A living medieval fort
at the edge of the Thar
Jaisalmer was founded in 1156 by Rawal Jaisal, a Bhati Rajput ruler, on a ridge overlooking the Thar Desert near the old trade routes to Central Asia. Its fort is one of the last 'living forts' in the world — roughly a quarter of the old city's population still resides within its walls, among havelis, temples, and shops that have operated continuously for centuries.
The entire city is built from a local golden-yellow sandstone that gives Jaisalmer its nickname — at sunset, the fort and the old city's havelis genuinely seem to glow. This light is one of the most photographed effects in all of Rajasthan.
Tourism here is built around three things: the living fort itself, the carved stone havelis of wealthy merchant families, and the Thar Desert beyond — camel treks into the Sam and Khuri sand dunes, with a night under a famously starry desert sky, remain the single most popular reason travellers come this far west.
