Sam Sand Dunes

Sam Sand Dunes or Sam Desert is located at about 40 km west of Jaisalmer. It is the prime attraction for any desert activity and a commercial tourist spot in India. You can witness several square kilometers of land covered by free flowing sand all around you! The sand in the desert is so slippery that if you hold it in your palm tightly, it still slips through your palm!

Sam Desert

There are various commercial activities that a visitor can enjoy here. If you visit the desert during the day time, you can opt for a jeep safari on the desert. The Jeep Safari is a thrilling experience, where you are seated on an open jeep, and it is driven on the slopes of the desert at a high speed.

You are initially taken on a narrow road that is surrounded by hard and dry desert to a place that has enough slopes of the free flowing sandy desert to give the thrill required. Drive through this path itself is a great experience in itself.

Route to Jeep Safari

On reaching the Jeep safari starting point, you will notice that the desert has enough wheel trails formed by the previous safaris. Nevertheless, the jeep ride over this desert is an awesome experience.

You will also notice a small shop that sells basic things like water, tea, biscuit packets and so on. You will also find some camel owners asking you to take a camel ride on the desert. Most camel rides in this region are where you are allowed  seat on the camel back, and the owner walks and directs the camel to take you around. However, if you pay them more money, the owner will also join you to sit on top of the camel back, and will make the camel run around the desert. The whole experience is as if you are riding on the back of a horse at a very high speed.

Make sure you negotiate with the camel owner well before you take the ride. The local camel owners can fleece you with enough money to provide such thrilling experience!

Overall, whether it is a jeep safari or a camel safari, and whether you have been duped with money or not, I am sure you will remember the drive or the ride itself more than the money you have spent 🙂

Apart from the Jeep Safari, the prime attraction at Sam Desert start during sunset time. In fact, several visitors from Jaisalmer reach the desert around 4 PM, just a couple of hours before sunset. You can watch several hundreds of camel owners rushing to Sam Desert during this time. The whole experience of a camel ride and watching the sun slowly disappear on the slopes of the desert is very mesmerizing!

Starting point of camel ride. Notice the number of cars! And this is just a subset of the cars!!

Begin the came ride journey

Deep in the desert. You can still see visitors everywhere!

Beautiful sunset over the desert!

At the starting point of the camel ride, you would have noticed several camps and tents that the visitors can check-in to. Usually, visitors, after watching the sunset, head to one of these camps to watch the cultural programs organized by all of the camps.

To experience the real desert living, you can opt for staying overnight in one of these tents. The tents have only basic facilities like a single light bulb, cot and bed with blankets and a wash room. If you expect luxury, comfort of watching television etc, then this will not be the place for you!

Almost all of the camps have cultural programs to entertain the guests. The cultural program introduces you to the Rajasthan’s traditional dance and folk music. Most of the camps at Sam desert are located next to each other. It would be good to choose a camp that is located slightly away from the rest of the camps as the music from multiple camps may not let you concentrate on the program that you are watching!

Stage for the artists, and a camp fire to fight the chill in the air

Guests are served with snacks during the cultural program

Traditional Dance Form

After the cultural program, the camp offers dinner that will introduce the guests to the local cuisine. It is good to notice several things that grow around this region that is used as an ingredient to the dishes. After dinner, guests who are used to luxury and comfort head back to Jaisalmer. Others opt to stay back in one of the tents to experience the stay in the desert. One of the things you can do is lie on the sand and do stargazing! The clear skies and almost no pollution ensures that the chances of watching the stars is really high!

The next day, you can bid adieu to Sam Sand Dunes which has provided one of the most memorable days! 🙂

Location

Sam Sand Dunes

Where to Stay?

  • Tents or mud cottages at Sam Desert
  • Jaisalmer

Distance Chart

From Distance (in km)
Jaisalmer 40
Jodhpur 325
Bikaner 360
Mount Abu 480
Jaipur 600

 

One response to “Sam Sand Dunes”

  1. ANITA says:

    Could you suggest a couple of hotels and camps to stay

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