How does this whole car thing work?

mga440

At first I thought of renting a car and driving myself but I think that would be a mistake. I think I would prefer a driver who knows the terrain and could also act as a bit of a guide I hope.

I am thinking about trying hiring a car to go from:
Jodhpur to Ranakpur to Kumbhalgarh to Udaipur

Stay in Udaipur for a day or two then hire a car to go from:
Udaipur to Chittaurgarh to Ajmer

Stay in Ajmer for at least one night then hire a car to go from:
Ajmer to Jaipur

Stay in Jaipur for a few nights then hire a car to go from:
Jaipur to Alwar

Stay in Alwar for a night then hire a car to go from:
Alwar to Agra

How does this sound? Do I hire from a different agency in each new city or how does it work. Would hiring a car seem to be a good way to hit all of these places?

Thanks to everyone for all of your help.

jyotirmoy

If you hire a cab in Jodhpur and leave it in Udaipur after your trip you will have to pay for its return to Jodhpur.
Same is the case when you hire a cab in Udaipur and leave it in Ajmer.
The cab will charge depending on the type of vehicle say Rs.8 per km and you are supposed to travel minimum 200kms a day, you will have to pay say Rs1600 even if you don't travel 200kms. The driver usually take Rs.100 to Rs150 for each night halt.
You can perhaps hire a cab in Jaipur and do Jaipur-Bikaner-Jaisalmer-Jodhpur-Udaipur via Ranakpur-Chittorgarh-Ajmer-Jaipur

vonkla

You have two possibilities
1) By hiring from one agency; then you also have to pay for te days that you stay in the same place and maybe don't use the car. On the other hand it can be very handy to have a car for short trips and you have to bargain only once.

2) Hire a car in every city; as stated before you have to pay for the return trip. Most hotels know a cab driver or, in smaller places, you can locate the plcae where all the cars are gathered. You must bargain every time, first for an agreement on the total distance and then about the price per km. My wife likes to bargain and we mostly get down to 5 á 6 rs per km.

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mga440

Ah, I think I am beginning to undertand how it works. We are already pretty set with trains to go from Delhi to Bikaner and then Bikaner to Jaisalmer. Also, Jaipur to Bikaner and Bikaner to Jaisalmer sounds like a bit too much in a car. I think we will just have to pay the fee for a car to be returned to the original location. Do you know how they figure that charge? If for example, we started in Udaipur and left it in Ajmer... about how much would they charge extra to return it to Udaipur? Also, you mentioned the driver takes Rs.100 to Rs150 for each night halt... that is only a few American dollars.... where do they stay each night. Are we somehow responsible for their lodgings?

Thank you for your advice.

mga440

Thank you for the insights. I guess I have to figure out exactly how many km's I am going each day... Do you have any idea what the return fees are if I hire a car in one city and leave it in another?

vonkla

For the return way they charge the same tariff depending on the distance from the place they drop you to their home town.

As for this question you are not responsible for their lodges, they stay either in a dormitary or sleep in the car.