Uchicago23

Message: Help! I have been browsing the posts on this site over the last hour or so and it seems *extremely* helpful. I'm visiting a good friend in India beginning on April 4; I think after reading some posts I have packed just way too much into my 15 days. The way it stands now is:

Day 1: Bombay (arr early morning), Bombay all day, overnight train to Dehli
2: Dehli
3: Dehli, overnight bus to Dharamsala
4haramsala
5haramsala
6alhousie/Chamba
7: Back to Dharamsala; overnight bus to Dehli
8: Morning train to Agra; Agra overnight
9: Train or taxi back to Dehli, fly to Goa
10: Goa
11: Goa
12: Goa, overnight train to Pune (where my friend is curently living)
13: Pune
14: Train to Bombay; Bombay
15: Bombay
16: Depart early morning for US.

My main concern is the "post Agra" part of the trip, I'm thinking now I should totally skip Goa, but I'm concerned it will be too hot (based on some posts here) to stay up near Dehli and possibly replace goa with somewhere like Jaipur. I could then just stay a few days in Jaipur and then train back (or fly back) to Bombay before returning home. I'm really beginning to stress about this because the departure date is only 2 weeks away. Any thoughts or comments would be greatly appreciated, even if it is to advise me to make a major overhaul.

Thanks so much.

TracyB

That seems like a little much to see in that amount of time..I would concentrate in the Northern part and save the South for another trip...There is so much to see in Rajasthan, you don't want want to miss out...It is amazing..We recently did Rajasthan and Varanasi for 15 days and are going back to see Kerala and perhaps Goa on a second trip later this year...Don't pack in to many things at once..

hobbes

I would say it depends on how much sightseeing you would like to do ion both Delhi and Bombay. If they are just city transit halts for you you seem ok. Delhi will be very hot in April and Dharamshala will be a welcome change. Goa is great down time in any season. I am not sure I would add Rajasthan to an April itinerary unless you are making all your transfers in a/c cars and staying in very swank hotels with fab a/cing and great pools. In contrast Goa even a small b&B on the beach will be lovely. Alternatively, do not come back to Delhi so soon and wander a bit more around north india - Manali or Simla. Then come to Delhi, do an overnight to Agra, then Pune/Bombay as you like. I would also suggest you go to www.indiamike.com as posts there are more specific.

TracyB

Sorry about the wrong suggestion of going to Rajasthan in April..Didn't realize it would be so hot then...I also suggest that you try indiamike.com for more ideas..

rv224

Not only are you packing too much in but your mode of transport is wrong. It would waste too much tiime to train from bombay to Delhi and back. It's much easier to fly and local flights aren't that expensive.

You can also make Agra a day trip - no point staying overnight.

Cut Dharamsala or Goa.

Cicerone

If it is not too late to change your international flights, I would look into flying right into Delhi and skip Mumbai altogether. This will give you 2 days in Delhi and save you a tiring overnight train journey. As April is so hot , you will need MORE time to cover LESS ground, IMO. Delhi also offers more to see and do, IMO, than Mumbai, plus I am not sure how much ground will be able to cover in one day after an overnight international flight. Jet lag and heat take their toll. It exhausts me just thinking about touring around Mumbai all day and then getting on an overnight train with jet lag. . . .

If you can’t change your international flight, do check on cheap flights between Mumbai and Delhi, preferably one that you can connect to right in Mumbai from your US flight. Try jetairways.com. airdeccan.net/airdeccan/home.asp and indian-airlines.nic.in

I would not skip Goa, as the beach will be a nice relief. I would split time between Goa and Pune, and skip Mumbai. Pune will be warm but not anywhere as hot as Delhi or Mumbai in April (I have not been there since 1989, would love to hear what it is like now.)

Uchicago23

Thanks for your help, all. I wish I could fly direct to Dehli, but unfortunately with my friends living in Pune, it's much easier to have them meet up with me in Bombay. I'm beginning to think not to spend so much time in Bombay, but maybe extend time in the Mountains, possibly even take a half day in Amritsar on the way to Dalhousie. Goa is beginning to me to sound like a different trip that could be lumped in with Kerala for a fun beach-type vacation or "Southern India Trip". I just don't see how to fit a good amount of time in Dehli, then the Mountains, and then Goa, into the same trip. I'm also thinking of spending the last couple days "winding down" in Pune (where my friends are living).

This of course would be all skipping by Jaipur, but that seems crazy because of the descriptions of the heat, even if I could save a lot of $ in the off season and possibly afford some more swanky hotels (graduate student here...)

A possible new itinerary out of all of this might be:

1-Bombay, O/N to Dehli
2-Dehli
3-Dehli
4-Train to Armitsar; onto Dalhousie
5-Dalhousie
6-Dharamsala
7-Dharamsala
8-Manali
9-Manali
10-Manali; O/N back to Dehli
11-Agra
12-Return to Dehli; Fly to Bombay
13-Pune
14-Pune
15-Train to Bombay; Bombay
16-Fly home

Continued thoughts and guidance welcome Thanks!