Discover India's Wild Heritage
Explore the diverse ecosystems and magnificent wildlife across India's national parks
Explore ParksExplore the diverse ecosystems and magnificent wildlife across India's national parks
Explore ParksWhere Sand Dunes Meet Wildlife
Rajasthan
Image: Mike Prince / CC BY 2.0Welcome to Desert National Park! Use the resources below to plan your adventure in one of India's most treasured wild spaces.
Safaris, bird watching, nature walks, and more
Safari timings, open seasons, and park schedules
Entry fees, safari charges, and camera fees
How to reach by air, rail, and road
Official booking links, permits, and offline reservation guidance
Nearby stays, forest rest houses, and booking resources
Use Rajasthan forest channels for current permit and visitor rules, then confirm route access locally at Jaisalmer/Desert National Park offices.
This link opens Booking.com, a third-party site.
The park is flat desert terrain accessible by jeep on sand tracks. No difficult walking required. The main challenge is the remote location and extreme temperatures. Jaisalmer and Sam dune camps are well-developed for tourism.
Desert National Park near Jaisalmer is one of the largest national parks in India, encompassing a vast swathe of the Thar Desert. The park is the last significant habitat of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB) — once widespread across the Indian subcontinent, fewer than 150 survive, mostly here. The landscape of rolling sand dunes, rocky outcrops, salt flats, and sparse scrubland may appear barren, but supports a surprisingly diverse desert ecosystem. Fossils dating back 180 million years, including dinosaur fossils, have been found here, and the park contains the Akal Wood Fossil Park with 25 fossilized tree trunks.
| Season | Morning Safari | Evening Safari |
|---|---|---|
| Year-round | 6:00 AM to Sunset | Open throughout daylight hours |
No fixed safari routes — exploration is by jeep on desert tracks. The Sudasari area is best for Great Indian Bustard. Sam and Khuri sand dunes are popular. Best to visit with a local guide who knows bustard territories.
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Entry Fee (Indian) | INR 50 per person |
| Entry Fee (Foreigner) | INR 300 per person |
| Jeep Hire | INR 2,000 - 4,000 per half day |
| Guide Fee | INR 300 per trip |
| Camera Fee | INR 100 (still) |
The park is vast and loosely managed compared to tiger reserves. A knowledgeable local guide is essential for finding bustards and other desert wildlife. Most hotels in Jaisalmer can arrange park visits.
Desert National Park, Jaisalmer District, Rajasthan 345001
26.7965° N, 70.6541° E
Nearest airport is Jaisalmer (45 km, limited flights) or Jodhpur (275 km, better connectivity). Taxis from both cities.
Jaisalmer Railway Station (45 km) is connected to Jodhpur, Jaipur, and Delhi by regular trains including the Palace on Wheels heritage train.
The park surrounds Jaisalmer. The Sudasari area (bustard habitat) is about 45 km from Jaisalmer. Sam Sand Dunes (within the park) are 40 km from Jaisalmer on a good road.
Jeeps and taxis from Jaisalmer. Camel safaris from Sam and Khuri are popular. No public transport inside the park.
Sparse desert vegetation including Ker (Capparis decidua), Khejri (Prosopis cineraria — the state tree of Rajasthan), Rohida, Ber, and clumps of Sewan grass. The vegetation supports a surprising diversity of desert-adapted wildlife.
Fewer than 150 Great Indian Bustards survive — mostly here. Also home to chinkara (Indian gazelle), desert foxes, desert cats, Indian hedgehogs, spiny-tailed lizards, saw-scaled vipers, and the sandgrouse. Winter brings migratory raptors including Steppe and Imperial Eagles.
The park was established in 1992 to protect the Thar Desert ecosystem and the Great Indian Bustard. The GIB was once the front-runner to become India's national bird but lost to the Indian Peacock. From an estimated 1,260 birds in 1969, the population has crashed to fewer than 150 — primarily due to habitat loss, powerline collisions, and hunting. A captive breeding program was initiated in 2019 at Jaisalmer to prevent extinction. The park also preserves 180-million-year-old fossils from when this desert was a tropical forest.
