On A Holiday High: 10 Offbeat Things To Do In Pushkar

The quaint little town bordering the Thar Desert, Pushkar is most well-known for the famous Pushkar Lake around which the settlement has developed. It offers the rare sight of sand dunes, camels, hills, lake and forests, all at one place, can be found in this beautiful little town! No wonder Pushkar has turned out to be quite an attractive tourist spot. Coupled with quite a few special attractions, the town is bustling with tourists from across the globe almost all year round. There are quite a number of offbeat things to do in Pushkar.

If you are planning a trip to Pushkar anytime soon, these are a few things that you should not miss out at any cost.  While it is one of those places where you can go anytime all through the year, but it is better to be visiting Pushkar in the later part of the year. You will be able to catch some special festivals and celebrations that the town is well known for. So, let us see the major attractions of Pushkar.

10 Things to do in Pushkar – what you should never miss!

1. Evenings by the Pushkar Lake

Spending the evenings by the Pushkar Lake is one of the best experiences you are ever going to enjoy during your stay. It is simply an out of the world feeling. The cool breeze blowing across the lake with the serenity all around.

This mixed with the hymns, chants and the sound of the bells coming from all direction from the various temples, as you enjoy the perfect scenic view of the sun disappearing beyond the horizon. Leaving behind only a faint glow that is soon fading away, all of these together constitute of the best feeling you will ever have.

• Location: Pushkar Lake

2. Varah Ghat Evening Aarti

It doesn’t matter if you are a theist or an atheist; the evening aarti at the Varah Ghat is an unforgettable experience that you should not miss out at any cost. The temples near the ghat start the chants of the evening prayers as the bells start ringing, mixing with the chant to give an unworldly feeling. As the sky turns golden, you will find the most beautiful view unfold before you.

The lake starts glistening with floating lamps and the entire atmosphere becomes extremely enticing, thanks to the combined smell of the incense. While there are other ghats as well, the Varah Ghat is the best one to enjoy the evening prayer and view.

• Location: Varah Ghat, Pushkar Lake

3. Camel Safari Through the Desert

Who wouldn’t love to enjoy the view and feel of the desert? While you are in Pushkar, the camel safari is the perfect way to unwind while you enjoy the calm beauty of the desert. Well, yes, a ride on the camel isn’t quite a smooth one, but the bumpy ride will soon sway you in its rhythm as you enjoy the swooshing sound of the breeze blowing through the desert.

A camel fair is a major event in Pushkar and it is one of the best times to visit the place. The fair starts from around 23^rd October (with the beginning of the Hindu calendar month of Kartik) and is a massive crowd puller. Best time to go on camel safari will be around the evening time, right before the sunset.

• Location: All across Pushkar

4. Enjoy the International Balloon Festival

Pushkar is well known for its grand international balloon festival. It will be between 7^th November and 14^th November in 2018. A man has always dreamt of soaring through the sky and the Pushkar international balloon festival gives you just the opportunity.

The balloon offers one of the best views of the entire Pushkar town and you can even beat the crowd as you fly across and over the quaint little town. It is truly among the best experiences.

• Location: Pushkar fairground

5. Jeep Safari is a Must Try

If adventure beckons you, the Pushkar jeep safari is one of the best ways to answer that calling. The jeep safari will take you through the rugged terrains of Pushkar and the surrounding areas. It is one of the perfect ways to explore this part of Rajasthan.

The jeep safaris will also introduce you to many hidden gems of the place, such as local waterfalls and views of exquisite and rare wildlife. The major hotels in Pushkar generally arrange the safari.

• Location: Pushkar and surrounding areas
• Cost: As per hotel charges

6. Gangaur Ghat Nagara Lessons

Music is the soul of any place. There is hardly any location on earth where you won’t find its own music. Pushkar is no different. Actually, it is quite well known for its musical richness. And you will find many musicians playing various instruments across the ghats in Pushkar.

The best part is, if you are interested, you can even learn one of these musical instruments. The most popular one is the Nagada, which is a form of the drum. Nathu Lal Solanki, a well-known name in the region thanks to his Coke Studio appearance, can teach you how to play the Nagada.

• Location: Gangaur Ghat
• Cost: Negligible

7. Hike to the Ratnagiri Hills

The Ratnagiri Hill is extremely famous among those travelling to Pushkar. You can begin hiking from the south-west side of Pushkar Lake to reach the top of the hill. It is approximately 1.5kms of hike and quite rewarding one as well. At the top of the hill is the temple of Savitri Devi. Well, it’s not only for the temple that people endure this two-hour trek, though.

The scenic beauty from up top is amazing. You will get an absolutely stunning panoramic view of the entire Pushkar Town sprawling before you. The best time to start the trek will be close to the evening hours so that you can enjoy the mesmerizing view of the sunset from the top of the hill.

• Location: Ratnagiri Hill near Pushkar Lake

8. Visit the Ajaypal Ji Temple

The Ajaypal Ji temple was founded by Raja Ajay Pal, who also founded the city of Ajmer. This temple is among the most important historical structure near the town of Pushkar. But, it’s the ride to the temple that is even more spectacular.

You will pass through forests and then through the sand dunes, finally driving across the hill surrounded valley. If you are visiting Pushkar on a bike then that will be perfect for this trip too. However,  you can also rent a bike or scooter from the local market and enjoy the ride to Ajaypal ji temple.

• Location: 10kms from Pushkar town.
• Cost: As per requirement and bike selection

9. Visit Collector’s Paradise

The Collector’s Paradise is the only art gallery and museum in the town of Pushkar that has got some of the best collections of old gems and artworks. The collection is the famous Ashok Tak, recipient of numerous awards and also a skilled camel decorator.

• Location: Near Ratan Haveli

10. Unwind with a Kalbelia Dance Performance

Known as one of the sensuous dance performance of Rajasthan, Kalbelia Dance is one of its kind.  Believe it or not, your trip to Pushkar would be simply incomplete unless you enjoy this amazing dance performance in the evening. Named after the tribe who perform the dance, Kalbelia dance performance represents a flexible serpentine shimmying to mesmerize you absolutely.

The best part is, the hotels of Pushkar arrange this dance performance right on their premises. Also, if you want, you can contact the dancers on your own and enjoy the performance right in the dunes and get immersed in the original Rajasthani flavour.

With all its facts and myths, Pushkar remains one of the most amazing tourist attraction of India. Needless to say this rare combination of sand dunes, hills, lake and forest, Pushkar depicts a picture perfect quaint little town. Known as an oasis town due to its presence across the Pushkar Lake, it takes you on a romantic rendezvous along the labyrinth of alleys and lanes, bazaars and the Ghats. No doubt, this spectacular town cast a magic spell on your eyes.

So what are you waiting for? Plan your Next trip itineraries to Pushkar and gift yourself one of the best travel experience of your life.