2 month trip in May-July

Bonzo

lonelyaztec

Hey,

u left Belur, Halebid, Sharavanabelagola.

r u not going to any wild life sanctuaries to see tigers and elephants. The experience is good.

what abt ladakh, leh, lahaul, spiti, kunchenjunga, sikkim ???

u must include them as well.

But, ur itenary is good. u can stick to it...and then come back again for the above.

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Bonzo

Thanks for your reply lonelyaztec!

On my way to jog falls I could spent 2 days in hassan from which to explore Belur, Halebid and Sharavanabelagola. I was actullay looking for a nice wild life sanctuary on or near my route, forgot to mention that. I will have a look at the wildlife threads on this forum.

lonelyaztec

Hi

If u have extra time in Kerala...Allepy / cochin, squeeze some time for Wyanad / Vythiri wild life sanctuary or Mudumalai wild life sanctuary.

If u wish, u can go to Nagarhole National park from Kerala..it is abt 150 kms or so.

Since u r going to Rajasthan, Ranthambore National park is in the same state, u can try to spot some tigers there.

If u got time around Shimla, go to Corbett national park.

Which ever part of the country u r in, if u wish to get to a national park, there is one close by always. u can get there. If u need any more info, pls don't hesitate to ask.

Cheers.

SHIMLA

I do not want to dampen your spirits, but for a first timer visiting in peak season; summer; and without any train reservations; your itinerary is too ambitious. Even if you were to get all the rail connections to suit your schedule, you'll be totally exhausted from sheer travelling ! Travelling in summer and monsoon in India is no joke.

I suggest you concentrate on two areas of the country in the two months; instead of trying to cram the whole of India !! You are bound to return, so what's the hurry?

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Bonzo

As India is a country full of contrasts (so I've read), I would like to get that aspect back in my journey. As for the train reservations: It is possible to get reservations along your route, say 4-5 days ahead, isn't it?
But skipping some places/area's will be a good idea maybe. I was thinking about skipping rajastan, because of the heat. But then again it is said to be beautiful

I was wondering about visiting the 4 largest cities: mumbai, delhi, kolkata and chennai. Is it worth spending a day or 2-3 there or is it too polluted (especially with the heat of the summer) ??

Bonzo

I forgot to ask: Is it really peakseason from mid-may till mid-july? I thought the monsoon would keep the tourists away.

SHIMLA

Bonzo,

You have to decide what your chief interests are, assign priority to them; and plan your visits accordingly. However, do not spend more time than is absolutely necessary on the plains of North India in summer. Skipping Rajasthan is an excellent thought.

Regarding rail bookings, I wouldn't be surprised if most of the trains have already been booked up to June 15 !

SHIMLA

The peak season is from last week of April to mid-June. The crowd starts dwindling thereafter and July is okay.

Bonzo

north india plains = roughly from kolkata-lucknow-agra-delhi?

This is harder then I thought. My priorities are scattered all over India and with no space on the trains it is going to be a rough ride. I think I am going to make some new plans...

SHIMLA

North India plains = Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Delhi. Includes Varanasi, Lucknow, Agra, Rishikesh, Jaipur, Bikaner, Chandigarh and Amritsar, to name a few places of tourist interest.

Kolkata may not be as hot as the places mentioned above, but it will be humid.

My suggestion is to spend maximum time in the hills of Himachal Pradesh or Uttaranchal. Reduce your travel and relax in one place for a number of days.

Nick-H

You must be very young and/or full of enery ---maybe even hyperactive ;-)

Seems to me that what you are going to see is India out of train windows! If you must travell so intensely, allow yourself maybe one day a week or two days in ten or something to lie back, relax, smell the flowers... At the rate you are proposing it might well be that heat exhaustion gives you no choice but to take time off.

India will still be here for your next trip, and the one after that...

But, different trips for different travellers; if this is your way of travelling then do it and have a great time

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Bonzo

I am 22 and I simply love travelling by train. I am not the kind of person that sticks around on one place for 5 days or so. But travelling in India is maybe more exhausting than I realize.
As I start in Mumbai and end up in Delhi. Where would you go with less travelling than the itinerary above?? I have a tight budget so flying from one place to the other isn't exactly a posibility.

phobal

I'd spread it out a bit man. Throw in a few flex days so you can catch up from any sleep deprevation or train delays. You're going to be spending so much time getting from A to B, you'll burn out quickly.

Bonzo

I have got a new itinerary. It is still a bit much in 2 months but it is more a rough schedule and if you guys have any suggestions throw them in please!

mumbay
matheran
goa/karwar
jog falls
hassan (belur and halebid)
shrnavalbelogahalaja
mysore
ooty (is mysore-ooty by bus sheer torture?)
cochin
allepey
kollam
wildlife park somewhere in the area
madurai
pondicherry
chennai
hampi alternative: bubaneshwar
hyderabad calcutta
ajanta/elora guwahati
orccha kaziranga
varanasi alternative: agra majuli
calcutta rishikesh area shillong
darjeeling shimla darjeeling
guwahati manali varanasi
shillong dharamsala agra
agra amritsar delhi
delhi

I hope this format is clear to everyone:-)
Are all wildlife sanctuaries open during monsoon?
I am still looking for some nice stopovers on my way north. anyone ideas?

thanks in advance!

Bonzo