Sam Sand DunesAddress:Thar Desert, JaisalmerReport a map errorLatitude / Longitude: 26.91273, 70.79933This most picturesque spot around Jaisalmer has silken smooth sands look like a tale out of the Merchant of Venice and camel safaris are much in vogue. 3km long, 1km wide and as much as half a kilometer high, the dunes are as treacherous as they are scenic. If you opt for a camel ride stay very close to your raika (guide) as only he can maneuver you through the quicksand, which has sucked many an unwary goat to its gruesome death. There is no vegetation here and the swirling winds are almost as intense as the khamsins (sandstorms) in the Sahara.
The time comes to a grinding halt when you lie in the setting sun listening to the ballads of the legendary lovers Moomal and Mahendra (for details see- Moomal Ki Meri) on the Jew’s harp or the narh (a traditional musical instrument). Sleeping under the uncovered star-studded sky is an out of the world experience that makes one fall in love with the haunting beauty of the dunes.
Open-air cultural extravaganzas, puppet shows, folk dance performances, camel races, competitions and general festivities organized amid these dunes every year, gives a spark of life to the desert, turning the place into a cultural hub. The old ruins and the various temples are again not to be missed.
Specifically, trip to the Thar Desert is incomplete without visiting the Sam Sand Dunes- an aura of romance in solitude.
Book a Jaisalmer holiday package or a Golden Triangle trip with Rajasthan and enjoy the beauty of the Thar Desert
Source: http://www.mydestination.com/rajasthan/things-to-do/132755/sam-sand-dunes
