10 days in Rajasthan for 65000 INR?

Hal

Good idea. I had a tour agency book me some "Rs 1500 a night" hotels and they were more like "Rs 750 a night" hotels.

Ingute

The stay looks pretty comfortable (we are over our camping days too ).

Here is a link to their website:

http://www.bishnoivillage.com/

I also found some reviews on the tripadvisor just now:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...Rajasthan.html

It does look good. Will have to see how my other bookings are doing (with teh time difference almost 12 hours it can be challenging).

Question: what would be the best way of getting from Agra to Jaipur?

Thanks!

The reason I am asking about this is because I am still waiting for teh accomodation confirmation from Agra, and i have booked accomodations in Jaipur, however we would lose it if we do not show up before 4pm. Maybe it would be smarter to book a different place in Jaipur? I got Pearl Palace - thyere are very good reviews and the price is excellent...

Aishah

The Bishnoi Village link looks really nice. I wouldn't mind some of that 'Guggle' as in the huts are 'aromatized by Guggle'. Let us know if you stay there what the aroma is like!

Pearl Palace is really nice to stay - I have twice stayed there. There's a wonderful restaurant on the roof - rooms are clean etc. and btw it doesn't have a swimming pool (letting you know this because in a previous post, which you may have seen, (now deleted) the member mentioned it. I doubt that member has even been there. Second thoughts, it was Feb. last year when I last stayed, so maybe it does now!! Others recently staying there might let us know. Just a week ago I was talking to some folks who had come from Pearl Palace, they didn't mention the pool, and they also liked staying there.

Agra to Jaipur - train, bus or car! Have a look in Indian Railways forum for trains.

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Ingute

I got a room at Mewar Haveli in Udaipur, but they only have it for one day. They suggest a stay at a hotel next door. Should we take chance, do you think? or maybe we would be better off booking a different place altogether? Thanks!

Aishah

Up to you - if you don't mind moving your stuff, then book it. Otherwise look elsewhere!

Ingute

I must say I am quite enjoying the process of getting all ready... I am getting really excited about this trip! I only have to finish booking the Jodhpur and Udaipor accomodations and ALL transportation, and we are ready to rock! and I think it will be half the quoted price, even though we are staying in $40 - $50 places. We even got the Bishnoi Village place booked for a night - should be an experience . (We did not get Pearl Palace in Jaipur though - it is fully booked ). But we are booking homestays as they seem to be a good deal. I am glad that tripadvisor.com exists!!!

kristinm

I booked everything in advance from here over the internet, including trains, but not the cars and drivers which we picked up as we needed them along the way - doing it that way you had to pay return, but that's OK. Doing it your way you would book a round trip car and driver.& it might be as well to have them organised before you go, a good, friendly, unpushy driver would make all the difference to a long trip.

work out where you want to go, bearing in mind it took 10 hours for us to travel 500km from Jaisalmer to Nawalgarth by car - the roads can be very slow, so don't be overambitious! Then book accom in advance...

We did a day tour to a Bishnoi village from Jodhpur - wouldn't see the need to stay overnight personally, it was really interesting and worth doing for a day though... you can shop around for day tours once you are there - ask other travellers which ones are good etc, we ended up going with our hotel and it was good, just us and another couple who were really nice.

By the way - the drive from Udaipur to Jodhpur is absolutely stunning and really interesting - we overnighted at Ghanerao castle. Ditto the drive from Bundi to Chittorgarth - beautiful and a couple of amazing ancient temples to stop at on the way - a mini kajahuro and another one... stunning.

zoltan

Happy to put you in the right direction.

Many companies will charge tourists top $, knowing many of them are not able to book things locally themselves (or nervous 1st timers).

I hope that you get to make the most of your bookings and enjoy.

If you have any other questions, pls. feel free to ask - but be aware that I'm in B/desh until Tuesday & the internet here is atrociously slow.

Will be in India Tues. evening. Can reply faster from there (I hope).

Cheers
Zoltan

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vicki278

Ingute, I'm glad you're enjoying getting organised for your trip. We have a longer time in Rajasthan - about 21 days, leaving on 3 Dec - I had originally thought we would get an agent to do all the bookings but my husband thought it would be more interesting and economical to travel independently - I have been amazed how easy it is to do everything over the net [although fully expecting that some of the bookings may fall over, and that's fine, we'll just have to handle it] - we have booked accommodation for the 21 days in Rajasthan and then Agra and Varanasi, and almost all of the train travel, and it has been really interesting doing the research and reading people's experiences in this forum, which have been really helpful. Hope your trip plans continue to go well.

Vicki

Ingute

Thank you all for advice and encouragement.

Yes, this forum plus tripadvisor.com are the best!

We for sure fall into the nervous first timers category. Just because so many people around us are surprised even that we are going to India. The ones that have been there, are just saying that it will be "interesting". not good, not bad, but interesting. Hmm. Even the ones that come from India are worried for us. We joke that we shall know more about India after we get back than our Indian friends here

So I got all places booked except for Udaipur, where we might spoil ourselves a little - just because we managed to save a few buckks

We got a quote from Jaipur hotel for the trip Jaipur - Jodhpur - Udaipur:

1)For Local Sight Seeing in Jaipur each day (8 Hours use) is INR 1800 (US$ 35)
2)For the trip Jaipur / Pushkar / Jodhpur / Udaipur including each city sight seeing etc
(Taxi returns to Jaipur)
Approx Distance 1200 Km @ INR 7.00/km = INR 8400
Toll Taxes & Parking Charges at various monuments etc INR 600
Driver Overnite charges 4 Nites INR 800
Total for this trip will cost INR 9800 ( US$ 200)

I am told that being close to Christmas we should book a taxi as soon as possible. What do you think?

Another question: for the trip Delhi to Agra (the fastest train) - should we get first class or the normal class is ok? (Yeah, I know - I am getting a bit paranoid...) Would second class be ok to go Agra to Jaipur? And maybe a train from Jaipur to Jodhpur? (but then we miss Pushkar...) I shall be researching this, but if anybody feels like answering, it will be definitely appreciated.

Good luck, Vicki. I am sure you too will have an "interesting" trip 21 days in Rajasthan - that is awesome! We decided to spend the rest of our time here in Kerala. (I badly need some WARM weather!) Have fun. it will be lovely not to have to rush through the places.

dhans

I would never trust a company that would book hotels named "SIMILAR". That's one hugely open for discussion. For info on our last cartrip through rajasthan follow the links below. Last time we paid 21000 Rs for 10 days in a brand new big 4 wheel drive look-a-like Chevrolet

Hans

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Aishah

And that's exactly what I paid for 10 days in a Toyota Innova too, dhans, when I did our trip with two of my friends in Feb. last year.

Ingute

Hans, it is very reassuring to hear that you managed two trips with two little kids in India!
I am getting really excited about it. Btw, I am originally from Lithuania - it was neat to read about you meeting a Lithuanian couple in Rajasthan! (there is not many Lithuanians around... )
OK, off to book the rest of the trains...

OceanTragic

I'm confused as one of the most often praised tour operators always says 'or similar'. Their rate is also higher than figures by both Dhans and Aishah. They charge 14Rs/km for a Sumo at the moment and quoted me 74000 for 15 days including most hotels, with one room for four of us (my request). Four info 4WD costs initially look dearer, 52000 just for the travel.

Dhans and Aishah: I'm interested in the companies you used as your rates seem way lower than what I've been quoted and especially as my set up is quite similar to yours Dhans. I wonder if I'm reading 'between the lines' a little too much in your responses. PM me if you like.

dhans

With Dhans WYSIWYG, so no need to read between the lines. For any specific questions send a PM though.

Fact is when you're in India it's much easier to negotiate. Not on a 5 day trip, but if you have a couple of weeks, you can ask around. Almost any travel agency can arrange a car next day (and sometimes even the same day).

Our last journal has the story about the 10-day car hire. Ask around a bit. Talk to some agencies and or drivers. Let your guesthouse owner know you're in the market. Get some quotes. Let them show the car and don't pay too much upfront.

As you can read in our 2005-2006 journal we arranged transport from abroad. Basicallly we did the same thing, but then on Internet. We found out on IM what a good price would be. Mailed too and fro. And choose a company that gave good and swift answers to our mails and did not ask any advance payments (!). We figured if the car, driver or whatever would be wrong we would pay him for the first couple of days and then dump him. Gandhi (real name) turned out to be one of the best drivers I know (and I know a lot of drivers(in Holland though ).

Hans