OK..so I think I am sticking with Oberoi....for the most part...seems comfortable to me. I can't change my dates to visit India by much so will be there around 24th of july and will be able to stay approx 11 nights.

If flying within India is easy I am not opposed..as long as it is not a tiny jet..sounds like Kingfisher is good.
I get mixed reviews due to weather...rain, heat-as to where to go
I get different views on agra but I am thinking 1 night might be enough....but open to suggestions..again will be in a lovely hotel...
WAnt to see things but also want sometime to relax at hotels since I am paying so much....
so please post your suggested itinerary......we want to see sights, shop and eat well!!!
So I fly from NY to Delhi...direct non stop...meet my son......

so what then....
2 nights delhi?
1 night Agra
Jaipur????
Udaipur (3 nights??)

Should I fly to shimla....or other suggestions...again I have 11 nights...need to end back in Delhi...also suggested order of things would be great!!! MY last night in Delhi may not do Oberoi....may stay elsewhere...also thru all this will likely have driver....
I like to be told what to do!!!!
Julia


ps. a silly question..are spa prices just as high in India as in US? Probably at Oberoi..just wondering!!! I am kinda high maintenance!!!!

I think that with the heat, jet-lag and the fact that things run a bit slower in India, it is important not to rush. If you fly from New York, your flight will arrive in Delhi sometime in the late afternoon or early evening. I would spend at least one full day in Delhi to recover from jet-lag, get acclimated, maybe see one or two sites and use the spa at the Oberoi.

If you go to Agra by car, it will take a minimum of 4-6 hours to get there. It is a harrowing but colorful drive - you won't be bored. If you truly want to relax and enjoy your hotel, you will spend two nights in Agra, not one. In addition to the Taj, I consider Agra Fort a must-see.

From Agra you can drive to Jaipur. If you stop at Fatephur Sikri along the way, the trip will take all day. While you can do Jaipur in 2 nights, it is better to stay 3. From what I have been hearing, lately the touts at Fatephur Sikri have been relentless. It will also be hot. If you want to cut back Jaipur to 2 nights, skip Fatephur Sikri.

It will take the better part of a day to fly to Udaipur from Jaipur. There are no direct flights so you will will have to go through either Mumbai or Delhi. We spent 4 nights in Udaipur, which was about right. You need a full day to visit Kumbulgarh Fort and the Jain Temple at Ranakpur. If you decide not to do that (it will be very hot), you could do Udaipur in 3 nights.

The direct flight from Udaipur back to Delhi will use up 1/2 day. If you have already done 2 nights Delhi, 2 nights Agra, 3 nights Jaipur, and 4 nights Udaipur, you will have used up your allotment of nights but will still have several hours in Delhi before your late-at-night flight home. If you cut one night from Udaipur or Jaipur, you'll have an extra night in Delhi.

I don't think spa prices in India will be as high as the US, even at the Oberoi's.

thanks Craig..you suggestion is to skip Shimla...should I consider Flying to Udaipur direct from Delhi...then making other stops...

I've not been to Shimla and you did not list it as an option. If you do Shimla you will have to drop Udaipur or Jaipur.

I don't think flying direct to Udaipur will help you. You will still have to connect to your next destination (unless you plan to return to Delhi).

You can fly to Udaipur from Delhi (since you'll be there) and then drive from Udaipur to Jaipur with a stop for the Fort and Ranakpur. After Jaipur you can drive to Agra and from there back to Delhi.

It is 7-8 hours from Udaipur to Jaipur without any stops. Whether by air or by land, it would be a long day. By land, of course you could detour to the Fort/Ranakpur but if you did, you would not make it to Jaipur by nightfall. I do not recommend driving in India at night.

You should have 13-14 hours of daylight in July, but you've got monsoons to contend with and that may make driving unfeasible. The advantage of being in a comfortable air-conditioned car is that you actually see India, unlike hanging out at airports. Observing action on Indian roads was one of our favorite activities.(Disclaimer: I have no personal knowledge of the road from Ranakpur to Jaipur so it might be a really boring 8 lane superhighway.) Ranakpur does only open at noon for non-Jains so that's an additional consideration/drawback for doing it on the way.

julia, I can tell you're stessing about this. Your stress is coming from the fact that it seems overwhelming. That why the Oberois exist. For people just like you [and me, and anybody else facing India the first time] If you have the splash-cash, then just use them.

You know the off-season package, it includes rail or airport pick up etc etc. All you have to do is decide on your 4 cities {Craig has it about right, or Marija's in reverse plan I like better] and get THEM to do the rest. They'll hold your hand from the minute you emerge at Delhi airport [where you'll need hand-holding] till the minute they drop you back off there.

They'll organise you a lovely train down to Agra, pick you up at the airport, organise your tours, book your flights - the lot. Frankly, reading between the lines, I think this would be way your best solution. Yes, there are many other options - but if you're high maintenence, confused, thinking about spa and comfort and all the other things you deserve, then just go Oberoi. They'll do the tiny bit of tourism you're actually interested in - this is a different kinda trip. It's done in one. Stop stressing.

One phone call. Done. Fergeddabout Shimla. You'll be hot - O.K. So you'll be staying at the best hotel in town with AC and pools, spas and handsome men to fan you - you'll be in AC in your room, in AC in your car, in AC in the shops... Can you cope?

<i>Yes, you can.</i>

So: this is what you want - well, the beginnings of it.

DAY 1:
Oberoi TRANSFER Delhi airport to OBEROI DELHI
O/N OBEROI DELHI

DAY 2:
Easy day to recover. Don't make any advance plans. Time with son, pool, get over jet-lag. If keen, organise half-day tour with concierge. Let your son decide... etc etc. Jet lag can be a killer.
O/N OBEROI DELHI

DAY 3:
Oberoi transfer to TRAIN STATION. Oberoi man to take you to the Early train and get you to your seats, organise luggage [try to travel light]
TRAIN to AGRA [Oberoi to arrange ticket]
Oberoi PICK-UP at railway station, transfer to OBEROI AGRA
Afternoon sightseeing as per Craig's suggestions.
O/N OBEROI AGRA

All day Agra sightseeing, with long gaps in the middle of the day to do nothing much. Actually, it'll be dawn, early morning sightseeing, then a big gap till the late afternoon. Heat. Oberoi car.
O/N OBEROI AGRA

So far, totally easy. One stop shop. Any problems so far?

Next stop may as well be Jaipur. That's a day in a car with Fetepur Sikri. No stress option: Oberoi car. Let them link you up, hotel to hotel.
O/N OBEROI JAIPUR

Oberoi can easily arrange Jaipur touring if you want, either in advance or on the spot.
O/N OBEROI JAIPUR

Another day in Jaipur? Up to you.

Either way, you're heading to Udaipur. May as well go by road and see some rural stuff. I hate long drives - you <i>could</i> stop half way somewhere odd [OR at DeviGarh} to break that journey. You might discover rural India is to your taste.

Let me know how this sounds and we'll do the rest.

Well, I think dogster has nailed it - just let Oberoi do the work for you. Will it cost? - yes. Will it be fair/good value for you? - a definite yes. For example, your train trip to Agra will be quick (2 hours or so) and painless - first class, handlers at your beck and call...

As Marija and dogster have said, do make part of your trip by road - while I also hate long drives (and believe me, travel by car in India can be stressful and tiring) there is so much to see along the way, especially in the more rural areas...

Is it true that the Taj Mahal still hasn't seen dogster?

you guys are the best..I am feeling better already.....so let Oberoi do the car not the Rameesh guy people talk about on this site? Dogster I am liking the itinerary..I the specifics!!! Thanks!

Yup, Marija. lol.

Now, of course, doing it this way is more expensive; an Oberoi car from Agra to Jaipur might be crazy $$ wise, but no stress there - there are a million easy alternatives.

Best at the moment, just to get your feet, is to talk to a Miss Oberoi. I'll bet they have a toll free numer. Failing that, list what you want, rather as I have done above and E mail them. You already know what the basic deal is. You already know that covers transfers etc. So you can work out easily what their costs will be for the additional services;

On top of the basic deal you'll be looking, at minimum, for Oberoi to arrange:
SHABATI [tourist] TRAIN to AGRA
AGRA to JAIPUR CAR TRANSFER stopping at Fatepur Sikri
JAIPUR to UDAIPUR CAR TRANSFER
[maybe stopping half-way for a night]
UDAIPUR to NEW DELHI flight

all your transfers covered in the deal.

Really, unless you're stressing, let's leave the sightseeing stuff till later. You can arrange that, at Oberoi prices, through the concierge at a moment's notice.

This is the one stop, no-stress option, O.K.? It WILL be way more expensive for the additional things - but you stay in the gloved hands of the Oberoi at every moment. They won't rob you, kill you, crash or behave inappropriately. Your son will be horrified. lol lol lol.

Let me say really clearly, you can do it differently. But, you can do it this way and your feet won't really touch the ground - and, you know - there's <i>nothing wrong with that</i>.

If I stay halfway at Devi Garh..I assume they will then provide transportaion to udaipur Oberoi?

Delhi 2 nights
Agra-2 nights
Jaipur 1 night
devi Garh 1 night
udaipur 3 nights
Delhi 1 night

I could add extra night either Jaipur or Delhi at end...suggestions..I think I need 10 nights at Oberoi to get deal......I think??

There's a good chance your driver will spend the night in Devi Garh somewhere. Do the extra night in Jaipur. If you take the early morning flight out of Udaipur you will have the afternoon and all of the following day in Delhi. Remember, your flight home leaves around midnight.

Included transfers usually refer to airport or train station pickups. They will arrange pickups from anywhere else but you'll have to pay. Check this. Definitely add the night to Jaipur or just skip Jaipur.

Dogster znd all..I did call the oberoi and they recommended udapiur 1st...think they though it would be easier to adjust...then do Devi Garh-Jaipur-Agra-Delhi...thoughts on rverese itinerary..pros and cons!

You may need to rethink Devi Garh - not having been there, I just assumed it was at the half-way point between Udaipur and Jaipur but it seems to me that it is quite close to Udaipur.

Once you come up with a place to stay, your itinerary may depend on when you plan to arrive at Kumbulgarh and Ranakpur which are about 2 hours outside of Udaipur and about an hour apart from each other. You will likely spend 2 hours at Kumbulgarh and an hour (after noon) at the Ranakpur Jain temple.

Your 3 nights in Udaipur is your longest stay in one place. Some would say it would be nice to do this at the beginning of your trip so that you can "adjust". Others might say that it would be better to enjoy that longer stretch at the end.

Do you still have to spend the first night in Delhi if you do Udaipur first? Can you connect to the Delhi-Udaipur flight from your international flight?