First trip to India - more North or South too?

shothyme

Hi. I'm new to this site. Here's the itinerary I have planned for my first trip to India this January. We have decided to do just the North on this trip, but I am nervous that I should have included Cochin/Kerala instead of some of this - Aurangabad, Ellora caves, etc. Please let me know your thoughts! Thank you.

Day 01 Mon Jan 08 Depart Newark
Day 02 Tue Jan 09 Arrive Delhi
Day 03 Wed Jan 10 In Delhi - Morning free. Breakfast at leisure; Afternoon - tour of The National Museum and The Museum of Modern Art.
Day 04 Thu Jan 11 In Delhi - Morning Tour Old Delhi. Afternoon Tour
of New Delhi.
Day 05 Fri Jan 12 Delhi / Varanasi -
Day 06 Sat Jan 13 Varanasi / Khajuraho.
Day 07 Sun Jan 14 Khajuraho / Orcha - Jhansi /Agra.
Day 08 Mon Jan 15 In Agra - Full day tour
Day 09 Tue Jan 16 Agra / Fatehpur Sikri / Sawai Madhopur Ranthambhore Drive to Sawai Madhopur (Ranthambhore).
Day 10 Wed Jan 17 In Ranthambhore
Day 11 Thu Jan 18 Ranthambhore/ Jaipur
Day 12 Fri Jan 19 In Jaipur
Day 13 Sat Jan 20 In Jaipur
Day 14 Sun Jan 21 Fly Jaipur / Udaipur
Day 15 Mon Jan 22 In Udaipur
Day 16 Tue Jan 23 Udaipur / Ranakpur / Jodhpur.
Day 17 Wed Jan 24 Fly Jodhpur/ Mumbai/ Aurangabad.
Day 18 Thu Jan 25 In Aurangabad
Day 19 Fri Jan 26 Aurangabad / Mumbai
Day 20 Sat Jan 27 In Mumbai
Day 21 Sun Jan 28 Mumbai / Delhi
Day 22 Mon Jan 29 - Delhi/ Newark

hitanshu

a. Too much time in delhi.
b. are the train connections for sure? like varanasi-khajuraho? and orchha is a small hamlet near UP-MP border, im not sure if u got good trains for there
c. in Jan, you will get gadzillion birds in bharatpur - stay there instead of agra. go for a morning walk in the sanctuary, u'll be done by 11am, then agra is one hour away and sightsee in agra
d. again ranthambore seems far - moreover, tigers arent present there afaik, all been killed/taken by poachers - please confirmvia google
in jaipur, see nahargarh fort, drive is good besides the amer fort.
e. jaipur-udaipur is good by train as well, infact u can get something overnight like train/luxury buses -
again you're spendin a day in delhi on the finalday

this is a little too leisurely, you can cramp it more - you havent seen the wonderful hils, nor the grand kerala!!!

chintu chahat

hi Again,

Here is another suggetsive plan which I would undertake had our positions been reversed

DAY 1: AARRIVE DELHI
DAY 2; DELHI CITY TOUR
DAY 3: DELHI / AGRA
DAY 4: AGRA / BHARATPUR / RANTHAMBORE
DAY 5: RANTHAMBORE (I SAW TIGERS THERE AND ITS BEAUTIFUL)
DAY 6: DRIVE TO JAIPUR (04 HRS)
DAY 7: JAIPUR
DAY 8: JAIPUR / JODHPUR
DAY 9: JODHPUR (IT HAS LOTS TO OFFER)
DAY 10: JODHPUR / PALI / RANKAPUR / UDAIPUR
DAY 11: UDAIPUR
DAY 12: UDAIPUR / MOUNT ABU (DILWARA TEMPLES WILL TAKE UR BREATH AWAY)
DA 13:MOUNT ABU / MUMBAI (OVERNIGHT TRAIN)
DAY 14: MUMBAI
DAY 15: MUMBAI / COCHIN
DAY 16: COCHIN / KUMARAKOM (BACKWATERS)
DAY 17: KUMARAKOM / ALLEPEY (HOUSEBOAT)
DAY 18: ARRIVE ALLEPPEY DRIVE TO KOVALAM
DAY 19AY EXCURSION TO KANYAKUMARI (CAPE CAMORIN)
DAY 20: KOVALAM / TRIVANDRUM
DAY 21: TRIVANDRUM / MUMBAI FOR DEPARTURE FLIGHT BACK HOME

WHAT DO U SAY?

risingphoenix

i admire the good scheduling work there.my recommendation as follows

rajasthan is amazing during winters( dec, jan or feb) reasons:variety of food (local and international delicacies), options for modes of travelling, the view of the landscapes and the landmark is awesome; adventure and explore is the keyword.

south is beautiful after the rains( aug, sept or oct)
reasons: the rain paints the land ,the sky everything around in green; the backwaters is something anyone cud stay a couple of days and get stuck in the moment for centuries,veg delites are totally mouth watering,physical and mental relaxation is the keyword down south.

gave u suggetions bout both , u decide.
mu opinion...... JANUARY=RAJASTHAN.

Regards

stellap

My friend saw three tigers in Ranthambhore in February.

Jip

Afaik there are no tigers left in Sariska Tiger Reserve instead of Ranthambore..

TimMakins

I disagree - there are plenty of things to see in Delhi, and that time will allow him to get over his jetlag and settle into India. Its crazy to do too much on the first day or two - you will just be wiped out.

About the rest of the itinerary - its hectic, but if you have the money for hired cars you will be OK. Of couuuuuuuuuuuurse there are other things you could have fitted in, but that's just the way it is. Make sure you come back a second time. And a third. And a fourth. And a ....

Tim in Ireland

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Yogesh Sarkar

Agree, there is too much to see in Delhi. In fact I haven’t seen Delhi fully even though I live here. One can easily spend a week visiting various monuments, going to famous markets (a must visit to Chandni Chowk) etc.

My suggestion would be instead of going for a package tour of Delhi, hire a cab and visit historical monuments and experience these places leisurely.

Ps. try to visit Lodi Garden in the morning and India Gate at night.

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