Horse Safari in Rajasthan

Horses are not as old in the Thar as camels. They came to the region from the Middle East around 3000 years back, brought as gifts to ruling potentates or as a necessary means of defeating enemy horse cavalries. Over generations, horses became a part of royal life in the region. Many horses were as famous as their masters. Maharana Pratap and his charger Chetak is one example, and numerous folk songs and local tales testify to the loyalty and courage of the favorite steed of the Rajput warrior. Today, many of the horses bred on horse breeding farms in Rajasthan can claim kinship with the celebrated horses of yore, and you never know when you might be provided a safari horse that is a descendant of the famed Chetak.

Wear comfortable clothes – denims that can stand wear and tear, T-shirts that allow your skin to breathe. A ride in the desert, even in the mildest conditions, requires some stamina. However, a little sand blowing into your clothes or settling on your knapsack is absolutely no reason to dissuade you from taking a trip into the desert on horseback. Drink plenty of water on the journey, and carry hats and shades to keep off the desert sun.

Your horse safari will take you through the many historic towns and villages dotting Rajasthan. In fact, horses can take you where cars and buses cannot. So you will get a chance to see beautiful buildings, lovely palaces, old gardens, and those long forgotten cenotaphs tucked away in some long forgotten corner of a nondescript desert outpost.

If you are not too fond of typical tourist destinations, exploring Rajasthan on horseback allows you another perspective on the region. It allows you the chance to participate in local life and imbibe local colors, rather than be taken around in a luxury bus or air conditioned cab with windows sealed shut.

Accommodation in the desert is never an issue. You can stay in the open desert, camping by the firelight, or spend the night in a village resort. Perhaps get to be guests of a small royal family at their palace or mansion. It is these small touches that make life in Rajasthan so special and colors it in so many ways. And makes for a fascinating spectacle of colors, shades and hues, as viewed from horseback. If you are in Rajasthan, make sure you get to experience the horse safari at least once.