Set in the heart of the Thar desert, Pushkar is a small, somewhat remote city. Yet despite its modest size, there’s a reason that this town is so well known. Thought to be one of the oldest settlements in all of India, Pushkar’s history stretches back over thousands of years. It’s also regarded as a holy site for Hindus and is home to a number of important temples. While most visitors today know it best for the annual camel fair, there are a number of other things to do in this rajasthani town. Below, we’ve selected 10 of our favorite things to see in Pushkar.

Best Time to Visit Pushkar Desert

The weather of Pushkar is typically dry with the nights being cool and days being significantly hotter. There is intermittent rainfall since this is a desert region and visiting in each season will expose you to different aspects of the city. Hence, the Summers and Monsoons in Pushkar can often be scorching and unbearable. This makes Winter (November - February) the best time to visit this enchanting city.

Places to Visit in Pushkar Desert

Pushkar is emerging as one of the popular tourist destinations in India. Connected to several stories and legends, this place is also among the most sacred pilgrim sites. The beautiful architectural legacy and the colorful fairs of Pushkar make it an interesting place to visit. The most famous tourist attraction is the Brahma temple, which attracts thousands of devotees and tourists. Pushkar Lake is another must-see place in Pushkar. You can also trek to the top of a hill to reach the Saraswati temple and enjoy the panoramic view of Pushkar Lake. The Gandhi Ghat in the town is a significant place as the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were sprinkled at the ghat. Here is a list of places to visit in Pushkar:

Pushkar Lake

Located in Pushkar, the Pushkar Lake is one of the most popular tourist attractions. According to the legends, the lake was created when Brahma dropped his lotus at this site. The sacred Pushkar Lake is believed to be holy by Hindus. It is called Tirtha Raj, which means the king of Pilgrimage place. The sacred water of this lake is believed to wash away the sins. The lake’s water is believed to have curative and medicinal properties. More than 500 temples are present around the lake.

Brahma Temple

There are more than 500 temples in Pushkar and among them the most popular and significant is the Brahma temple. Many of the old temples, including the Brahma temple, were demolished during the reign of Aurangzeb, the Mughal Emperor. These temples were later rebuilt. Although the original Brahma temple is said to be 2000 years old, the present structure dates back to the 14 th century. The Brahma temple in Pushkar is among the few Brahma temples existing in India and the world. The other temples dedicated to Brahma include Carambolim close to Valpoi in Goa, Uthamar Kovil located near Srirangam in Tamil Nadu, Asotra near Balotra in Rajasthan, Khedbrahma in Gujarat, Bithoor in Uttar Pradesh, Prambanan in Indonesia and Mother temple of Besakih in Bali in Indonesia. Sages and holy men take a ceremonial bath in the sacred Pushkar Lake and then enter this temple.

Savitri Temple

Located on top of a hill called Ratnagiri, Savitri temple is dedicated to Brahma’s wife Savitri. You can trek up the hill to catch the beautiful view of Pushkar Lake. The temple is situated at an elevation of about 750 ft and a flight of 650 steps takes you to Savitri temple, which is the second most significant temple in the town. The best time to visit the temple is early morning as you would be able to witness an absolutely stunning sunrise from the top of the hill. Although the route to the temple is simple at first, it becomes difficult as you reach the last stretch. The 1.5 km long route to the temple is hard and strenuous. The temple has three idols. Goddess Savitri is in the middle flanked by goddess Sharda on the right side and goddess Saraswati on the left. You can also see a glimpse of Gayatri temple at a distance on top of another hill, smaller to this hill.

Man Mahal

Built to serve as Raja Man Singh I’s guest house, the Man Mahal palace is among Pushkar’s grandest palaces. This palace is one of the most popular tourist spots in the town. Man Mahal is a visual treat with its grand Rajasthani architectural style of the royal period. The palace has now been converted into a heritage hotel and is called RTDC Hotel Sarovar. The palace still retains its old world charm. The heritage hotel is operated by the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation. The palace not only gives you a peek into the bygone era but offers you a stunning view of the lake and surrounding regions.

Apteshwar Temple

Apteshwar temple is among the famous temples in the sacred town of Pushkar. Dedicated to Shiva, this temple was built in the early 12 th century and has an underground section. Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, had destroyed the earlier structure but it was reconstructed later. Thousands of people visit this temple during festivals like Mahashivratri to pay their respect. The rituals in this temple include offering honey, milk, curd and ghee to the Shiva Lingam. ‘Bel’ leaves are also offered to the main deity of the temple by the devotees to fulfill their wishes.

How to Reach Pushkar

Ajmer (15 km) and Jaipur (150 km) are the nearby hubs from where it is easy to reach Pushkar. Jaipur has a well-connected airport, and Ajmer is the nearest railway station. From both of these places, the road connectivity to Pushkar is excellent and convenient - you can either hire a taxi to take you back and forth or take local buses by both state tourism and private companies.

By flight: Pushkar does not have an airport, and the nearest airport is in Jaipur which is well connected to all domestic and international destinations. However, international flights usually have routes through Mumbai or Delhi. There are regular taxis and buses from Jaipur airport to Pushkar.
By road: Pushkar is well connected to other cities in Rajasthan by road, and National Highways 48 and 58 passes through Pushkar connecting it to Jaipur and Ajmer respectively. Road travel is the most convenient way to get to Pushkar since trains are not very frequent. You can hire taxis or take private/state tourism buses from there to reach Pushkar. You should also be able to get autos from Ajmer.
By train: Pushkar has a railway station, but only intra-state trains stop at this station. The nearest major station is Ajmer and trains from metro cities as well as far away destinations also connect to Ajmer. This station is half an hour away from Pushkar by road.