Desert Adventure
Undoubtedly the most well known destination in Jaisalmer after the ‘golden fort’, the Sam Sand dunes are a tourist hot spot in more ways than one. 3km long, 1km wide and as much as half a kilometer high, the dunes are as treacherous as they are scenic. If you opt for a camel ride stay very close to your raika (guide) as only he can manoeuvre you through the quicksand, which has sucked many an unwary goat to its gruesome death. There is no vegetation here and the swirling winds are almost as intense as the khamsins (sandstorms) in the Sahara.


Sam Sand Dunes-A Picturesque Spot
However, we don’t want to dissuade you too much from visiting the area – the Sam dunes are also the most picturesque spot around Jaisalmer, and perhaps the whole of western Rajasthan. Sitting there in the evening with the sun setting, listening to the ballads of the legendary lovers Moomal and Mahendra (see Moomal Ki Meri for details) on the jew’s harp or the narh (a traditional musical instrument), you might feel that time has come to a grinding halt. The silken smooth sands of Sam look like a tale out of the Merchant of Venice and camel safaris are much in vogue here. An overnight trip to the area is a must if you really want to enjoy all the sights and sounds, the ruins and the temples. Sleeping out in the open, stretched out on the sands while facing the twinkling sky is an out of the world experience. Many a tourist has fallen in love with the haunting beauty of the dunes – there is a definite aura of romance about it.


Desert Festival Attractions
The Sam Dunes really come alive during the desert festival with a sound and light show, and gala spectacles of dance and music which wiil reverberate in your ears long after you have heard it.