Some trips are planned around destinations.
Some trips are remembered as a journey.
Our Rajasthan trip was definitely the second kind.
At that time, we were living in Bangalore, and we decided to take a family trip to Rajasthan. We wanted to see the forts, palaces and desert, but we also wanted to travel at a comfortable pace because our little son was travelling with us.
There was one place I was especially excited about.
Jaisalmer.
Since childhood, I had been fascinated by Sonar Kella, the Satyajit Ray story. The golden fort, the desert and the mystery around it had created a picture of Rajasthan in my mind long before I ever visited the place.
I didn't know then that years later I would actually stand in front of that fort with my own family.
- Bangalore
- Jodhpur
- Jaisalmer
- Bikaner
- Jaipur
- Delhi
The Journey Begins Bangalore to Rajasthan
We started our journey from Bangalore.
It was a long trip, so we had planned it carefully. We didn't want to spend the entire holiday travelling from one place to another without giving ourselves time to enjoy each destination.
Travelling with a small child meant we had to be flexible. We had to think about food, rest and breaks, and our sightseeing plans could change depending on how our son was feeling.
But that was part of travelling as a family.
We weren't trying to complete a checklist.
We just wanted to enjoy the journey together.
As we travelled further, the landscape gradually changed. The greenery we were familiar with around Bangalore slowly gave way to dry land, rocky stretches and thorny vegetation.
That was when it really started feeling like we were entering Rajasthan.
Stop 1: Jodhpur The Blue City
After the long journey, we reached Jodhpur, our first destination.
Our car was waiting for us, and we went straight to the hotel. After checking in, we freshened up, had breakfast and got ready for our first day of sightseeing.
Our plan for the day was simple: Mehrangarh Fort → Jaswant Thada → Clock Tower Market
Mehrangarh Fort
Our first experience of Rajasthan sightseeing was Mehrangarh Fort. The fort immediately impressed us with its enormous walls and its position high above Jodhpur.
We had a guide with us, which made the visit much more interesting. Instead of simply walking through the fort, we were able to hear the stories and history behind the different sections.
But there was one small problem.
Our son was tired.
He wasn't particularly interested in walking all the way up the fort.
So we changed our plan and took the elevator.
That became one of the first reminders of travelling with a child: the itinerary is never completely in charge.
Once we reached the top, though, things became easier. We explored the fort, took photographs and eventually reached the viewpoints overlooking Jodhpur.
The Blue City was spread out below us.
I remember standing there with my family and taking it all in.
This was our first real Rajasthan moment.
Jaswant Thada
From Mehrangarh Fort, we continued to Jaswant Thada. The atmosphere here was much quieter.
After the scale and activity of Mehrangarh, it was nice to slow down. We walked around, enjoyed the views and gave our son some time to relax.
It was a small stop, but it fitted perfectly into the day.
Evening at Clock Tower Market
After sightseeing, we headed to the Clock Tower Market. This was a different side of Jodhpur.
Instead of forts and history, there were shops, spices, fabrics, handicrafts and the usual activity of a busy local market. We walked around, did some shopping and stopped for lassi.
After a long day, that glass of lassi felt like the perfect ending.
By evening, everyone was tired.
We went back to the hotel, had some rest and prepared for the next morning.
Because tomorrow we were leaving Jodhpur.
Stop 2: Jodhpur to Jaisalmer
After breakfast the next morning, we packed our things and started our road journey to Jaisalmer.
This was going to be a long drive. But I actually enjoyed the road. The further we travelled, the more the surroundings started looking like the Rajasthan I had imagined.
Before leaving Jodhpur completely, we stopped at Umaid Bhawan Palace. We spent some time exploring the palace museum and seeing the collection there before getting back into the car.
Then we continued towards Jaisalmer.
The road stretched ahead of us.
Our son would get tired, rest for a while and then become curious about something outside.
We stopped when we needed to.
For us, these long drives became part of the holiday.
Eventually, after travelling most of the day, we reached Jaisalmer in the evening.
Stop 3: Jaisalmer The Golden City
After checking into our hotel, we rested for a while. But we didn't want to spend our first evening indoors.
So we headed to Gadsisar Sagar Lake.
Gadsisar Sagar Lake
The lake was beautiful in the evening. There were temples and shrines around the water, and the atmosphere was peaceful.
But I was looking beyond the lake.
And then I saw it.
Jaisalmer Fort.
The golden fort stood in the distance.
I had known this fort through Sonar Kella since childhood. Now I was actually looking at it. And my wife and son were standing beside me.
A place that had existed in my imagination for years had suddenly become a real place in one of our family photographs.
We watched the sunset and then returned to the hotel.
The next morning was going to be the big day.
We were finally going inside the fort.
Jaisalmer Fort Finally Seeing Sonar Kella
After breakfast, we started our sightseeing. The plan was: Jaisalmer Fort → Patwon-ki-Haveli → Nathmal-ki-Haveli → Salim Singh-ki-Haveli
Jaisalmer Fort
Walking into Jaisalmer Fort felt different from the other forts we had visited. The yellow sandstone walls looked golden in the sunlight.
But what fascinated me most was that this wasn't just an old monument. People still live inside the fort. There were houses, shops and narrow lanes all around us.
Our guide explained the history as we explored. For me, however, there was something else going on in my head. I kept thinking:
This is the place I had imagined as a child. And now I was walking through it with my own family.
Our son, naturally, wasn't thinking about any of that.
He was simply a child experiencing a new place.
He got tired during the walking, so we took breaks.
After coming out, we stopped for lassi.
It was hot, we were tired and that lassi was badly needed.
Patwon-ki-Haveli
From the fort, we continued towards Patwon-ki-Haveli. The detailed architecture and workmanship were beautiful. We walked through the narrow streets and explored the haveli.
Nathmal-ki-Haveli
Next came Nathmal-ki-Haveli. The workmanship was again impressive, although by this stage we were beginning to feel the heat and the long day.
Salim Singh-ki-Haveli
Our final haveli stop was Salim Singh-ki-Haveli. After seeing all three havelis, we decided it was time to head back.
Our son was tired.
And honestly, so were we.
But there was still another part of Jaisalmer waiting for us.
The desert safari.
Jaisalmer Desert Safari
After resting at the hotel, we got ready for our afternoon desert adventure. Our safari team picked us up and took us towards the desert in a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
The city slowly disappeared behind us. The landscape became increasingly barren, with windmills appearing across the distance.
Our first stop was Kuldhara.
Kuldhara
Kuldhara was completely different from the busy Jaisalmer we had just experienced. The abandoned village was quiet. We walked through the old remains and explored the abandoned houses.
Our son was seeing something completely new.
For him, this wasn't history from a book.
It was an enormous open space filled with old buildings and stories.
After spending some time there, we continued towards the desert.
The Oasis
Somewhere along the route, we reached an oasis. After the dry landscape, seeing trees and shade felt refreshing.
We stopped there for a while. Our son got a chance to rest, and we enjoyed the break too.
Then it was time for the camel ride.
Camel Ride Into the Desert
Our camels were waiting for us. We climbed onto them and started moving towards the dunes.
The first few minutes were not easy.
The movement of the camel takes some getting used to.
But gradually we found our rhythm.
The further we went, the quieter everything became.
The city was gone.
The roads were gone.
There was just sand and open sky.
Our son was experiencing his first real desert adventure, and watching his excitement made the ride even more memorable for us.
Then the sun started setting. We stopped and watched the sunset over the dunes.
It was one of those moments where nobody really needs to say anything. We were simply there. Together.
Dinner Under the Stars
After sunset, we reached our dinner location. By now it was completely dark.
We sat down for dinner and had handmade roti and potato curry. The food was simple. But the surroundings were anything but ordinary.
Above us was a completely open sky filled with stars. I had never experienced a night sky like that before. Coming from Bangalore, where city lights are everywhere, seeing so many stars felt almost unreal.
Our son was there with us, sitting in the middle of the desert at night.
My wife was beside me.
And for a while, we simply enjoyed being there.
The safari started around 2:30 PM and we returned to our hotel at around 9:45 PM. It was a long day. But probably the most memorable day of the entire trip.
Stop 4: Jaisalmer to Bikaner
The next morning, we packed our bags again. It was time to leave Jaisalmer. Our next destination was Bikaner.
Bikaner was mainly planned as an overnight stop before Jaipur, so we didn't have a huge sightseeing schedule. After travelling most of the day, we reached Bikaner in the evening.
We checked into the hotel and finally had some proper family downtime.
No sightseeing.
No rushing.
Just rest.
After several days on the road, everyone needed it.
Bikaner A Short but Memorable Stop
The next morning, before leaving for Jaipur, we visited Junagarh Fort. The fort was impressive and had a museum containing historical collections.
But we were already short on time. We couldn't explore Bikaner as much as we would have liked.
While leaving, I remember thinking that Bikaner deserved another trip. If we came back, I wanted to stay for at least a couple of nights and explore the city properly.
Then we got back into the car. Next stop: Jaipur.
Stop 5: Bikaner to Jaipur
The journey from Bikaner to Jaipur was our next road leg. By this point, we had been travelling for several days.
The bags had accumulated.
The photographs had accumulated.
And so had the memories.
When we finally reached Jaipur, it was almost evening. We checked into the hotel and decided not to plan anything for that evening. Everyone was tired. So we simply rested.
The next morning would be our final sightseeing day.
Jaipur The Final Chapter
Our Jaipur sightseeing plan was: Amer Fort → City Palace → Jantar Mantar → Hawa Mahal
Amer Fort
We started with Amer Fort. The fort, the hills and Maota Lake made a beautiful combination.
After seeing Mehrangarh and Jaisalmer Fort, it was interesting to see another completely different style of Rajasthan architecture. We walked around, explored the different sections and took photographs.
And, as always, we kept our son's pace in mind. By now we had become very good at recognising when it was time for a break.
City Palace
From Amer, we continued to City Palace. The palace complex had beautiful architecture and a museum with various collections. We explored the different sections before moving on.
Jantar Mantar
Next was Jantar Mantar. The huge astronomical instruments were fascinating to see. It was a nice change after spending so much of the trip exploring forts and palaces.
Hawa Mahal
Our final sightseeing stop was Hawa Mahal. Standing in front of that familiar pink-and-red facade, I realised that our Rajasthan journey was almost over.
We had started from Bangalore.
We had travelled through Jodhpur.
Then Jaisalmer.
Then Bikaner.
And now we were standing in Jaipur.
The trip had gone by much faster than expected.
Jaipur to Delhi And Then Home
After finishing our Jaipur sightseeing, it was time to leave. We boarded our morning train from Jaipur towards Delhi Sarai Rohilla.
As the train moved away from Jaipur, I started going through the trip in my head.
So many places.
So many photographs.
So many small moments.
And one very happy family.
From Delhi, we continued our journey back to Bangalore. And just like that, our Rajasthan trip came to an end.
The Route We Took
Looking back, the entire journey becomes much clearer when I put it together:
Bangalore
- Where the journey started
Jodhpur
- Mehrangarh Fort
- Jaswant Thada
- Clock Tower Market
- Umaid Bhawan Palace
Jaisalmer
- Gadsisar Sagar Lake
- Jaisalmer Fort
- Patwon-ki-Haveli
- Nathmal-ki-Haveli
- Salim Singh-ki-Haveli
- Kuldhara
- Oasis
- Camel Safari
- Desert Sunset
- Dinner under the stars
Bikaner
- Junagarh Fort
Jaipur
- Amer Fort
- City Palace
- Jantar Mantar
- Hawa Mahal
Delhi → Bangalore
- The journey home
The Part I Remember Most
When I look back at this trip now, I don't remember only the forts. I remember the journey between them.
I remember sitting in the car with my family.
I remember our son getting tired at Mehrangarh Fort.
I remember changing our plans because he needed a break.
I remember the lassi stops.
I remember seeing Jaisalmer Fort from Gadsisar Lake for the first time.
I remember finally walking inside the fort I had imagined since childhood.
I remember my son riding a camel.
I remember the three of us sitting in the desert watching the sunset.
And I remember looking at the stars that night.
These are the things that make a family trip different.
The monuments may be what you put into the itinerary. But the small moments between them are what you take home.
For me, this wasn't simply a trip from Bangalore to Rajasthan. It was one of those journeys where a childhood dream quietly became a family memory.
And even before we reached Bangalore, I knew one thing:
We would come back to Rajasthan.
There was still more to see.
And perhaps, one day, we would make another journey this time with even more stories to add.