Bikaner, the industrial and tourist center is located in the northern part of Rajasthan. It got its name from Rao Bika ji, who made it his kingdom in 1486. The city was on the old caravan trade route that linked Central Asia, China and the Middle East to North India and the Gujarat seaports. Bikaner is the fourth largest city of Rajasthan which has the walls of Jodhpur surrounding it from all the four directions. The best thing about Bikaner is its location. It is surrounded by the main tourist places of Rajasthan. Sri Ganganagar lies in the North, Churu in the East direction, Jodhpur and Jaislmer in the south of Bikaner.

Carpet and Namdas ( coarse woolen rugs ) is what Bikaner is popular for but of late it has also made its name for papad, spicy mixture and spongy rasgullas.

Bika Ki Tekri (Old Fort)
Bika ki Tekri or the old fort is located in the magical landscape which is situated on the rocky ground that lies in the south west of the city. This fort is popular among the locals because it was constructed three years before the construction of Bikaner. Walking down the fort will remind you of the valor of its founder.

Junagarh Fort
Junagarh Fort was constructed by Rai Singh. He started the construction work in the year 1589 and the work was over by the end of 1594. The fort has a circumference of 985 meters. A moat was constructed around the fort for security cordon. The fort complex is considered as an architectural feat. The main attractions within the fort are Anup Mahal, Ganga Niwas, Durbar Hall, Har Mandir, Gaj Mandir, Sheesh Mahal, Karan Mahal, Phool Mahal, Chandra Mahal, Chini Burj etc.

Lalgarh Palace
Lalgrah palace, the architectural masterpiece in red sandstone, was built by Maharaja Ganga Singh in the memory of his father Maharaja Lal Singh. The palace is known for its beautiful lattice work , filigree work, sprawling lawns with blooming bougainvillea with dancing peacocks all around which makes it a not-to-be missed visual sight.though some part of the palace has been converted into a luxury hotel and a museum known as Shri Sadul Museum. The museum covers the entire first floor of the palace and houses well preserved old photographs and trophies of wildlife.

Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum
It is consider the best museum of Rajasthan and it has store one of the richest collections of terra-cotta ware, weapons, miniature paintings of Bikaner school and coins. The museum exhibits the splendid masterpieces of Harappan civilization, Gupta and Kushan era . The museum has a separate section displaying exclusive arts and crafts of the region.

Temples
Bandeswar and Sandeswar Jain temple stand out from the rest of the temple with its mind blowing mirror work, frescoes, gold leaf paintings and carving works. The temple is named after the name of two brothers who got this temple constructed.

How To Get There
Air: The nearest airport is Jodhpur which is 240 kms from Bikaner.

Rail: The Indian Railways connects Bikaner with cities like Delhi, Calcutta, Agra, Jaipur, Allahabad etc. The gorgeous 'Palace on wheels' also covers Bikaner in its eight-day tour of Rajasthan.

Road: Though the unfriendly desert sands surround Bikaner but the city is well connected by roads. There are local and inter-state bus services plying for Bikaner from all the major cities.