YHAI JAISALMER CYCLING EXPEDITION DEC 2015

Hi, I am from Pune  -Maharashtra and this is my blog about Jaisalmer Cycling expedition. this is my third expedition with YHAI after Goa cycling-2014 and Sar Pass-2015.

My group of Goa cycling expedition initially decided meet again for Goa Sailing expedition in 2015. But later Aditya Gupta (Delhi) and Nitesh Garg (Delhi) suggested to choose another location as all already had been to Goa and would like to explore other Indian city. So decided to go for Thar Desert cycling at Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. I thought Jaisalmer is good option as its opportunity to see/ visit sand dunes which I had seen only in movies. This expedition is for 6D/5N with appx. 150KM of cycling.

We (Nitesh Garg, Aditya Gupta and me) booked the seat on the same day we confirmed the destination on 9th April 2015 with reporting date 27th Dec 2015. Dakshay-Deep, also decided to join the expedition.

So our batch of 27th Dec is full. All seats booked. I hope all will come and not like Goa cycling where batch was full but only 12 cyclist came. I called Aditya n confirm our schedule as per below.

Aditya, Nitesh and me will meet in Jodhpur on 26th morning for Jodhpur sightseeing. Same day night we will move to Jaisalmer.

Update 16 Dec 2015: My reservation is not confirm yet. More even it has not moved its position at all after three and half months...I  think horrible journey is waiting for me this time.

Update 24 Dec 2015: Cheers!!! I got confirmed seat in TATKAL to Jodhpur.

25 Dec 2015: Pune-Mumbai-Surat-Jodhpur

I started early from home to catch Deccan Queen express scheduled at 7:15am. Train was on time and I reached Dadar at 10:30 and there after to Bandra terminal. From Bandra the train to Jodhpur was at 1330 hrs. So 17 hrs train journey....zhuku zhuku zhuku zhuku zhuku....Good night

26 Dec 2015: Jodhpur Sightseeing

zhuku zhuku zhuku....ok stop. The train arrived Jodhpur station at 7:15am. It was almost 45 minute late. It was very cold in the morning. I got fresh in waiting room and submitted my extra luggage in cloak room available at railway station. At 8:30am Aditya and Nitesh arrived. Happy to see each other. This was our third visit after Goa Cycling. (2nd was during our Vaishno devi tour in Oct 2015, and before that in May 2015 during my YHAI Sar Pass trek). They both submitted their extra luggage in cloak room. So we decided to go for Jodhpur sightseeing but first breakfast. Nitesh was knowing one hotel with good food quality- Hotel Priya. We went there and all ordered Aloo paratha and tea. it was really good. We selected four destinations Mehran fort,Ghanta ghar, Jaswant thada and Ummed bhavan. We checked auto-rickshaw but the driver was demanding Rs. 500 which was too much. So last option by walk....

After 10 minutes of walk we reached Ghantaghar. Old structure with clock fitted at the top. later moved to Mehran fort. Its was small trek of 15 minutes to reach at the entrance of fort. The fort was in good condition. the view of Jodhpur city from top of the fort was really good. Most of housed were painted in blue color. But now a days people are using different colors to paint their homes.

There after visited the Jaswant thada (10 minutes walk from Mehran fort) and came back to Priya hotel again by walk for lunch. it was 1:30pm. after lunch we hired auto rickshaw (Rs. 80) to Ummed bhavan and came back to Jodhpur railway station at 5:00pm. took rest for some time. Our train to Jaisalmer was at 11:45pm so we have enough time.

Its Priya hotel 3rd time in a day for dinner. At 11:00pm we all boarded the train to Jaisalmer.

7 hrs Journey ...again..zhuku zhuku zhuku zhuku zhuku....Good night



1. Priya Hotel Jodhpur

2. Ghanta ghar



3. Me Aditya and Nitesh

4. Mehrangad

5. Mehrangad

6. Mehrangad

7.Mehrangad

8. Mehrangad

9. Mehrangad

10. Jodhpur city from Mehrangad

11. Mehrangad

12. Mehrangad model

13. Jaswant Thada, Jodhpur

14. jaswant Thada

15. Ummaid Bhavan

16. Ummaid Bhavan

Day 1: Reporting Day-Orientation- City ride

At 7:00am we reached Jaisalmer station. We hired an auto for Jaisalmer base camp. Got fresh and we took our breakfast. After replying to the office Tent no. C3 was given to us. we took bath off course with cold water...it was very refreshing. later we went to Jaisalmer fort. it was huge and only fort in India with residents. We came to base camp and found Dakshayji at office . We were together in Goa cycling last year. He came with his brother in law Deepak bhai and one friend Pritam reddy. We introduce with each other. All took lunch together . it was chhole aloo sabji dal chawal.

Camp Leader Mr. Bhati conducted the Orientation and informed about does and donts.

owe got our cycles and safety gear knee and elbow guard, helmet and hand gloves. Later we had city ride to Gadisar lake. it was good lake. We came back to camp at 7pm.

Took our dinner- dal chawal, cabbage and barfi as sweet.

at night we packed the rucksack with necessary things. tomorrow we will be heading towards our first camp site Sam sand dunes. Till then good night.

17. Jaisalmer  YHAI Base camp

18. YHAI Base camp

19. Base camp

20. Tents at base camp

21. My tent

22. Jaisalmer fort

23. Flag off to trekking group

24. Flag off to trekking group

25. with rockrider 27 speed bike

26. jaisalmer City ride

27. Gadisar lake

28. Gadisar lake

29. Dinner at base camp

Day 2-28 Dec 2015 Base camp to Sam sand dunes (50km)

Wake up call was given at 6:00am. we submitted extra luggage and packed our lunch after breakfast. Base camp members flagged off our group at 9:30 am almost one hour late.

At 10:30 we reached Jain temple. Took our lunch in empty place around Damodara village At 12:15 in afternoon. All reached our camp site at 3:00pm.

In the evening we visited sand dunes and enjoyed camel ride for around one hour (Rs. 250 per head for almost 1 hour ride). lat enjoyed the sunset. it was wonderful day. we came back to camp site took out dinner. Lauki dal chawal papad sweet. it good.

Later prepared our bedding and entered in sleeping bags.

Breakfast upma, Packed lunch puri sabji.

Tomorrow we will move to our next camp site Sudhasari.

30. getting ready to move for 1st camp site

31. Upma in breakfast

32. Waiting for flag off.

33. At Jain temple

34. Nitesh and DK

35. Lunch time

36. From left Dakshayji, Pritambhai and Deepanbhai

37. Lunch time

38. Discipline

39.

40.

41. Aditya

42. Camel ride at Sam sand dunes

43. Camel ride

44. Camel ride

45.

46.



47.

48. Sea of sand

49. Sunset

Day 3-29 Dec 2015 Sam sand dunes to Sudhasari (45km, 13KM kachcha road)

Moring activities a usual. Collected pour packed lunch and started around 8:30am. En route visited Khaba fort where we reached around 11:am. There was heritage empty Khaba village and came across different reasons why people vacated the village including myth of having ghost. Our lunch point was as Nabh Dunger temple situated on hill. It was good experience to ride uphill.

After lunch and a good nap we started again for Sudhasari. Around 2:00pm Kachcha road started. Horrible !!! half feet sand on the road at some places. Too difficult to pedal. Most of the time we have to pull the cycle through sand. And the Sun was at it's peak performance. Heat- sweat- heat-sweat.

After 2 hrs. of cycling for 13km kachcha road we reached Sudhasari camp at 4:00pm. Most of us moved to sand dunes to enjoy the sun set after dropping our luggage in allotted tents. most of the sand dunes were untouched and sunset was awesome.

Today we have Dal-Bati-Churma for dinner. Till dinner was ready we enjoyed playing cards in our tent. Dinner was good.

today we will be moving to our last camp site Manapiya before base camp.

50. Sam camp site

51. On the way to Sudhasari

52. Me, Aditya and Nitesh

53. Khaba fort

54. Local person playing pungi

55. Empty khaba village from Khaba fort

56. Khaba fort

57. Khaba fort

58. Lunch break at Nabh Dungar Temple

59. Lunch time

60. Sand road

61. Rest point in no shadow

62. Sudhasari camp site

63. Sudhasari camp

64. Tea and snacks



65. Sand dunes near Sudhasari

66. Sand dunes

67. Sunset

68. Ja jantaram...part 2 Aditya Gupta

Day 4 30 Dec 2015 Sudhasari to Manapiya (40km, 15km kachcha road)

Started at around 9:00am. We purchased curd from local vendor came to our camp site. it tasted good. today the kachcha road started in the morning itself. today packed lunch was puri and chhole ki sabji. In the afternoon stopped at Jaseri lake for lunch.

Visited the heritage Kuldhara village before reaching Manapiya camp.

As this was our last camp before base camp all decided to celebrated new year eve one day before. We requested mehboob bhai and he called Bhati sir for permission. He granted. plan was simple. cold drinks, pakoda, chips and some events.

Its was Deepali and Shailesh's marriage anniversary and we decided secrete event for them.

Nitesh went to purchase the food items and I was busy with nothing. No!! I was planning different activities. After dinner (ker sangri, bajre ki roti, bajreka churma) all gather together and performed some activities, shared their life experiences. Last surprise event was cake cutting for Deepali and Shailesh. It was good evening.

Tomorrow we will move to base camp.

69. Sudhasari camp

70. Water source on way to Manapiya

71.

72. Jaseri lake

73. Lunch break at Jaseri lake

74. Jaseri Lake

75. Nitesh

76. Heritage Kuldhara village

77. Kuldhara village

78. Kuldhara village

79. Temple in Kuldhara village

80. Group members at Kuldhara village

81. Manapiya camp.

Day 5 31st Dec 2015: Manapiya to base camp.(20KM)

Today's distance is only 20KM. Today no packed lunch as it was at the base camp only. En route visited the Amar sagar lake and bueatifuly carved Jain temple near the lake. Later visited Bada Bagh.

We reached base camp at 12:30pm submitted our cycles and riding gears and collected the certificates and our deposit amount. Aditya, Nitesh and I decided to go in the city after lunch and find hotel to celebrate 31 Dec. At the base camp we came to know that Mr. Bhati sir has arranged DJ in evening. When we checked some hotels it was very costly lowest was around Rs. 2500 per person so we decided to stay in the base camp itself.

Dakshay ji, Deepakbhai and Pritam has to go to Surat. They booked private travel seat in the evening. We went with them in city. Later when we checked some hotels it was very costly lowest was around Rs. 2500 per person so we decided to stay in the base camp itself.

It was Dal-Bati-Churma for dinner. Its taste was very good and then  the fun started with music and light. We were dancing for more than 1 hour and later all gathered in one tent for playing cards.

It was our last night in base camp. 

All 12 in night all we wished each other Happy New Year.

Good night....

82. Return route to base camp

83. Its photo time

84.

85. Amarsagar temple and lake

86. Amar sagar temple

87. Aditya

88. Amarsagar lake

89. Bada Baug

90. Bada Baug

91. Bada Baug

92. Bada Baug

93. Aditya

94. Nitesh and me

95. DJ Night

96. DJ Night

Day 6 1st January 2016: Back to Pune

Our train was at 8:00am from Jaisalmer. It reached Jodhpur at 1:30 pm. I did some shopping of handicraft items in Jodhpur. I boarded the train to Ahmedabad as I I got confirmed reservation upto Ahmedabad. Aditya and Nitesh went to Delhi. 

At Ahmedabad the train to Mumbai was at 4:30am. I reached Mumbai at 11:30am and meet Purushottam in Mumbai and enjoyed lunch together at Dadar. Reached pune at around 8:30pm after 36 hrs of train journey.

It was good expedition and as usual connected with good people.....
Bye bye....till next expedition...