Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary , Bikaner

Gajner was the hunting reserve of the Maharaja of Bikaner, Maharaj Ganga Singh Ji. The sanctuary also houses a hunting lodge that nowadays provides accommodation to tourists. Spotted deer, antelopes, wild boar, black bucks, neelgais, and chikaras are the commonly found attractions at Gajner wildlife sanctuary.

The sanctuary at Gajner is more like an oasis in the Thar Desert. It even has a Palace that is now a heritage hotel. The Gajner Palace hotel has eleven luxury suites and thirty-three rooms. During its occupation by the royalty, this palace was used for post-hunting parties. Lavish extravaganzas used to be organized here to host Viceroys and similar high profile visitors. This beautiful palace is made of pink sandstone and has latticed windows and balconies.

Gajner Palace was designed by a British architect. The hotel is a large property spread over a vast area and the original ruggedness has been preserved extremely well. In its avatar as a luxury hotel, all modern amenities have been added.

The town of Gajner has a Dargah as well as temples of Lord Ganesha and Lord Shiva that have many faithful followers. The wildlife sanctuary has an entry fee of Rs 100 per person and there are separate vehicle charges. Best time to visit is from October to March when the weather is cool.