National Desert Family Adventure Camping cum Training, Jaisalmer 2026-27 (By Rajasthan State Branch)

A winter holiday in the Golden City for the whole family. Jaisalmer rises out of the Thar Desert in honey-coloured sandstone, and its fort is still a living neighbourhood. From a tented base camp you spend four days between the old town, the Sam sand dunes and the border country around Tanot and Longewala. There are camel rides, folk music and hearty Rajasthani dinners along the way.

Maharawal Jaisal of the Bhati Rajputs founded the fort and town in 1156 AD. The Bhatis trace their descent from Lord Krishna, and Jaisal moved here from the old capital of Lodurva to a safer hilltop site. Today the fort is part of the UNESCO-listed Hill Forts of Rajasthan, and about a quarter of the old city's people still live inside its walls.

What You Will See

• Jaisalmer Fort: the Sonar Quila, with its Jain temples and royal palace. You explore it at your own pace.
• Sam sand dunes: a camel safari, a folk dance performance and dinner out on the dunes
• The border country: Ramgarh, the Ghantiyali Mata temple and dunes, and the Tanot Mata temple. Unexploded shells from the 1965 war are displayed at Tanot.
• Longewala war museum: at the border post where a small Indian company held off a Pakistani tank attack in 1971
• Jaisalmer War Museum: set up by the Indian Army in 2015, with a hall devoted to Longewala
• Lodurva: the old Bhati capital, with a Jain temple to Parshvanath and its famous carved kalpavriksha, the wish-fulfilling tree
• Kuldhara: a village of Paliwal Brahmins that was abandoned in the early 19th century and still stands empty

In Your Own Time

Day 1 and the morning of Day 2 are free for the city. All of it is built in the same carved yellow stone. Don't miss the Patwon ki Haveli, Salim Singh ki Haveli and Nathmal ki Haveli, Mandir Palace with its Tazia Tower, and Gadisar Lake. There are also the Government Museum and the Folk Museum. Further out, though not on the camp itinerary, are the royal cenotaphs of Bada Bagh, Amar Sagar, Mool Sagar and the Khuri dunes. Further still are the Akal Wood Fossil Park, with fossil wood about 180 million years old, and Sudasari in the Desert National Park, home of the great Indian bustard.

Look out for the Manganiyar and Langa musicians. These two communities have kept Rajasthan's folk music and dance alive and carried it to stages around the world.

At a Glance

• Batches start: 25 December and 29 December 2026
• Duration: 4 nights / 5 days
• Fee: Rs. 9,800 per family (husband, wife and two children up to 12 years)
• Extra: Rs. 2,500 per person for children above 12 years. A third child is charged extra.
• Reporting: The Border Home Guards Ground, Jaisalmer, after 7:00 AM

The Fee Includes

• Tent accommodation
• Vegetarian food
• A gift memento

Program Coordinators

• Sh. Ratan Singh Bhati: 094147 60314 / 096805 13279
• Sh. Ghanshyam Khatri: 94142 91003
• Email: rajasthanstateyhai@gmail.com
• Address: Youth Hostels Association of India, Rajasthan State Branch, Silawata Para, Shiv Road, Jaisalmer 345001, Rajasthan

Who Can Join

• Any YHAI member, on a first come, first served basis.
• A family is a husband, wife and two children up to 12 years of age. A third child is charged extra. Children above 12 years are charged Rs. 2,500 per person. No extra person outside the family is allowed.
• A single person does not make a family and will not be registered for the camp.
• Membership is mandatory for husband and wife, and for children above 18 years.
• Attach a copy of age proof to the application form, or submit it when you report at the base camp.
• Attach a photograph of the family head to the form, along with the family head's photo ID proof. Produce the ID when you report at the base camp.
• Parents of very small children should arrange their own bottle feeds.

How to Join

• Apply on the prescribed Registration Form with a Medical Certificate. Forms are available from YHAI Units, State Branches and the National Office.
• You can also book online at www.yhaindia.org.
• Fee deposit: Youth Hostels Association of India, Rajasthan State Branch. Punjab National Bank, Shiv Road, Jaisalmer 345001. Account no. 3905000100129185, IFSC PUNB0390500.

How to Reach the Base Camp

• The base camp is at the Border Home Guard Ground, Jaisalmer, 3 km from the bus stand and 4 km from the railway station. Reporting is after 7:00 AM.
• By train: Jaisalmer has trains from Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Howrah, Jaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur and Bikaner.
• By road: connected with Delhi, Ahmedabad, Kutch, Pune, Mumbai, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaipur, Ajmer and Udaipur
• By air: regular flights from Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Surat, Delhi and Jaipur

Stay and Food

• Each family gets one tent at the base camp, with a ground sheet, blankets, bed sheet and pillow.
• Meals: morning tea, breakfast, lunch or packed lunch, evening tea and dinner. The food is simple, nutritious, good-quality vegetarian.
• Rajasthani specials at dinner: dal bati churma, bajra roti churma, ker sangri (lonji), besan gatte ki sabzi, mirchi methi sabzi, sweet panchdhari and besan barfi.
• Bring your own plates, mugs, spoons and a tiffin box for packed lunches.

What to Bring

Winter days in Jaisalmer are sunny, but evenings at the camp turn cold, so pack warm layers for everyone.

• Woollen jersey and muffler, and cotton clothes
• Sun cap and water bottle
• Lunch box, mug or glass, plate and spoon
• Soap, toilet paper and towel
• The medicines you normally use
• Camera

Safety and Security

The camp has been planned with great care for your safety, and field staff and experienced camp leaders have visited the area to check every detail. While every care has been taken, the Youth Hostels Association of India and its Jaisalmer unit will not be responsible for any accident, illness or other unforeseen eventuality.

Cancellation Rules

• If you cannot join and wish to cancel, your application must reach the office before 15 December 2026. You will then get a 50% refund, paid after the program is completed.
• No refund is given for notice received after 15 December 2026.

Where to Apply for Cancellation

• Offline applicants: send your request in writing and by email, with a copy of the admit card, directly to the YHAI Rajasthan State Branch office.
• Online applicants: send your request to the YHAI National Office, New Delhi only. Enquiries to the Rajasthan State Branch office about online bookings are not entertained.

Note

• A seat once booked cannot be rescheduled or transferred.
• An unforeseen event, strike or natural calamity is not considered a cause for cancellation.
• Refunds may be paid 30 days after completion of the program.