November 2026
Pushkar, Rajasthan
Pushkar Camel Fair
Luxury tents a short walk from the fairground and the ghats.
Dates November 2026
Details
Nagaur, Rajasthan
Nagaur Cattle Fair
One of the largest cattle fairs in the country, in the heart of the Thar — and a good deal quieter than Pushkar.
The festival
The heart of the Thar Desert
Nagaur is located in Marwar region of Rajasthan, also famous as ''Heart of the Thar Desert''.
It sits on the old road between Jodhpur and Bikaner, and for a few weeks each winter the open ground outside the town fills with livestock, traders and the families who travel with them. The fair is among the largest of its kind in India, and it remains a working market rather than a show put on for visitors.
That is the reason to come. Where Pushkar has become an international event with a fair attached, Nagaur is still mostly a fair — bullocks, camels and horses changing hands between people who have done it for generations, with the spectacle happening around the edges rather than in the middle.
What to expect
A working market, with a festival around it
01
The livestock ground
Bullocks, camels and horses, penned and traded over several days. The Nagauri bullock is what the fair is known for, and buyers travel a long way for it.
02
The Mirchi Bazaar
The red chilli market that runs alongside the fair, and the reason a great deal of Nagaur's produce trade happens in the same weeks.
03
Sport and competition
Camel and bullock races, tug-of-war and other contests between visiting groups, run over the course of the fair.
04
Folk performance
Marwari music and dance in the evenings, from performers who work this circuit through the winter fair season.
Ahhichatragarh, the fort above the town
Nagaur Fort — Ahhichatragarh, the fort of the hooded cobra — sits inside the town rather than on a hill above it, and is one of the oldest in Rajasthan. Its palaces, water channels and painted chambers were restored over many years, and the work is regarded as one of the better conservation projects in the state.
It is worth half a day on its own, and it is the obvious thing to do on an afternoon when the livestock ground is quiet.
Why we camp here
Nagaur has little in the way of hotel stock, and what exists fills as soon as the fair dates are announced. A camp solves that, and it puts you on the ground rather than an hour away.
It also means the mornings work. The livestock ground is at its best early, before the heat and before the crowds, and that is much easier from a tent on the site than from a room in another town.
Where you stay
The camp, not the nearest hotel
We build a camp on the ground for the length of the fair and take it away again afterwards. Everything in it is trucked in and installed for that window.
Swiss tents with attached washrooms
Proper beds, solid flooring, running hot water and a sit-out. Not a sleeping bag on the ground.
Power, water and drainage
Installed for the event and maintained through it, including lighting across the site after dark.
Dining and housekeeping
A kitchen and dining tent on site, and the tents serviced daily while you are out at the fair.
Our own crew on the ground
The people who built the camp are the people running it. Nothing is subcontracted to a local agent.
Practicalities
Getting to Nagaur
- Nagaur lies between Jodhpur and Bikaner, and is reachable by road from either in a few hours.
- Jodhpur has the nearest airport and the most useful rail connections for most visitors.
- Nagaur has its own station on the Jodhpur–Bikaner line, though the choice of trains is limited.
Gallery
Nagaur Cattle Fair, in pictures
Photographs: Debazoti1985 (CC BY-SA 4.0), Vidishaprakash (CC BY-SA 3.0), G41rn8 (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.
Also this season
Other fairs and festivals
November 2026
February 2027
National Chambal Sanctuary
International Bird Festival
Riverside camp on the Chambal, gharial and skimmer country.
Dates February 2027
Details
Announced by the Office of HH
Bodh Gaya, Bihar
Kalachakra
Pilgrim camp with heated tents for the winter teaching.
Dates Announced by the Office of HH
DetailsQuestions
Nagaur Cattle Fair, answered
Not covered here? Call reservations or send an enquiry — someone who has actually been there will answer.
How is Nagaur different from Pushkar?
Scale and atmosphere. Pushkar draws an international crowd and has a large tourist economy around it. Nagaur is still largely a trading fair, with fewer visitors and more livestock, which is exactly why some people prefer it.
When does the fair happen?
In the winter fair season, over several days. The dates are fixed locally and announced ahead of time — ask us and we will confirm the current year's window before you book anything.
Is there much to do besides the fair?
Nagaur Fort is the main one, and it is substantial enough for half a day. Jodhpur and Bikaner are both within reach for a longer trip.
Where would we stay?
In our camp on the ground. Nagaur has very little hotel stock and it goes early, which is the main practical reason people camp here.
How far in advance should I book?
Earlier than feels necessary. These camps run for a handful of days a year, the dates do not move, and the tent count is fixed by what we can physically install. For the better-known fairs the good dates go a season ahead.
What is included in the tariff?
Accommodation in a furnished Swiss tent with an attached washroom, meals at the camp, housekeeping and on-site assistance. Travel to the festival, entry to ticketed events and anything personal sits outside it. We confirm the exact inclusions in writing with the quote.
Can you arrange transfers?
Yes. Tell us where you are arriving from and we will quote the transfer with the tent. For the remoter camps this is worth arranging in advance rather than on the day.
Is the camp suitable for families?
Yes. Tents can be set up for families, and the camp is staffed and lit through the night. Tell us the ages when you enquire and we will put you somewhere sensible on the site.
What does it cost?
It depends on the festival, the dates within it, the tent category and how many nights you want. There is no single rate across the seven. Send us the festival and your dates and we will send a written quote.
Camping at the Nagaur fair
Send us your dates and group size and we will confirm the fair window along with the quote.