Pushkar is small, and that is its whole character: one holy lake, fifty-two ghats around it, and a bazaar that runs the length of the town. It sits between Jodhpur and Jaipur and fits naturally into half a day, or a night if you want the evening aarti.
It is a pilgrimage town, which has practical consequences: it is vegetarian, alcohol is not sold, and shoes come off at the ghats. None of that is a hardship, but it surprises people who arrive without knowing.
The Camel Fair, in November, turns Pushkar into something else entirely — tens of thousands of people and animals on the dunes outside town. Worth planning around if your dates are flexible, and worth avoiding if crowds are not your thing.
One of the very few Brahma temples anywhere stands above it, and pilgrims come to bathe at the water. The whole town is built to face the lake, which means the walk around it is the visit — an hour, slowly, with the shoes off at the steps.
Fifty-two flights of steps down to the water, each built by a different ruler or family. Go back at dusk for the aarti: lamps on the water, bells, and a town that is otherwise very quiet. Photographs are not always welcome at the steps; ask first.
Pushkar is part of our multi-day private tours of Rajasthan and North India. You travel in your own car with an English-speaking driver who knows the roads, the opening times and where to stop — no group, no fixed schedule.
Other destinations: Jaipur · Agra · Delhi · Jaisalmer · Jodhpur · Udaipur
