Jaisalmer to Tanot and Longewala: a winter run with a BSF twist

Winter is when I'd point the Fortuner west into the desert, past Sam dunes and out to Tanot Mata temple, then on to the Longewala war memorial. The road out there is tarred and in decent shape, team-bhp's trip report backs that up, but loose sand blows across the tarmac in patches near Sam, so the AT tyres earn their keep and I'd slow right down rather than trust the grip blind.

For Indian citizens, no special permit is needed for Tanot and Longewala itself, just a government ID at the checkpoints, per jcrdesertsafaricamp's border guide. Going past the temple to the actual border pillar is a different story, that needs prior BSF clearance with RC and Aadhaar details of everyone in the vehicle.

Desert nights drop close to freezing out there, so check your battery and coolant before you leave, and look at brake pads if you've been putting it off. Who's done this stretch, and did BSF clearance take long for you?