and to discover how to travel to Jaisalmer during the low season.
Best Time To Visit Jaisalmer
We visited Jaisalmer in mid-April and we believe April is the sweet spot. April sees very little tourist to Jaisalmer because it’s the start of the summer months and temperatures are rising into the ’40s.
However, if you attempt to travel any later leading into the months of June & July temperatures can sore to over 50 degrees Celsius.
April is the best time to visit Jaisalmer. Low season not only means fewer tourists, but it also means very good discounts on accommodation and tours.
We ended up finding a beautiful hotel in the fort with air conditioning for only $8USD per night. The room was discounted by 80%!!! So the magic month is definitely April.
Also Read about the cloudy hill station: Darjeeling
How to Survive in the Heat?
Ok, so you’re planning on traveling to Rajasthan state in summer, are you mad? Maybe! But it is possible to travel in the summer months and still enjoy your time.
Firstly you need an air-conditioned room. Thankfully with the great discounts on offer during the low season, even budget travelers will be able to afford this luxury.
Secondly, you need to time your outings well. Aim for morning and evening trips and take rests or long relaxing lunches in the middle of the day.
You may be thinking, but I want to be exploring all day! To be honest, most travelers need a break from exploring anyway. Travelling can be exhausting and personally, we always have rest time during the day to recharge our batteries.
The third tip, just go out and have a good time and don’t dwell on the weather too much. Much of India is very hot almost all year round, so don’t let a few extra degrees dampen your trip.
Your body can adapt very quickly to the heat and we found the dry heat of Jaisalmer much easier to tolerate then more humid climates elsewhere in India.
The last tip for this section is pretty obvious, but you need to keep hydrated. Drink lots and lots of water to keep your body cool and hydrated.
It’s also a good idea to have one of those flask type bottles that keeps the water cold. Pulling out a nice cold bottle of water is such a morale booster on a hot day!
Dealing with Persistent Salespeople
Unfortunately, aggressive salespeople and scammers don’t completely disappear from Jaisalmer in the low season. We still encountered quite a few persistent salespeople during our time there.
Sometimes if you are in a shopping mood this might not be so bad. However, if you’re not interested in purchasing their items it can be a real ordeal trying to get them to leave you alone. So we have compiled a few tips to help you deal with persistent salespeople and scammers.
Firstly, it’s good to remember that these ‘annoying salesmen’ are ordinary people too and they are just trying to make a living to support themselves and their families.
Remembering this can help you get less frustrated when encountering scammers and salespeople and avoid you getting worked up or angry.
When approached it’s important to be firm but polite. Politely let them know you are not interested and walk away. If they persist, look them in the eye and give them a firm but polite, ‘no thanks, I’m not interested.’
You can also say ‘I already have one, not interested thanks’ This should work, but failing this you might need to get even a little firmer and tell them ‘this is the last time I will say no before I get mad.’ Worked for us!
In Jaisalmer scammers & salespeople use a few common questions to draw you in and gather information about you. These common questions are:
Where are you from? They ask this to build rapport and begin a conversation with you. They might respond with a saying in your language or a fact about your country.
A good tip is to reply with your town name and not your county or even tell a fib and say an obscure place that they may not have heard of. This can often-times stop an annoying salesperson in their tracks!
Just arrived in Jaisalmer? or the First time in India? They ask this to see how fresh you are and to know if they have a good chance of scamming you or ripping you off! Just answer with, I have been traveling in India for many months!
Where are you staying? This question is basically asking, how much money can we get out of you! Just refuse to answer.
So there you have it, we hope this information has helped you prepare for traveling to Jaisalmer in the low season & remember for more insight into our Jaisalmer travel adventures and many more exciting travel destinations check out our Native Travellers youtube channel.
Overall Jaisalmer was an incredible place to travel in India. April is the best time to visit Jaisalmer to get all the great discounts without the crowds, allowing you to really enjoy the travel experience.
Cheers from the Native Travellers!
