juliajane

why little time in delhi? I get Agra..should just stay 1 night in agra? Doesn't Delhi have great rstaurants and shopping and sites?
Julia

Cicerone

Yes, Delhi has many interesting sights, good museums and some excellent shopping and restaurants. I think that many people prefer the countryside in India and smaller towns and villages to a big city like Delhi, and with only a short time, they may want to include other places on their itin. However, there is a lot to do and see in Delhi and there is no reason to either skip it or only spend a day there if there are attractions which interest YOU. It is after all your trip and you need to do what interests you.

On a first trip to India, I think including Delhi makes sense, esp if you are flying into or out of Delhi. (After more than 100 trips to India, I personally would feel no need to go to Delhi if I were taking a holiday there and my group did not include first-time visitors to India.)

If you only have a very short time in India, or if you are not at all interested in what cities offer, then Delhi can be skipped. But if your interests include shopping, good restaurants outside of hotels and spa pampering, then I would certainly suggest you include Delhi.

Conversely, I like Agra a lot, but I am someone who has been there several times and not just done a run for a day or a single night. With limited time, you are going to concentrate on the Taj Mahal and perhaps the Red Fort, “baby” Taj, etc. These can be thronged with tourists and also touts which can make your impression of Agra less than ideal. (Although the Taj itself never fails to disappoint, IMO.) Agra is also somewhat industrial in parts, and the parts you see on the road in and out are not the most charming. You most likely won’t have time to get to the old town areas, which are charming and virtually tourist-free.

indianapearl

Since this is your first trip to India, Delhi will perhaps be overwhelming. I certainly found it so. When I came back for departure three weeks later, it seemed much less so than when I arrived.

I'm not a shopper, nor am I interested in spas. I can do that at home. I'm more interested in Indian culture and that can be found in many places other than big cities. Rural areas can tell you a lot about a people as much as cities do.

I'm more of an input-output traveler: will what I see justify the difficulty it takes to see it? It sounds like you want this trip to be a chance to spend quality time with your son, perhaps to reward him for his six weeks of roughing it. How does he feel about your itinerary?

Craig

I think you need 2 nights in Agra to see it properly. You'll want to see the Taj at different times of the day - we found it especially enchanting (and much less crowded) early in the day. Keep in mind that it is closed on Fridays. With a full day you can see the Agra Fort, "Baby Taj" and perhaps Fatephur Sikri, about 45 minutes outside of Agra on the way to Jaipur.

As for Delhi, it was our last stop on our first trip and we did not find it overwhelming. There is a lot to see and do though. If you want to shop for high end stuff like jewelry, clothing or crafts it is as good a place as any. There are a number of fine restaurants in Delhi, although many are in hotels. The major sites are Ghandhi's creamation site, the Jami Masjid mosque, and Chandni Chowk market area in "old" Delhi (plus the Red Fort if you don't visit the one in Agra) and Ghandhi's home, Humayan's Tomb and Qutab Minar in New Delhi. So there is a lot to see if you want to.

Others have suggested that you ask your son want he wants to do and I also think that you should do this.

juliajane

thanks so much.....I am struggling with deciding...I think Delhi-Agra...Jaipur-Udaipur...was going to skip either jaipur or udaipur and go to shimla...cicerone makes me wonder due to weather what do you think?

indianapearl

I've only been to India once, so am no expert, just sharing my own reactions to a very dynamic environment. If I had to choose between Jaipur and Udaipur, I'd choose Udaipur --- U. is quite picturesque, good hotels, good restaurants. I loved Ranakpur, Khumbelgarh Fort, the monkeys, the Indian people going about their work in the countryside.

Cicerone is right about the heat. The monsoons start from the south and work their north. Until the rains come, it's very hot. I have friends who go every summer (usually June) to southeast India to study with a guru. They never go north at that time because it's hotter in the north than the south!