The three seasons of the desert
The cool season: the monsoon has gone, the skies are clear and the days are warm and sunny.
Colder each night: the nights cool steadily until January, when the dunes can drop close to freezing before dawn.
What it was made for: long mornings in the fort, warm afternoons by the pool and evenings by a fire under a sky full of stars.
- Cool season
- October to March
- Hot season
- April to June
- Monsoon
- July into September
- Coldest
- January, near freezing in the dunes
- Hottest
- May and June, past 45°C
- The busy part: it is also the busiest season, especially in late December and around the Desert Festival.
- The hot season: the heat builds quickly through April, and by May and June the town regularly passes 45°C by day.
- Wind and dust: hot winds and dust storms called aandhi turn the sky brown.
- How locals cope: they rise before dawn, rest through the day and come out again after sunset.
- Few visitors: some desert camps close until the autumn.
- The monsoon: it arrives in July and lasts into September. This far west it brings very little rain, often only a few heavy storms.
- When it comes: the desert changes completely. The khejri trees put out new leaves, grass appears on the dunes, the tanks fill and the air smells of wet earth.
- Between storms: hot, humid and very quiet. Some travellers love it.
- The wider picture: our weather and climate of Rajasthan page.
Jaisalmer month by month
- Best months
- October to March
- Our favourite
- February
- Quietest good weeks
- Early December, late January, early March
- Avoid
- May and June
- Greenest
- August, after a good monsoon
January, cold nights and bright days
Weather: the coldest month. Days are bright and comfortable, often in the low twenties, but in the dunes the nights can drop close to freezing.
Travel: fog sometimes delays trains and flights across northern India early in the month.
The light: crisp and clear, with the fort glowing in the low winter sun.
- Festival: Makar Sankranti, the kite festival, falls on 14 January, when kites fill the skies over Jaipur and many other Rajasthani towns.
- Wildlife: one of the best months for the Desert National Park and its wintering birds.
- Pack: a warm jacket, a hat and layers for the camp.
- Crowds: the first half is busy after the New Year rush, and the second half is calmer.
- What we would do: a morning in the national park looking for bustards, then the fort lanes in the late-morning sun when the cold has lifted.
- At night: a dune camp with a fire, thick quilts and hot water bottles. Ask for raabdi, the warm millet and buttermilk drink of desert winters.
February, the month we love most
Weather: our favourite month. Warm, sunny days, nights cool rather than cold, and beautiful light.
Festival: the Desert Festival usually falls now, three days around the full moon of the Hindu month of Magh.
- What happens: turban-tying and moustache contests, camel races, music and a finale on the dunes at Sam.
- Shifting dates: they follow the lunar calendar, so they move every year and occasionally fall in late January.
- Book early: the best rooms sell out months ahead for the festival. Outside it, February is busy but rarely crowded.
- What we would do: come for the festival, then stay on a few days when the town calms down.
- Our days: a dawn on the dunes, an afternoon in the haveli lanes and an evening of Manganiyar music. Every part of a Jaisalmer stay is comfortable this month.
March, warm days and Holi
Weather: still lovely, warm by day and mild at night, though by the end of the month the midday heat is building.
Festival: Holi, the festival of colours, falls in late February or March at the full moon of Phalgun.
- In Jaisalmer: bonfires on the eve and colour in the streets the next morning. Read about Holi in Rajasthan.
- Holi kit: it is joyful and messy, so wear old clothes and keep your camera covered.
- Timing: the first half of March is perfect for the desert. After mid-month, plan sightseeing for early morning and evening.
- What we would do: start early and finish early. Gadisar at sunrise, the fort before ten, a long lunch and a swim, then Bada Bagh for sunset.
- The dunes: still lovely for a night in the first half of the month, with warm evenings and mild nights.
April, the heat arrives
Weather: the desert heats up fast. Mornings are still pleasant, but by noon it is very hot, and by the end of the month temperatures can approach 40°C.
Festival: Gangaur, the women's festival of the goddess Gauri, falls in March or April, with processions of decorated images through the town.
- Crowds: visitors are few and prices drop.
- How to do it: start very early, rest through the day and stay somewhere with a good pool.
- The dunes: still enjoyable at dawn, but a night in a camp may be too hot for comfort.
- What we would do: a short stay of one or two nights, built around the dawn hours.
- Our day: the fort and the Jain temples at first light, the day at the hotel, and a drive out for the last hour of sun.
- Where to sleep: a hotel with shade, courtyards and a pool rather than a camp.
May, the hardest month
Weather: fierce. Temperatures regularly pass 45°C, hot winds blow across the desert and dust storms can turn the sky brown in minutes.
How locals live: Jaisalmer's own families sleep on their roofs and keep indoors through the day.
- Our honest view: we don't recommend Jaisalmer in May unless you have a particular reason to be here.
- If you come: the fort in the first hour of light, rest all day, and go out again only after sunset.
- Closures: many camps close and some flights stop for the summer.
- What we would do: treat Jaisalmer as a one-night stop, with a dawn walk in the fort and a sunset drive.
- Look after yourself: drink plenty of water and buttermilk, cover your head, and never underestimate the midday sun.
June, waiting for the rain
Weather: as hot as May, often hotter, and the air grows heavy as the monsoon approaches from the east.
Late rains: by the end of the month the first storms may bring some relief, but this far west the rains often arrive late.
- Crowds: the town is very quiet and many hotels offer low rates.
- Who it suits: a difficult month, best left to those who love the desert in all its moods.
- Kinder choices: the hill station of Mount Abu or the lakes of Udaipur.
- What we would do: travel elsewhere if you can. If you come for a reason, plan only for the hours after dawn and after dusk.
- Ask the hotel: let the staff advise you on the heat and the dust each day.
July, the first green
Weather: the monsoon arrives, usually as a handful of heavy storms rather than steady rain. Between storms it is hot and humid.
The change: when the rain comes the desert turns green almost overnight and the air fills with the smell of wet earth.
- Festival: Teej, the women's festival of the monsoon, falls in July or August, when women wear green and red and swings are hung from trees.
- Crowds: visitors are rare and the town feels like itself.
- In the fort: heavy rain is the time of greatest risk to its fragile walls, so follow your guide's advice inside it.
- What we would do: come for the sky and the silence, not the sightseeing. Watch a storm roll in over the desert from a hotel terrace.
- After the rain: visit the tanks around town, and see the fort in the soft light that follows a storm.
August, the desert in flower
Weather: often the wettest month, though wet here means a few good storms. Humid and quiet, with good rates.
After a good monsoon: the desert is at its greenest, the tanks and lakes are full, and herders bring their animals out to graze.
- Pilgrims: late in the monsoon the great fair of Baba Ramdev at Ramdevra, near Pokaran, draws pilgrims from across western India. You will see them walking the roads with flags.
- Festival: Janmashtami, Krishna's birthday, falls in August or September.
- The skies: photographers love the drama.
- What we would do: drive out after a storm to see the desert green, and visit the full tanks at Amar Sagar and Gadisar.
- Evenings: with musicians, who are in less demand at this time of year and play with great generosity.
September, between seasons
Weather: warm and often still humid, as the monsoon fades and the desert begins to dry out.
The land: after a good rain year the dunes and plains keep a green tinge, and the light softens.
- Timing: days can still be hot, so plan sightseeing for mornings and evenings.
- Festival: Navratri, the nine nights of the goddess, can begin in late September or October, with prayers and music in the temples.
- Crowds: visitors begin to return towards the end of the month, a good time to travel before the season starts in earnest.
- What we would do: come late in the month, when the heat eases, for quiet lanes, green-tinged dunes and the first clear evenings.
- Combine it: with Jodhpur and the cranes at Khichan, which begin to arrive about now.
October, the season begins
Weather: the start of the season. Days are still warm, especially early on, but the nights cool down and the air becomes clear and dry.
Dussehra: at the end of Navratri, celebrated with effigies of Ravana burned in the evening.
- Diwali: the festival of lights falls in October or November, when the fort is lit with oil lamps and the town fills with families visiting relatives. Read about Diwali in Rajasthan.
- Crowds: one of the most beautiful times to be in Jaisalmer, and one of the busiest for Indian travellers.
- What we would do: come after the middle of the month, when the nights are cool, and plan around Diwali if you can.
- Diwali in the fort: lamps in the lanes and families in their best clothes. Book early if your dates fall on the festival.
November, the golden month
Weather: close to perfect. Warm, sunny days, cool nights and very clear skies.
Open for the season: the desert camps are fully open.
- The light: golden all day, lovely for photography.
- Birds: wintering birds return to the Desert National Park and to the lakes and tanks around town.
- Crowds: if Diwali falls early in the month the first week is busy. After that, it is one of the calmest and most pleasant months.
- Camel fair: a good time to combine Jaisalmer with the Pushkar Camel Fair, which usually falls in late October or November.
- What we would do: the full three nights, two near town and one in the desert, plus a morning in the national park.
- On to Pushkar: if the dates line up, travel on for the camel fair, a long day's drive to the east.
December, cold nights and the holidays
Weather: sunny, comfortable days, and nights growing cold, close to freezing in the dunes by the end of the month. Pack properly for the camp.
The light: soft and clear, with spectacular sunsets.
- The holidays: Christmas and New Year are the busiest weeks of the whole year in the desert, with camps and hotels full and prices at their highest.
- Book months ahead: if you want to be here then. Read about Christmas and New Year in Rajasthan.
- The quiet half: the first half of December is calmer and, we think, one of the loveliest times of the year.
- What we would do: come in the first half of the month for clear skies, cool days and calm.
- Our days: long sunny afternoons in courtyards, cold starry nights in a good camp and mornings in the fort when the sun has warmed the stone.
The festival calendar at a glance
Makar Sankranti: the kite festival, on 14 January every year.
The Desert Festival: three days around the full moon of Magh, usually in February.
Holi: the festival of colours, at the full moon of Phalgun, in late February or March.
- Makar Sankranti
- 14 January
- Desert Festival
- Usually February
- Holi
- Late February or March
- Diwali
- October or November
- Gangaur: the women's festival of the goddess Gauri, in March or April. Read about Gangaur.
- Teej: the monsoon festival of swings and green clothes, in July or August. Read about Teej.
- Baba Ramdev's fair: at Ramdevra, near Pokaran, in the monsoon month of Bhadon, usually August or September.
- Navratri and Dussehra: in September or October. Read about Dussehra in Rajasthan.
- Diwali: the festival of lights, in October or November.
- Christmas and New Year: the busiest weeks of the year in the desert camps.
Crowds, prices and the quiet weeks
The busy weeks: Diwali, the weeks from Christmas to the New Year, and the Desert Festival in February.
What that means: the best hotels and camps fill months ahead, the dunes at Sam are crowded at sunset and the fort lanes are busy from mid-morning.
If you come then: plan early and choose your hours carefully.
- Busiest
- Diwali, Christmas to New Year, the Desert Festival
- Quietest good weeks
- Early December, late January, first half of March
- Low season
- April to September
- Flights
- Seasonal, mainly winter
- The quiet good weeks: usually early December, late January and the first half of March, when the weather is still fine and the crowds are thinner.
- April to September: few visitors come, prices drop and some camps close.
- The hard months: the heat makes this a hard time for most travellers.
- The monsoon exception: it can be beautiful for those who accept the humidity and the risk of a missed storm.
- Flights: into Jaisalmer's small airport they are seasonal and run mainly in the winter months.
- In summer: most travellers come by road or rail from Jodhpur. Our page on getting around Rajasthan explains the options.
Light, stars and wildlife through the year
- Photography
- October to February
- Stargazing
- October to March, away from full moon
- Bustards and raptors
- November to March
- Khichan cranes
- About September to March
Light for photographers
October to February: the air is dry and clear, the sun stays low and the fort and dunes glow in the morning and evening.
- By April: dust and haze soften the light and flatten the colours.
- In the monsoon: storm clouds and sudden green make for dramatic pictures, if you are patient.
- More: our photography tips cover the desert light.
Stars over the desert
The months: October to March, when the skies are clear and dry.
- For the Milky Way: avoid the nights around the full moon.
- Where: choose a camp far from the town's lights. Read about stargazing in the Thar.
Birds and wildlife
The season: November to March, for the Desert National Park and the great Indian bustard.
- Winter visitors: eagles, harriers and other birds of prey come to the Thar.
- Khichan: on the road from Jodhpur, this village near Phalodi hosts thousands of demoiselle cranes from about September to March.
- Read more: the demoiselle cranes of Khichan.
The right season for the way you travel
First-time visitors
- When: between November and February. Everything is open, the weather is kind and the light is at its best.
- How long: avoid the Christmas week if you can, and give yourself three nights.
Families on school holidays
Christmas and New Year: lovely but busy, so book early and pack warm clothes for the camp.
- Spring holidays: late March and April are already hot, so plan for early mornings, a pool and short camel rides.
- More: our page on travelling with children.
Couples and honeymooners
When: November, early December and February, the most romantic months.
- Why: warm days, cool nights by the fire and clear skies for the stars.
- The classic pairing: the desert with Udaipur's lakes for a honeymoon.
Birdwatchers and naturalists
- When: November to February, for the great Indian bustard, wintering birds of prey and the cranes at Khichan on the way from Jodhpur.
- Bring and plan: good binoculars, and at least one dawn in the national park.
Travellers who love the quiet
- When: early December, the second half of January and early March give you good weather without the crowds.
- Quieter still: the monsoon months, if you can live with the humidity.
What to pack for the desert
Warm layers: from November to February, for the evenings, plus a proper jacket, hat and gloves for a night in the dunes. Many guests are surprised by how cold it gets.
A light scarf or safa: to cover your head and face when the wind lifts the sand. Local men wear their turbans, safa, for exactly this reason.
- Sun protection: sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat and strong sunscreen, even in January. The desert sun is fierce.
- The right shoes: comfortable ones that slip off easily for the temples, and that cope with sand and uneven stone.
- Loose clothes: long and breathable, covering shoulders and knees, for the temples and for the sun.
- A refillable bottle: plastic is a serious problem in the desert, and good hotels and camps will refill it.
- Small extras: binoculars if you love birds, and a head torch for the camp.
- The full list: our page on what to pack for Rajasthan.
Our advice on choosing your dates
For the best weather: come between mid-October and mid-March, and avoid the Christmas and New Year rush unless that is the only time you can travel.
For the festival: the Desert Festival in February. Book as soon as the dates are announced.
- Best weather
- Mid-October to mid-March
- Festival
- The Desert Festival in February
- Quiet and fine
- Early December, or late January to early March
- Birds
- November to February
- Monsoon
- Late July or August
- For quiet and good weather together: early December, or late January to early March.
- For birds and wildlife: November to February.
- In the hot months: keep your visit short, plan early mornings and evenings only, and stay at a hotel with a good pool.
- For the monsoon: come in late July or August, accept that the rain may or may not appear, and enjoy the quiet.
- Whatever the month: two nights near town and one in the desert. Our Jaisalmer itinerary shows how to spend them.
- The longer journey: our best time to visit Rajasthan guide puts Jaisalmer in context.
