after varanasi, what to do?

Noz

Hi all,

I have managed to get three weeks off work this Xmas and after flying to Delhi, I am heading for Varanasi as I missed this due to sickness last time around. I am in no hurry apart from having to be back in Dehli to get home three weeks later so I am wondering where to go after a week in Varanasi? I thought about Darjeeling and Assam but they will be very cold at this time of year - maybe a little too so. So any wonderful itineraries out there - two or three places will be just fine over two weeks as I like to take it slow. And I am happy to fly back to Delhi if needs be. Looking forward to hearing any thoughts - ta Noz

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Darmabum

wouldn't fill up your last two weeks,I really enjoyed Khajuraho and Orrcha. During a six month stay in Varanasi last year I took a ten day road trip from Varanasi to Khajuraho, Orrcha then to Agra to Mathura and back. I'd wanted to do a road trip (Ambassador, non-AC) in India for a loooooong time. Was glad I did. I saw things a train, bus or plane couldn't give me.

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capt_mahajan

Second Darmabum on Orchha, Khajuraho, Agra.

Other possibilities to mix and match with/without the above.
-Rajasthan
-Orissa
-Hampi and Goa too far off the beat?

pillimosan

what about bodhgaya?

vonkla

On your way to Khajuraho you can also spend some time in Chitrakoot

York_Katni

you might want to do the scenic doars which a train by name the Kanchan Kanya express takes you via spectacular countryside. The change at Alipurduar and head further to Dibrugarh and return by the Bramhaputra Mail[ a legendary train, the venerable old lady has been a loyal foot soldier of IR for so many years]

3149 KANCHANKANYA EX 11/10/2007 SEALDAH TUE THU FRI SUN


SNo Stn Code Stn Name Route No. Arrival Time Dep. Time Distance Day Remark
1 SDAH SEALDAH 1 Source 19:35 0 1
2 BNXR BIDHAN NAGAR 1 19:42 19:44 4 1
3 DAKE DAKHINESWAR 1 19:58 20:00 14 1
4 BWN BARDDHAMAN JN 1 21:23 21:28 101 1
5 BHP BOLPUR S NIKTN 1 22:20 22:25 153 1
6 AMP AHMADPUR JN 1 22:42 22:43 172 1
7 SNT SAINTHIA 1 22:58 22:59 186 1
8 RPH RAMPUR HAT 1 23:33 23:38 213 1
9 PKR PAKUR 1 00:21 00:22 266 2
10 NFK NEW FARAKKA JN 1 01:26 01:31 301 2
11 MLDT MALDA TOWN 1 02:20 02:35 336 2
12 HCR HARISCHANDRPUR 1 03:14 03:15 392 2
13 KDPR KUMEDPUR 1 03:28 03:33 398 2
14 BOE BARSOI JN 1 03:57 04:02 425 2
15 DLK DALKOLHA 1 04:23 04:24 455 2
16 KNE KISHANGANJ 1 04:50 04:55 483 2
17 AUB ALUABARI ROAD 1 05:29 05:30 513 2
18 NJP NEW JALPAIGURI 1 07:00 07:15 569 2
19 SGUJ SILIGURI JN 1 07:40 07:45 577 2
20 NMZ NEW MAL JN 1 08:30 08:32 625 2
21 DLO DALGAON 1 09:30 09:32 673 2
22 HSA HASIMARA 1 09:58 10:00 706 2
23 APDJ ALIPUR DUAR JN 1 11:10 Destination 741 2


Note that Alipurduar [is station in the route of the branch line from New Jalpiguri to Guwahati] and New Alipurduar [ a station in the main line from calcutta] are different stations like London Paddington and Kings cross. You could visit the tiger reserve in the Doars area.
You need to catch the Kanchanjunga express which leaves New Alipurduar at 21.50

3 NOQ NEW ALIPURDAUR 1 21:50 21:55 715 1
24 GOGH GOSSAIGAON HAT 1 22:37 22:38 760 1
25 FKM FAKIRAGRAM JN 1 22:58 23:00 783 1
26 KOJ KOKRAJHAR 1 23:14 23:15 793 1
27 NBQ NEW BONGAIGAON 1 00:30 00:40 821 2
28 BPRD BARPETA ROAD 1 01:24 01:25 866 2
29 NLV NALBARI 1 02:05 02:06 914 2
30 RNY RANGIYA JN 1 02:25 02:35 930 2
31 KYQ KAMAKHYA 1 03:59 04:00 987 2
32 GHY GUWAHATI 1 04:30 Destination 994 2

The 5959 Kamrup express from Calcutta or the 5603 Guwahati -Ledo express are good options for dibrugarh another enjoyable journey. The north east is very scenic and is worth exploring.


6 GHY GUWAHATI 1 16:15 16:45 994 2
37 CPK CHAPARMUKH JN 1 17:58 18:03 1082 2
38 HJI HOJAI 1 18:59 19:00 1132 2
39 LMG LUMDING JN 1 20:00 20:15 1177 2
40 DPU DIPHU 1 20:52 20:54 1209 2
41 DMV DIMAPUR 1 21:30 21:45 1246 2
42 SZR SARUPATHAR 1 22:19 22:20 1283 2
43 BXP BARPATHAR 1 22:44 22:45 1292 2
44 FKG FURKATING JN 1 23:35 23:40 1316 2
45 MXN MARIANI JN 1 00:35 00:45 1355 3
46 AGI AMGURI 1 01:15 01:17 1383 3
47 SLGR SIMALUGURI JN 1 01:50 01:55 1409 3
48 NAM NAMRUP 1 03:22 03:23 1476 3
49 NHK NAHARKATIYA 1 03:39 03:40 1487 3
50 DJG DULIAJAN 1 03:54 03:55 1496 3
51 TSK TINSUKIA JN 1 04:45 05:25 1511 3
52 DBRT DIBRUGARH TOWN 1 06:30 Destination 1559 3


Return by rajdhani express and choose the day carefully so that it avoids the longer route via Bareilly and Lucknow [which is fine but the problematic section is from Barauni to Chapra] where trains tend to get late via Chaprra and the wild west section the Rajdhani has to take on some unfortunate days when robbers may decide to have a party.
1 DBRT DIBRUGARH TOWN 1 Source 20:15 0 1
2 TSK TINSUKIA JN 1 21:10 21:20 45 1
3 MXN MARIANI JN 1 23:35 23:45 202 1
4 DMV DIMAPUR 1 01:20 01:25 311 2
5 DPU DIPHU 1 02:02 02:04 348 2
6 LMG LUMDING JN 1 02:55 02:57 380 2
7 GHY GUWAHATI 1 05:55 07:00 560 2
8 NBQ NEW BONGAIGAON 1 09:13 09:15 733 2
9 KOJ KOKRAJHAR 1 09:45 09:46 762 2
10 NCB NEW COOCH BEHAR 1 11:05 11:07 858 2
11 NJP NEW JALPAIGURI 1 12:55 13:05 985 2
12 KNE KISHANGANJ 1 14:13 14:15 1072 2
13 KIR KATIHAR JN 1 16:15 16:25 1189 2
14 BJU BARAUNI JN 1 19:00 19:20 1368 2
15 PNBE PATNA JN 1 21:40 21:50 1482 2
16 MGS MUGHAL SARAI JN 1 01:05 01:20 1694 3
17 CNB KANPUR CENTRAL 1 05:15 05:20 2029 3
18 NDLS NEW DELHI 1 10:20 Destination 2469 3

York_Katni

doars are the area near Darjeeling and are known for the nature reserve and tea plantations.

singsub

try to go to Kolkata. its an overnight journey (12 hrs) from Varanasi. Kolkata is great in December.

incitatus

There are a couple of misconceptions here.

First Darjeeling is cold but only by Indian standards.Temperatures average the same or slightly higher than in London during Dec/Jan. Since precipitation is rare and days are longer it's more pleasant than London- and then there are the fantastic views, the local culture and the toy train....take a wooly hat!!

Assam??-Gauhati, the capital has temperatures in Dec/Jan the same as London in July!!! Expect day temperatures of 23-25C !!
In fact it's warmer than Varanasi. Again rain is rare at this season.
Pack away that wooly hat!!

York_Katni

the ledo express will take you till New TInsukhia which is not that far from Dibrugarh town.

Khak

Darjeeling is not very far and not too cold by UK standards. Catch a train from Varanasi(BSB) or Mughalsari(MGS) for New Jalpaiguri (NJP) and take ajeep to Darjeeling

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Noz

Wow - ta very much all India Mikers for your brilliant advice. I had forgotten how great this site really is as I have been home from my big trip to India for two years now and am sooooo looking forward to snatching these three weeks back in the zone. Happy travels y'all Noz x