Why the fair, and why this route
It is a fair in transition, and we think honesty about that is part of loving it. Each year the trading is smaller and the tourist programme larger. Choose whether the trading or the faith matters more to you, and we set your nights accordingly.
Two gatherings at once: Hindus call Pushkar tirth raj, the king of pilgrimage places, and believe that bathing in its lake on Kartik Purnima washes away a lifetime's sins.
The herders came too: long before tourists, that holy day brought the herders of the Thar, who needed a place to buy and sell camels, horses and cattle before the winter.
- Month
- Kartik, usually October or November
- Climax
- Kartik Purnima, the full moon
- Real trading
- Before the official programme
- Pilgrims peak
- Ekadashi to the full moon
- Camel
- State animal since 2014
- Town rules
- Vegetarian, no alcohol
- Pushkar ka mela: the dunes on the west side of town became a vast livestock market, and the fair grew into one of the great spectacles of India.
- Fewer camels: camel numbers in Rajasthan have fallen sharply as roads and tractors replaced them, one reason the camel was named the state animal in 2014.
- When the trading happens: in the days before the official programme, when the herders have just arrived and the town is still theirs.
- When the faith peaks: in the last days, from Ekadashi to the full moon, when hundreds of thousands come to bathe.
- Start in Jaipur: our own city, so you arrive in Rajasthan in a palace rather than in a dust cloud.
- Four nights at Pushkar: one night is a blur, and two leave no time for the lake.
- Ajmer, the counterpoint: halfway through, fifteen minutes over the hills, the Sufi shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti fills with qawwali every evening.
- Finish in Udaipur: by the water, where the dust washes off and the evenings are quiet.
- The rules hold during the fair: vegetarian, no alcohol and shoes off on the ghats, as our page on Pushkar explains.
- Read ahead: our guide to the Pushkar Camel Fair explains how the days unfold, and our fair guide has the practical detail.
Day by day, from the Pink City to the lake
- Nights
- Nine nights, ten days
- Pace
- Dawn and dusk at the fair, noon by the pool
- Best months
- Kartik, late October or November
- Good for
- Photographers, the curious, spectacle lovers
- Starts
- Jaipur airport
- Ends
- Udaipur airport
Days 1 and 2: Jaipur, at the right hours
Arrival: we meet you at Jaipur airport and take you to your palace hotel to rest.
First evening: a private tour of the City Palace, then dinner on the lawns.
- Amber at opening: reach Amber Fort as the gates open and see the Sheesh Mahal almost alone. We walk or drive you up, and we don't book elephant rides.
- The bazaars: after lunch and a rest, walk the walled city with a guide who grew up in it.
- Chai at dusk: on a rooftop opposite Hawa Mahal as the walls turn rose.
- Soon after Diwali: the bazaars may still be lit.
- The full picture: our Jaipur guide.
Day 3: Jaipur to Pushkar, by way of Kishangarh
Kishangarh: under two hours along the Ajmer highway, the small Rathore kingdom whose painters created the Bani Thani, the most famous face in Rajasthani miniature painting.
Coffee stop: at Gundolav lake and Phool Mahal, the nineteenth-century palace of its rulers.
- Over the hills: on to Pushkar, about three hours from Jaipur in all.
- Check in: at your camp near the fairground, and rest.
- Late afternoon: walk the edge of the fair with your guide as the herders bring their animals in and the cooking fires are lit.
- The fair at its truest: the smoke, the bells and the low talk of the camel men at dusk.
- Early night: dinner in camp and heavy quilts, because desert nights in Kartik are cool.
Day 4: Dawn among the herders
On the sand before sunrise: wrapped in a shawl, as the camels stand up from the cold ground and the first tea is boiled on dung fires.
The herders: Raika and Rabari men in great red and white turbans sit over their glasses, bargaining for days.
Introductions, not distance: our guide speaks their dialect and will introduce you, rather than letting you photograph from afar.
- The trading: camels are washed, decorated, shorn in patterns and walked up and down for buyers.
- Ask before every photograph: and you will usually be invited to sit.
- Midday: breakfast, then rest through the heat and dust.
- The arena in the afternoon: camel races, tug of war, matka phod, the game of breaking clay pots, and the famous longest-moustache contest, with folk music between them.
- Sunset: ride a camel cart or walk onto the dunes away from the crowds.
- Balloons: on some mornings hot-air balloons lift over the fairground, and we can arrange a flight if conditions allow.
Day 5: Savitri hill, then Ajmer and the qawwali
Before dawn: climb Ratnagiri hill to the Savitri temple with a torch and a flask of tea, as the sky turns pink over the lake and fairground.
Or the ropeway: it runs up the hill for those who prefer it.
A change of base: from the camp to a resort outside town, for a swim, a proper bath and a long afternoon sleep.
- Over Nag Pahar at four: fifteen minutes to Ajmer.
- The Baradari: sit in the marble pavilion Shah Jahan built on the bank of Ana Sagar as the hills turn violet.
- The dargah: walk with our guide to the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, Gharib Nawaz, the benefactor of the poor.
- At the shrine: cover your head, leave your shoes outside and arrive for the Dua-e-Roshni, when the custodians carry great candles in as the lamps are lit.
- The qawwali: then the qawwals begin in the courtyards. Sit on the marble with the pilgrims and listen.
- Late dinner: back in Pushkar, quietly.
Day 6: The horse fair, Brahma's temple and the lamps
The horse lines: early, when breeders show Marwari and Kathiawari horses at a gallop, and the curved ears of the Marwari breed stand up like a lyre.
Brahma's temple: as the pilgrims multiply, the Brahma temple, one of very few in India dedicated to the creator, with its silver turtle and floor set with devotees' coins.
- In the bazaar: a hot malpua, the fried pancake soaked in syrup, and a clay cup of lassi.
- The evening aarti: after a rest, back to the lake. Around the full moon pilgrims float lamps on the water and the ghats glow from end to end.
- A quiet step: we find you one, or a rooftop, rather than a place in the crush.
- Be careful: do not photograph people bathing, and keep a hand on your bag.
Day 7: Pushkar to Udaipur, with lunch at Deogarh
The road south: through the Aravallis into Mewar, about five to six hours in all.
- Lunch at Deogarh: at Deogarh Mahal, a hilltop palace in a small Mewar town known for its miniature paintings.
- Arrival: in Udaipur for the late light on the lake.
Days 8 and 9: Udaipur, slowly
Kartik in Udaipur: the lakes are usually full from the monsoon and the air is clear.
The palace: a morning in the City Palace with a private guide.
- Sunset on the water: cross Lake Pichola by boat to Jag Mandir.
- Early morning: walk the old city lanes to the Jagdish temple.
- Evening: the dance programme at Bagore ki Haveli.
- One free afternoon: entirely for the spa.
- Day ten: we take you to Udaipur airport, or onwards. Our Udaipur guide has more.
Where you'll stay, and the alternatives
In Jaipur
Rambagh Palace: once the home of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II and Maharani Gayatri Devi, our first choice for grandeur.
- The Oberoi Rajvilas: for guests who want calm and space.
- Samode Haveli: inside the walled city.
- Compare them: in luxury hotels in Jaipur.
At the fair: a camp near the fairground
Fair camps: tented camps open near the dunes during the fair.
The best: large canvas tents on raised floors, proper beds, attached bathrooms with hot water, heaters for the cold nights and fresh vegetarian food.
- The worst: crowded rows of small tents beside a loudspeaker.
- Our five tests: the walk to the fairground, the noise at night, the bathrooms, the heating, and whether the camp keeps its promises year after year.
- Why no names here: camp names change, so we recommend them each season, and only ones we have stayed in ourselves.
At the lake: a resort outside town
The second half: we move you to a resort with a pool and a spa.
The most polished: The Westin Pushkar Resort and Spa, at the foot of the Aravallis on the edge of town.
- Quieter and more rural: Ananta Spa and Resort at Leela Sevri.
- Between Pushkar and Ajmer: Pratap Mahal, an IHCL SeleQtions hotel on the bypass.
- Which suits whom: our guide to luxury hotels in Pushkar.
In Udaipur
Taj Lake Palace: on its island in Pichola, the most romantic address in India.
- The Oberoi Udaivilas: the gardens and the space.
- In the royal house itself: Shiv Niwas Palace and Fateh Prakash Palace, inside the City Palace complex.
Other ways to do it
Palace heritage throughout: sleep at Phool Mahal in Kishangarh, about an hour away, and drive in for dawn and dusk.
- Atmosphere above comfort: add a single night in a lakeside heritage hotel such as Pushkar Palace for the full moon, and wake to the bells.
- Every option: our overview of luxury stays in Pushkar.
When to go, and how the fair unfolds
A lunar date: Kartik Purnima, the full moon, is the climax, and because the Hindu calendar is lunar it moves by up to a few weeks each year.
Late October or November: in some years the fair begins in late October, in most it falls in November.
- Kartik
- Parts of October and November
- Dates
- Move by up to a few weeks
- Days
- High twenties to low thirties
- Nights
- Cool, colder in late November
- Animals arrive
- A week or more early
- We hold the rooms: we confirm the dates each year as soon as the authorities announce them, and hold the best tents and rooms for our guests from that moment.
- The weather is kind: warm, dry days, often in the high twenties or low thirties.
- Nights on the dunes: cool enough for a shawl, and colder towards the end of November.
- Dust: bring a scarf for your face and something to protect your camera.
The herders' days, before the programme
When: animals start arriving a week or more before the official programme.
- Who they suit: photographers and anyone who wants real trading, with fewer visitors, more camels and long conversations over tea.
- How we plan: if this matters most, we place your four nights early.
The official fair, Ekadashi to the full moon
The programme: races, contests, music and dance, usually over the last five days.
- The pilgrims: they arrive in their hundreds of thousands, roads into town are restricted, and the ghats are full day and night.
- Extraordinary and intense: we plan walks rather than drives on the busiest days.
Nearby in the same season
Diwali: about two weeks before Kartik Purnima, so the two combine in one longer journey with our Diwali in Jaipur itinerary.
- Bundi Utsav: the Bundi Utsav is also held in Kartik.
- Dev Deepawali: Varanasi celebrates it on the same full moon, so you must choose one or the other.
Make it yours
Shorter, in six nights
- The shape: one night in Jaipur, three at Pushkar with Ajmer as an evening, and two in Udaipur.
- The trade: you will see one half of the fair well rather than both.
Longer, with Jodhpur or the desert
Jodhpur instead of Udaipur: Jodhpur and Umaid Bhawan Palace, about four to five hours from Pushkar.
- On into the desert: continue to Jaisalmer and the dunes on our desert triangle.
- Or tigers: Ranthambore reopens for safaris in October and is about three to four hours from Jaipur.
For photographers
Choose the herders' days: and take all four Pushkar nights in a camp close to the fairground.
- The right guide: a local who knows the herding families.
- How we work around the light: our photography journey and photography tips.
For families
Children love: the camels and the fairground rides.
- But the full moon crowds: are hard on small ones. Come early in the fair, keep the resort nights and visit the fairground at dawn, when it is calmer.
- Pacing for younger travellers: our family journeys.
For couples and repeat visitors
Couples: add a night on the lake at the full moon for the lamps and the bells, and end with three nights at Taj Lake Palace.
- Repeat visitors: add Nagaur, whose great cattle fair falls in the winter, on a later trip.
- The pilgrim trail: follow it on our sacred Rajasthan journey.
Being a good guest at the fair
Ask before photographing anyone: and accept no with a smile. Herders are often happy to pose after a conversation, and some will want to see the picture.
Never photograph bathers: in the lake, especially women.
- Shoes off: on every ghat and in every temple. Leave them with your guide.
- A vegetarian town: with no alcohol. Please don't bring meat, eggs or alcohol into it.
- Camel rides: we keep them short, slow and in the cool hours, with handlers who look after their animals, and we avoid any event where animals are visibly stressed. Our ethical animal encounters page explains our rules.
- Women travellers: join the busiest crowds only with our team. Our page for women travellers has more practical advice.
What to pack and wear for the fair
Layers: dawn on the fairground can be cold enough for a fleece or a shawl, and by eleven you will want a cotton shirt. A light down jacket packs small and earns its place.
A scarf or safa: a large cotton scarf or a safa, a turban cloth, for your face when the wind lifts the dust. Our guides will happily tie one the herders' way.
Shoes: closed and comfortable, and easy to slip off. You will walk on sand, dung and temple steps in the same morning.
- Modest clothes: covering shoulders and knees, for men and women alike. Loose, light fabrics are the most comfortable in the crowds and the most respectful at the lake.
- Camera care: a bag that seals, lens cloths and a blower, because fine dust gets into everything.
- A small zoom lens: lets you photograph without pushing into people's space.
- Sun: sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat for the arena in the afternoons, when there is little shade.
- Small notes: for tea with the herders, temple offerings and tips. Our planner handles the larger payments, so you never need to carry much.
- Every season: our full packing guide has a list.
How we look after you
A private car and chauffeur: from Jaipur airport throughout, with a driver who knows the fair roads.
On restricted days: he drops you at the nearest point and our guide walks you in.
- Jaipur to Kishangarh
- Under 2 hours
- Jaipur to Pushkar
- About 3 hours
- Pushkar to Ajmer
- About 15 minutes
- Pushkar to Udaipur
- 5 to 6 hours, via Deogarh
- Pushkar to Jodhpur
- About 4 to 5 hours
- Guides: a local guide at Pushkar who speaks the herders' dialect, another at Ajmer who knows the dargah, and private guides in Jaipur and Udaipur.
- Tents and rooms held early: the moment the fair dates are announced, and we visit the camps ourselves before we book them.
- Flights: where they help, such as from Udaipur home or onwards, with airport meetings at every end.
- Your planner on WhatsApp: all day and evening, for a changed plan, a late dinner or a question at the horse lines.
- No published prices: fair dates, camp choice and your route change everything, so we quote after one conversation.
Who will love it, and who should choose another journey
Living tradition: you will love this journey if you are curious about it.
Early mornings: and long conversations through a translator.
- An adventure, not an ordeal: if dust, crowds and music sound like the first.
- Endlessly rich for: photographers, writers and anyone who wants to understand rural Rajasthan.
- Hard if: you dislike crowds, noise or dust, want wine with dinner every night, or think of luxury as silence.
- Loud and dry: fair week in Pushkar is loud from before dawn until late, and the town's rules apply to everyone.
- A quieter Pushkar: come on a calm week in December or February instead.
- Calmer journeys: Rajasthan for Two or The Royal Rajputana, which include the state's great calm places.
