“Desert camp” covers everything from a canvas tent with a shared toilet block to a resort with a pool. The word tells you nothing, and the photos are rarely of the camp you will actually get.
Here is what to check before you book.
The tent itself
- Attached bathroom with a flush toilet and hot running water — not a shared block fifty metres away in the dark
- A real bed, not a mattress on the floor
- A heater in winter and a cooler in shoulder season — and power that stays on through the night
- Spacing. Tents a metre apart means you hear your neighbours all night
- A sitting area outside — the whole point is being outdoors after dark
The evening
A good camp runs its own programme rather than busing you to a shared one:
- Camel or jeep to the dunes, timed for sunset rather than whenever the group is ready
- Folk music and Kalbeliya dance performed live, not a speaker playing a recording
- A buffet cooked on site, with Rajasthani dishes actually made properly — dal baati churma, ker sangri, gatte ki sabzi
- A bonfire, and staff who leave you alone with it
What a day at a camp looks like
| 3:00 – 4:00 pm | Arrive, welcome drink, check in, rest |
| 4:30 pm | Camel or jeep safari into the dunes |
| Sunset | On the dunes, tea on the sand |
| 7:30 pm | Folk music and dance around the fire |
| 8:30 pm | Dinner under the open sky |
| Morning | Sunrise over the dunes, breakfast, checkout |
Questions to ask before paying
- Is the bathroom attached, and is there hot water in the morning?
- Is the sunset point private, or shared with every camp in the area?
- Is the folk performance live and at the camp?
- Is power available all night, or only until the generator is switched off?
- How many tents in total? Twelve is a different evening from sixty.
- Is pickup from Jaisalmer included, and at what time?
Where the money actually goes
| Tier | What you get |
|---|---|
| Basic | Shared bathrooms, rows of tents, group safari, recorded music |
| Mid | Attached bathroom, live performance, decent food, shared sunset point |
| Premium | Spaced tents, heating, private sunset transfer, on-site kitchen, sometimes a pool |
We book mid and premium only. The basic tier is where the bad reviews come from, and the saving is not worth the night you will have.
Frequently asked questions
Is one night at a camp enough?
Yes. One night is the experience; two nights at the same camp is usually one too many unless you want pure quiet.
Are camps suitable for elderly parents?
The premium ones are — attached bathrooms, beds, heating, jeep instead of camel. Tell us ages when booking.
Is there mobile network?
Patchy at Sam, weaker at Khuri. Most camps have Wi-Fi in the common area only.
Is alcohol available?
At most licensed camps, yes. Confirm when booking rather than assuming.
Want a camp we would stay in ourselves?
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will name the camp, not just the category.