Visit the Pushkar Camel Fair in India

Marieke Willems4 years agoleave a comment

Once a year, camels are the glowing centerpiece in India. And camels play this role with verve! During these days, cows and gods are briefly less important and everything revolves around camels. Camels are bought and sold in great numbers in the Pushkar Camel Fair in India. They are colorfully painted and brightly dressed.

Visit the Pushkar Camel Fair in India!

What is there to do during the Pushkar Camel Fair in India?

The Pushkar Camel Fair has grown in the last years to a very important happening in the state of Rajasthan. Thousands of inhabitants and camel dealers from all corners of the state congregate in the Thar desert. All dressed in wonderful, traditional attire. Add to this the tourists and you have a really unique gathering of 200,000 people and 50,000 camels in the town of Pushkar.

Read 5 reasons why the Pushkar Camel Fair should be on your bucket list

Pushkar Camel Fair India, Visit the Pushkar Camel Fair in India

50,000 camels

There are, as mentioned above, an estimated 50,000 camels present during this festival. But make no mistake: these are no “ordinary” camels, such as those that I had seen earlier in my life.

These camels are elegantly dressed, nicely sheared, colorfully painted, and all conceivable festivities and possible activities take place during these days.

You must of course also not miss on the lively trade of these camels. Luckily, there is a program booklet available in English and there are signs everywhere; this way, I managed to attend everything that I wanted to see without a problem.

Pushkar Camel Fair India, Visit the Pushkar Camel Fair in India

When is the Pushkar Camel Fair in India?

Once a year, in the Kartik month (October-November), the annual Pushkar Fair is held in Pushkar. This festival lasts several days. The dates of the Pushkar Camel Fair are linked to the Hindu lunar calendar.

• In 2018, the official Pushkar Fair dates are November 15-23.
• In 2019, the official Pushkar Fair dates are November 4-12.

Pushkar Camel Fair India, Visit the Pushkar Camel Fair in India

How do you get to the Pushkar Camel Fair in India?

You can arrange an organized tour of the Pushkar Camel Fair. I, however, traveled independently and I could see everything on site perfectly well without a guide. There is no admission fee and reaching the right place is no problem with a map and the many instructions.

Pushkar Camel Fair India, Visit the Pushkar Camel Fair in India

Pushkar

It is located in the state of Rajasthan in India and it is possible to get here by a number of options:

Train: From all (large) places in India, you can reach Ajmer by train. Ajmer is the closest train station. Pushkar lies around 10 km from Ajmer. There are no trains or buses on this route, and a taxi is, therefore, the only option for the last 10 km.

Bus: There is an established bus service between Jaipur and Ajmer. From Jaipur, a bus departs every 15 minutes to Ajmer. Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan and can be reached from all cities by bus. From Ajmer, you must travel the last 10 km by taxi.

Airplane: The closest airport is located in Jaipur. Jaipur can be reached by plane from Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay, Jodhpur, and Udaipur. From Jaipur, you must travel about 2.5 hours (135 km) to Pushkar. This can be done by train or bus (see information above).

Hotel Pushkar

Beware: due to the massive crowds, it is advisable to book accommodation on time. Many lodgings are easily fully booked and the prices for last-minute reservations are awfully high. A great place to stay is Hotel Pushkar Cooking Art and Homestay. The owners are great people and the food they prepare is amazing. The room was super clean, full of details to make you feel comfortable. There is a nice area to sit in outside.