You can’t afford to miss the Asik Bihari Temple Niniji Temple Located off the Udai Mandir road, Rasik Bihari temple is a spectacular building. The Sabha Mandaps or meeting halls are built with red sandstone pillars and the Garbh Grihai is surrounded by a gallery (Parikrama), made of white stone. The meeting hall is devoted to Rasik Bihari, Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha and has statues of Lord Vishnu, Garuda and Hanumanji which reside on both sides of its doors. On one part of the main door Adi Vinayak Ganeshji can be seen. The temple is currently managed by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Pay a visit to the Bishnoi Villages 25km from Jodphur. They are inhabited by the Bishnoi tribe who are staunch believers in the sanctity of plant and animal life. The villages are marked by khejri trees and deer which thrive there. The villages are located along and off the Pali Road to the south-east of Jodhpur. The cult was established in the last 15th century by Guru Jambhoji, who outlined 29 conservation principles. The Bishnois hold all animal life as sacred and the rare blackbuck thrives in their region. At Guda Bishnoi, along the small artificial lake, migratory birds, blackbucks and chinkaras can be seen.

Go on a Camel Safari. Often where there’s a desert you’ll find camels and such is the case in areas surrounding Jodphur. If you fancy taking a safari on one of these ships of the dessert you are in for a fun time. Tip: Do be aware that camel riding can make some folk feel a little ‘seasick’ due to their rolling motion, but this is rarely if ever a problem for long. If you are concerned and think you may like to try this adventure…take along some seasick tablets or a similar prevention to assist you in the dilemma and drink plenty of water (as the seasickness feeling may in fact be dehydration caused from not drinking enough in this hot climate).

Try you hand at Horse Riding. Horses are part and parcel of Jodphur (being one of the centres for the equestrian sport of Polo in the world and being the city that riding breeches “jodhpurs” were named after). If you are interested in watching a game or getting on the back of one of these beautiful animals and galloping along a dessert trail or ambling through the dunes, then this is one activity all but the youngest family members can enjoy. Most of the horses are Marwaris (typical to India) which in former times were superb war horses, greatly prized by their owners.

Take a break from sightseeing and relax at the Kaylana Lake located 8 km west of Jodhpur, Kaylana Lake was constructed in 1872 by Pratap Singh. It is spread over an 84 sq. km area. Earlier this area was home to beautiful palaces and gardens made by two rulers of Jodhpur, Bhim Singh and Takhat Singh. These were however destroyed to make Kaylana Lake. It is an ideal picnic spot where you can relax, enjoy bird watching or picnic and if you stay late, is reputed to have spectacular sunsets.

You can hardly miss Mehrangarh Fort even if you wanted to as it dominates the city. Situated at an altitude of about 125m, the Mehrangarh Fort of Jodhpur is spread over an area of 5 sq. km in the heart of the city of Jodhpur. Besides being a landmark in Jodhpur, Mehrangarh fort is a must visit for all visitors to the city. To enter the fort, seven gates have to be crossed. Some of these gates still bear marks of numerous sieges which this fort withstood. Within the fort are some magnificent palaces with marvellously carved panels, latticed windows and evocative names. Noteworthy of these are the Moti Mahal, the Phool Mahal, the Sheesh Mahal, the Sileh Khana and the Daulat Khana. These palaces house a fabulous collection of trappings of Indian royalty including a superb collection of palanquins, elephant howdahs, and miniature paintings of various schools, musical instruments, costumes and furniture. Open daily 9am to 1pm and 2 -5pm.

When in Jodphur a visit to Mandore is a must. Before the foundation of Jodhpur was laid, Mandore was the established capital of the old Marwar Kingdom. Just 9 km away, Mandore is a fascinating complex of sprawling gardens, massive cenotaphs, temples, ruins and sculpture. The several cenotaphs in memory of the Jodhpur Maharajas are intricately carved, peaked, temple-like structures, with entirely sculpted facades. Gods, goddesses, animals, lotuses, adorn the walls and pillars of old yellow sandstone. The largest and most noteworthy cenotaph is dedicated to Maharaja Ajit Singh. In a hall are relief sculptures of various deities and rulers, brightly coloured and mounted on horses. In little corners of temples are rows of excellent ceramic art, some depicting Lord Rama or Lord Krishna. Alsi in Mandore are some gardens worth seeing.

Watch a game of Polo the sport of Kings, or so the saying goes. In Jodphur it’s almost a way of life and some of the best riders in the country come from this part of India. If you are interested in the sport or simply curious, go and watch a game. Venues and competitions are advertised in the local newspapers and your hotel will also be able to help. For more info write to the Royal Jodphur Polo Team, c/o Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur or simply go there.

Stop off at the Umaid Bhawan Palace. It is the only palace to be built in the mid 20th century and was meant to be a famine relief project which gave employment to citizens for 16 long years. The royal family still occupies part of it. An enormous and impressive sandstone structure is presently the residence of the former rulers with part of it running as hotel and part as a museum. Thus, Umaid Bhawan is not just a place to visit and a place to see in Jodhpur but a place to stay. The museum displays weapons, antique-clocks, crockery and hunting trophies belonging to the Maharaja. The museum opens from 9am to 5pm.

If you are travelling with children then a must do activity is to visit the Umed Garden. Like Mandore gardens, Umed garden also covers an area of 82 acres. Developed by Maharaja Umed Singh, it has green lawns, towering Ashoka trees, roses and seasonal blooms as well as fountains. Within the grounds are a museum, library and zoo. In the zoo is a 'Walk-in Avery' where one can see different types of birds some local, others from Africa and Australia such as parrots and ducks, (as well as rabbits) in their natural environment. Not only that, there are bears, foxes, deer, lions and leopard that are must sees if travelling with children.