Best desert destinations in India
16 curated desert destinations across 4 states, each with the months it is worth going and the months it is not.
Best of desert India
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Jaisalmer
Rajasthan
Golden fort rising from the Thar dunes
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Rann of Kutch (Dhordo)
Gujarat
Blinding white salt desert with a full-moon tent city
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Nubra Valley
Ladakh
Cold-desert valley of sand dunes and quiet monasteries
Peak: Jun to Sep
-
Kaza (Spiti)
Himachal Pradesh
Spiti's cold-desert capital - monasteries and moonscapes
Peak: Jun to Sep
-
Jodhpur
Rajasthan
Indigo lanes stacked under Mehrangarh's 120 m clifftop fort
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Dholavira
Gujarat
Harappan city of stone reservoirs on an island in the Rann
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Hanle
Ladakh
India's first Dark Sky Reserve, home to a major observatory
Peak: Jun to Sep
-
Nagaur
Rajasthan
Ahhichatragarh fort's restored frescoes and water gardens
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Little Rann of Kutch (Dasada)
Gujarat
Salt-flat safaris for the last wild asses and crane flocks
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Osian (Osiyan)
Rajasthan
8th-century Jain and Hindu temples in a Thar oasis
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Barmer
Rajasthan
Thar frontier town of hand block prints and Kiradu ruins
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Bikaner
Rajasthan
Remote desert city of camels and forts
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Khejarla
Rajasthan
Red sandstone Rajput fort in a potters' village east of Jodhpur
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Khichan (Demoiselle Cranes)
Rajasthan
Village that feeds 20,000 demoiselle cranes each winter
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Kiradu Temples
Rajasthan
Ruined 11th-century Solanki temples alone in the Thar
Peak: Nov to Feb
-
Kolayat
Rajasthan
Kapil Muni's ghats on a temple lake in the open Thar
Peak: Nov to Feb
When to go
January, February and November are the months with the most desert places in peak season.
By state
Common questions
How many desert destinations are there in India?
This catalogue lists 16 tagged desert, across 4 states and union territories. It is a curated list, not an exhaustive one: places earn a spot on the strength of the landscape or the heritage.
When is the best time for a desert trip in India?
January, February and November put the most of them in peak season. Each place carries its own window, though, so check the one you are aiming at.
Which states have the most desert destinations?
Rajasthan (10), Gujarat (3), Ladakh (2) and Himachal Pradesh (1).
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