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Need Help with Mother/Daughter India Itinerary

My 17 year old daughter and I (mom) are planning a trip to India. She wants to visit Mumbai and has an interest in fashion and the bustling culture. I would like to visit Agra, Varanasi, Jaipur, Udaipur and Dehli. I've read a lot about Goa and thought that might be a relaxing place to spend the last few days in India.

We could use a lot of help with the best (and most economical) way to structure the visit. How should we set up this itinerary, what is the best way to get between cities and how much time should we spend in each city? What are the "must see or do" attractions and what is overrated? We don't have a lot of time (10 - 14 days)

Aside from my daughter's interest in fashion, I am interested in cooking and we would both like a little yoga/spa time. We both love history, architecture and culture however we don't feel the need to see every temple. We would like some time to catch teh street scenes, bazaars & markets.

Although we are trying to be economical, we could use suggestions for some good hotels in each city. They don't have to be the best and most expensive, but we do want our hotels to be calm havens after spending our days sightseeing in bustling India! Also, we are two women traveling alone so we need to consider safety as well.

We would love your suggestions.
Thanks!

Ok this will be a long one, so here goes.

Travel
The Agra-Delhi-Jaipur can be done without using airplanes so I suggest you do that to save up some cash to spend elsewhere. On a short trip, I do suggest taking a flight from Delhi-Mumbai which will roughly take 2 hours instead of 24+ if you go by train. Also since both cities are big and if you book ahead you'll get some great deals. Kingfisher Red(Deccan), Indigo and Spicejet are fairly decent low-cost carriers.

What to see
If you do go to Agra, other than the obvious Taj Mahal, try to fit in the Dayalbagh temple. It really has intricate carvings and has never been completed since the break-it-down and rebuild happens again and again because of a local legend. Nonetheless its worth a short trip.

In Delhi, I would suggest Humayun's Tomb which is in the same Mughal architecture as the Taj and Fatehpur Sikri. You can also have a short look at the Qutab Minar. Goa is mostly about beaches and relaxation though if you must, you can see the fairly decent St. Francis Church.

In Udaipur, if you're interested, try to visit the Royal Car Collection. Its a fascinating collection of old cars owned by the Maharaja of Udaipur. There are some real beauties in there, like the original Rolls Royce Phantom (vintage).

Where to eat
If you manage to be near South-Extension in Delhi, you must visit the Defence Colony A block market for places to eat. Its almost an entire market dedicated to eateries and you can find just about every cuisine there is. A must try would be a ride-in sorta BBQ called Colonel's Kebabs and a south indian cuisine place called Sagar. Watch out for the queues in the latter though.

In Agra, if you don't mind spending some big bucks, I do recommend the Indian restaurant called Navratna in the ITC Mughal Hotel. However, since its a 5-star, expect to dish out some dough.

In Jaipur, if you want to try out vegetarian indian cuisine, try LMB (Lakshmi Mishthan Bhandar meaning Sweet shop of the goddess of wealth).

Where to stay
I'd heartily recommend the Trident at Udaipur. Its not as expensive as the big names there (though not too cheap also) and has the most awesome service and gardens in which you can stroll with the peacocks. There is a small fort like thing in the hotel itself where you can see a great many birds. Don't however go there after sunset, I have a fascinating incident with a smallish fox there (yup it was free and roaming beside me).

In Delhi, I don't recommend staying near the Paharganj Area though it may seem value for money especially since you'll be travelling without male company. Go for South Delhi or Cannought Place options though I must admit they are on the expensive side. I can't be sure of your budget, but if you are planning to spend big (and I mean huge) bucks for the stay in Delhi, there is nothing better than the Imperial.

In Agra, I'd go for Clark Shiraz. While not as impressive as the ITC Mughal or the Oberoi Amarvilas, its also considerably cheaper while still being an almost there 5-star. The food is decent, location nice enough and the property is fairly nice.

Some tips
Safety first always. I don't want to sound too negative here but when travelling in India (especially females), always err on the side of caution. In big cities of the north, don't stay out too late. Drink plenty of water and try to stick to bottled water. Some good brands for the same would be Bisleri, Aquafina, Kinley, Kingfisher and Oxyrich.

Dress conservatively. You don't want to attract too much attention because of your clothes, so as usual, err on the side of caution.

I have traveled with my daughter twice in India. We had a wonderful time, and no doubt about it...you will too!!

" We would like some time to catch street scenes, bazaars & markets. "

Trust me...from the moment you arrive, you will be seeing amazing street scenes. It's part of everyday life. The sights will bombard you (usually in a good way). Example: I tried to get some shuteye during this last trip, for the drive from New Delhi Airport to Agra, but couldn't take my eyes off the fascinating scenes everywhere And that was on my third trip! "Incredible India" is endlessly fascinating.

For a safe oasis in New Delhi, you might want to consider homestays (sort of like a B and B) At the best of them, you will feel protected and cared for like family. I stayed in homestays in the South, but there are excellent ones in New Delhi (per my research, and travel planner's recommendations when asked) such as Saubhag, and Chhoti Haveli (the latter, a bit out of the more central area--which you may prefer).

New Delhi has a metro system. You are visiting probablyy after new month's Commonwealth games, so you will have the advantage of allthe work on infrastructure , and the new airport terminal, that's been done in the last few months in preparation.

IN Agra, the Fort is absolutely 100% a do-not-miss, especially if you have a good guide who can make it "come alive" for you.

Please check Tripadvisor for (usually) honest and interesting reviews of all places you consider. There are sections for both hotels and "B and Bs' which would include the homestays.

Could you give a bit more specific idea of your budget? Once you are there, approx $200-$250 per day including decent, pleasant, safe and clean hotel, and transport (car with driver, or trains) and hotel breakfast, is do-able . You can eat safely and inexpensively for your other meals. Would that be in your price range?

Since your trip is 10-14 days, please fight the natural urge to see everything-- you are already aware of this. In that vein, just IMHO, but skip Goa, and possibly Mumbai, unless your daughter insists on seeing that city in particular (eg is it a fashion design center?). For relaxation, you can stay at small and lovely places in Rajasthan, with pools if you want that, some in "off the beaten track" villages between the larger cities

My disclaimer re the above is that, in three trips to India so far, have not been to Rajasthan yet! but have done tons of reading and research, including on Fodors and on the most detailed India info site on the 'net--Indiamike. Please check it out. Do the search option there and voila--amazing amounts of info. Recommendations are generally more budget based than are those on Fodors. Each has its merits.

Re: above, the price of $200 or so per day is inclusive for both, not each, of you
That is a general average estimate, based on our (me and daughter's) experiences. (The first trip, i was on my own, and much younger, and did it super cheap!(-:

I spent 10 days in India last October. 3 Days in Delhi train to Agra for one night, hired car to Pushkar for two nights, train to Udaipur for three nights, flight to Mumbai for the last day and a half. This turned out to be the perfect itinerary for 10 days.

Goa is a bit out of the way and it is for the most part a beach destination. If you have more time, than it might be a good option, but in a short time, I'd save it for the next trip.

Trains are cheap. You can book them all on cleartrip.com and it all works out surprisingly efficiently. From Udaipur to Mumbai, a flight is probably best and I got it for about $65.

In Delhi, see the Lotus Temple in the AM, Humayun's tomb in the late afternoon. Also, the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Gandhi Smitri, the India Gate and Khan Market. In Agra, I'd see the Taj also in the late afternoon and then get out of there since the city is pretty bad. In Udaipur, the City Palace, take a boat tour and the Sahelion Ki-Bari garden which is absolutely beautiful. For something active, walk up to the Monsoon palace; for a restful afternoon, you can use the pool at one of the expensive hotels for a reasonable price. In Mumbai, the Gandhi Museum, Gateway to India, the floating mosque, the hanging garden, the synagogue and Oval Maiden, Mumbai's central park.

I stayed at the Ginger Hotel in Delhi for $25 per night for a sparkling clean room with AC, cable, hot water and helpful staff. It's right next to the train station which is convenient, but not really a place to walk around. In Udaipur, the Udai Niwas is perfectly located with colorful rooms and friendly staff. Restaurant is fair.

i stopped reading after i read hoe long.... in that amount of time at best you should visit 3 places.... i spent 11 days just seeing delhi, agra and jaipur and only scratched the surface

that should read..."how long.."

I think 11 days is way too long for Delhi, Agra and Jaipur alone. Delhi 3-4 days perhaps, Agra one night is fine, Jaipur I skipped.

Don't forget the Qutb Minar in Delhi.

jaipur was one of our favorite places....agra is best with 2 nights... tons to do in delhi....

each of us has different interests

My thoughts and suggestions are below:

1. It would be very helpful to know the time of year you plan for your trip. That would change my recommendations enormously, i.e. you don’t want to go to Rajasthan in April if you can help it. Goa in July is going to be teeming with rain and may not be attractive (although it has a certain charm of its own at that time).

2. Right now, you have 7 places on your itin. Waaaay to much for 10 days, in fact it’s probably not actually possible to do this in 10 days. IMO this also far too much for 14 days, because you will be quite rushed in each place. It’s hard to appreciate everything you are seeing and experiencing if you only have 1 night there. The trip will mostly be spent in airplanes, trains or cars going between each destination. Agra is complicated because it is rather isolated and does not have good air service, so you end up having to go places like Jaipur, which is nearby, sort of by default. And Jaipur could so easily be cut out of this itin. Goa, while very lovely and interesting for all sorts of reasons, is much the same as you don’t seem to be including other areas of the south. So my first recco is that you seek to cut places out. Then once you have a more realistic itin, people here can make better suggestions on what to see in each. (Of course get some guidebooks too, as your “must sees” are probably going to differ from others.)

3. I am not really an advocate of Mumbai for a first-time visitor, esp with such a short trip. Curious to know why your daughter would want to go there (please don’t say “Slumdog Millionaire”….) I am not sure you will find any better access to “fashion” in Mumbai that is not available elsewhere, e.g. in Delhi. Mumbai offers little in terms of actual sights with historical or cultural interest, esp as compared to other places in India. It has just unbelievable traffic issues, and can affect your ability to sightsee in a short time. Also going to Mumbai will mean something else potentially more interesting has to be cut. So I would think carefully about Mumbai.

4. For long distances in India, flying is the best way to go. (The occasional night train is fine, but I personally would not want to do a string of them; 1- 2 in any vacation is enough for me.) For medium to short distances, it is a toss up between car and train. A car gives you some flexibility, trains are a good value, and for a distance which would be 6 hours or more by car, are preferred as far as I am concerned (unless flying is faster still). Trains also give you the option of traveling in the early morning or late evening when it is dark, something I personally do not do on Indian roads (except within a city). You can use a car just for local sightseeing (hiring a car and driver for the day is very cheap), and then taking trains and flying may be a good option. Using one driver for a whole area like Rajasthan is possible, this may be quite a bit more expensive than using trains and then drivers locally. For train schedules look at www.indianrail.gov.in., the state railway of India. My mantra on airlines in India is: Kingfisher Airlines first choice, closely followed by Jet Airways, then others like air Indigo and Spice Jet in a pack with Indian Airlines at the very back. But if Indian Airlines is the only available carrier and the flight is appreciably shorter than a train or driving, then it can be considered.

http://www.flykingfisher.com/
www.jetairways.com.
http://www.spicejet.com
http://indian-airlines.nic.in/ (Not to be confused with Air India, which is international flights only, although the website will connect you to both.)

5. When looking at various hotel options, consider whether you will want/need room service, one or more restaurants on-site, a pool or gym, a spa, internet access, a 24-hour front desk. Consider if air conditioning is necessary for the time of your visit and if so, whether the hotel offers it. Budget hotels and the small number of B&Bs in India most likely will not offer many of those features. Finally, consider location, and whether you are OK with potentially being located outside the main city areas of any place you visit.

6. Indian hotels are all over the map in quality, and as in China, a “5 star” or other rating is meaningless, so don’t just go by what a travel agent tells you. Look at operators, read tripadivisor.com and see comments on this site. Two good operators generally in India are the Oberoi group (http://www.oberoihotels.com) and the Taj group (www.tajhotels.com.) Trident hotels, mentioned above, is a division of Oberoi and is (sometimes) their more budget option (but not in New Delhi, where the Trident is very expensive and very lovely. I agree that the Udaipur Trident is quite nice, although I am not crazy about its location.) Ginger hotels also mentioned above, is a division of Taj, runs some decent budget hotels, see http://www.gingerhotels.com/. The Sarovar group has some nice hotels in both the budget and more upscale range, see http://sarovarhotels.com/ There is a small Indian chain called Neemrama which operates a number of unique hotels in palaces and other old buildings and could be something to consider if you want a different experience. Go to http://www.neemranahotels.com. Sheraton, Marriott and to a lesser extent Hyatt and Intercontinental run a number of good hotels in India as well, generally in the major cites. If you have points, these may be good options. Sheraton has a new budget brand called “Aloft” which has several hotels open and more coming over the next year, these may be a good options, their Four Points brand may also work if you don’t want to pay the higher rates at their ITC, Westin or other hotels. Finally, get the Lonely Planet Guide, they do budget travel in SE Asia better than Fodors and Frommers, IMO. (You can buy and print out just certain sections of their guidebooks by going to their website, although their guides generally are worth buying in their entirety IMO.) Their “high end” reccos are usually very good value for money, although lately they seem to veer toward the more expensive end (they include the Imperial in New Delhi for example which is decidedly not a budget hotel); so if those seem too much go with the “middle end” reccos. Another useful website for hotels in India is http://sawdays.co.uk/, click on the book for India.

7. From a completely personal standpoint, if you want to take cooking lessons, I would do this in the south, Goa or elsewhere like Tamil Nadu or Kerala. I just love the south Indian food, a spicy mix which has influences from outside (like Portuguese and French). I enjoy north Indian too, but for the range of spices and flavours, prefer the south. I am jonesing for some balcao right now…Easy to add yoga in there as well, as the south has ayuvedic/yoga hotels and retreats. (Of course you can find that in north India too, but it was developed in the south.)

8. I am sure you have thought of this, but bear in mind that for your US-India flights, it often makes the most sense to fly into one city and out of another. That way you don’t have to backtrack. If you get rid of Mumbai and Goa, there is some sense in using Delhi for both inbound and outbound, but otherwise, you can use two gateway cities. Certain times of the year (generally the winter months) there are non-stop flights between Varanasi and Bangkok on Thai Air, which may work very well for an entry or departure with a connecting flight from Bangkok to/from the US. Even just getting a non-stop to Mumbai and immediately trying to get on a flight elsewhere is often doable (or the reverse, esp. flying Udaipur to Mumbai and then connecting to an international flight).

9. Finally, If you were thinking of keeping your full itin as above (which I strongly urge you not to do), I would suggest it be done this way: Mumbai-Udaipur-Jaipur-Agra-Varanasi-Delhi-Goa. I would fly Mumbai to Udaipur. I would fly Udaipur to Jaipur (an overnight train is also an option). Then drive to Agra, stopping at Fatehpur Sikri. Overnight train to Varanasi. Fly to Delhi. Fly to Goa. Fly home (most likely via Mumbai). But I am guessing when you look at the time it will take you do to all this, you will find that you cannot do it in 10 days, and won’t like the hectic travel schedule if you try to do this in only 14.

the wonderful drivers i used can be reached at:

[email protected]

i intend to use him next year on my trip as well....i used his cousin a couple of years ago....lcuy has used him and liked him

Wow! Thank you all so much for all this helpful information. I posted on 9/9 and didn't see any replies after a few days so I gave up checking! To answer some of your questions -
1. We'll be traveling in early June as soon as school lets out.
2. I don't know why my daughter has such an obsession with Mumbai. Perhaps it's the "Bollywood" appeal???
3. Sounds like 2 weeks is a must.
4. Budget of $200 - $300 a day for the two of us is fine. Given the comments for us to take extra precautions as women traveling alone, we would like some hotels in very safe and lively areas where we won't feel stranded in our room at night.
I'm going to start researching your suggestions and will get back.
Thanks!

1. As a first comment, it will be VERY, VERY HOT in the places on your itin in June. Please take a look at websites and guidebooks to get an idea and make sure you would be comfortable with the temps. Daily temps will be in the mid-90s F, an average of 100 F during the day would not be atypical, and temps of 110 F can be expected as well. Also, early June is pre-monsoon, so there is little cloud cover (and little rain) to help alleviate temperatures. It’s dry and pretty dusty in many places. It can be really be exhausting to travel in those temps. The monsoon generally breaks around mid-June but can be early or late, so you may be dealing with great heat or a good bit of rain in places (or both). In any event, I would take it slow on the number of places on your itin, as well as how much you try to fit into a day. (I would actually suggest that you consider going to another country in SE Asia (e.g. Thailand, Bali), or choose cooler places on your Indian itin, such as Ladakh or the hills stations like Shimla or Darjeeling. But only you can decide whether you can live with those temps. Thoughts like “I live in Dallas/Houston/DC/Florida and am used to the heat” should be immediately jettisoned; you are NOT used to heat like India pre-monsoon, esp. as other than your car or a hotel, there is no place to escape from it when touring sights.)

2. Mumbai in the monsoon can flood quite badly, perhaps another reason to leave it out. Otherwise it will just be hot, hot, hot. Goa will be hot, but sea breezes can help. If the monsoon comes early, you may end up with a good bit of rain, which may affect the ability to enjoy the beach. (Another thought is to go someplace like Kerala and wait for the monsoon to arrive; people go down to watch it break at the tip of India. Could be interesting, and Kerala is a lovely alternative to Goa.)

3. On the plus side (if there is one), you are way out of the tourist/convention season, so should find good rates on hotels. US$200-300 a day should be a quite comfortable budget. (Make sure all hotels have air con, take only air con train classes, and of course any car/driver you hire should have a good working air con. A hotel with a pool may also be welcome, although in some areas the pool water may not be refreshing because it is so hot.) With your dates, I would first look at good 4-5 start hotels and see what they are offering. If you can’t get rooms in that range, then go down a bit in the scale. But in June I think you would find good offers in many places. I would definitely look at Taj/Gateway, Leela, Marriott, Hyatt, Starwood for a start, Obeori may offer a deal if you stay at several of their hotels. There is a Grand Hyatt which will open in Goa sometime in early 2011 which may be a good choice. I like the Goa Marriott for its good location, although it is not on a beach (it is on the river) with the beach walkable from the end of the hotel.

4. I still think you have too many places on an itin if you only have 14 days. Look at flight and train schedules and distances. I would cut out at least 2 places. (My choices to cut would be Mumbai and Jaipur. Although the lake in Udaipur in June is likely to be almost empty, so that may sway the decision a bit.)

5. I never worry about safety in India as a woman travelling alone. Take normal precautions with wallet/purse as you would anywhere. But I would not say that you have to stay in one area because it is “safer” than another. Generally, I think travelling in India is far safer than travelling in places like Europe and the US.

Nowyou've said you will be going in June, here is an idea:

Is there ANY way you can instead, go during your daughter's winter school vacation in Dec and/or January? Weather for the places you want to see will be much better.
If you go in June, consider the old adage: "Head for the hills" as it will be very hot indeed in the flatlands. It was 100-110 in Delhi, Agra, and Amritsar when we were there this past June.

As i wrote above, I advise a great bed and breakfast/homestay at least once on your trip. Why? B/c it is a part of the experience of India--a chance to stay with a family, many of whom will be protective of you e.g. see Saubhag, Delhi B and B, Chhoti Haveli, and others (see Tripadvisor ratings) in New Delhi. Since i do not have a high-end budget, nor travel with my job paying for hotels, it strikes me as odd when people consider $300/night "reasonable " for a hotel room in USA or Europe, but certainly far more so in India! BTW, most recommended homestays will have a.c. in rooms
Whether or not a hotel has room service is irrelevant for me, but i totally understand your desire for spa time (-; The ITC Mughal in Agra has India's largest indoor spa, Kaya Kelp. We stayed in the hotel but didnt have time or energy to treat ourselves to the spa there. We heard from other guests that it is fantastic!!!!I'll bet you and your daughter would love that! You should also be able to have great massages in some of your hotels. Consider your modesty level and if peeling off your clothes and being slathered in gobs dripping oil does not appeal (ayurvedic) ask for "western style"