My railroad journey in Rajasthan continues:
I have been in Pushkar since November 19.
Pushkar is the first truly touristy place on my way in Rajasthan. This means, before coming here, I had rarely met people who had tricky commercial intentions towards me. I suspected Pushkar was different. I was even thinking of skipping it, but for purely logistical reasons, I couldn't. Fortunately.
There are scammers in Pushkar, but it’s not a big problem
I'll say right away that I really like the town, although what I had read on WikiTravel turned out to be true. I'll quote shortly to give you an idea:
Remember most of these so called Holy Men are nothing of the sort, be firm but polite and decline their invitation to pray for your family
Some tour guides work together with the scammers to intimidate you and frequently follow you around the town after you visit the lake to get more money
ignore the women holding babies and the kids who approach you saying "no money, no money, just buy milk"
Sounds intriguing, lol? I experienced all these attempts on the very first day.
A lady with an infant rushed to me, exclaiming, "No money - milk!", with the intonation of the worst ever actress. I abruptly answered "No milk", and walked past without slowing down. They tried a couple of times more and then realized I was a "no" guy and forgot me, lol.
There were also men who gave me flower petals and insisted that I go to the lake. One of them followed me quite a while to reappear and show me the way in the right direction (to "a holy man" who offers a commission for bringing him naive foreigners).
Each time, I was firm and returned petals to make them leave me alone.
Pushy cheaters with bad vibes, but they also stopped hassling me soon, as Pushkar is small and they just remembered me as a "no" guy.
As for the rest...
Pushkar is a cozy old town, a place to have rest from all the troubles of India.
Firstly, traffic is very low in the old town - no noise, no traffic dust, no pollution; and, as a result, the streets are pedestrian-friendly. Ghats - those stairs around the lake - are another walking space where you don't have to instantly care about rushing bikes and tuk-tuks.
Secondly, kids and young men don't follow you with "photo" or "selfie" requests - locals are used to foreigners.
Great goods supply (including an amazing department store). Food vendors normally don't cheat from my experience.
Cheap accommodation and affordable food are available in Pushkar (can be different on religious holidays and the camel fair).
Nature isn't far - at least two route to have a hike up rocky hills.
And Ajmer is nearby if you want to explore a biggish Indian city.
Many reasons for a long stay in Pushkar!
The look of Pushkar
Pushkar is a small town located around a sacred lake, a holy place for Hindus.
The whole place works for this mission, offering hotels, restaurants, and courses for pilgrims and the curious.
Stairs lead to the water - that's where pilgrims bathe in the early morning.
It's a great pleasure to walk around the lake and watch people
and birds.
The main street looks really touristy.
However, they have many local and handmade goods there so it's not without a good drop of authenticity:
Traditional factory-made affordable jewelry as well as handmade one, minerals, collectibles, and all sorts of clothes.
Tourism in Pushkar isn't only about foreigners - many Indians come to this holy town as pilgrims - on religious holidays, there are crowds of believers here. That's why the place doesn't feel fake despite being densely filled with hotels and restaurants.
But, of course, foreigners bring much money to the town
and that adds an international flavor to Pushkar.
It's not only street art and coffee shops but also services for foreigners:
And among these letters and pix targeted at Westerners, there is a tiny lovely authentic detail, let's zoom in:
So many such inspiring details in Indian streets!
There are a lot of langurs in Pushkar! They are everywhere, including Main Street.
Yes, they get some treats here, but this doesn't make them behave like macaques, lol.
The latter, macaques, are also present by the way. I even had a chance to meet one in the guesthouse I am staying, and had to make her go back to the rooftop before a disaster happened.
Another usual animal in Pushkar:
Camels are plentiful here on the streets - camel-driven carts are common entertainment in Pushkar.
That's how I see Pushkar after several days here. More posts about this beautiful town are coming, stay tuned! 😎
The photos were taken with a Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G and a Nikkor 70-300mm on a full-frame DSLR Nikon D750 in November 2025, in Pushkar, Rajasthan, India.