Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Asia
Reload this Page >

India: Can I Cut These Cities From My Itinerary?

India: Can I Cut These Cities From My Itinerary?

Old Feb 2nd, 2007, 11:45 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 526
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
India: Can I Cut These Cities From My Itinerary?

This will be my husband's and my first trip to India (or anywhere in Asia or the Far East). Our background: We are in our late 30s, without children, have no mortgage, no student loans, no car payments, and no credit card debt, so we have some disposable income to spend on this trip. While our budget is NOT unlimited, we realize that we may only have one chance to see India and don't mind splurging on well-located hotels or domestic flights to save time. We are NOT interested in renting a car--we will need to rely on public transportation (planes, trains, buses). We have travelled extensively throughout the US, Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe. We have been to South America once, and are planning an East African safari for this August. We would like to add a new continent to our travel repetoire. While we have heard that perhaps Thailand might be a better first choice (more foreigner-friendly in terms of transportation), we are still very interested in seeing India.

We are planning to visit in either February or March of 2008 (we will probably base the trip around the full moon in Feb or March in order to visit the Taj Mahal by moonlight). We can spend 10 to 14 days, including international travel (we don't have tons of vacation time, and this trip will not be our only vacation for 2008, so 10 days would be better, but we could stretch it to 14).

While our itinerary may seem overly ambitious, on past trips, we have been on the move every 2 or 3 days. So, we would like to visit: Delhi (2 nights), Jaipur (2 nights), Udaipur (2 nights), Agra (2 nights), and Varanasi (1 night) at a minimum. My question is: Can we omit cities that we've heard a lot about and associate with India, like Mumbai (Bombay), Aurangabad, Kolkata (Calcutta), and Darjeeling? We can't do them all on this trip, and as I said earlier, it may be our one-and-only chance at seeing India (the world is big, and my health is not stellar). We would also love to see Kathmandu in Nepal, but that seems to require more time that we don't have.

Any advice/suggestions on our plans? Thanks in advance.
fluffnfold is offline  
Old Feb 2nd, 2007, 12:33 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 349
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
fluffnfold - May I ask why you are not interested in renting a car? I would actually highly recommend renting a private driver and car. This is a cheap, fairly safe (if you go with a trusted driver and car) and popular way to travel around. If you do not speak the local language, I am not sure how easy it would be for you to rely solely on public transporation especially in places like Varanasi, Agra or some places in Rajasthan.

Regarding whether you can cut the mentioned cities from your itinerary...I would say if you had to cut some, cut Kolkata, Darjeeling and Aurangabad. Though these are lovely places to visit, they seem far from the rest of the cities you do want to visit.

Though Mumbai is not necessarily 'pretty', it can make for a fun visit.

Hope that helps.
Manisha is offline  
Old Feb 2nd, 2007, 01:02 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,897
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Since you are young, plan on visiting India again some time then you won't have to worry about what you missed. India is not anything like you have ever experienced and it takes time to get around. If you accept this, you will be rewarded big time. Forget about public transportation for the most part - that's for backpacker types. There are some that say an Indian train trip is worthwhile for the experience and I agree but don't let it determine your itinerary. Go with a car and driver for most of your trip. Based on your allotted time, a Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Varanasi would probably work for you. Others will chime in but I think this would be the best introduction to India, assuming you do not want to do a tiger safari - I mention this because of your interest in East Africa. Udaipur is out-of-the-way and is either a very long drive or a plane flight that will consume a lot of time. Save the other destinations for another time - India is a huge country. When we did India, we did 2 nights Agra, 3 nights Jaipur, 2 nights tiger safari at Ranthambore Park and 3 nights Delhi - our days were very full and we were constantly on-the-move. If you eliminated some shopping, you could probably do it quicker but I wouldn't recommend it.
Craig is offline  
Old Feb 2nd, 2007, 01:44 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Fluffnfold--
My wife and I did a trip to India ten years ago. It was the most amazing place we've ever been (and we travel fairly regularly). I would recommend that you consider getting an Indrail pass. They are extremely reasonable--First class adult $185 for 15 days. The trains go everywhere and are an experience in themselves You should consider visiting Aurangabad (for its proximity to the Ellora and Ajanta Caves--for me the highlight of our 6-week trip) If you have more questions, let me know.
sarozena is offline  
Old Feb 2nd, 2007, 01:50 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,448
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I think you are choosing the right cities to cut. I wish you could make it two nights in Varanasi.

Even if you had to shortchange Agra by a night. See the Taj on the day & evening you arrive in Agra, see Fatehpuhr Sikr as you head to next destination the following morning.
waynehazle is offline  
Old Feb 2nd, 2007, 03:06 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
That is a pretty short amount of time. You'll be dealing with jet lag for the first couple of days.

For starters, you could easily skip the big cities if you're short on time. Mumbai is interesting but not enough to add to the abbreviated list. Same goes with the other cities mentioned.

I'd do everything possible to ensure 3 days in Varanasi. It's a great place to unwind and very easily explored without a car. In fact the absence of cars in the old city is one of it's greatest features. You'll understand once you cleaned the soot out of your ears in New Delhi.

I'll do a quick itinerary I'd consider if my time were so limited.

Delhi, land at night, take the first morning flight to Udaipur.

Udaipur 2 nights - hire a car to Jodhpur. You can stop by Ranakpur for the Jain temples, not accessible by train. I've flown Jodhpur - Udaipur but next time would do the drive since so many have said it is well worth it.

Jodhpur 2 nights - Always a debate for people on which is more interesting, Jaipur or Jodhpur. My vote is for Jodphur with it's amazing fort and the view perched over the blue city.

5 hour train to Jaipur

Jaipur 1 night - I've stayed at Diggi Palace, great pace. Catch a movie at the classic Rajmadir theater.

4 hour train to Agra

1 night in Agra - General consensus is one day is enough.

10 hour overnight train to Varanasi

2 nights in Varanasi - This city really deserves several days. So much to see there.

fly to New Delhi

1-2 nights in New Delhi - No need to rush back for your flight out, you're already here. By then you'll have become accustomed to the Indian hustle and bustle so it will be more enjoyable.


shaktipalooza is offline  
Old Feb 2nd, 2007, 05:15 PM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,609
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Totally agree that you should try for more time in Varanasi, and possibly Aurangabad, but that you can skip Mumbai, Kolkata and Darjeeling (though I loved the train ride from Kurseong to Darjeeling) on this trip. Since you are going to Jaipur I would be inclined to drop Udaipur.

Take a look at the India section on www.site61.com for info on traveling on Indian trains, and www.dandpani.dircon.co.uk/ for info on Indrail passes. You definitely don't want to drive in India, but a car and driver arranged through an Indian travel agency, or your hotel after you arrive, need not be exorbitant. And even with a driver, aim to be off the roads by dark.

India is fantastic, and incredibly diverse, definitely worth visiting.
thursdaysd is offline  
Old Feb 2nd, 2007, 05:26 PM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 29,053
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
i think craig's advice is wise...my wife and i spent 11 days in the golden trialgle in november....3 nites delhi, 2 nites agra and 4 nites jaipur and the last nite at a heritage hotel on the way back to delhi....we moved every minute....we hired a driver and suv and the delhi agency that assisted us provided guides in the appropriate places...

so i think your 4 cities would be the limit if you intend to get anything out of the trip....we had no jet lague as we were coming from 2 weeks prior in thailand...don't underestimate it!!

INDIA IS NOT LIKE EUROPE IN ANY WAY...travel is totally different....traffic is huge in larger towns....movement is slow...never more than 50mph even on the "highway"... getting from one site to another can take quite a bit of time...

public transportation might even scare the back packers...some train rides might be ok, but don't expect them to be like european trains...

we could have used one or two more days in delhi....two nites in agra is wise as it allows for a full day there...
rhkkmk is offline  
Old Feb 2nd, 2007, 06:50 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,868
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I am one who enjoyed the Indian trains, so if you don't want to travel by car at all (I'm assuming you just don't want to drive yourselves, but car and driver is reasonable in India), don't be scared by the trains.

I would go Delhi, then take the shabadhi Express train to Agra. Arrange for a car to meet your train and take you to the "Baby Taj" and the Fort the first day, then the Taj that evening and again early the next morning. Drive to Fatepur Sikri and either keep driving to Jaipur (or take a train) for 2 nights. Drive, fly or train from there to Varanasi (Flying or driving will likely involve a stop in Delhi) for 2 nights, then fly back to Delhi for a bit of shopping and sightseeing at the end.

Of course you can omit cities! India is huge, and you could no more see all the important sights of India in two weekd (or two months) than you could hit all the highlights of the USA in that time.

If you enjoy this first trip, you can go back later. If not, you will have a memory of a nice sample of India.

Do allow extra time for everything, and do try to set your itinerary and pre arrange pickups before you go. If you are taking the train, your hotels will always send a car or taxi with your name for a reasonable price.

A first trip to India can be very overwhelming; having the major details pre-planned allows you to relax a bit more.

I highly recommend the Oberoi Amarvilas in Agra and the Imperial in Delhi. Both of these are well worth the spluge- both for the location and the "I'm in India" factor.

In Jaipur you could stay at Samode Haveli and get a taste of history with a comfortable room in the old quarter of town.

In Varanasi, choose a hotel on the river. The big internationals are way far away from the old town of Varansi. We liked the area by Assi Ghat. It was a little quieter, had some good places to eat, and you will only have to walk a few steps down to the water at dawn (or dusk) to rent a boat. You'll never need to pay a rickshow driver more than 10-20 rupees for a ride in the old section, and walking the alleys is fascinating in itself.
lcuy is offline  
Old Feb 3rd, 2007, 09:39 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Personally, I would not worry about trying to go to Kolkata, Darjeeling, Nepal or Mumbai. As others have pointed out, they are very far from the other places. Darjeeling, while quite lovely, takes a long time to get to and it's not really one of the best destinations in India. If I were you, I would wait and combine Darjeeling with Nepal and other Himalayan hill stations on a future trip.

Mumbai is a fun city, but since your other destinations are north and closer to Delhi, I would skip Mumbai and just focus on Delhi and Rajasthan. I did the same trip you're contemplating last year - Delhi to Agra to Jaipur to Udaipur - with my 15 year old daughter, and it was wonderful. Udaipur is the most beautiful city in India I've ever been to. Quite charming.

One last thing - I don't think you need 2 nights in Agra. I have been there twice and never even stayed overnight! Once you've seen the Taj, there's really no other reason to be there. It's a crowded, dirty and touristy city. I'd stay there just one night, and add another night onto Udaipur.
namastefromUSA is offline  
Old Feb 3rd, 2007, 10:38 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
In our trip to India, we visited all the sites that you included, plus Mumbai, Khajuraho and new Delhi. i can not advise about other cities, as we did not visited them.

In Mumbai we spend only 10 hours, from our arrival in india in the morning till our flight to Udaipur. We enjoyed Udaipur and I would not take it out from your list. I think that Mumbai is not a must.

in our way from Jaipur to Agra, we stopped to visit Fatehpur Sikri, and i strongly recommend you to include it in your plans.

We spent 10 days in India, and we have a car with driver and guide in each city (only for us). It was a very nice arrangement, because we could decide the schedule of each day.
valtor is offline  
Old Feb 3rd, 2007, 01:06 PM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
just did the golden triangle in january. i'm an indian from the usa and even i would never have done this trip strictly on public transportaion. best option is to hire a car and driver. this will give you the most freedom and added security. if this is your first trip to asia, then trust me it will be quite a cultural shock. even getting out of the airport can be tricky unless there is someone there to meet you. the other cites that you had mentioned, mumbai, kolkata, etc, could definetly be left out. also, plan to go in feb, as india starts to get hot in march. jan and feb are the best months to go. if you plan on splurging, look at the oberoi hotels in agra, jaipur, and udaipur. i have stayed at all three, and they are definetly unique, but expensive too. and yes, as others commented, one night in agra is more then enough, see the taj at sunrise, then go back to hotel for breakfast and proceed to fatepur on the way to jaipur. dont need two nights in agra.
tadkadal is offline  
Old Feb 3rd, 2007, 02:59 PM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,609
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Well, I'm a Brit from the USA, not an Indian, but I really didn't find the trains particularly challenging in the AC classes. 3AC is a bit crowded, but 1AC and 2AC were fine - and I was traveling solo. True, I wouldn't recommend buses, which can be very crowded and uncomfortable, but before you write off trains, take a look at the photos at www.seat61.com. Rickshaws are fine for getting round town, although bargaining over the fare can get old after a while.
thursdaysd is offline  
Old Feb 4th, 2007, 05:56 AM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,753
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My comments : delete 1 night from Agra, add it to Delhi. U will lose some time in Delhi in acclimatising and airport transfers. Book a car and driver - it is cheap and will increase your time efficiency tremendously - it is also convenient to see sites. Don't becnhmark renating a car with a driver against anywehere else you have traveled - Asia is different and it makes immense sense in every respect to have a car with a driver - time, convenience, safety. logistics. In Agra splurge for the 1 night at Amar Vilas - u will not regret it tho it is expensive. Save in Jaipur by staying at Samode Haveli, Jas Vilas or Raj Vilas, all charming, well located and reasonable. Don't worry about what you are missing, this is a great intro to India and hopefully you will be hooked and will return! Budget some time for shopping - India shopping is unique. Try and go as soon in March as possible, as you get towards April weather becomes warmer daily and you may find it sapping.
hobbes is offline  
Old Feb 5th, 2007, 04:33 AM
  #15  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 526
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thank you all for responding. It sounds like I can omit the big cities of Mumbai and Kolkata on this first trip. While my husband and I usually hire a car and driver when we are in cities (or on an island) for sightseeing purposes, I hadn't thought to use one to drive us between the cities, rather than flying or taking the train. It's something to think about. Is the cost reasonable enough to keep the same driver for the entire vacation? Or will he drive us from Delhi to Jaipur, for example, and then return to his base in Delhi after dropping us off (or giving us a tour)? Or do you mean to just hire a different driver in each city to take us to the sites? That is definitely in our plans! I have noted your hotel advice as well, and that several people mentioned spending only one night in Agra rather than two.
fluffnfold is offline  
Old Feb 5th, 2007, 05:32 AM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,897
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You can go either way with the driver, depending on your itinerary. We had the same driver for our entire trip. At one point it was quicker to get to our destination by train and we sent the driver ahead with most of our luggage. If the driver takes you somewhere and then returns without you, you generally pay for his return trip. Drivers do not generally provide guide services. If you work with an agency, they will assign a local guide for each location for a nominal charge. The idea behind 2 nights in Agra is to have enough time to see the Taj in different lights (preferable at sunrise or sunset) and have time to do Agra Fort, "Baby Taj" and Fatephur Sikri.
Craig is offline  
Old Feb 5th, 2007, 06:56 AM
  #17  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 29,053
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
we had the same driver for our entire 11 days....we drove delhi-agra-jaipur and back to delhi with an overnite stop along the way....we had guides as we needed along the way...

our driver made our trip the wonderful experience that it was....he was and is fantastic...

i think the cost total for the 11 days was about $400+....in fact it was $405--i just looked at my schedule...that was a very comfortable toyota SUV (which you want because of its size to compete with the large trucks along the way)....many have said that the driving is dangereous along the way....we did not find it that way, although in the cities it is a bit chaotic....

you see so much more from a car....it is slow to be sure...i think at best we averaged 50 MPH.....but you can stop anytime you see something interesting...

we decided it was better to see less territory and to see the territory we covered more completely than to do a wiz bang tour...we did not rush....

in the end it felt perfect to us the way we did it...
rhkkmk is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
SaraFato
Asia
19
Apr 15th, 2009 05:09 AM
eyeski
Asia
17
May 14th, 2008 05:06 PM
JMGJD
Asia
4
Sep 6th, 2007 10:08 AM
gilawi01
Asia
9
Jul 2nd, 2007 03:12 PM
lw2117
Asia
17
Jan 11th, 2006 04:49 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -