Bikaner City Map

Bikaner, the desert city of Rajasthan draws large number of tourists for its picturesque golden sand dunes, striking red sandstone forts, stunning palaces and havelis and certainly its camel safaris. The city boasts of having the best camels and has the largest Camel research and breeding farm in the world, hence the name camel country. The camel festival is also a major tourist attraction.

Location: Bikaner is located in the northern part of Rajasthan and lies 316 kms from Jaipur, 240 km from Jodhpur and330 km from and Jaisalmer. The desert city shares its boundary with Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Nagaur and even Pakistan.

Connectivity: Bikaner is well connected to other parts of the state and the country by air, rail and road.

Air: The nearest airport is Jodhpur Airport.

Rail: Bikaner is connected with Delhi, Jaipur and Jodhpur and other parts of India through rail network.

Road: Bikaner is also accessible by roads and buses are available.

Best Time to Visit Bikaner: The best time to visit Bikaner is in the winter months (i.e. November to February) when the weather is very pleasant.

History: Rao Bikaji, a Rathore prince founded Bikaner in 1488 AD by transforming the barren land Jangladesh into a striking city. Later with the initiative of Maharaja Ganga Singh, Bikaner became a noteworthy princely state. Bikaner was also an important trade route that was linked with China and Central Asia.

Places to See
Junagarh Fort- This fort was erected in1593 A.D by Raja Rai Singh, the illustrious general of the army of the Mughal emperor Akbar. The fortress is bounded by a moat and consists of 37 palaces and pavilions including Chandra Mahal, Phool Mahal and Karan Mahal. The museum within the fort encloses priceless miniature paintings and extraordinary antiques that are of great interest for art lovers.

Lalgarh Palace-This majestic palace built by Maharaja Ganga Singh Ji in 1902 is a magnum opus in red sandstone. This architectural wonder was created by the fusion of Rajput, Mughal and European architecture and exhibits superb craftsmanship in the form of striking latticework and filigree work.

Jain Haveli- Bikaner abounds in beautiful havelis- the ancient luxurious mansions with sprawling courtyards where the nobles or the affluent people of Rajasthan lived. These havelies belonged to the Kotharis, Rampurias,Vaids and Dagas and were located in the regions like Gogagate, Daddhon Ka Chowk and so on.

Bhandeswari Jain Temple- This fifteenth century temple is the oldest shrine of Bikaner and is adorned with mirrorwork, frescos and gold leaf paintings.

Apart from these other major tourist attractions are Camel Research and Breeding Farm, Gajner Palace, Deshnoke Temple, Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum, Shri Sadul Museum, and Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary.

Bikaner India