A stroll down the King Edward Memorial road and inside Kote Gate will reveal the shopping pleasure in Bikaner. The purses, slippers made out of camel hide are worth a bargain. The camel skin also ends up as cushions and lacquered lampshades. The local carpets and woodwork are very popular among the tourists. And who can forget the world famous Bikaneri Bhujias and sweets.

        Bikaner is a heaven for desert handicrafts. On the right-hand side as you enter the fort is a very interesting craft shop, run by the Urumul Trust. Items sold here are of high quality and made by people from surrounding villages. Proceeds go directly to improve health and education projects in these villages.

       You can browse here without the usual constant hassles to buy. The primary commercial areas are KEM Road and almost all of the old city. Just inside Kote Gate on the left are cloth and textile stores and a fruit market. Leather and other craft stores congregate near the Jain temples.

       Although nowhere near Jaisalmeric proportions, camel safaris have recently become quite popular in Bikaner. Most of these begin with atour of the city and nearby sights, followed by a trek through the desert, with frequent stops at rarely touristed traditional villages where you can witness local handicrafts and desert lifestyles.