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Rajasthan

Khuri (Desert National Park)

Mud and thatch dune village on the Desert National Park edge

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Best time to visit Khuri (Desert National Park)

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: November to February
  • Shoulder: March and October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: April to August

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryNovemberDecember

Khuri (Desert National Park) season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Dec-Feb is the window: 24 C days, 5 C nights on the sand, camel rides out to the Desert National Park boundary and a clean Milky Way overhead

Summer March to May Shoulder

March still works if you start at dawn. April to June the Thar runs 45 to 48 C with hot wind all afternoon and most homestays simply close

Monsoon June to September Mixed, read the detail

Jun-Aug brings little rain but heavy dust storms and 42 C, and camel safaris stop; September cools slowly, so wait for October to book

Autumn October to November Prime time

October settles to about 35 C and the dunes are yours; November is the best all round, cool nights, clear skies and camps not yet full

What Khuri (Desert National Park) is actually like

Family run dune camps and mud houses with painted walls; evenings are Manganiyar songs round a fire, far quieter than Sam

Things to do in Khuri

The local places worth your time in and around Khuri, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Khaba Fort

    Fort · 30 km out

    Fort above the abandoned Paliwal village of Khabha, looking over its rows of roofless stone houses

  • Sudasari, Desert National Park

    Wildlife · 20 km out

    Fenced 2,000 acre grassland where the great Indian bustard is best seen at sunrise; permit from the park office in Jaisalmer

  • Sam Sand Dunes

    Dunes · 40 km out

    Dune field about 42 km west of Jaisalmer, the best known spot in the area for camel rides and sunset views

  • Akal Wood Fossil Park

    Park · 62 km out

    21 hectare park on the Barmer road with petrified tree trunks about 180 million years old, the longest about 13 m

Getting to Khuri (Desert National Park)

Bus or jeep 45 km southwest from Jaisalmer on the Barmer road, about 90 minutes to the village

Practical ways in: trainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
2 days
Budget
Shoestring
How busy
Steady at its peak
Solo travel
Fine solo
Altitude
226 m
State
Rajasthan
Coordinates
26.6132, 70.7110

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Khuri (Desert National Park)?

November to February is peak season in Khuri (Desert National Park). March and October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to August. October settles to about 35 C and the dunes are yours; November is the best all round, cool nights, clear skies and camps not yet full.

How many days do you need in Khuri (Desert National Park)?

2 days is the usual stay. Family run dune camps and mud houses with painted walls; evenings are Manganiyar songs round a fire, far quieter than Sam.

How do you get to Khuri (Desert National Park)?

Bus or jeep 45 km southwest from Jaisalmer on the Barmer road, about 90 minutes to the village. Practical ways in: train and road.

Is Khuri (Desert National Park) expensive, and does it get crowded?

Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.

Is there a festival in Khuri (Desert National Park)?

Jan/Feb: Jaisalmer Desert Festival, 30 km northwest at Sam dunes. Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.

What are the best things to do in Khuri?

Khaba Fort, Sudasari, Desert National Park, Sam Sand Dunes and Akal Wood Fossil Park. Fort above the abandoned Paliwal village of Khabha, looking over its rows of roofless stone houses.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in Rajasthan

All 49 destinations in Rajasthan