This is a view of the Thar Desert in the heart of western Rajasthan, a popular destination for camel safaris, which are now big business. Unlike the Sahara, this area is flat with scrub, trees and animals. The camel sitting by the tree is Kali, named after the Hindu goddess of destruction, and who is said to have nearly destroyed the entire universe in a fit of anger!

To the north of this desert is the sprawling city of Bikaner, dating back to 1488 and home of the largest camel research and breeding farm in the world.

Thar Desert - Bikaner - Thar Desert visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Thar Desert - Bikaner' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Rajasthan.

Panorama taken in the Thar Desert, or Great Indian Desert, in Rajasthan in the north-west of India and extending into Pakistan.

The Thar desert is young, estimated between 4000 and 10,000 years old but of arguable origin most like associated to the Ghaggar River. Some hills and plains with light vegetation support minimal arable agriculture and conservation efforts focus on sustainable forestry to slow the desertification of cultivatable soils. As the vast majority of the area is sand covered, the predominant industry is animal husbandry.

Camels also attract tourists for desert safaris, embarking from here near Bikarem and Jaisalmer. "Eco-tourism" is a major source of income in this area as visitors enjoy the natural lifestyle by replicating local practices including using camels for transport, living in typical traditional accommodation and eating local foods. This minimises the impact on the fragile environment of catering to visitor requirements untypical to this region, such as excessive use of fuel-powered vehicles. Desert tourism draws visitors seeking the rich and colourful cultural heritage and bygone traditions of the indigenous peoples. These are often celebrated in Desert Festivals, carnivals of music, dance and costume.

The National Camel Research Center is approx 10Km from Bikaner and affiliated to Rajastan Agricultural University. Their three breeds of camel, the Bikaneri, Jaisalmeri and Kachchhi herds are managed and researched to improve stock quality and better husbandry practices. There is a visitor center and museum and local advice on recommended camel safari operators.

By air, Jaisalmer airport 275Km south of Bikaner, has daily flights to Delhi and Udaipur for international travel. By train, Bikaner links to most major Indian cities. By road, from Delhi via Shekawati or Jaipur.