In the northwestern corner of India lie remnants of what used to be one of the wealthiest regions of the Asian subcontinent. Tattered palaces laden with intricate inlays and frescoes, mystical forts that tower over desert villages, and camels with their heads held high are all a part of Rajasthan’s rich history.

Known as the Land of the Kings, much of Rajasthan lies in the Thar Desert, near the Pakistani border. It is one of India’s most exotic states and home to the Rajputs, warrior clans that have controlled this region for more than 1,000 years. Though primitive in many aspects, Rajasthan’s authentic heritage and unspoiled nature lure travelers searching for a taste of India’s princely past.

One of the best ways to explore the desert is to visit the western city of Jaisalmer, the starting point for most camel treks. There are numerous picturesque towns and villages along the way worth visiting, depending on your sense of adventure.

After a brief stop in Mumbai (Bombay), we are eager to leave chaos behind in exchange for the heat and dust of India’s desert countryside. We fly into Udaipur as the sun is setting, a scene straight from a romantic fairytale. The city itself dates back to the 1500s and is full of palaces, Hindu temples and elegant havelis, or mansions. It is also an art center, where for centuries painters have vividly depicted traditional lifestyles of maharajahs and Moghuls, the Muslim rulers.

We stay at the Lake Pichola Hotel overlooking the majestic City Palace, the largest palace complex in Rajasthan, and the Lake Palace Hotel, once a royal summer retreat that covers an entire island and dates back to 1754. In the 1970s, the Indian government stripped the Rajputs of extravagant stipends and much of their property rights. Consequently, many former palaces have been turned into heritage hotels.

At night, magical glowing white lights encircle the cool waters of Lake Pichola. During the day, from our balcony we watch dhobi-wallahs, washer people on ghats, the steps leading to a lake or river, beating clothes against stones to remove dirt.

Udaipur is the perfect place to relax, meander up and down winding dirt alleyways, or just gaze at people and surroundings. The City Palace Museum, with mirrored glass rooms, ornamental tiles and exquisite mosaics, is a reminder of its glory days.

India can be frustrating at the best of times — a “functional anarchy,” where corruption and chaos openly thrive. As one local describes its overwhelming nature, “No one questions much; they just adjust.”

India’s lack of driving rules stuns Western visitors. However, no one will “intentionally” hit you. Vehicles are worn and roads are frequently congested with trucks, buses, cows and pigs. Nothing moves too quickly. Remember that this is Third World travel, not a European vacation.

Still, Rajasthan’s pace is simpler and more traditional compared to modern India, which makes it so enchanting.

After a series of harrowing bus rides, we arrive at the Ajit Bhawan Hotel, where His Highness Maharaj Swaroop Singh — uncle of the still-powerful Maharajah of Jodhpur — resides. The converted palace is made of two-story bungalows adorned in latticework of carved red sandstone. A central haveli-style courtyard has shady trees and a beautiful swimming pool, complete with a cascading waterfall, a welcome sight after our nerve-racking journey.

At one time, the courtyard was exclusively for men. Women hid upstairs behind screens in purdah, the seclusion from public observation among certain religious groups such as Muslims and Hindus. Today, guests enjoy an elaborate Indian dinner buffet, served by men in curly mustaches and colored turbans, coupled with live traditional music and dancing. The maharaj often mingles with diners.

Jodhpur, Rajasthan’s second-largest city, lies at the edge of the Thar Desert, not far from Pakistan. The city dates back to 1459 and is often referred to as the “Blue City,” since many of the houses and buildings are painted pale blue. The name is not obvious until we climb the hill to the massive Meherangarh Fort, towering over Jodhpur.

A highlight of our stay in Jodhpur is a village safari that offers glimpses of Rajasthani rural and wild life. We pile into a jeep, along with our 71-year-old guide, Mr. Singh (no relation to the maharaj), who wears a white turban and dark sunglasses. We visit an area populated by the Bishnui people, those who worship Vishnu, the Hindu god of protection. The Bishnuis are a poor people who live in clay houses, often under the same roof as their farm animals, without electricity, plumbing or running water.

Throughout the cacti and bush, native peacocks — India’s national bird, gazelles and giant lizards roam. Women wearing brightly colored saris and carrying huge pots on their heads work in the fields.

The Umaid Bhawan Palace, a Xanadu-like edifice built of marble and hand-chiseled sandstone in the 1930s Art Deco style, sits in stark contrast to the rural countryside. His Highness Maharajah Gaj Singh II (the Maharajah of Jodhpur) comfortably occupies one wing of the luxurious palace, while the remainder is used for guests.

Our meeting with the maharajah in his family quarters is casual. He is impressive, yet his mannerism is jovial, as he sits stroking a dachshund in his lap and recounts the palace’s history. A tall man with a stately appearance, he agrees to pose for a picture in front of a large portrait of erstwhile family rulers.

After riding on a crowded overnight train, we arrive in Jaisalmer. Looking around we see only dirt roads and plenty of camel and donkey carts loaded with produce and other goods. Some women are adorned in facial jewelry and bangle bracelets from elbow to shoulder, while the more traditional women hide their faces with scarves under purdah.

Jaisalmer is one of the most captivating desert towns in Rajasthan. Centuries ago, camel trains transported valuables between India and Central Asia. Sitting strategically between the two regions, merchants in this dusty outpost prospered from the rich trade. Throughout the city are magnificent havelis, ornately carved like lace of honey-yellow sandstone, some with beautifully arched roofs, tall pillars, miniature paintings and exquisite European tiles. Watching the sunset over the barren tracts of land from within the walls of the imposing 12th century fort is breathtaking. There’s little wonder why Jaisalmer is dubbed the “Golden City.”

To experience the Thar Desert firsthand, we embark on a three-day camel trek. We don long-sleeve, light cotton shirts and wide-brimmed hats to protect from the sun’s intense rays. Our guides are equipped with ample bottled water.

Traveling by jeep, we reach our campsite near the Sam Dunes on the edge of a desert national park, 42km from Jaisalmer. We immediately seek shelter near the tent while our cooks prepare lunch of eggplant, dhal (lentil soup) and chapatis (unleavened bread). Late that afternoon, we head north on our camels to watch the sun set. It is beautiful, perfectly orange and round. The flies and gnats are incessant; our bottled water is nearly boiling from the desert heat. Gusts of wind fill our mouths with sand. Still, what a feeling to be riding high on the back of a camel.

Our camel driver is 12-year-old Amret, who lives with his 10 brothers and sisters in a poor village. Amret is a seasoned camel driver, working the trade for over three years; he wears flip-flop sandals. I sense the simplicity of his life as he curiously picks up my Post-It notes.

Ah, the camel — king of the desert. It is very tall, with fluttering eyelashes. It groans deeply as it moves its head about, taking in the surroundings and chews its cud. Its legs are skinny and tall, like springboards, as it bounces lightly through the desert sand. It has calluses on its knees and belly so that it can squat easily. It needs little water to sustain its thirst, and its diet is primarily desert shrub.

We spend our evening around a campfire, eating Indian food and drinking warm beer, serenaded by a local band, the Khan brothers, whose voices echo sweetly in the night air.

Sleeping outside the tent to catch the evening breeze, I wake in the middle of the night and hear tiny sand crabs scurrying about, the only sound for miles. The sky above me is wide open and glistening with stars. The constellation Orion is clearly visible and the moon is full. I wake around 6 a.m. to a golden sunrise.

After breakfast, Amret and his father arrive with our camels, Kali and Michael Jackson. It is already over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. We ride for several hours before coming to a small murky pond, the water supply for the surrounding villages. Our guides fill a large plastic container with water. The camels slurp from the edge of the pond, as if through a straw. Nearby, a woman and her three young daughters bathe themselves..

We walk for another hour, our backsides and knees becoming extremely sore, until we reach a small oasis, where we sit under a shady tree. Amret and his father build a twig fire and use large stones to boil the pond water for our lunch. We are amazed at what they prepare in such a rudimentary cooking environment: chapatis, rice, mixed chili vegetables, and sweet tea. Afterward, we can only nap, since the afternoon temperature is at least 110-120 degrees F.

We head back to camp, stopping off at Sunset Point, a popular destination for day-trippers. Upon our return, the kitchen crew serves us cool water and cokes. We eat a delicious Indian meal sitting next to the fire and listening to the Khans. The evenings are special here, when cool air arrives and the sky opens up to falling stars and distant constellations.

It is our last morning in the desert. One of the cooks approaches us exclaiming, “Madame, sir, your camels are coming,” meaning the camels are here and saddled up. Soon we are off again for our final trek.

My camel keeps rubbing against shrubs to scratch mosquito bites. We pass through millet fields until we come upon a tree, where we stop for lunch. The camels lie down and before I realize it, Michael Jackson rolls in the sand and covers us with gusts of dirt. We’re already filthy, as we haven’t showered in over two days.

The trek is a great adventure but cures our desire to be in any Sahara-like wilderness for a while. Upon returning to Jaisalmer, showers and cold water couldn’t be more appreciated.

Our sendoff from India is a stop in Agra to see the famous Taj Mahal, not far from the semidesert city of Jaipur in eastern Rajasthan or Delhi in the northern state of Haryana. A mausoleum to one ruler’s dead wife, the Taj is a living tribute to the grandeur of the Moghal period and without doubt one of the most poignant architectural works ever built.

As we bounce along on a rickshaw to the Agra train station, a moonless night and a cool desert breeze drown out India’s daily extremes — poverty, disease, malnutrition. Even the pungent smell of trash heaps is gone as our teen-age driver pedals down a darkened road. Like the wind, Indians seem to adjust to the perpetual chaos and problems that envelop them.

While we wait for the airport taxi, the scent of jasmine fills the air. I hear familiar sounds. A child yells in his best King’s English, “From which country do you come?” A street merchant tries to lure us with, “Hey friend, looking is free and good for your eyes.”

Despite the pandemonium, India’s culture — its colorful bazaars, holy cities, desert forts, and melange of religions — devours my emotions and leaves me yearning to experience more.

Getting there

Air India has daily flights from New York’s Kennedy Airport to Mumbai and New Delhi by way of London. The company books through wholesalers with round-trip fares for roughly $1,100. Delta has a daily flight to Mumbai and Delhi from Kennedy by way of Frankfort and Zurich or Vienna and is offering fares of $1,478. Northwest also runs a daily service from Kennedy to Mumbai and Delhi by way of Amsterdam for roughly $1,480 with a four-day advance purchase.

Best weather to travel

The best time to visit Rajasthan is autumn — mid-September to mid-November — when the monsoon ends. This is the peak tourist period, so book ahead. Rajasthan has an array of Hindu and Muslim holidays, including Diwali, the happiest festival of the Hindu calendar, similar to New Year’s. Lighting oil lamps and firecrackers and giving sweets are all part of the tradition occurring in October-November. Rajasthan is known for the annual Pushkar Camel Fair (Nov. 20-23, 1999). More than 200,000 pilgrims and tribal people gather from faraway for colorful festivities like camel racing and livestock trading.

Places to stay

Rajasthan is famous for its palace hotels, ranging in price from moderate to luxury. In Udaipur, we enjoyed the charm of the Lake Pichola Hotel (011-91-294-420-387/421-197), doubles $30. Other top-end accommodations include the Lake Palace Hotel (book far in advance) (011-91-294-527-961), doubles $200 and up. The Shiv Niwas (011-91-294-528-016/7) and Feteh Prakash (011-91-294-528-016/7) palace hotels are located in the City Palace complex, doubles starting $100-$200. In Jodhpur, the Ajit Bhawan (011-91-291-37-410) offers doubles for $60. At the luxurious Umaid Bhawan Palace (011-91-291-433-316), doubles start at $240. In Jaisalmer, the Narayan Niwas Palace (011-91-2992-52-408 or in Delhi at 011-91-11-617-1478) is reasonable, doubles $60. The Gorbandh Palace (011-91-2992-51-511/12) is Jaisalmer’s fanciest hotel, but slightly out of town, doubles $60 and up.

Transport within India

Indian Airlines (domestic arm of Air India) flies daily from Mumbai to Udaipur for around $90. A 25 percent discount is offered for those under 30 years old. Between Udaipur and Jodhpur, Indian Airlines flies four times a week for about $50. Alternatively, trains take 11 hours, first class $7. Between Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, there’s a daily, eight-hour train, first class $8. The “superfast” express trains between Jodhpur and Delhi take 10 hours, first class $20. Between Delhi and Agra, the Shatabdi Express takes two hours, making the Taj Mahal an ideal day trip, air-conditioned chair class $9. For train bookings, use the International Tourists Bureau.

Places to eat

In Udaipur, the Shiv Niwas Palace Hotel (011-91-294-528-016/7) serves excellent Indian food, topped off with mango ice cream and classical music. The Fateh Prakash Palace Hotel (011-91-294-528-016/7) has two nice restaurants overlooking the lake, a brilliant place to watch the sun set. In Jodhpur, the Ajit Bhawan (011-91-291-37-410) has two good outdoor restaurants. The Umaid Bhawan Palace (011-91-291-433-316) serves an elaborate buffet in its large palace hall, also accompanied by live music; it has several a la carte restaurants.