Pushkar is a relatively small town several hours from Jaipur in Rajasthan. At the center of the town is a holy lake surrounded by markets and temples. It truly is a peaceful and spiritual place. I found the best way to enjoy the entire scene was by chilling out in the mountains for sunset.
The short hike to Pap Mochani Temple took only 15 minutes from the base and provided panoramic views of Pushkar and the holy lake. The temple is painted bright pink and you can spot it from just about anywhere in the town.
PAP MOCHANI TEMPLE HIKE
The priest was at the temple when I arrived about an hour before sunset. He was without a shirt and wearing loose baggy yellow pants and welcomed me with a hello and a smile. Several of his friends were also atop the hill, laying out a blanket on the pillbox. We all sat atop the hill as the sun slowly came down discussing Pushkar, how to hike over the hill to see Ajmer and what drugs Pushkar was famous for.
It was probably the best sunset I had in Pushkar as most nights the haze and clouds drowned out any real color.
Several days later I hiked up the ridge from the far end, way out from the city center. There was no trail and it was very steep in parts.
Cacti and thorny bushes made it a bit of a regrettable experience at times but I don’t call myself an adventure blogger because I sit on pretty beaches sipping cocktails. I made it to the top of the hill after about thirty minutes of scrambling and began walking along the spine of the mountain towards Pap Mochani.
Along the way, I stopped to make my third ever drone flight and took a quick snap. Here you can really see Pushkar and the views you get from this little hike… from a drone.
But it is great views from the hike itself even without a drone. I took this self-timed photo while I was battling my way along the ridge.
I thought I was on a solo mission until a local man, who looked about 80 years old suddenly appeared with five goats halfway down the hill on a rocky outcrop. I had more company moments later when I made friends with this giant Indian grasshopper bug.
This has transgressed from a short hiking guide rather quickly. The bottom line is you can hike from the stairs easily up to Pap Mochani or you can go the way no-one goes and have a bit of a rough, bloody, sweaty time but make friends with grasshoppers and have an adventure. The choice is yours.
Where to stay in Pushkar
When you are in Pushkar, the main thing to look for in accommodation is located. You want to be near the ghat (the lake). This is where all of the action is and the feature of the city. The accommodation is very cheap in Pushkar and you can get a hostel for $5-10 or a private room for $10-20.
I have recommended two places below. One is a hostel by the popular Zostel chain and the other is a value pick for a private room. Both have a pool, which is nice because it can get very hot and there is no beach or swimming lake nearby.
Budget recommendation: Zostel Hostel Pushkar – The Zostel Hostel Line has a great reputation in India and the hostel in Pushkar is no different with modern facilities, air-conditioning and of course a swimming pool.
Value recommendation (Private Room): The Country Side Resort – This resort has beautiful architecture and amazing facilities with a big swimming pool on the resort grounds for less than $20 per night for a private room.