I found Wanderlust Camel Safari on tripadvisor. It hit all the right notes. I didnt want to stay in a fancy resort, meet loads of other tourists and listen to loud party music till late in the night. I wanted the real desert experience.
Padam Singh ji picked us up from our hotel at 2.30pm. After roughly an hour long drive, during which we stopped at the beautiful Khaba fort for a view of the old ruins and at an oasis with a lake, we reached a spot where we met our camels. Its an hour long camel ride, which is quite an experience and shouldnt be missed, but not necessarily the most comfortable one. The highlight for me was getting a front row view of many herds of deer prancing gracefully across the sands.
The main camp site is in the middle of nowhere, sand dunes all around, away from the city, from the roads, from other tourists. Hot tea and pakodas later, we watched the sunset which is quite a sight in an open desert.
Once it was pitch dark, they set up a bonfire next to our charpai and we lounged around, watching the sky light up with stars, having interesting conversations with Padam ji and the camel people while they cooked our dinner. Dinner was simple but hot and sumptuous.
One reason to do this safari is to watch the sky filled with billions of stars, it's a magical sight and something we never get to see otherwise.
When we were finally ready to leave, Padam ji drove us back to our hotel.
There is an option to stay overnight in the desert as well.
The safari is value for money compared to some resorts that charge exorbitant prices, Padam ji is a man of the earth, humble and happy to show you his desert world, the camels seems well treated and healthy, the experience is definitely a memorable one. Would happily recommend it to anyone visiting Jaisalmer.