Any Itinerary Advice would be really appreciated!

Rix

machadinha

Hi and welcome. 2 Thoughts & I don't mean to discourage you, nor do I have immediate suggestions on how to change it:

1) Looks doable in writing. Have you checked all those travel times?

2) I think you'll be overstretching yourself with, save for a few several-day breaks, mostly a day here and there. You may well return home not knowing what hit you.

At a quick glance it looks like you're covering roughly 3 areas, maybe consider dropping one of those to stretch the rest out a little more evenly. I don't think you need to cram in extra destinations for the same reason.

Good luck with it in any case, be sure to ask on.

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machadinha

btw More like 2 areas really, I'd estimated Kanha to be more south-easterly. If you're after relatively quieter places, how's about (just a rough shot)

Delhi: take a day or three to get into things (1 or 2 nights).
places around Jaipur - Amber Palace and other places (miss Jaipur, this can be done en route to Pushkar, perhaps via a tour bus & probably stopping over in Jaipur)
Pushkar (hardly quiet during Festival )
Jaipur - overnight train to Jabalpur
Kanha for Safari
Pachmarhi
Sanchi
Orchha
(Agra - see Taj Mahal -- optional)
(perhaps see Fatehpur Sikri) -- do so by all means if you're there is what I hear. Means around 1.5 days though I gather.
Delhi (I'd personally like at least a night there before flight).

This is still 9 destinations in around 17 days, but at least you'd have started breaking it down. You may have some less resounding city names to boast of, but might have the better experience for it. If you want to scrap anything more I'd suggest the Taj, but it'll be sacrilege to others I'm sure. I never visited. I find the Madhya Pradesh bit the most enticing really but probably because I've yet to visit

Oh and please note others will see it differently, this is just my take.

Rix

Big thanks machadinha - yes perhaps I should book-end my trip with nights in Delhi... very interesting what you say about Jaipur as well

Willing to embrace the madness of Pushkar Festival! I'll be 30 when in India so thought I might spend 30th there. There is a smaller Festival in Bundi later in November which we could visit but I dont know much about it.....

Have checked journeys on railways website and all should be fine

R

steven_ber

Hello Rix and welcome to indiamike.com

I'm short of time at the moment, so can't really comment on your Itinerary, though it looks busy.

A quick comment.

Delhi - Ajmer (morning Shatabdi)
Ajmer - Bundi (bus or taxi)
Train from Kota to Jabalpur......then rest of Itinerary.

It's amazing how less crowded it seems if you miss Jaipur and surrounds.

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hfot2

Rix,

We too are country people and would like to travel slowly [but never really do!]

I think you are trying to include too much in too little time. Yes, you want to see a lot, but going quickly and covering so much territory will mean you spend lots of time in transit and not on the ground mixing it up with the locals. When you return home it will all be a jumble in your head. Besides, once you go to India you will most certainly want to return; so do not think you need to visit in your first visit all the places you've dreamt of.

Some examples from sites you mention:
* we often feel as if we have traveled too quickly, yet we spent 4 nights at Puskhar Festival and just about felt like we did it justice. [I should add that I am a camel freak!] A day there might be enough for you [but I really can't imagine same] and it certainly is not quiet at festival time as machadindha says.
* we only spent two nights at Orchha and wished we had been able to spend at least two more days there.

One other thing to consider is how many one night stands do you want in hotels? [Do you pack lightly and do your own laundry each night?]

I definitely agree with machadinha saying "take a day or three to get into things" Do not think of it as time waiting for the trip to begin, there are plenty of wonderful things to see in Delhi. You could do the same in Jaipur in terms of getting adjusted to India, but you would first have to get there. We always like to plan for a day or two at our point of arrival in case our lost luggage has to catch up with us.

Have fun planning. I'm sure you'll get many more opinions from others here.

distaff half of hfot2

barodian

I agree with machadinha, steven_ber and hfot2 on squeezing your itinerary. Why not book a day in Jaipur and see you how feel the next day? If all is well, then start on your journey. You can take the phone numbers of the hotels you would love to stay at and give them heads up when you decide on going over there. You want to absorb everything you do and not make into a rollercoaster ride. Just my opinion...

Enjoy ur trip

capt_mahajan

Looks rushed.

Like others have said, consider knocking off Jaipur. And even Agra, you don't seem so keen on the Taj anyway. (though I agree, if you go there, dont miss fatehpur sikri)

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Rix

Thanks everyone who posted - sounds like Jaipur's the place to miss out!

Stevenber- going on to Kanha from Bundi / Kota is a great alternative route, cheers

Hfot2 - really interesting what you say about Orchha + you're right I didnt want to spend time in Delhi as so many other places I'd like to see, but can see a lot of sense in spending time settling in there and sure it will be anything but dull!

Will take out at least one other destination so we can travel more slowly

Really appreciate you all taking time to reply and sure our trip will be a better experience for having had your advice

machadinha

I agree with taking out Jaipur. While I might have enjoyed it more on another day or under different circumstances, I just found it hectic and overtouristed. I seem to be not the only one. In that sense it also might not fit your purpose of a place to unwind at first. Pushkar (but not during fest.!) or Bundi would be much more suitable to that. Should you pass by Jaipur anyway and have some time to kill, I suggest visiting the Jantar Mantar, quite impressive. Amber Fort is nice btw but no must-see considering your time I'd say.

The thing about Delhi (or any other big city) as a natural place of arrival is you'll not want to get all rushed straightaway on the one hand, on the other hand it'll be hard to appreciate the place just after arrival. Or for many people anyway. There's no real solution to this obvious Catch-22. It's also why I'd like some time at the end there, besides a little general unwinding and some easy souvenir hunting and stuff.

Throwing in Bundi as suggested sounds wonderful. Might have to replace with some other destination then, sounds like you're figuring it out already.

Good luck & have fun again, just ask on. I didn't visit that Ajmer Jain temple btw (did Chishti's tomb however, recommended), it is however renowned for its whimsical frivolousness I believe so probably well worth a visit, if less so for its historical significance I think. [edit: Irrelevant thought prompted by a similar thread, never mind. May be a tip should you spend some time in Ajmer however. Kota I didn't much care for although there are some sights, you might want to press straight on from there. All highly subjective of course.]