The living fort and the merchant havelis
The fort's walls run round the top of Trikuta hill with 99 bastions, and you enter through a series of gates leading up to the main square. The Raj Mahal, the royal palace, is now a museum with views across the city and the desert. Deeper inside are the Jain temples, built between the 12th and 16th centuries, with carved pillars and ceilings in yellow stone.
What makes Jaisalmer different is that the fort is lived in. Families have homes here, children walk to school through the gates, and cows wander the lanes. This brings pressure: water and drainage from guesthouses have weakened the foundations, and parts of the fort have collapsed in recent decades. We visit as guests and avoid staying inside.
From the fort we walk down to Patwon ki Haveli, five houses built for the Patwa family of traders in the early 19th century, then to Salim Singh ki Haveli and Nathmal ki Haveli. Each shows how far the stone carvers of Jaisalmer could go. Opening times of the museum and havelis change, so check current status before you travel.
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
Do people still live in Jaisalmer Fort
Yes. Several thousand people live inside the fort, making it one of the few inhabited forts in the world. There are homes, temples, shops and guesthouses. Treat it as a neighbourhood: ask before photographing people and keep voices low near homes and temples.
Should I stay inside Jaisalmer Fort
We advise against it. Guesthouses inside add pressure on the fort's fragile drainage, which has contributed to collapses, and rooms are basic and hard to reach by car. Stay at Suryagarh or another hotel outside and visit the fort early in the morning.
Which haveli is best in Jaisalmer
Patwon ki Haveli is the largest and most famous, a group of five houses with intricate facades and a small museum. Salim Singh ki Haveli has an unusual curved top storey and peacock brackets. Nathmal ki Haveli was carved by two brothers, each working on one side.
Also in Jaisalmer
More hours to plan around
