Can someone please review this itinerary for me?

oqhansoloqo

It would be very gracious of someone who is very familiar with the western region and central region of India to review this itinerary and offer suggestions/recommendations/criticism that could be of help. Or best yet, honestly tell me that everything looks good and that I should book my tickets right away.

I am planning on traveling to and around India from September 27 - October 18. I will be by myself. I want to book my own flights and train tickets ahead of time (and soon, to make sure I get everything as planned). I believe I have left enough time between destinations for most stops (I think) to allow for some buffer time in case something takes longer than it should or something. I am foreseeing that in some cases I'll be sleeping at hotels, perhaps at the Guda Bishnoi Village in Jodhpur, perhaps at a desert camp in Jaisalmer (Khuri Sand Dunes), and other times on trains (since some trains rides are long and at late hours). I will use hotel and train cloak rooms to secure my luggage (1) while exploring. I will take a backpack, camera, wallet, money belt-pouch with me at all times. I will use mainly auto-rickshaws to get around cities and towns. In some cases of going outside town to a hotspot, I may use a taxi or bus. Maybe in some towns hire an educated driver to drive me and educate me on the sights that I want to see. In other cases, such as Bishnoi Village or Khuri Sand Dunes, pay a local tour agency to set up my day/night tour/stay. In many cases I don't see myself spending way too much time at each and every attraction (more at some than others... and a few I wouldn't mind skipping). My main concern right now is getting tickets booked ASAP, but I have to be sure that my itinerary makes sense and is doable. And is it possible to get train tickets from the USA ahead of time? Based off of what I said above and have below, please offer me advice.



Here is my planned route (Home = West Palm Beach, Florida, USA) ('P' for plane, 'T' for train):

Basic Route:

Home (P)> Mumbai (P)> Jodhpur (T)> Jaisalmer (T)> Bikaner (T)> Jaipur (T)> Agra (T)> Khajuraho (P)> Varanasi (P)> Delhi (P)> Amritsar (P)> Delhi (P)> Home

Day # at each place (from day 1 to day 22):

PBI>BOM (1-2); Mumbai (3); Mumbai-Jodhpur (4); Jodhpur (5); Jodhpur-Jaisalmer (6-7); Jaisalmer (8); Jaisalmer-Bikaner (8-9); Bikaner-Jaipur (9-10); Jaipur (11); Jaipur-Agra (12); Agra (13) Agra-Khajuraho (14); Khajuraho-Varanasi (15); Varanasi (16); Varanasi-Amritsar (17); Amritsar (18); Amritsar-Delhi (19); Delhi (20); DEL>PBI (21-22)

Dates in each place (September 27 - October 18)(train codes and airport codes used):

PBI-BOM 27-28, BOM 29, BOM-JDH 30, JDH 1, JU-JSM 2-3, JSM 4, JSM-BKN 4-5, BKN-JP 5-6, JP 7, JP-AF 8, AGC 9, AGC-KURJ 10, HJR-VNS 11, VNS 12, VNS-ATQ 13, ATQ 14, ATQ-DEL 15, DEL 16, DEL-PBI 17-18



Transportation (in order):

(P) West Palm Beach PBI > Mumbai BOM (~20.5 hr)(1503-1800, then 2020-2100)

(P) Mumbai BOM > Jodhpur JDH (Jet Airways)(~2.25 hr)(1045-1300 ~$114)

(T) Jodhpur JU > Jaisalmer JSM (4810 ~6 hr)(2300-0500)

(T) Jaisalmer JSM > Bikaner BKN (4701 ~5.5 hr)(2245-0405)

(T) Bikaner BKN > Jaipur JP (2308A ~7 hr)(1830-0140)

(T) Jaipur JP > Agra Fort AF (2966 ~4 hr)(0610-1015)

(T) Agra Cantt AGC > Khajuraho KURJ (2448 ~7.5 hr)(T-F-Su 0020-0750 [starts at 2135 the day before at another stop])

(P) Khajuraho HJR > Varanasi VNS (Jet Airways 724)(~.5 hr)(1330-1410 ~$126)(~1> hr from airport to Varanasi)

(P) Varanasi VNS > Amritsar ATQ (Kingfisher 622)(~1.25 hr)(1345-1500) DEL (~3.5 hr wait) (Kingfisher 4303)(~1.5 hr)(1835-2000)

(P) Amritsar ATQ > Delhi DEL (Kingfisher 2318)(~1.5 hr)(0930-1100) or (0830-1000)

(P) Delhi DEL > West Palm Beach PBI (~21 hr)(2250-0435 then 0730-1011)



Sights to see at each stop:

Mumbai:
Elephanta Caves
Gateway to India
Taj Hotel (next to gateway)
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (gothic railway station)
Jain Temple
Mahalaxmi Temple
Dhobi Ghat (hand laundry)
Gandhi Residence/Memorial

Jodhpur (Blue City / Sun City):
> Guda Bishnoi Village Safari (sleep here 1 night)
Mehrangarh Fort [Rs 250]
Jaswant Thada [Rs 20 + 25 camera]
Maha Mandir Palace/Temple
Mandore Gardens (cenotaphs)
Unmaid Bhavan Palace

Jaisalmer (Golden City):
> Khuri sand dunes (or Sam)(camel safari, sleep at camp 1 night)(~1 hr away)
Sonar Kila (Golden Fortress)(w/ Tazia Tower & Jain Temples)
Gadi Sagar Lake w/ Tank
Bada Bagh (cenotaphs)
Lodurva temples

Bikaner:
Deshnok Temple (Karni Mata Temple – rat temple)
Junagarh Fort
Laxmi Niwas Palace

Jaipur (Pink City):
Amber Fort [Rs 50 + 25 camera] (w/ elephant ride)
Jaigarh Fort [Rs 50 + 40 camera]
Nahargarh Fort [Rs 10]
Gaitore
City Palace w/ Hawa Mahal
Jantar Mantar
Jal Mahal (Water Palace)
Galtaji Temple (monkeys)
Lakshmi Narayan Temple (Birla Temple)
Swami Narayan Mandir
bazaars

Agra:
Taj Mahal (not on Friday)
Agra Fort
Jama Masjid
Sikandra (Akbar’s Tomb)
Mariam’s Tomb
Itmad-Ud-Daulah’s Tomb (Baby Taj)
> Fatehpur Sikri (20 miles close by in direction of Jaipur)
Panch Mahal Palace
Jama Mazjid (Grand Mosque) w/ Buland Darwaza & Tomb of Salim Chishti

Khajuraho:
Temples (western group [6], eastern group [7], southern group [3])
Light & Sound Show (at night)

Varanasi:
Boat ride to on Ganges River that overlooks various ghats
sunset ride: Dasaswamedh Ghat > Manikarnika Ghat, to see cremations (no photos), then back to watch aarti from boat [Rs 30-50]
Bharath Mata Mandir
Durga Temple (Monkey Temple)
Nepali Temple
Gyanvapi Mosque
Vishwanath Mandir
Dhamekha Stupa
Chaukhandi Stupa

Amritsar:
Golden Temple (day and night)
Akal Takht
Durgiana Temple
Khalsa College
Wagah border ceremony

Delhi:
Red Fort [Rs 250]
Jama Masjid [Rs 200 camera, Rs 20 minaret climb]
Humayun’s Tomb [Rs 250]
Qutub Complex [Rs 250]
India Gate
Swaminarayan Akshardham temple
Lakshmi Narayan Temple (Birla Temple)
Memorial of Mahatma Gandhi (Rajghat)

HOME

Thank you for reading this - MUCH appreciated

- Eric

Hal

Welcome!

That's a lot for anyone to digest.

I'd suggest you will get more advice if you post the condensed form so people can advise on the route and days in each location, then post questions about specific areas in the appropriate forum.

hitanshu

Very very well planned. I think i need to share this page with your boss to show you're slacking off at work

I like the Mumbai portion. ok.
You are missing on dilwara temples in Mount abu. Its a lovely place to break your journey.
Jodhpur - jaisalmer is best done on sleeper bus overnight unless you are alone and want to travel in day. You wont miss much

More later.

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oqhansoloqo

For planning and researching... this site has been very helpful. As well as Tripadvisor and Wikitravel (very much so). Googlemaps has also been extremely useful in plotting out stops and getting a spacial view of distances between everything. Miscellaneous tourism company sites for their itineraries as well...

Wow - the Dilwara temples do look fascinating... (just googled them) Oh well, too late now. All my plane tickets and train tickets for this itinerary are booked. Man, those train tickets were CHEAP! The Indro Pass deal for tourists is a rip off in comparison to individually reserving/booking each trip ticket... Jodhpur to Jaisalmer on a sleeper (actually 3A) train I did instead of sleeper bus.

My dates have changed and some other minor details. I'm to start my trip on November 1 and end on November 22. I'll see if I can edit that post with some of the updates. Or I'll re-post in this thread.

I work for the government. Slacking is the name of the game (just kidding). Actually, I only spent a little bit of time reading some of Indiamike.com's beginner's guides to India at work. The rest has been done over many countless hours at my home computer. Many many hours... too many.

Savage Garden

Nice planned tour.
What I miss is Udaipur and Orchha.

Savage Garden

oqhansoloqo

I got Mumbai completely figured out now:

Mumbai: Nov 2 (2140 arrival) – Nov 4 (1045 departure)

Nov 2
Airport:
• No ATM in international arrival area – must exchange cash for rupees from moneychanger there
• Taxi (gov prepaid) nonAC – to S. Mumbai Rs 350 (max) to Colaba (~1hr) (but I won't go that far for Byculla, so it will be cheaper)

Sleep: (options)
• “Comfort Inn Heritage” in Byculla [10000 points/night – 2 nights](I had points with this hotel chain, so I used my points for 2 nights instead of money) BOOKED
Sant Savta marg, Opp. Gloria Church, Byculla
(+91-22) 237 14891 / 2373 4901
• “YWCA International Hotel” near Gateway to India [~$44] (extra option)

Nov 3 (from first stop to last - flows well on map this way)
1. Gateway to India
2. Taj Hotel (next to gateway)
3. Elephanta Caves, boat from Gateway to India [deluxe boat Rs 120 + 10 upper deck] first @
0900, every ½ hr; train [Rs 5]; [cave fee Rs 250 + 5 tax]; first boat back @ 1200, last @ 1730
see: 7 caves, cannon hill
bring: water from Mumbai
4. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (gothic railway station)
5. Mani Bhawan – Mahatma Gandhi’s Residence
6. Tower of Silence
7. Hanging Gardens
8. Babu Amichand Panalal Adishwarji (Jain Temple)
9. Chowpatty Beach
10. Mahalaxmi Temple
11. Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat (hand laundry)

Eat options: Vada Pav (from Jumbo Vada Pav at train stations), Pav Bhaji, Bhel Puri, Sev Puri, Pani
Puri, Indian-Chinese (AKA Chinese Bhelpuri), Mewad Ice Cream or Natural Ice Cream

Nov 4
Airport: get there before 0845 (2 hrs before flight), may take at least 1 hr to get there, domestic flight

oqhansoloqo

I am trying to figure out if I should head into the Bishnoi Villages the first day I get into Jodhpur, or save it for the second day... Seeing that if my plane is on time and all, I will get into Jodhpur at 1300 hrs... then it may take an hour to get my luggage and get out of the airport? So now it's about 1400 hrs. Does anyone know if the Bishnoi Village safari trips and Bishnoi Resort lodging are flexible in schedules... or does one have to leave Jodhpur to go there in the morning? IOW - could I head there at 1400 hrs for a tour, stay the night there, then head back to Jodhpur next day?

Thank you for the help.

- Eric

steven_ber

Hello Eric and welcome to indiamike.

The above quoted section looks very tiring, you'll manage the Jodhpur-Jaisalmer bit OK, but will be a bit tired after reaching Bikaner, the Bikaner-Jaipur bit will be the killer.

There are other options, I'd be tempted to go from Bikaner to Delhi, then Khajuraho, Varanasi, then an overnight train to Agra Fort, then to Jaipur, then an overnight train to Amritsar (Monday and Wednesdays trains are best timed on this route), you could even get a Delhi-Khajuraho flight with the money saved from the Varanasi-Amritsar flights.

Just a suggestion, maybe it won't work so well on paper, but short overnight journeys should be kept to a minimum, they make for long hard days.

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How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions.


Train information.


RAC & Waitlists explained.

nikhilsegel

Dear Oqhansoloqo,

I love the hard work you have done. It is amazingly similar to how I work in terms of trying to lock every little detail down.

Having said that, congrats on figuring out Mumbai, most mumbaikars (residents of mumbai) Still haven't just kidding.

I think you have missed / need to consider,

a) A ride on the Local Train! (I actually did this on my first trip back after many years) Worth a short hop.
b) Walking down Colaba Causeway
c) I think Cafe Mondegar is a must to just have a beer.
d) Since you are doing the Dhobi Ghat, perhaps you would also like to walk through Dharavi? It has great photo ops.
e) Please do Elephanta in the early morning, I have done both morning and afternoon and the afternoon was KILLING, you need to walk up a very long flight of stairs.
f) Please do Chowpatty in the late evening / night, it is terribly boring during the day.

Further, like most Indian Metropolises, history and the new intermingle and inter twine, you can't really do a point to point agenda and at the same time experience the city.

Take some time off to just breathe and smell the coffee as they say.

Cheers, have a great time in India and while in Delhi if you need anything just holler

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nikhilsegel

Also just noticed that you have barely left enough time for Delhi. You won't even get a sniff in ..

Cheers

oqhansoloqo

Steven_ber

I know what you mean about that portion from Jaisalmer through to Jaipur being tiring... I'm sure that will be. hehe Perhaps I should have left a day in Bikaner to sleep even though there seems to not be too much to see there (the main reason I'm going there is just to see the Rat Temple).

I don't think it's going to be a very relaxing vacation in general, but that's OK. I'm trying to jam pack as much as I can into a short amount of time. I'm used to nights of little sleep, and if I'm not driving an automobile... I'll porbably be OK. The rest I get on the train hopefully will be sufficient to keep me going. Unfortunately at this point it would be difficult for me to change my transportation plans between towns/cities because I already booked tickets.

That's also why I'm trying to get all the details down before I get there. So even though I might be tired at certain points... I'll already know what to do, so I won't have to think too much and stress too much in that state.

Nikhilsegel

Yes, perhaps I do need to schedule some breathing time. Thank you for the other ideas. When I get to analyzing the Delhi plan, I'll give you a hollar my friend.

oqhansoloqo

see next message

oqhansoloqo

As Jaisalmer does not have its own forum, I am placing this segment on Jaisalmer here in this forum:

Jaisalmer (Golden City): Nov 7 (0500 arrival) – Nov 8 (2245 departure)

Nov 7
1. Khuri sand dunes (or Sam)(~1 - 1 1/2 hr away) - camel safari (1 day)

Taxi/Jeep: may cost ~Rs. 600-700 out to Khuri

Sleep: (options)
• Badal Singh [Rs. ~300 to stay at Badal’s house - including food, Rs. ~125 for camel safari]
03014274120 (phone of Badal’s brother)
• ALT: Shahi Palace (in town) [~ Rs 800]
Near SBBJ Bank , Shiv road , Jaisalmer -345001
Landline Number : +91-2992-255920
Tele/Fax: +91-2992-254293
Mobile Numbers : Dev : +91-9414365495 , Jora : +91-9414149647
email : info@shahipalacehotel.com, shahipalace@yahoo.co.in
(food sucks here though)
• ALT: Fifu Guest House [~ Rs 1000]
Opposite Nagar Palika
Jaisalmer - 345 001, Rajasthan, India
Tel : +91-2992-254317, 252656
Mobile : +91-9414149631, 9414269295
email : fifutravel@yahoo.com

Nov 8

Store luggage at train station cloak room (if I stayed overnight in Khuri).

1. Gadi Sagar Lake w/ Tank
2. Sonar Kila (Golden Fortress)(w/ Tazia Tower & Jain Temples)
3. Lodurva temples
4. Bada Bagh (cenotaphs)

Eat Options:
• Artist Hotel in Artist Colony

camelgirl

Since I am the polar opposite of you and barely plan anything until I get to India, then slowly do a route (example, our last trip was one month & we spent 3 weeks in Rajasthan), I'm really impressed by your organizing!

The Karne Mata Rat Temple in Deshnok, right outside of Bikiner will take you about 10-20 min. to see. If you want to see a very short video I took there, click on my signature below, it's there among my photos, I think it's the 24th one.

Bikiner doesn't have much to see other than a very fabulous Fort.

So, please, please, after you do this trip, I would love to hear how it went. I have found India doesn't lend itself to extreme planning, but some people really like to do it the way you have.

You have really done an amazing job!!!

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oqhansoloqo

Camelgirl

Good idea on wearing socks in that temple - I'm planning on doing the same. hehe

Though - I imagine your socks might soak up and get really nasty. I'm thinking of maybe not wearing socks but bringing a handful of sterilizer hand wipes and wiping my feet down before putting my socks and shoes back on when leaving...

Man, it's going to be so neat to be standing in a temple devoted to rats, with rats scurrying all over the place... lol It's amusing to me, as well as interesting, and something that most people would be scared to do, so that makes me want to do it all the more.