My tentative itinerary for a Rajasthan trip the first two weeks in October is shaping up like this:

Delhi: 1 night near airport
Agra: 1 night
Ranthambore: 2 nights
Bundi - Rankapur - Udaipur: 2 nights
Jodhpur: 2 nights
Jaisalmer: 3 nights
Jodhpur: 1 night
Delhi: 3 nights

My main concern at this point is Ranthambore where we will be entering the 2nd and 3rd days after the park opens for the season. Is that going to be a problem regarding animal spotting, weather, or hordes of people getting a first look? Should I reverse the sequence and start in Jaisalmer? My second question is whether or not I'm allowing enough time for the Bundi - Rankapur - Udaipur - Jodhpur leg

hi ,

In Ranthambore you can see the animal very easily, because that time park is open and also not too much crowd and you can spot very easily. From Bundi to Ranakpur it's not possible, because Ranakpur is on the way to Jodhpur. When you proceed to Jodhpur en route you can visit the Ranakpur Temple. Rest in my opinion is fine. I had the same itinerary last year when we visited india. We booked the tour a Delhi web based company castleandking.com
thanks
pat

Thanks Pat!

I mistakenly put Ranakpur out of sequence. I'll check out Castle and King for booking. Thanks for your post, it helps my confidence in proceeding with planning the trip.

Dean

I would suggest 1 night in Bundi, 2 nights Udaipur so you are not on the road your whole trip.
Also if you leave Jaisalmer in the A.M. you can get a flight that day to Delhi to avoid another overnight in Jodhpur and pick a night for Bundi and 2 in Udaipur.
The road from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur is quite good and I really enjoyed the scenery. The contrast of the women in their colorful sari's in the stark thar desert was quite beautiful. You are visiting some great places.
I am still intending to write a trip report but we have been in and out of town most of the summer, have had both adult kids home for a month and houseguests comming and going.
enjoy

Sally

Good tip for the return to Delhi. I just assumed it would be an overnight in Jodhpur. What if I kept that saved day as a wild card incase we don't see a tiger at Ranthambore or we really like Bundi?

Also the drive from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur took us 4&1/2 hours. We
had plenty of time before our flight left to Jaipur. You will love Jaisalmer. We had an amazing guide who took us to an area of the dunes for the sunset camel safari without another person in sight and then took us to a restaurent in the walled city where we sat withhim into the wee hours. He had bought us a map and really explained the history and trade routes. He was very intelligent and alot fun to be with.
If you are intertested in his name I can find it, but we are off to the Oregon coast right now.

I would save that day for Bundi, Udaipur or an overnight in a village on route to Jodhpur. You could stay an extra day and still not see a tiger. Wildlife is very unpredictable.

Yes, Jaisalmer sounds wonderful. If you think of it when you return from Oregon, I would appreciate your guides name and contact info.

a. Bundi - Ranakpur - Udaipur needs reconsideration. From Bundi you may drive to Udaipur, for 2 nights. From Udaipur drive to Ranakpur & further on to Rohet you may stay overnight at Rohetgarh. Drive on to Jaisalmer, will add about 25 miles to the journey though.
b. You ought to be staying atleast a couple of nights on your arrival in Delhi. It is a long journey by air. And mind you at Agra too you will need to rub off the slumber very early, to be in Taj at 6:00am. Delhi, Agra & Fatehpur Sikri involves intensive sight seeing which tends to drain you.
Very best for your plans!