New Year Camel Treks

puppydogben

Hi,

I am hoping to be going out camel trekking for New Year and was wondering if anyone had any tips on which company/agency to use heading out of Jaisalmer. I aim to do around 3/4 nights and want to have decent guides/food. Also would it be better to begin the trek from Khuhri? I'm not so interested in seeing villages/ monuments but would rather get lost in the great Thar desert!

contrabassista

I really liked Vijay or Camelman out of Bikaner. We just seemed to be wandering. Food was fantastic, service wonderful, and I payed 100 RS extra for two musicians to accompany us along our way. They even gave a turbin winding lesson! My avitar is from that trip.

Darmabum

a few hours by bus outside of Jaiselmer. Go to Mama's, Mr. Singh will take care of everything. Khuri itself is a cool place to stay . . . the Thar is right outside your door. About an hour into your ride the driver will stop at a small two-house village and ask you for Rs100. He'll come back with two bottles, that seem green at first, but that's just the contents. That night, as they're cooking dinner for you and the sun is setting they'll invite you for a glassfull of that green liquid (they called it Desert Wine) . . . don't drink it, the most godawful stuff I've ever tasted, thank them, go back to your dune, watch chinkara deer browing in the sparse vegetation.

__________________
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate; our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure - Marianne Williamson

puppydogben

That sounds really cool, I am hoping for a similar sort of trip but unfortunately I'm heading out of Jaisalmer, was after any tips from there.

kristinm

Hope I'm not hijacking your thread - but I was wondering the same as you - and also if Dec/jan will be too freezing to do the desert sleepout under the stars?

contrabassista

What do you mean too freezing? Yes it's cold, darn cold, but I find that invigorating. And I am no young thing, just tough and weathered. Just have double slacks and socks, light gloves, scarf, knit cap, and triple layers on torso. They should provide too many blankets.....and a bonfire.

It's not like the Sahara. It's pocked with villages and plants and animals, just less dense than everywhere else in India. There are greater dunes elsewhere in the world, for instance, not far from where I am in Chicago at the Sleeping Bear Dunes. But the sum total is the Great Thar.

kristinm

Trouble is I don't want to cart all that stuff around with us just for one night in the desert.

contrabassista

To me that is the fun of it. For once in my life I got to be waited on! Ten people for five travellers! Actually when each was not working his assigned task he was horsing around with the others or us.

And at home I do love minimalist camping. This was just Indian style.

kristinm

I know it sounds great - I meant the extra clothing though, I'd have to drag it all around the rest of our trip! I guess we could opt for the tent option which might be warmer, or see what the nights are like when we get there and decide whether to do a day or overnight trip then.. I just know the Australian desert is freezing in winter at night, even though the days are still warmish

contrabassista

You will probably use all those clothes anyhow. You'll appreciate them in Delhi too. As for the extra slacks, take ones you can wear separately or doubled.

kristinm

OK - that was my next area of research - packing!