3wks South India; 1week Golden Triangle; off-beaten track advice?

mangofanatic · Sep 20th, 2005, 05:51

Key Questions:
How to find homestays, esp. in Tamil Nadu?
Tips on Periyar Tiger Trail run by TourIndia?
Recommendations for "academically" oriented guides?
Is my itinerary reasonable? (see attached PDF)

Read below for explanations:

My husband and I (both students, 25 years old) would like to spend 3 weeks in South India and one week seeing Jaipur--Agra--Delhi. We would like to see as much as we can, but at a relaxed pace.

Our priorities are that we keep to a low or medium budget, but we would like to splurge once in a while for a houseboat or palace hotel experience. Ideally, we want to stay in homestays as much as possible. These seem easy to find in Kerala, but I can't find any in Tamil Nadu. Anybody know of homestays in/near Trichy and Madurai?

Anybody have experience with the Periyar Tiger Trail trek run by TourIndia (http://www.tourindiakerala.com/periyar_tiger_trail.htm)? If so, please share!

I have attached my tentative itinerary below. If you know of good guides or even academics who would be willing to meet with us and tell us about history and customs, please let me know. We would like a trip that might be described as "more academic" than the regular tourist fare. It doesn't matter if we see fewer things, but if the impressions we get from those sights are deep, we will be happy. That's why we would like to stay with families even if it might be out of the way.

Please see attached PDF for itinerary. Feel free to comment!

Thanks!!!

mangofanatic · Sep 21st, 2005, 00:48

Maybe I had too many questions in my initial post. (I'm new to this website).

So, more specifically, does the following itinerary seem reasonable?
Is the Periyar Tiger Trail (an overnight trek in the jungle) worth it?

We don't want it to be too rushed, but we definitely want to cover Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Mysore, and Jaipur-Agra-Delhi. We have from Jan 8 to Feb 3.

3 days in Chennai with relatives
Jan 11- in Mahabalipuram to see Dance Festival
Jan 12- Early morning drive to Pondicherry
Jan 13- Drive to Thanjavur; Continue to Trichy & Srirangam
Would like to stay at a homestay here
Jan 14-Trichy; Experience PONGAL festivities; Afternoon drive to Madurai
Jan 15-Madurai; Would like to stay at a homestay
Jan 16-Morning drive to Periyar; Stay at Hotel Ambadi (hotelambadi.com)
Jan 17-Periyar Tiger Trail
Jan 18-Periyar Tiger Trail
Jan 19-Drive to Alappuzha; board houseboat overnight
Jan 20-Drive to Cochin
Jan 21-Cochin; Transfer to Thani Illam in Tottuva, Koovappady, 18km from Cochin
(www.thaniillam.org)
Jan 22-Relax at Thani Illam and nearby village
Jan 23-Relax at Thani Illam and nearby village
Jan 24-Fly from Cochin to Bangalore‡ Transfer to Mysore
Jan 25-Mysore
Jan 26-Mysore
Jan 27-Fly from Bangalore to Jaipur
Jan 28-Jaipur
Jan 29-Jaipur
Jan 30-Drive to Agra via Fatehpur Sikri
Jan 31-Agra
Feb 1-Drive to Delhi
Feb 2-Delhi
Feb 3-Delhi

Any expert advice would be appreciated!!!

mangofanatic · Sep 22nd, 2005, 02:19

This is such an informative site. I'm so glad I found it.

In this thread, I feel like I'm talking to myself. Can ANYONE please advise whether or not my itinerary is reasonable given the time frame? Are there any comments at all?

I'd appreciate any advice.

This is my first trip to India since I visited Madurai when I was 13, more than 10 years ago. My husband and I would really appreciate any help!

Thanks a bunch!

cyberhippie · Sep 22nd, 2005, 02:47

Yeah your itinery seems reasonable enough, since you seem to be doing a lot of it by car it should not be too tiring!!

Enjoy India

abracax · Sep 22nd, 2005, 02:58

Your itinerary seem sensible, althought the insistence on homestays may be a bit misplaced. For example Trichy (Sri Rangam) and Madurai are major pilgrimage centres and thus abound with reasonably-priced hotels, which would limit the market for homestay venues. If you have your own wheels in the Mysore area, you might be interested in visiting the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangapatanam, which is the sister temple to Sri Rangam in Tamil Nad. The Jaina centre at Sravanabelagola is also a must-see.
As for your lack of response - I suspect many of the habituees of this site are not into itineraries as such. I, for example, will be leaving India the day you arrive after a similar length of trip, which I will mostly spend wandering around the hills of Coorg with no fixed destination in mind.

mangofanatic · Sep 22nd, 2005, 03:13

Thanks so much for your responses!

Abracax, I would love to do what you are going to do, if only we had more opportunities to travel! I am not much for itineraries, either, and in Europe and South America, I never plan anything.

But, as students with really long courses of study (10+years) and really small stipends, we just want to see as much as we can during our month in India, without loosing too much depth. I have to find a job that pays me to travel...hmmm

Thanks again.

lonelyaztec · Sep 22nd, 2005, 11:26

Jan 25th and 26th..instead of spending 2 days in Mysore...which only has a very gaudy Palace...which is less than 100 yrs old....u can go to Halebid, Belur and Shravanabelagola...

These 3 places are about 200 kms from Bangalore and are close together.
check my yahoo photos for photos on these places...http://photos.yahoo.com/lonelyaztec

I think u can avoid the Mysore Palace..for whch u are goign to visit Mysore...accroding to me it is palace built in 1912 or so, painted with really gaudy colours.....and looks silly. But, the choice is urs.

abracax · Sep 22nd, 2005, 21:18

I beg to differ - the Mysore palace is way cool. Especially on Sunday nights, when the police brass band plays and the outside lights are on.

mangofanatic · Sep 22nd, 2005, 22:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by lonelyaztec

Jan 25th and 26th..instead of spending 2 days in Mysore...which only has a very gaudy Palace...which is less than 100 yrs old....u can go to Halebid, Belur and Shravanabelagola...

Thanks for the suggestion. But, it won't be as easy to hop on a plane towards Jaipur from the areas you mention, right? In addition, we might be able to stay with friends-of-friends in Mysore. As someone else suggested, it might me nice to visit the villages near Mysore. We're not much for cities, anyway..we've been in New York too long.

Quote:

Originally Posted by abracax

Your itinerary seem sensible, althought the insistence on homestays may be a bit misplaced. For example Trichy (Sri Rangam) and Madurai are major pilgrimage centres and thus abound with reasonably-priced hotels, which would limit the market for homestay venues.

I realized that my insistence on homestays results from a wish that I still had family in the area. I also want to practice my Tamil more, and I miss the feel of a traditional Tamil household--what I remember from when I was a really little kid.

haritha · Sep 22nd, 2005, 23:30

Mysore

http://www.valley-of-birds-resort.com/index.htm

http://www.gitanjalifarm.com/

Coorg

http://www.geocities.com/pakaestate/

mangofanatic · Sep 22nd, 2005, 23:44

Thanks for the links, haritha, I'll definitely look into them.

Sep 21st, 2005, 00:48	#2
mangofanatic Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 34	Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Mysore, Jaipur, Agra, Delhi Maybe I had too many questions in my initial post. (I'm new to this website). So, more specifically, does the following itinerary seem reasonable? Is the Periyar Tiger Trail (an overnight trek in the jungle) worth it? We don't want it to be too rushed, but we definitely want to cover Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Mysore, and Jaipur-Agra-Delhi. We have from Jan 8 to Feb 3. 3 days in Chennai with relatives Jan 11- in Mahabalipuram to see Dance Festival Jan 12- Early morning drive to Pondicherry Jan 13- Drive to Thanjavur; Continue to Trichy & Srirangam Would like to stay at a homestay here Jan 14-Trichy; Experience PONGAL festivities; Afternoon drive to Madurai Jan 15-Madurai; Would like to stay at a homestay Jan 16-Morning drive to Periyar; Stay at Hotel Ambadi (hotelambadi.com) Jan 17-Periyar Tiger Trail Jan 18-Periyar Tiger Trail Jan 19-Drive to Alappuzha; board houseboat overnight Jan 20-Drive to Cochin Jan 21-Cochin; Transfer to Thani Illam in Tottuva, Koovappady, 18km from Cochin (www.thaniillam.org) Jan 22-Relax at Thani Illam and nearby village Jan 23-Relax at Thani Illam and nearby village Jan 24-Fly from Cochin to Bangalore‡ Transfer to Mysore Jan 25-Mysore Jan 26-Mysore Jan 27-Fly from Bangalore to Jaipur Jan 28-Jaipur Jan 29-Jaipur Jan 30-Drive to Agra via Fatehpur Sikri Jan 31-Agra Feb 1-Drive to Delhi Feb 2-Delhi Feb 3-Delhi Any expert advice would be appreciated!!!

Sep 22nd, 2005, 02:19	#3
mangofanatic Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 34	Valid itinerary? This is such an informative site. I'm so glad I found it. In this thread, I feel like I'm talking to myself. Can ANYONE please advise whether or not my itinerary is reasonable given the time frame? Are there any comments at all? I'd appreciate any advice. This is my first trip to India since I visited Madurai when I was 13, more than 10 years ago. My husband and I would really appreciate any help! Thanks a bunch!

Sep 22nd, 2005, 02:58	#5
abracax Mahaguru Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Canada Posts: 435	Your itinerary seem sensible, althought the insistence on homestays may be a bit misplaced. For example Trichy (Sri Rangam) and Madurai are major pilgrimage centres and thus abound with reasonably-priced hotels, which would limit the market for homestay venues. If you have your own wheels in the Mysore area, you might be interested in visiting the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangapatanam, which is the sister temple to Sri Rangam in Tamil Nad. The Jaina centre at Sravanabelagola is also a must-see. As for your lack of response - I suspect many of the habituees of this site are not into itineraries as such. I, for example, will be leaving India the day you arrive after a similar length of trip, which I will mostly spend wandering around the hills of Coorg with no fixed destination in mind. __________________ He travels fastest who pays for a cab.

Sep 22nd, 2005, 03:13	#6
mangofanatic Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 34	Thanks Thanks so much for your responses! Abracax, I would love to do what you are going to do, if only we had more opportunities to travel! I am not much for itineraries, either, and in Europe and South America, I never plan anything. But, as students with really long courses of study (10+years) and really small stipends, we just want to see as much as we can during our month in India, without loosing too much depth. I have to find a job that pays me to travel...hmmm Thanks again.

Sep 22nd, 2005, 11:26	#7
lonelyaztec Maha Guru Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,408	Jan 25th and 26th..instead of spending 2 days in Mysore...which only has a very gaudy Palace...which is less than 100 yrs old....u can go to Halebid, Belur and Shravanabelagola... These 3 places are about 200 kms from Bangalore and are close together. check my yahoo photos for photos on these places...http://photos.yahoo.com/lonelyaztec I think u can avoid the Mysore Palace..for whch u are goign to visit Mysore...accroding to me it is palace built in 1912 or so, painted with really gaudy colours.....and looks silly. But, the choice is urs. __________________ Aztec My photoblog

Sep 22nd, 2005, 02:47	#4
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	Yeah your itinery seems reasonable enough, since you seem to be doing a lot of it by car it should not be too tiring!! Enjoy India

Sep 22nd, 2005, 21:18	#8
abracax Mahaguru Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Canada Posts: 435	I beg to differ - the Mysore palace is way cool. Especially on Sunday nights, when the police brass band plays and the outside lights are on.

Sep 22nd, 2005, 23:30	#10
haritha Account Closed Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Kadalikad-Kerala-India Posts: 527	you look around you will see lot more and intersting too Mysore http://www.valley-of-birds-resort.com/index.htm http://www.gitanjalifarm.com/ Coorg http://www.geocities.com/pakaestate/

Sep 22nd, 2005, 23:44	#11
mangofanatic Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 34	good suggestions Thanks for the links, haritha, I'll definitely look into them.

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