Known for producing the best riding camels in the world, Bikaner, in the desert state of Rajasthan, is also known as the ‘Camel Country’. The Ship of the Desert is an indivisible part of life here. Be it pulling heavy carts to transport grains and goods or working on wells, camels are the prime helpers. From catering and fashion to travelling and entertainment, the camel is a day-to-day necessity.

The wells of Bikaner, an important resource of water for the locals, are another attraction of the city.

Imagine yourself among golden sand dunes that stretch into the horizon and smiling camels that are always ready to take you for an exciting safari over the vast desert. If this sounds like a great vacation then Bikaner is an ideal city to head to. It is one of the few places in the world that continues to hold its royal grandeur of the past, be it in the royal palaces that now function partly as heritage luxury hotels or the grand meals and sweets that will tempt you to stay a little while longer!

Best Time to Visit Bikaner Desert

An enthralling city, Bikaner is known for housing beautiful palaces, temples and historical monuments. Bikaner is located in the heart of Rajasthan and is considered a major tourist destination of India. Bikaner is a city which experiences extreme climate throughout the year. While the summers are hot and humid, winters are chilly. However, the best time to visit the place is from October to March when the weather remains cool and pleasant.

Places to Visit in Bikaner

Junagarh Fort

An attractive place to visit in Bikaner is located in the Thar Desert, the Junagarh Fort. Akin to an oasis, the fort provided more than shelter in its day. Today, it is a standing piece of architectural finesse, excellent artistic rendition and a historical monument of importance. Built by the sixth ruler of Bikaner, Raja Rai Singhji, the fort is the only such in the state to be built on flat lands. The fort consists of many other monuments built of marble and sandstone such as the Anup Mahal, Badal Mahal, Chandra Mahal, etc.

Lalgarh Palace

Among the places to visit in Bikaner is the grand Lalgarh Palace, this royal monument was commissioned by the British Regency in the year 1902 for the King Ganga Singh. The king named the palace after his father Maharaja Lal Singh. Sporting a mixture of architectural styles; Rajput, Mughal and European, today, the palace is functioning partly as the royal residence and partly as heritage hotels.

Gajner Palace

Lush greenery of the surrounding sanctuary welcomes you to explore the hidden grandeur of the Gajner Palace. Built by Maharaj Sir Ganga Singh, the Gajner palace is among the famous attractions in Bikaner. The palace complex spanning an extensive area of 6,000 acres used to be the hunting resort during British rule. A visit to the palace is akin to being transported to an era of unhurried life, opulence and artistic beauty. The palace consisting of the Dungar Niwas, Mandir Chowk, Gulab Niwas and Champa Niwas presently functions as a heritage luxury hotel.

The Royal Cenotaphs

A nostalgic trip to Devi Kund Sagar in Bikaner to see the royal cenotaphs is a must while visiting the city. All the grandeur of royal life is reduced to the small tombstone space, also locally called 'chhatri' for the umbrella shaped domes. The cenotaphs are different for men, women and children. The male members get a tombstone, while female members have the carving of feet; and children do not have a 'chhatri' structure. The representation of death is not as morbid as it looks with many of the structures built in marble and having interiors that have exquisite inlay and painting work. An interesting feature on the tombstones of the male members is the note of the number of wives who committed sati at his funeral pyre.

Bhandasar Jain Temple

A place that attracts travelers for both spiritual and artistic reasons is the Bhandasar Jain Temple in Bikaner. Built in the outstanding Rajput style of architecture, the temple constructed with white marble and red sandstone is quite a sight to behold. Observe the sculpted pillars, beautiful fresco paintings, and exotic mirror work in the temple that is three storeys tall.

Karni Mata Temple

Travel to Bikaner is incomplete without visiting the unique Karni Mata Temple. Built in the worship of Karni Mata, who is said to be an incarnation of Goddess Durga, the temple is special for providing protection to the numerous black rats on the premises as they are considered holy. These rats feast on the freely available sweets and other food served for them. Despite the large rat population there has been no reports of illness or disease that have spread to the people of the community.

Shiv Bari Temple

On the list of tourist attractions in Bikaner is the Shiv Bari Temple, which is built from red sandstone. It was constructed in the 19th century by Dungar Sing in the worship of the Hindu god Lord Shiva. The temple has the main shrine of Shiva interestingly depicted with four faces in black stone. The god's 'vahan' Nandi is seen at the temple in bronze. The temple also boasts of two big water bodies and sees large crowds of devotees coming to pray, especially during the month of August, known as 'Shravan' as per the Hindu calendar.

How to Reach Bikaner

By Air: Jodhpur International Airport is the nearest airport to Bikaner, which is approximately 251 km away from the Bikaner City. It is well-connected with all the metro cities of India such as Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Pune, Goa, Indore, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Jammu, Chennai, and others. The airport also has International flights from Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, New York, San Francisco, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Zurich. Bikaner has a domestic airport called Nal Airport, which is located about 17 km from Bikaner, but is presently under construction.
By Train: There are two main railway stations in Bikaner-Bikaner Junction and Lalgarh Railway Station. Both the stations are located at a distance of approximately 6 kms away from the main city and are well-connected with most of the Indian cities like Delhi, Jodhpur, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Jammu, Mumbai, Kolkata, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, and others. Some of the trains that run through this route are Rajasthan Sampark Kranti Express, Delhi Sarai Rohilla, Bikaner Intercity, Kalka Barmer Chandigarh Express, Adi Jat Express, Secunderabad Bikaner Express, Jammu Tawi-Ahmedabad Express.
By Road: The National and State Highways like NH 11, 15, & 89 are very well linked with other major cities and metros in India. Depending on the budget, the tourists can book Volvo, luxury, air-conditioned, non-air-conditioned, and deluxe buses, or opt for a sleeper coach for a comfortable journey. Most popular routes that operate from Bikaner connect Delhi, Ganganagar, Pali, Jodhpur, Agra, Ajmer, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Jhunjhuna, Jaisalmer, Udaipur, and Kota.