If you don’t know what to do in Pushkar, this lake tour offers an adventure in and around the city. The whole tour is easily done within a day and you’ll get to see one of the biggest lakes of India.
Pushkar is one of those places where people either pass through and spend one or two days, or they end up staying quite some time. It’s a relatively small town, especially for Indian standards, while it’s still a touristic hotspot.
Most people that stay here for a longer time do so because of the vibrant and spiritual atmosphere that roams around the town. Especially artists, such as musicians, seem to be very fond of Pushkar.
So, if you have some time and are in no rush, this lake tour of Pushkar offers a day-plan to go and explore the town and its surroundings!
If you’re just passing through and are short on time, you might prefer to do the most popular things first. I have written an article that explains the top things to do in Pushkar.
LAKE TOUR OF PUSHKAR
There are three lake’s on the menu: Pushkar lake, Foy Sagar and Ana Sagar. If there is still time left at the end of the day, you can add a fourth one: Budha Pushkar lake, also known as Old Pushkar. Also, if you have already seen Pushkar lake, you can replace this one with Old Pushkar.
As you can see, the trajectory is a full circle and the total distance of this tour comes down to only 30 km’s. That doesn’t sound like it would take a long time, but you would be surprised.
Of course, you’ll be needing a motorbike. You can rent one on the street where the Gurdwara, place of worship for Sikhs, is located. That is the same street where the bus from Ajmer will drop you off once it has reached Pushkar. The price will depend on what kind of motorbike you wish to rent. If you go for a scooter and you rent it for multiple days, you might get 200 Rs a day. For only one day, I think, 250 Rs will be a fair price for a scooter.
Driving around Pushkar was one of my favourite things to do. The roads are decent and there is not a lot of traffic. Often, it’s just you, your bike and the open road. Of course, along the way, you’ll encounter some random cows or goats, it’s India after all, or you’ll pass through a small local village and end up drinking a chai with a random elderly man. This is the supplementary beauty of this tour. Besides the sights of the different lakes, there is a road that leads you to it. And the roads around Pushkar have plenty to offer.
PUSHKAR LAKE
The one and only. The classic. The holy lake in the center of the town. If you come to Pushkar, this is one of the main reasons why. It’s a sacred lake and a pilgrimage site for Hindus. It’s a beautiful spot to witness daily rituals or to watch the sunset. There is always something going on around the lake and one does not need a reason to go and spend some time there. Therefore, I have included it in this itinerary, even though, it’s one of those things you’ll most definitely see if you come to Pushkar.
During the lake tour of Pushkar it’s best to either visit this one in the morning or around sunset.
In the morning you’ll have the chance to see the daily ritual, which is called ‘pooja’, and in the evening a daily ritual known as ‘aarti’ is performed. It’s also a great spot to conclude the day’s activity and watch the sun go down as the night-colours reflect in the holy lake.
FOY SAGAR
The first stop on the tour is the Foy Sagar lake. From Pushkar it’s no more than 15 km’s. Google Maps says it won’t take longer than half an hour, but my experience tells me it’s more or less an hour to get there.
If you look at the beginning of this post, at the screenshot of Google Maps depicting the trajectory, you’ll notice Foy Sagar is marked with an ‘A’ on the map.
This is an artificial lake built by an English engineer named Mr. Foy in 1892 as part of a famine relief project. It was built to cope with the scarcity of water in Ajmer, a city located some 15 km’s further down the road. The Foy Sagar lake is spread out over 14.000.000 square feet and is able to contain approximately 15 million cubic feet of water.
There is also a little park connected to the lake. No entry fee. From there you can enjoy a panoramic view of the lake and the surrounding Aravalli mountain ranges. It’s quite peaceful there, so you can take a rest and if you’ve prepared some food: eat your lunch here while enjoying the view.
ALOO BABA
This is an extra. A bonus I’m mentioning so you’re aware you can do it while following this lake tour trajectory. If you have started your day of exploration around 9-10 AM, then surely you can fit this into your schedule.
You can go and have a chat with a man who only eats potatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. His name is Aloo Baba. “One food, one mind”, he told me.
‘Aloo’ meaning potatoe in Hindi and ‘baba’ refers to ‘a wise man’. In this sense of the word, a baba is the equivalent of a saddhu, a person who has renounced a worldly life and strictly follows a path of spiritual discipline.
Anybody can go and visit this man. You don’t have to, but I recommend giving a donation (read: bring some potatoes with you). It is appreciated and highers your chance of a stimulating conversation with Aloo Baba.
This baba’s house is located before the Foy Sagar Lake. So while you’re on your way to the lake, you can make a pit-stop at his home. It’s not difficult to find as this man became quite famous for his strict diet. You just have to follow the same road you have taken since Pushkar and keep an eye out for roadsigns. Yes, he has his name on one of the traffic signs. Also, you can find him on Google Maps, and if that doesn’t work out, ask anybody you come across and they will probably be able to point you in the right direction.
ANA SAGAR
The Ana Sagar lake is the number ‘B’ on the Google Maps screenshot at the beginning of this article.
It’s the lake you’ll visit after Foy Sagar. Getting there is easy: you have to follow the same road in a straight line for about half an hour. Just like Foy Sagar, this lake is also artificially built to combat famine and generally promote the wellbeing of the population of Ajmer.
The lake was constructed during the 12th century and is named after some royal ruler of that time. It is one of the biggest lakes in India and the surface spreads out over more than 13 km’s. Fun fact: during the summer this lake completely dries up.
There is also a park connected to the lake with some beautiful architectural buildings. This one is way bigger and more crowded than the little park at Foy Sagar.
Next to the Ana Sagar park there is a staircase that leads you to a high point from which you have a far-stretching view from above.
If you like you can go and explore the city of Ajmer. In this matter, I can’t guide you further as my experience only goes as far as standing in front of the closed Government Museum. But I’ve been told there are plenty of beautiful Jain temples, as well as a famous Sufi shrine and one of the oldest mosques in all of India.
Going back to Pushkar from Ajmer takes about 30 minutes. You’ll cross right through the Aravalli mountain ranges.
BUDHA PUSHKAR LAKE
To conclude the lake tour of Pushkar and if you still have some time left: about 5 km to the north of Pushkar lies the basin of Old Pushkar, also known as the Budha Pushkar lake. It’s not very touristic. Most visitors don’t know about this place, which makes it a fun off-beat location.
Religiously, I have been told, it has equal importance as the Pushkar lake, but time has robbed this one of its splendour. Now, it’s pretty much deserted and remains in a neglected state. There are lots of broken Hindu statues laying around and even though there is still water in the lake, it is quite dirty. Still, the locals consider this location a holy place and when I was there I noticed two people praying close to the water.
There is still a Hindu temple, I believe in honour of Vishnu, right next to the basin, which looked to be well maintained and orderly. Definitely not abandoned. Unfortunately, non-Hindus are not allowed.
The Budha Pushkar is a freshwater lake, which makes it an important place in such a dry and arid environment such as the Thar desert of Rajasthan. Especially in the past, this was probably a very favorable location for human activity.
During the beginning of the 20th century, the Budha Pushkar lake supplied large quantities to the nearby city Ajmer. I have no idea to what extent this lake is still being used to sustain the communities living in and around Pushkar. A freshwater lake in the middle of a desert seems like a resourceful thing, but now it looks completely abandoned.
Driving back from Old to New Pushkar under the pinkish gleam of the setting sun. Even though, when I’m in Pushkar, I prefer to watch the sunset at the top of the Savitri mountain or from the ghats at the Pushkar lake. This one was not bad either.
WHERE TO STAY IN PUSHKAR
Find something near the Pushkar Lake. You’ll enjoy your time much more. I always travel on a budget and I can only recommend what I have experienced. In general, you’ll find plenty of hostels for less than 5 EUR or a private room for less than 10. Of course, it depends when you’re traveling. During festivals or holidays the price will increase significantly.
My budget recommendation: HosteLaVie – Pushkar. For 2 EUR (150 INR) you get a comfortable bed in a dormitory. A great deal price-quality-wise.
HosteLaVie is located within 100 meters from the lake. The place is clean, modern and they have a huge garden. Also, there is a restaurant in the hostel and plenty of activities to do. A bonus is that they have two awesome dogs: Google & Joy.
