Rajasthan itinerary help
 

This will be my first time in India - looking at three weeks in Delhi/Agra/Rajasthan (January 2008)

I want to see a mix of things but perfer the less travelled areas.

Is the following itinerary realistic? Any suggestestions or favorit things I'm missing? (I'm not interested in Rathambhore having seen plenty of tigers in Thailand and at the San Diego Zoo!)

Arrive Delhi – 6am

2 Nights in Delhi

Afternoon train to Agra

2 Nights in Agra

Train from Agra back to Delhi and transfer to overnight train to Jaisalmer

3 Nights in Jaisalmer to coincide with the Jaisalmer Desert Festival

Evening train to Jodhpur

2 or 3 nights in Jodhpur

Morning or afternoon train to Mount Abu

2 or 3 nights in Mount Abu

Pickup car and driver at Mount Abu

Drive to Udaipur area

2 or 3 nights in Udaipur area

Drive to Bundi

3 nights in Bundi

Train from Kota back to Delhi – overnight in Delhi and fly home.

Total 20 nights.

Thanks,

Jesse

Its feasable allright AFAIK. However if you are spending all that time in India have you considered seeing something different. How about Goa? Its on the ocean and is a former Portugese colony so it would be pretty different.

have you thought about contacting a delhi travel agent to assist you and perhaps save you some money??
\
many of us going to india for the first time have done this to save money and time and to avoid some of the necessary pittfalls of travelling in india

I decided to stick to Rajasthan - there is far too much to do there for three weeks anyway.

I'm lucky enough to live in San Diego so I've got perfect weather and a beach resort everyday anyway!

As for using a travel agent - I'm not sure what they can add. I generally like to organize my own trips. It's pretty simple booking Air, Trains, Accommidation, and car hire. If things go wrong well many of my favorite trip memories are when things don't go as planned!

Trengilly,
It is not the question of organizing a trip through Rajasthan. It can be done with a flick of a finger in the 21st century, from anywhere in the world. An interwoven thread of History, the locales of your travels, from the Qutab Minar, through Agra & Rajasthan, to the monuments of Hara’s Bundi & Kota, the Indian version of your own Texan cowboys, runs all along. Every stone has a story of it’s own but we all, sadly, let it pass… The pleasures of a tour indeed are enhanced if you have a competent person to interpret the historical-romantic & sometimes tragic strains of that period. That is where a tour operator comes handy. Though such a recourse is not practical on a long tour like yours, but certainly, for a shorter holiday.
Very best for your plans!

Sounds fabulos - perfect weather in Jan and you are seeing some great cities. Couple of things. Try and get a good car and driver then have him with you thru the trip - with the long distances he can be a great resource and the comfort of having the same car through out is high IMO. Advise budget for hotels - do book in advance as Jan is peak tourist season and all the good stuff books out fast. A good TA will IMO be great help with train bookings, car, driver, guides, etc but that is your call. I think 3 nights in Bundi may be a lot as is 3 nights in Mt Abu - you can consider adding Bikaner or Kishangarh and I would do more then 2 nights in Delhi, unless you have already seen it Also, 2 nights in Agra is too much, 1 is enough. INstead of going back to Delhi you could consider adding 1 night in Jaipur (assuming you have seen it hence are omitting it) then take the Jaisalmer train from there.

the reason i have gone with a delhi travel agent is to avoid delays, disappointments, long lines, etc. and just to deal with the extreme confusion....i also book 100% of my own holidays but felt from all reports that on this one i needed some assistance...

for instance, where are you booking your driver from? how did you find one? what kind of a car does he have? how reliable is the car? what is the back-up if the car breaks down? how will a one or two day delay impact your vacation?

trengilly -
I disagree with the rest. I always plan our own trips and planned our last trip to India myself, with the help of the Internet, of course. One place in Rajasthan that we really loved was Jaipur. It is a beautiful city and Amer Fort in Jaipur is stunning architecture. Our favorite place in Rajasthan was actually Ranthambore and there is something completely different about seeing a tiger in the wild than at the zoo --- but I certainly understand your point of view. I am not sure that you really need two nights in Agra. Other than Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and Fatehpur Sikri, there isn't much in Agra. You could hire a driver from Delhi in the morning or so, see Fatehpur on the way down (because Fatehpur is outside of Agra), then wake up the next morning and see Taj and Agra Fort. I think a driver is the better approach to get to Agra so that you can see Fatehpur on the way down. You'll be done by around 3 or so and can return back to Delhi.

I don't know about your plans for accomodations but we stayed in the Ahuja Residency in Delhi which we LOVED. It was about $60/night, located in a very safe and beautiful area, and included a good breakfast. The rooms were very standard rooms but the Residency only had about 5 rooms in total. The location is in New Delhi and is very close to the main attractions there.

Despite preferring to plan my own trips, I do think that it is very useful to hire tour guides in specific locations because, unlike the U.S. and most places in Europe, the attractions in India do not have signs or descriptions of key features. If you go to an attraction, you can easily find a good guide for about $10 - 20. Alternatively, you can work with a travel agency beforehand to book a guide if you prefer (but we find it easier just to go there and get someone who speaks English).

I would suggest contacting the hotels for guides. They will know everyone in town. A good guide will enhance your trip. You will only need a driver in select places, since you are doing most of the trip by train.
You should also look on the lonely Planet forum, since you will find many people planning there own trips. Or India Mike from what I have heard is a great resourse.
You have picked some great places. ENJOY

rhkkmk Can you recommend a good reliable travel agent in India? I am looking for someone who can book my hotels and arrange trasportation when I am there.

Thanks
TravelHolic

The Jain temple at Ranakpur between Udaipur and Jodhpur is amazing! Please try to see it.