Hi Travlaw,

Thanks for the advise. Sounds like hiring guides as we want/need them is the way to go. I agree with you, we really don't want our trip too scheduled which is why we didn't want to go with a 'tour'.

I think I read you went to Mumbai, did you go to Kolkata? Just wondering if you had a preference of one over the other?

Look forward to 'chatting' again.

We have not been to Kolkata, but intend to get there one of these days. We like Mumbai a lot, and have friends there. The person who might help you best with this question is dogster -- he has posted reports from both cities.

Regarding entrance fees and incidental costs, here is some info I was able to track down from our trip by city -- hope it is helpful!

Costs are per person unless noted. Sometimes the video camera fee is more than the still camera fee, sometimes the fee includes both.

Delhi: Car with driver arranged by B&B 2000 Rs per day (for 3 persons); Car from airport 850 Rs (3 persons); Car to airport 650 Rs (3 persons); Lunches – about 350 Rs. Dinner – went to more expensive places that ran us over $100 US (total for 3 persons); Red Fort 25 Rs (think we also paid 25 Rs for camera fee); Jama Masjid 200 Rs; Qutb Minar US $5; Humayan’s Tomb US $5; Lotus Temple free; Crafts museum free; India gate free; Henna application 50 Rs.

Kathmandu: Visa fee US $25; Tourism Service Fee 565 NRs; Car pick up by hotel free; Car and driver arranged by hotel about US $100 per day (don’t have receipt for this, so this is from memory, it was for 3 persons in a sedan); Lunches generally 2-300 NRs; Dinners generally about US $25; Kathmandu tourist fee 200 NRs; Changu Narayan 100 NRs; Bhaktapur 750 NRs; Patan 200 NRs; Bouhanath 100 NRs; Swayambhu 100 NRs; Pashupatinath 250 NRs.

Agra: Lunches about 100 Rs; Dinners about US $20; Taj ticket (includes Agra Fort, Baby Taj, Sikandra and Fatehpur Sikri if you visit them all the same day you buy the ticket) 500 Rs (non-Indian); camera fee Taj 25Rs; camera fee Baby Taj 25 Rs; Fatehpur sikri (we visited on a different day) US $5; Fatehpur Sikri camera fee 25Rs; tuk-tuk fee in Fatehpur – can’t remember offhand, but ask the driver and he will tell you the most you should pay – probably a few hundred Rs. We had our car and driver in Agra (and all of the cities below except Mumbai and Varanasi), so we didn’t pay anything for local transport.

Jaipur: Lunches about 100-200 Rs; dinners about US $15; Amber Fort 50 Rs; Elephants to fort 1140 Rs (two elephants carrying 3 people); City Palace 180 Rs (? – not on receipt); camera fee City Palace 200 Rs; Jantar Mantar 100 Rs; Hawa Mahal (did not enter, but the cost is just a few Rs); internet fees at the hotel were 20 Rs for 20 minutes; Galta Kund100 Rs.

Bikaner; lunches about 100 Rs; dinners about US $20; Camel Research Center 10 Rs; camera fee 20 Rs; Rat temple – I think there is normally a fee but there was no one there to collect it so we just walked in. I think we paid the guide about 500 Rs. Also paid a few Rs for the guy to watch our shoes.

Jaisalmer: Lunches about 100-150 Rs; Dinners about US $15 (mostly at the hotel); Camel safari (including dinner and entertainment) – I think we paid about 2000 Rs (for 3 people); Bada Bagh Cenotaphs 50 Rs; Bada Bagh camera fee 20 Rs; drinks at hotel 650 Rs for 3; beer 350 Rs for 2; Jaisalmer Fort 150 Rs.

Jodhpur: Lunches about 100-200 Rs; Dinners about $10 US (several at the hotel); Mehrangarh Fort 200 Rs (includes audio tour which is quite good); camera fee fort 200 Rs; Jaswant Thada 30 Rs; Jaswant Thada camera fee 50 Rs; Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum 50 Rs.

Udaiur: Rankapur 150 Rs; camera fees 340 Rs (for 2 video and one still); auto rickshaws 20 Rs; Lunches about 200 Rs; Dinners about US $20 (several at Jagat Niwas, which was pretty good); Internet 10 Rs for 15 minutes; City Palace complex 25Rs; City Palace Museum 30 Rs; Boat Ride Lake Pichola 300 Rs (there may be a combined ticket for the city palace complex, museum and boat fee, but these were the fees listed on the tickets); camera fee 200 Rs; Bagore Ki Haveli cultural show 60 Rs.

Mumbai: Reality Tours and Travel (slum visit and Mumbai City tour including lunch) 2000 Rs; Lunches 4-500 Rs; Dinners US $15-20; Elephanta Island 300 Rs (boat and entry fee?—don’t have receipt), 5 Rs tourist tax, 5 Rs Train ride, camera fee elephanta caves 25 Rs. Didn’t save receipts for the Art Museum but it was only a few Rs.

Varansi; Auto Rickshaws 50 Rs; Lunches and Dinners at the hotel – 2-300 Rs (for 3); Lunch at Kesari (I would avoid this place because of the lack of cleanliness) 350 Rs (for 3); boat ride on the Ganges about 50 Rs an hour. Sarnath was a few hundred Rs for 3 – again, don’t have the receipt.

Thanks for this comprehensive report, travelaw. You always come through with thorough, practical info. We're leaving mid-November. We've booked Ramesh Meena as our driver. What is the protocol for making payment? Is it done at the end of each day, week, what? Thanks, and I hope all is going well with you.

I'm working out daily to strengthen my elephant riding stance . . .

When we used Ramesh Meena he was working for another company, so I don't know how he is handling it now that he is on his own. On our trip, we paid for the car and driver when we got to Jaipur -- which is where the company office was. That said, I guess it depends on how long you will be using the driver -- weekly would be okay -- but certainly I wouldn't do it daily. I think it is fine to wait till the end or near the end of the trip -- my experience is that is okay with most drivers/companies. If you want to tip, I would definitely do that at the very end. We put something in a sealed envelope and gave it to the driver when we were departing his services, but that of course is up to you.

By the way pearl, you will do fine on the elephant -- really very little stress at all -- you just sit in the basket and enjoy. Now camels . . .

Thanks for your kind comments. I am off for my year-long assignment in a couple of weeks. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers!

Wow, Travlaw....that's great information. Thanks for taking the time to look all this up in your records. That will really help me put my budget together.

Pearl, we got a quote from Ramesh. He said we make a small deposit ahead (when we book) and pay the balance at the end. He didn't say, but I would imagine he would take cash rather than credit card although the website looks like they take CC.

Thanks again Travlaw and have a wonderful trip Pearl. Look forward to hearing about it when you return.

We made contact with Ramesh originally when he was in transition to his own business. We wired $USD100 to his bank as a security.

He e-mailed a resume and an informational booklet. We've refined our itinerary a bit more and will reconnect again in the next few days.

I think it's a good idea to pay in cash where possible and we try to do so.

I doubt the prayers of this old heathen would do much good, but I will keep you in my thoughts. I recall that you're going on a tough assignment, but one that might be quite interesting.