pleasant haveli camel safari

It was a great memory to join camel safari with Pleasant Haveli Camel Safari. They provided us a vacant room for two days without any charge. We didn't have to worry where to take a shower or nap. Our tour guide speak fluent English and drives jeep well. We rode camel twice in the afternoon and in the next morning. We sleep un desert. It was cold bur our bed was warm. We enjoyed the camel safari very much!!第一次參加camel safari，我們到達Jaisalmer時還是清晨，旅館老闆直接提供我們一間空房，而且之後兩天在safari前後都讓我們使用，沒跟我們收任何額外一毛錢。算起來我們等於前後多住了三天，光這點收費比別人貴就物超所值。我們的Tour guide很專業，英文流利沒有什麼印度口音，個性外冷內熱，晚上吃飯時就聊開了，他很有責任感，隨時不離車幫我們顧好東西，在景點或騎駱駝時都能很放心地玩。晚上睡在沙漠裡面，沙漠很冷但是被子很暖，雖然不能洗澡但這是非常難得的回憶。聽說這家參加的東方人很少，強力推薦。

What a great night in the desert! Just want to thank Dev again for a great time. It was great to sit with him and just relax in the desert by the fire and see the gorgeous sunset. Also a big thanks to Mr. Khan for talking with us too (great cooking!) and taking us out on our camel rides. Both were so nice and we loved our conversations with them.A really great trip! From what I can tell looking at the other safaris, this one is more focused on getting you into the desert to enjoy the camel rides and scenery. Loved sleeping under the stars and playing around with some of the dogs near the camp. Don't have to sit around for any performances or anything like that. Just a relaxing time and some great conversation/food. Thanks again!

We found the trip out into the desert very rewarding and a lot of fun. Our guide Dave Singh had some really interesting things to say about the Silk Road and seemed quite a poet. When Tony asked him if there were snakes in the desert he said something like "It's hard to say and they're difficult to find"! We had resolved not to eat out in the desert but ended up sharing the delicious meal the boys cooked over three little camp fires, with no bad after effects even though we had been quite sick from Udaipur. We always felt in safe hands, enjoyed every bit of the trip, even the drive back in the dark. Would highly recommend this safari experience, in line with the considerate approach and good organisation of the Pleasant Haveli.

Me and my partner did an overnight tour. We set off from the hotel around 2.30pm and returned the next day around 11am. This included two camel rides, around 1 hour each time. We also visited two abandoned villages and a lake. When we arrived at camp we had some time to watch sunset over the dunes which was very beautiful. The food provided was also very nice and there was plenty to go around. After dinner we enjoyed sitting around the fire and looking up at the stars. Sleeping under the stars in the Thar Desert is an amazing experience and there was plenty of blankets so we didn't get cold. There were just a few things we thought were lacking from the trip. The guide didn't really interact with us unless we asked him a question, it would of been nice to be told some stories etc. The cooks and the guide just sat by themselves at dinner, I asked them to join us but they declined. After dinner they just sat talking amongst themselves and made little effort to talk with the people on the trip. Another thing that would make the camel ride experience better is when you first reach the camels it would be nice to be introduced to them, learn their names and ages. Having never ridden a camel before, no information was given, it was just literally "Ok get on!".

We went for the night safari which left in the afternoon and came back relatively late at night. I've never been on a camel ride before but I think it was long enough for without being too long. We stopped up and relaxed in the dunes as the sun set before they started cooking dinner. Being a lover of proper Indian food, not the cream and ghee filled rubbish you get at restaurants, they served up a range of beautiful dhal and vegetable curries with fresh rotli over the campfire which was the highlight for me. The jeep ride back was a fun experience as well. Would definitely recommend anyone going to India to do it at least once.

We booked a half-day desert safari through our hotel (Pleasant Haveli) without having done much research on the options...we were happy to find we made an excellent choice despite our lack of research/planning. Dev Singh, our diver and tour guide (and owner of the company), was excellent. He was on time, respectful, and provided good information on the various sites where we stopped on the way to the sand dunes. He let us go at our pace, allowing us to amble about the sites and take photos as we wished.We had decided not to do an overnight camel safari and opted instead to go by jeep into the desert. We really enjoyed the experience. After stopping at a few sights along the way (e.g., an abandoned village and a man-made lake), Dev drove us to a sand dune area. Here, a camel driver was awaiting us and we took a 1-hour camel ride to a different spot in the dunes where we spent the evening. Dev, the camel driver, and the camel driver's father cooked dinner for us on an open fire while we enjoyed the sunset and walked around the sand dunes. I appreciated the fact that Dev took us to a spot where there were no others (I was expecting the carnival-like atmosphere I had read about in the guide book, so I was delighted that instead we were in wonderfully quiet and isolated spot). After a dinner around the campfire, Dev took us back to the hotel by 9PM.During our dinner, I was glad I asked Dev how long he had being doing these tours and how he got into the business. His (true) stories were quite amazing and his perspective on various things quite insightful. I appreciated the fact that Dev was happy to talk when asked questions but also happy to leave us be when we wanted to wander around on our own.Having experienced this half day jeep safari, I would easily have opted for an overnight and/or a longer camel safari with Dev and Pleasant Haveli Camel Tours. I highly recommend this tour company for a jeep or camel safari. Dev has been in the business for a long time and knows the ropes and provides a no-hassle experience.

The camel safari was brilliant. We felt totally safe and well looked after, even though camel riding was new to us! Short camel ride (about 45 mins), then made camp among the dunes. There was a group of us of all different nationalities, who all sat around a wonderful camp fire, and ate a delicious meal cooked by our guides. Then just 2 of us stayed the night, sleeping on mattresses in a sheltered area of the dunes, with masses of blankets, so we weren't cold at all. Really magical. Dev, our guide, and Horo, the camel-driver, were just lovely and such good company. We sang and swapped stories round the camp fire. We had another camel ride back in the morning, and then on the way back in the jeep had a really interesting talk with Dev about life and customs in the desert villages. I thoroughly recommend it. It really stands out as the highlight of our month long trip to Rajasthan.

We had our share of doubts when we were told that the camel safari would a non-touristic one, without any songs or dance programs & were almost thinking of going with another tour operator. But then we thought..what the heck desert safaris are meant to experience the real desert..& not some boisterous DJ party...I glad of our decision & it was one of our best desert safaris.. The trip starts with a visit to the abandoned village & a watering hole & a short 4x4 jeep ride through the sands to where the camels await you. The 45 min camel ride through the sand dunes brings you to the camp spot where the tour guide Mr.Dev welcomes you with some freshly prepared hot piping tea that refreshes you. The sunset seen through the sand dunes one of the most memorable sights. Mr Dev & his helpers prepared a simple but fantastic meal of lentils, rice & rotis & we had our dinner chatting along with 2 other couples around a roaring campfire with the starry sky above. Special thanks to Mr Dev & his merry helpers who entertained us with his stories.It was a really relaxing & refreshing experience for us, coming from a busy & crowded metro. A must do activity when you visit Jaiselmer & would certainly recommend Pleasant Haveli's Camel Safari.

Dave was our guide and provided us with one of the highlights of our trip - and a great thing to do with the kids. Just enough camel riding followed by a delicious meal prepared by the camel men and stories around the campfire. We were with just one other family who were great company. Slept under the full moon - very cold but provided with ample blankets. We could hear the thumping music of the camel safari resorts in the distance and were so glad that we chose this option!

We had an amazing night under the stars in the Thar Desert with Krishna and Pleasant Haveli Camel Safari. We drove into the desert in jeeps, where we met the camels and continued the journey on camelback. Once we arrived, Krisha and his gang took care of absolutely everything. They set up our sleeping space and cooked us an incredible meal. It was the most memorable night I spent in India. I would absolutely recommend this camel safari. You won't be disappointed.

We had an evening camel ride followed by sunset on the dunes and a campfire dinner - all excellent. The 4x4 transportation was modern, good driver and even better guide, interesting stops on the way to the camels (deserted city and desert watering hole) and friendly camels in good condition.The ride itself was perfect - 45 mins or so, just enough time to enjoy the ride but not too long that it starts to hurt! When we arrived we were greeted by a campfire and blankets with cold beer/wine for us to take up the sand dunes and watch the sun go down - one of the most amazing sun sets we have ever seen.Dinner was simple but delicious and lots of attention to cleanliness which made us feel at ease. The stars were out and it was great to relax and chat with our guide Dev until time to go back to our hotel. Highly recommended!

I, along with my wife, stayed at the Pleasant Haveli (Pleasant Room - #6 – First Floor) from 26 Jan to 29 Jan 2015.On 28 Jan, we went for the Desert Safari. We were led by the good natured Dev (Devi Singh) and had for company 2 more couples. Of the total six guest (3 couples) – us and another couple stayed the night at the desert while the third came back after dinner.The safari started with a jeep ride to the desert with 2 stops at abandoned villages and the Jaisel lake.On reaching the desert, we were taken on camel back (one person per camel) to the camp site with was about an hour’s ride in. upon reaching, we were served delicious tea made form firewood collected from the desert. At the camp, the two camel attendants also doubled up as cooks, helpers and friends :) – the in total there were 9 people in the camp (7 of which stayed the night).We had an amazing view of the sun set (and the sun rise the next morning) from the camp site. The dinner was simple – vegetarian – but sumptuous and delicious, cooked again on firewood collected from the desert and served round a bon-fire to ward off the cold.Facilities were basic (only mineral water provided) but everything else was non-existent – toilet were “behind the bush” :) and the bedding was on sand with us sleeping under the stars (buffeted with several layers of blankets). However, It is this rustic experience that add to the charm of this particular desert safari as against the more commercial and touristy ones that have song and dance around the camp fire and beds are under permanent tents.Dev was a great company and our evening was entertained with stories of his 21 years in the tourism business, of this mentor, the “Mr. Desert” and the Marlboro ad.Overall – an amazing experience – not one for the faint hearted looking for creature comforts in the Thar Desert but for one looking to get a true glimpse of the desert life.Price: I paid INR 1850 per person (i.e. INR 3700 for me and my wife) for the overnight safari, all inclusive.

My husband and I took an evening camel ride with Pleasant Haveli Camel Safari on our last evening in the Rajasthan region. The owner, Dev, picked us up promptly from our hotel - he took us to a couple of sites on our way to the desert. The ride was wonderful. The camels picked us up and we were off on one of the most exciting evening adventures - sunset, solitude, sand, and then....Dev and his crew cooked us up the best meal we had during our entire 3-week trip through India. They chopped, stirred, and crafted a delicious, simple dinner that I still linger over in my mind. Then we took a decidedly shorter ride back to Jaisalmer via Jeep - which was a fun, fast adventure. Don't hesitate, book these this tour - you will be so glad that you did! Also, note that this was not my first desert Camel ride. I had also taken one through Sahara. The sands of the Sahara are superior but the overall experience can't be beat in the Thar desert with Dev and his team at Pleasant Camel Safari.

If you like to have a night under the stars, witness the sun set and rise over the dunes, have a very comfortable yet rustic time out in the lap of nature and enjoy hospitality at its best - this one is for you. Dev ji and his camel men (and the camels) did an amazing job to keep us in good humour and well fed!. It was a great experience and we wished we had another night to spend with them.

We did our research in Jaisalmer before selecting Pleasant Haveli. From the very start, the hotel owner Mr Narendra was friendly, transparent and not pushy (which is unusual). We visited a few other tour operators highly rated on tripadvisor but opted for Pleasant Haveli exactly for the reasons cited above. We found out that prices and packages offered were very similar among the operators, with most of them going to more or less the same area for the "off the beaten track" safari (I would say most of them stay in the five mile radious from the Golden Gate camp). Other factors that impacted our choice was that other operators have somewhat larger groups while Pleasant Haveli said it was a maximum of six, which is a good number and the fact that we saw a new and shiny jeep outside the hotel while other operators had much older vehicles. We confimed our tour just the night before the safari and everything worked out perfectly. We did the overnight safari and it was just the two of us. All the information about the tour was on the website and we got exactly that without any surprises. We were picked up at our hotel at 2 pm, visited two abandoned villages and the lake and in about one and a half hours we were sitting on our camels (healthy and well taken care of) going through the dunes to our "camp". The ride took about 40-50 minutes and was fun, on the way we made a five-minute stop to collect wood. By the time we arrived, Dev, our guide, was already preparing some chai to welcome us. For the next couple hours Dev and Horo were cooking dinner for us while we were walking around in the dunes, chilling out, and drinking beer while watching the sunset. After that we had an absolutely delicious dinner by the fire chatting with Dev. We slept on the matresses on the sand with plenty of blankets and were not cold at all. The morning after we watched the sunrise, had some chai and simple breakfast prepared by the guys. After that we had a camel run back (yes, run!). Overrall, it was a well organized and enjoyable experience. But measure your expectations as the Thar desert is not Sahara and you will not see huge Sahara-like sand dunes no matter where you look. There is still a lot of vegetation and dunes are smaller. In addition, you do see an obscure siluette of wind mills on the background and see/hear other people on neighboring dunes from different operators. That did not bother us at all, but be mindful that no operator will bring you far enough not to see anyone in case you are looking for a remote feeling.