I am looking for options for weekend trips in India (2-3 days).. will be in India for about 4 months and plan to spend most weekends traveling.
Are there any adventure groups to get some people together? Any suggestions...? I will be based out of Kolkata / Delhi most weekends.
I am Indian, but have been out of the country long enough to now know how things work in here..
thanks!
Are there any adventure groups to get some people together? Any suggestions...? I will be based out of Kolkata / Delhi most weekends.
I am Indian, but have been out of the country long enough to now know how things work in here..
thanks!Of course get a guidebook (in fact several), as you will have a huge choice given the good airline service from Delhi (and Kolkata too) as well as train and road service. IMO it will be more of a case of having to <i>eliminate</i> places than trying to choose places.
From Delhi places like Agra, Rikisesh, Jaipur, Jodphur, Udaipur, Amritsar, Varanasi, Chandigarh (if you are a fan of Le Corbusier) all spring to mind as being very easy to get to by air and in many cases train or road from Delhi for a weekend. You can fly non-stop in an hour or so to all of these (not sure flying to Agra or Chandigarh is worth it, train or drive). You can train down to Ranthambore National Park in about 4-5 hours from Delhi, a great trip for 2-3 days esp in the winter season. You can fly non-stop to Ahmedabad, an interesting little town in itself, but from there can drive to the wonderful caves of Ajanta and Ellora and their Buddhist art. Then going in a wider circle, and again with non-stop flights and depending upon time of year, might be Hyderabad and the beach areas of Goa or Kerala.
You can also get to someplace like Bangkok or Singapore in about 3-5 hours from Delhi (and usually from Kolkata too) and either or both would be another interesting (and culturally quite different) place to see. I love India, but you will feel the need, I think, to get out once in a while. (I start to miss sidewalks after a while myself…) With either Bangkok or Singapore, most outbound flights are overnight but with the time difference are actually quite short, so you may be a little tired on arrival, but this would mean you could leave on a Thursday night and get three full days in the place. (Hong Kong is a pain from Delhi, but more non-stop flights are being added all the time, so if you can get good flight times, you could consider it. )
From Kolkata, I don’t have much experience in areas nearby, other than the Sunderban delta/mangrove area which is very interesting and certainly worth a trip. I would also suggest you look at flight schedules and try to see some of the above places in Rajasthan. (If you read Alexander Frater’s wonderful book <i>Chasing the Monsoon</i>, you may also want to go to Cherrapunji, Bangladesh, the wettest place on earth.)
I think I would rule out places like Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Maldives, which while close in terms of flight time, are too large to really be taken in or appreciated in only 2-3 days. However, perhaps one of the Andaman Island resorts (i.e. Port Blair) would be doable, especially from Kolkata, for a weekend. (But watch monsoon season, not sure when your trip is, rainfall will be heavy there from about May through the end of November).
I like Ladakh a lot, not sure that 2-3 days is worth it, but certainly a great trip even for a short time.
I am not a huge fan of Mumbai, but for a weekend you could certainly entertain yourself.
I don’t know of any adventure groups, but I am sure you find some after you have been in India a bit and gotten to know people. Also try the Lonely Planet website.
If you still have an Indian passport, or are an NRI, you will get <i>much</i> better prices on airfares and hotels. (Or if your company is getting you a work permit for India, that will suffice.)
From Delhi places like Agra, Rikisesh, Jaipur, Jodphur, Udaipur, Amritsar, Varanasi, Chandigarh (if you are a fan of Le Corbusier) all spring to mind as being very easy to get to by air and in many cases train or road from Delhi for a weekend. You can fly non-stop in an hour or so to all of these (not sure flying to Agra or Chandigarh is worth it, train or drive). You can train down to Ranthambore National Park in about 4-5 hours from Delhi, a great trip for 2-3 days esp in the winter season. You can fly non-stop to Ahmedabad, an interesting little town in itself, but from there can drive to the wonderful caves of Ajanta and Ellora and their Buddhist art. Then going in a wider circle, and again with non-stop flights and depending upon time of year, might be Hyderabad and the beach areas of Goa or Kerala.
You can also get to someplace like Bangkok or Singapore in about 3-5 hours from Delhi (and usually from Kolkata too) and either or both would be another interesting (and culturally quite different) place to see. I love India, but you will feel the need, I think, to get out once in a while. (I start to miss sidewalks after a while myself…) With either Bangkok or Singapore, most outbound flights are overnight but with the time difference are actually quite short, so you may be a little tired on arrival, but this would mean you could leave on a Thursday night and get three full days in the place. (Hong Kong is a pain from Delhi, but more non-stop flights are being added all the time, so if you can get good flight times, you could consider it. )
From Kolkata, I don’t have much experience in areas nearby, other than the Sunderban delta/mangrove area which is very interesting and certainly worth a trip. I would also suggest you look at flight schedules and try to see some of the above places in Rajasthan. (If you read Alexander Frater’s wonderful book <i>Chasing the Monsoon</i>, you may also want to go to Cherrapunji, Bangladesh, the wettest place on earth.)
I think I would rule out places like Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Maldives, which while close in terms of flight time, are too large to really be taken in or appreciated in only 2-3 days. However, perhaps one of the Andaman Island resorts (i.e. Port Blair) would be doable, especially from Kolkata, for a weekend. (But watch monsoon season, not sure when your trip is, rainfall will be heavy there from about May through the end of November).
I like Ladakh a lot, not sure that 2-3 days is worth it, but certainly a great trip even for a short time.
I am not a huge fan of Mumbai, but for a weekend you could certainly entertain yourself.
I don’t know of any adventure groups, but I am sure you find some after you have been in India a bit and gotten to know people. Also try the Lonely Planet website.
If you still have an Indian passport, or are an NRI, you will get <i>much</i> better prices on airfares and hotels. (Or if your company is getting you a work permit for India, that will suffice.)
thanks cicerone. was really hoping you would reply! Appreciate all the details. some quick questions -
1. Any good travel guides for trips around Delhi (say Ranthambore National Park, Delhi, Agra etc)?
2. Adventure tours - white water rafting, kayaking, trekking etc? Any specific areas beyond the others on your list suited for these? Finding it hard to find any info beyond Brahmaputra river cruises.
I really like your suggestion of leaving the country a few times for the east.. I feel a bit claustrophobic in the city in just 2 weeks now, and long to have a little more order.
1. Any good travel guides for trips around Delhi (say Ranthambore National Park, Delhi, Agra etc)?
2. Adventure tours - white water rafting, kayaking, trekking etc? Any specific areas beyond the others on your list suited for these? Finding it hard to find any info beyond Brahmaputra river cruises.
I really like your suggestion of leaving the country a few times for the east.. I feel a bit claustrophobic in the city in just 2 weeks now, and long to have a little more order.
I bought a guidebook at a bookshop in Mumbai called “Weekend Breaks from Mumbai” which I found good for that area, and I would imagine there is a similar one for Delhi. It is printed by Outlook Traveller, you might see if there is a website or check bookshops. They also have a book on trekking in India.
You can whitewater raft in Rikisesh, I have not done it, but it seems very popular. There is also good hiking there, which I have done. You can get local guides for both when you are in Rikisesh. I think that area is really lovely and also very close, so it is easy for a weekend from Delhi. I have always wanted to hike in the Western Ghats in south India, but this may be difficult in only 2-3 days. I think that the countryside around Delhi is also good for walking, many people seem to have weekend houses, or see a place like Tikli Bottom, which has always intrigued me, see http://www.tiklibottom.com/, or the Neemrana Fort hotel would be interesting too, see http://www.neemranahotels.com/neemrana/index.html.htm. Of course places like the Anapura trek would be good, but again you need more than 2-3 days.
Don’t forget about local festivals, you seem to be in India now, which means you will be there for Divali, a very interesting time to see celebrations. In Kolkata, the Durga festival (which I have not seen) is a big celebration generally in October (check on actual dates), but local towns and villages always have there own celebrations going on which are worth a visit. The Ganpati festival in Mumbai is really interesting, but generally in June, so you may miss that. Also in Jan/Feb in Singapore is Thaipusam a Hindu holiday (but not celebrated in India any longer) that is fascinating to watch, devotees spear themselves with headdresses and tongue spears and walk over hot coals, etc. Check the Singapore tourism board for exact date (depends on moon phase).
Also, Kuala Lumpur should be not a bad flight from Delhi or Kolkata and would be an interesting weekend place. Fantastic food (as in Singapore, great street food).
You can whitewater raft in Rikisesh, I have not done it, but it seems very popular. There is also good hiking there, which I have done. You can get local guides for both when you are in Rikisesh. I think that area is really lovely and also very close, so it is easy for a weekend from Delhi. I have always wanted to hike in the Western Ghats in south India, but this may be difficult in only 2-3 days. I think that the countryside around Delhi is also good for walking, many people seem to have weekend houses, or see a place like Tikli Bottom, which has always intrigued me, see http://www.tiklibottom.com/, or the Neemrana Fort hotel would be interesting too, see http://www.neemranahotels.com/neemrana/index.html.htm. Of course places like the Anapura trek would be good, but again you need more than 2-3 days.
Don’t forget about local festivals, you seem to be in India now, which means you will be there for Divali, a very interesting time to see celebrations. In Kolkata, the Durga festival (which I have not seen) is a big celebration generally in October (check on actual dates), but local towns and villages always have there own celebrations going on which are worth a visit. The Ganpati festival in Mumbai is really interesting, but generally in June, so you may miss that. Also in Jan/Feb in Singapore is Thaipusam a Hindu holiday (but not celebrated in India any longer) that is fascinating to watch, devotees spear themselves with headdresses and tongue spears and walk over hot coals, etc. Check the Singapore tourism board for exact date (depends on moon phase).
Also, Kuala Lumpur should be not a bad flight from Delhi or Kolkata and would be an interesting weekend place. Fantastic food (as in Singapore, great street food).
Ok, here are my suggestions for the same.
in and around Delhi- Mussoorie, Chandigarh, Simla are all do-able. they are all hill stations, however Simla is very commercialised, would suggest you spend your weekend at Chail which is enroute to Simla. Most of the info about these places can be googled out. Chk this link: http://hpshimla.nic.in/sml_tourism.h...mp;%20Trekking
Reg adventure groups, the best is Youth Hostels association of India.
http://www.yhaindia.org/Transaction/...amDetails.aspx They have treks and adventure activities almost through out the year.
in and around Delhi- Mussoorie, Chandigarh, Simla are all do-able. they are all hill stations, however Simla is very commercialised, would suggest you spend your weekend at Chail which is enroute to Simla. Most of the info about these places can be googled out. Chk this link: http://hpshimla.nic.in/sml_tourism.h...mp;%20Trekking
Reg adventure groups, the best is Youth Hostels association of India.
http://www.yhaindia.org/Transaction/...amDetails.aspx They have treks and adventure activities almost through out the year.
From Kolkatta you must go to the following: Sunderbans for some tiger sighting & Darjeeling for some beatiful vistas of the Himalayas. A weekend trip to Orissa- Bhubaneswar, the city of temples & a visit to Puri is a must. Also don't miss the Sun Temple at konark- an architectural wonder!
Hope this helps...
Hope this helps...
