Best Time To Go: October to March 3 Nights / 4 Days
Say hello to the beautiful, delicate Chinkara - the Indian gazelle, who crosses your path when you least expect it.
Spend a night at the Royal Manvaar Desert Camp, staying in luxury Rajasthani tents in the middle of the sand dunes.
Explore Osian, an oasis in the Thar Desert about 65 kms from Jodhpur. Here you'll learn the art of dune bashing and lots of tricks of the trade.
Stay at the Thar Camp and enjoy conversations around the bonfire, under starlit skies, and feast on delicious Rajasthani food.
TRIP OVERVIEW
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The Rajasthan Desert Safari and Camp is an off-the-beaten path vacation in the truest sense!
We take you into Osian, an oasis in the Thar desert about 65 KM north of Jodhpur. Dune bashing is an art and just because you know how to drive, there are no guarantees that you won’t dig yourself into a deep hole!
Stay in desert camps, spend evenings enjoying Rajasthani cuisine under the stars, before retiring for the night in your luxury tent. Come, show us your driving chops. And bring the kids along for the ride - they will love it!
Trip starts from: Jodhpur, Rajasthan No. of days of the trip: 4 No. of driving days: 4
DAY 1: ARRIVE AT JODHPUR THEN ON TO MANVAR DESERT CAMP 105KM DRIVE
We'll meet you directly at Jodhpur - at the railway station or your hotel, depending on how you plan to get there. You need to arrive early so we can move on to inspecting your 4-wheel drives soon after breakfast. The car rental company will have you sign off on your car after it has been inspected by you thoroughly. Our 4x4s of choice for the Rajasthan Dune Bashing Trip are usually the Mahindra Thar or the Scorpio. We load the cars with all the gear we will need on this uniquely Rajasthan Desert Safari adventure and then take you through a detailed safety briefing and route introduction.
Our journey begins from here - through the busy streets of Jodhpur and then out onto the smaller roads in the outskirts of the city. Jodhpur is often referred to as the "gateway" to the Thar Desert and the landscape soon changes to dry brush and sand. You will drive on small dirt roads, past little hamlets, making your way through dried bramble and large bush grass. Look out for the beautiful, delicate, and fearless Chinkara - the Indian Gazelle, who crosses your path when you least expect it! The Chinkara is worshiped by the local Bishnoi tribe and is a protected species. The Bishnois are conservationists and a warm and friendly people - their aggressive side emerges only if you hurt the environment and its natural habitat. We will stop at local schools and dhanis (shepard villages), where you can sip some chai and get to know them better. The dried bushes and bramble soon get left behind as we start to negotiate the smaller dunes and dry rivers beds. This is the challenging part of this Rajasthan Dune Bashing and Desert Safari adventure and we will teach you a couple of tricks to help you on your way. A hot picnic lunch in the middle of the desert should help sort out those hunger pangs! Don't worry, we make sure you're comfortable and not sweaty and stinky!
We reach the royal Manvaar Desert Camp by evening, a luxury camp with Rajasthani tents set in the middle of the sand dunes! A Rajasthani spread, campfire, and a local dance performance later, you sure are ready to hit the sack!
Overnight at camp.
DAY 2: FULL DAY OF DUNE BASHING THEN DRIVE 60KM TO THAR OASIS
Day 2 of the Rajasthan Dune Bashing and Desert Safari adventure starts early. Today will be a really challenging day on the dunes. Our experts will give you a briefing on sand driving and dune maneuvering while you negotiate climbs and drops. Dune bashing is an art form and you'll soon learn why!
Lots of sand throwing and digging (although we hope not!) later, you will arrive at Thar Oasis Camp for a luxurious night out in the desert.
Overnight at camp.
Day 3: DUNE BASHING TO OSIAN, DRIVE 60KM AND CAMEL SAFARI
Another day of exciting dune bashing, our plan is to reach Osian, an oasis in the Thar desert about 65 km north of Jodhpur, by early evening. You then switch rides, from the pulsating roar of the 4x4s to the gentle sway of the ship of the desert - yes, a camel safari the way it was meant to be - in the deserts of Rajasthan! You amble your way into Thar Camp at Osian, while you watch the sun set on the west.
This Thar Camp is an old village home with a huge central open courtyard. The bonfire is lit, and mother nature does her bit by lighting up the sky with millions of sparkles you’d never get to see in the city! The aroma of hot rotis on the tawa pervades the courtyard and the amazing local food completes the picture perfect night!
Overnight at Thar camp.
DAY 4: OSIAN TO JODHPUR DRIVE 65KMS
It's a 1 Hr:20 Min drive and we head back immediately after breakfast. You arrive at Jodhpur, hand over your cars and move to a restaurant for lunch, after which you will have some time free to roam the market and do some last minute shopping. You could also choose to see the Mehrangarh Fort - a 16 century fort built across five kilometres, it stands 400 feet above the city level and its palaces have some of the most intricate carvings and expansive courtyards, with mirrored walls and artwork that has stood the test of time.
For the more adventurous ones, there's the Flying Fox Jodhpur zipline tour located inside the property of Mehrangarh Fort. The zipline flies you around the fort, across battlements, lakes and valleys. Simply exhilarating!
Depart at leisure.
Our "all inclusive" trip means that you are not constantly rummaging for money, and you know up front what is included.
Costs Include:
Three night's accommodation in camps and hotels on twin sharing basis.
4x4 self-drive vehicles.
4 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, and 3 Dinners.
All government taxes included.
Costs Do Not Include:
International/Domestic air fare or train and car fare to Jodhpur.
Personal gear - (we recommend) two-three pairs of cargoes/jeans, two pairs of shoes (not floaters), sun-shades, cap, sun screen and any other gear of a personal nature.
Site-seeing at Mehrangarh Fort and the zipline tour.
Unforeseen expenses that demand a change in itinerary like natural forces, changes in weather, road blockages, flight/train cancellations and illness.
Medical, Travel, or Evacuation insurance.
Expenses of a personal nature - tips, laundry, phone calls, beverages.