Location · Oct - Mar
Junagarh, the Old City and Deshnoke
A guided morning in the fort's painted halls, an afternoon walk through the Rampuria haveli lanes, and the Karni Mata rat temple done properly with a priest.
From US$938 per person
Overview
Rao Bika, a younger son of the Jodhpur house, founded the city in 1488 on a stretch of the Thar that nobody else wanted. Water was the limit on everything, which is why Bikaner's old town is dense, its havelis face inward, and its wealth came from the camel caravans crossing between Central Asia and the Gujarat ports. The city sits around 240 metres above sea level on flat sand and scrub.
Junagarh, begun in 1589 by Raja Rai Singh, is unusual among Rajasthan's forts in standing on flat ground rather than a hill, and more unusual still in never having been taken by an enemy. Inside, the Anup Mahal and Phool Mahal show a Mughal-influenced taste the Bikaner rulers picked up while serving Akbar and Jahangir. The Karni Mata temple at Deshnoke, 30 kilometres south, houses several thousand protected rats.
Western visitors mostly arrive as part of a Jodhpur to Jaisalmer loop, and the city repays a two-night stop. The National Research Centre on Camel runs the only institution of its kind in Asia, with a camel milk dairy and a working herd. Bikaner also has the state's best junk-free old town walking, since very few tour groups come through its lanes.
Hand-held, every step
You travel as our guest, not as a booking number. One named person looks after you from the first video call to the drive back to the airport, and explains the meaning behind everything you are looking at.
In Bikaner that matters most where the crowds are thickest and the customs least familiar.
- Airport welcome with a name board, a local SIM and your first rupees sorted
- One trip manager on WhatsApp for the whole journey, answering within the hour
- Guides who explain each ritual, dish and carving as you meet it
- Reserved, safe places at festivals rather than the crush
- A real part in a puja, a wedding or a family celebration if you want one
- Female guide on request, vetted drivers, and no shopping-commission stops
Festivals worth planning a trip around
Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Islamic dates follow lunar calendars, so each year shifts. We confirm every date against the panchang before a departure goes on sale.
| Festival | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Camel Festival | Jan | Two days of camel races, decoration contests, camel dancing and fur shearing displays, held on the Rampuriya grounds and at the camel research farm. |
| Karni Mata Fair, Deshnoke | Mar-Apr and Sep-Oct (Navratri, lunar) | Twice-yearly fairs at the rat temple, with pilgrims arriving on foot and overnight singing. The temple is at its most crowded and most extraordinary. |
| Dolchi Holi | Mar (Phalguna Purnima, lunar) | A Bikaner speciality in which two sides hurl water from leather dolchi buckets at each other in the old city lanes. Rough, wet and cheerful. |
| Gangaur | Mar-Apr (Chaitra, lunar) | Women process with Gauri images through the old city to the Devi Kund tanks, with Bikaneri folk songs that differ from the Jaipur repertoire. |
| Kolayat Fair | Oct-Nov (Kartik Purnima, lunar) | A cattle fair and pilgrim bathing at the Kapil Muni lake 50 km south-west, far less known than Pushkar but on the same full moon. |
| Teej | Jul-Aug (Shravan, lunar) | Swings in the haveli courtyards and women's processions, marking monsoon rain that in Bikaner is often little more than a promise. |
Food to try in Bikaner
Ranked the way a local host would feed you, starting with the dish you should not leave without.
- Bikaneri bhujiaThe spiced moth-bean noodle snack that made the city's name nationally. Buy it loose and fresh from the Bhujia Bazaar, not in packets.
- Rasgulla from BikanerUnusually, this Bengali sweet is a local speciality here too. Chhotu Motu Joshi near Station Road is the long-standing name.
- Kesar kulfiDense saffron ice cream frozen in metal cones, sold from clay pots at the old city sweet shops.
- Ghevar and feeniFestival sweets in syrup, feeni being a shredded vermicelli-like disc eaten with warm milk in winter.
- Papad and badiSun-dried lentil discs and dumplings made on every rooftop in summer, then cooked into curries all year.
- Kachori with imli chutneyFried and stuffed, eaten standing at the stalls around Kote Gate before eight in the morning.
- Camel milk tea and kulfiSold at the National Research Centre on Camel. Mild, slightly salty and genuinely unusual, with no other source in India.
- Gatte ki sabziThe Bikaneri version uses more asafoetida and sour curd than further south. Any thali house near Kote Gate will serve it.
- RaabA warm millet and buttermilk gruel with ginger, drunk in winter mornings. Ask for it in the older home-style kitchens.
- Laal maas and safed maasBoth served at the heritage hotel kitchens, with Bikaner's palace version of safed maas noticeably milder than Jodhpur's.
Heritage sites in Bikaner
- Junagarh FortBegun 1589 and never captured. A flat-ground fort rather than a hill fort, with the gilded Anup Mahal and a First World War biplane in the museum.
- Karni Mata Temple, DeshnokeThirty kilometres south, a Shakti temple where several thousand rats are revered as kabbas and fed daily. Shoes off, and watch your feet.
- Lalgarh PalaceA red sandstone palace begun in 1902 for Maharaja Ganga Singh, designed by Samuel Swinton Jacob, part hotel and part museum.
- Bhandasar Jain TempleA fifteenth-century temple said to be mortared with ghee rather than water, with painted ceilings and a three-storey interior.
- Rampuria HavelisA cluster of carved red sandstone merchant mansions from the late nineteenth century, several still privately occupied.
- Devi Kund SagarThe royal cremation ground 8 km east, with marble and sandstone chhatris over the Bika dynasty's rulers.
- Gajner Palace and LakeThirty-two kilometres west, Ganga Singh's shooting lodge on a lake inside a wildlife sanctuary, now a heritage hotel.
- KolayatFifty kilometres south-west, a temple town around a sacred lake founded by the sage Kapil Muni, with 52 ghats and a Kartik fair.
Places to visit in Bikaner
- National Research Centre on CamelEight kilometres out, the only camel research institute in Asia, with a herd of four breeds and a milk and ice cream parlour.
- Old city lanes around Kote GateDense, inward-facing haveli streets with almost no tour groups, the best unforced old town walking in Rajasthan.
- Bhujia BazaarThe snack market where the city's famous bhujia is fried and sold by weight all day.
- Gajner Wildlife SanctuaryDry scrub around the palace lake with nilgai, blackbuck, wild boar and large winter flocks of imperial sandgrouse.
- DeshnokeThe temple town of the rats, a short drive south and the single strangest hour most visitors spend in India.
- Shri Sadul Museum, LalgarhGanga Singh's personal collection, including hunting records, photographs and his railway saloon carriage.
- KatariyasarForty kilometres east, a desert village known for the fire-dancing Jasnathi sect and sand dunes without the Jaisalmer crowds.
- Camel safari dunes at RaisarLow dune country about 25 km out, used for short camel rides and sunset sundowners from the city hotels.
Waterfalls, lakes and wild places
Bikaner is about as dry as India gets, with roughly 260 mm of rain a year, so the water here is tanks and one palace lake rather than anything natural. Come between November and February for the birds at Gajner and Jorbeer. Do not drink or bathe at the temple tanks, and keep closed shoes on at Jorbeer.
- Gajner LakeThirty-two kilometres west, an artificial lake beside the former shooting palace, with sandgrouse and nilgai coming to drink at dusk.
- Kolayat LakeFifty kilometres south-west, a sacred lake with 52 ghats and a Kartik Purnima bathing fair.
- Devi Kund Sagar tankA royal tank beside the cenotaph complex east of the city, used for Gangaur immersions each spring.
- Raisar dunesNot water at all. Low sand country 25 km out for short camel rides, and the nearest thing Bikaner has to Jaisalmer's dune fields.
- Jorbeer conservation reserveA carcass dump turned raptor site 15 km out, where thousands of vultures, eagles and kites gather in winter. No water, considerable birds.
Where to stay in Bikaner
Properties we would put our own guests in. Your package includes the level you choose, and we hold rooms before festival dates.
- Laxmi Niwas PalaceLalgarh complex; the 1902 red sandstone royal residence by Swinton JacobHeritage
- Narendra BhawanGandhi Colony; the last maharaja's own home, reworked as a design hotelBoutique
- Gajner PalaceGajner, 32 km west; the royal shooting lodge on its lake, an HRH propertyHeritage
- Lallgarh PalaceLalgarh complex; the other wing of the palace, run as a hotel with gardensHeritage
- Bhanwar NiwasRampuria Haveli, old city; a 1927 merchant mansion still owned by the familyHeritage
- Hotel Bhairon VilasBeside Junagarh Fort; an eccentric family-run heritage propertyBoutique
- The Lalit Laxmi NiwasLalgarh complex; sandstone wing with a pool and larger roomsUpscale
- Guest houses near Kote GateSeveral long-standing small family-run lodges in the old city lanesMid-range
Evenings out and culture
| Place | What it is |
|---|---|
| Camel Festival grounds, January | Two days of camel races, dancing camels and decoration contests. The one time Bikaner fills with visitors, and still smaller than Pushkar. |
| Fire dancing at Katariyasar | The Jasnathi sect perform agni nritya on live embers to drumming, staged for small groups in a desert village 40 km east. |
| Narendra Bhawan bar and library | Alcohol is served here, along with an odd and good collection of books and records, open to non-residents who book dinner. |
| Dolchi Holi in the old city | March only. Two sides throwing leather buckets of water at each other through the lanes, which is a spectator sport until it is not. |
| Folk evenings at the palace hotels | Langa and Manganiyar musicians perform in the Lalgarh and Gajner courtyards through the winter season. |
Getting to Bikaner by air
| Airport or route | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bikaner Airport (BKB) | Nal, 17 km from the city, a civil enclave with a handful of weekly domestic flights. Do not rely on it for a fixed itinerary. |
| Via Jodhpur (JDH) | The practical route. Fly Delhi or Mumbai to Jodhpur, then 250 km by road in about four and a half hours across open desert. |
| Via Jaipur (JAI) | Gulf carriers from the USA, UK and Europe connect into Jaipur, from where Bikaner is 335 km, or an overnight train. |
| Via Delhi (DEL) | Non-stop from New York, Chicago, London, Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam, then an overnight train of roughly ten hours to Bikaner Junction. |
| Road transfers | Most guests arrive by car on the Jodhpur to Jaisalmer loop. Roads are good and empty, and the drive itself is part of the desert experience. |
Trains and road to Bikaner
| Route or station | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bikaner Junction (BKN) | A large junction station 2 km from Junagarh Fort, with a foreign tourist booking window and good onward connections. |
| Delhi to Bikaner | Ten to eleven hours overnight, arriving early morning. Two-tier air-conditioned is comfortable and the route crosses open Thar. |
| Jodhpur to Bikaner | About five hours by day train through Nagaur, or four and a half by road. A straightforward leg either way. |
| Jaipur to Bikaner | Roughly nine hours, usually taken overnight, which saves a day on a Rajasthan circuit. |
| Bikaner to Jaisalmer | Around six hours by rail via Jodhpur connections, though most travellers drive the 330 km directly in about five and a half. |
Weather, seasons and best time to visit Bikaner
November to February is the window, with 14-26°C / 57-79°F days, January bringing the Camel Festival and winter raptors at Jorbeer. Stay away in May and June, when Bikaner sits at 46°C / 115°F with dust storms and little shade in the old city.
| Months | Season | Day temperature | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct-Nov | Post-monsoon | 23-35°C / 73-95°F | Hot in early October, easing to pleasant by late November. Clear skies and the start of the bird season at Jorbeer. |
| Dec-Feb | Winter | 14-26°C / 57-79°F | The best months, though nights drop to 2-7°C / 36-45°F and January can touch freezing. Mornings in the fort courtyards are genuinely cold. |
| Mar-Jun | Summer | 35-46°C / 95-115°F | Severe desert heat. May and June pass 46°C / 115°F with dust storms. The camel farm shortens its hours and sightseeing stops by mid-morning. |
| Jul-Sep | Monsoon | 30-39°C / 86-102°F | Barely 260 mm of rain arrives, so this is humid heat rather than relief. Few visitors and reduced hotel rates. |
Bikaner tour packages
Per person, twin sharing, excluding international flights. Hotels, private transport, guides, entries, your trip manager and 24-hour support are included.
Festival · Fixed dates - Jan 2027
Bikaner Camel Festival in January
Reserved viewing for the camel races and decoration contests, a morning at the camel research farm, and a night of Jasnathi fire dancing in a desert village.
From US$1,812 per person
Tradition · Oct - Mar
Camel Herders, Milk and the Raika
You spend a day with Raika camel herders, help at the milking, taste camel milk kulfi at the research centre, and ride low dunes at Raisar at dusk.
From US$1,625 per person
Wildlife · Nov - Feb
Vultures at Jorbeer and Sandgrouse at Gajner
Two dawn sessions at the Jorbeer raptor reserve with a local birder, then the Gajner lake hide for imperial sandgrouse coming to water at first light.
From US$1,312 per person
Take part, don't just watch
Add any of these to a tour. A host stays beside you and tells you what is happening and why it is done that way.
Milk a camel with a Raika herder
A Raika family, the caste that has bred camels here for centuries, takes you out to their herd at dawn. You learn to hobble a camel, help with the milking, and hear why their grazing routes have shrunk and how many families have left the trade.
Walk the rat temple with a Deshnoke priest
A temple priest at Karni Mata explains what the kabbas mean, why a white one is auspicious, and how the daily feeding works. He shows you where to put your bare feet, which is practical advice rather than ceremony, and answers the obvious questions directly.
Sit with a Bikaneri haveli family at Rampuria
A merchant family still living in one of the carved red sandstone mansions shows you their courtyard, the jali screens and the painted rooms upstairs. Over tea they explain how the caravan trade paid for all of it and what maintaining it now costs.
Watch the Jasnathi fire dance at Katariyasar
In a village 40 km east, members of the Jasnathi sect dance barefoot on live embers to a drum circle while their elders chant. The head of the household explains the discipline behind it beforehand, and you sit on the sand at the edge of the fire pit.
Questions travellers ask about Bikaner
Why should I visit Bikaner?
For the Rajasthan that has not been smoothed down for visitors. Junagarh Fort was never captured and its painted halls are a match for anything in Jaipur, the old city lanes have almost no tour groups, and the camel research farm is the only institution of its kind in Asia. The rat temple at Deshnoke is simply unforgettable.
When is the best time to visit Bikaner?
November to February, when days run 14-26°C / 57-79°F and nights fall to 2-7°C / 36-45°F. January adds the Camel Festival and the best raptor numbers at Jorbeer. From April to June the city reaches 46°C / 115°F with dust storms, which rules out daytime sightseeing entirely.
Is Bikaner comfortable for solo and female travellers?
Yes, and the lack of tourist pressure actually helps: there is far less touting here than in Jaipur or Jaisalmer. Dress modestly in the old city, which is conservative, and cover your head at Karni Mata and the Jain temples. Expect curiosity rather than hassle, since foreign faces are still uncommon in the lanes.
What visa do US, UK and EU citizens need?
An India e-Visa, applied for online a minimum of four days ahead, in the 30-day, one-year or five-year tourist categories. Carry a printout of the approval with your passport. Bikaner needs no additional permit, though the airport is a military enclave where photography is not allowed anywhere near the apron.
What does a Bikaner tour cost?
Our ground cost is US$750 for two nights covering the fort, old city and Deshnoke, US$1,050 for the three-night birding trip, US$1,300 for the four-night camel herder itinerary and US$1,450 during the January Camel Festival. Bikaner is among the better value stops in Rajasthan because heritage rooms cost less here.
How many days do I need in Bikaner?
Two nights. The first covers Junagarh and the Rampuria havelis, the second Deshnoke and the camel research centre. A third is worth it only for Gajner, Jorbeer or Katariyasar. Most guests fit Bikaner in as a two-night link between Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, which works well.
Is it true there is a temple full of rats?
Yes. Karni Mata at Deshnoke, 30 km south, houses several thousand rats that are fed and protected as kabbas, believed to be the goddess's descendants. You enter barefoot, as at any temple, and they run across the courtyard freely. Sighting a white one is considered fortunate. It is genuinely safe, if not for everyone.
What should I eat in Bikaner?
Bhujia, the spiced bean-noodle snack this city gave its name to, bought loose and fresh from Bhujia Bazaar rather than in sealed packets. Then camel milk kulfi at the research centre, raab on a winter morning, and the local rasgulla. Vegetarians eat extremely well and spice levels are moderate.
Nearby and related
Most guests pair Bikaner with one or two of these on the same trip.