Delhi-Agra-Varanasi-Udaipur-Kerala-Mumbai in 17 days

Phi

After nearly throwing my laptop out of my sliding glass door in frustration, I discovered IndiaMike, which I'm hoping will be my saving grace. This will be my first trip to India (though I did live in Pakistan till I was 11, so I have some idea)and I'm psyched. I've traveled a ton (S. Korea, Europe, South America) always on a backpacker's shoestring budget (oh the stories I could tell about them South American hostels) only this time, I have my five-star-hotel-only boyfriend with me, who I'm trying really hard to accommodate (ie. not scare off).

My biggest questions ARE:
1.Is my itinerary too ambitious for 17 days (is it even possible considering how complicated the train/plane situation seems to be)?
2. How do I find trains and/or cheap domestic flights for my itinerary?

Here's my idea:

1. Arrive Delhi (Dec. 26, 2008), stay two nights, three days
2. Train to Agra in the morning, sightsee, stay in hotel overnight, see Fatehpur Sikhri the next day and Taj at sunrise (hopefully)
3. Overnight train to Varanasi, stay two days, one night(is this detour worth it? Am I cramming in too much?)
4. Overnight train to Udaipur, stay two days, one night(I've heard Udaipur beats Jaipur)
5. Fly to Kerala for four nights five days (something like that; math is not my strong suit)
6. Fly to Mumbai for three days, two nights

From what I've read on this website and others, trains and planes are tricky to coordinate and I may have to alter my plans.

PLEASE ADVISE!!!

theyyamdancer

Basically, if in doubt, do less. Others will be along shortly to give you precise advice, but my inexpert opinion is that your current route is backtracking a lot and you should choose to omit some of the places. Otherwise you will just exhaust yourselves. If you can choose between North and South India on your first trip and save some for a subsequent journey you will feel less stressed out.

Mickey S

I would suggest that the itinerary you have given is impossible. You can't do Delhi, Agra, Varanasi, Udaipur, Mumbai and Kerala in 17 days.

Have you checked the train timetables? The direct "overnight" train from Varanasi (Mughal Sarai) to Udaipur actually takes almost 2 nights (dep. 02:10, arr. 03:30 next day) and only runs once a week.

Phi

The train timetables is what I can't find my way around. But thank you for the example. IT helps put things in perspective!

Phi

Much as it pains me to do so, you are right. I"ll have to choose.

Brisso

Don't think you will be able to do anything meaningful in Kerala with 4 days (its a State after all, not a city). Yes - going to Varanasi then Uidapur seems to be major backtracking.

Maybe just stick to the triangle and explore a couple of extra local options.

vonkla

For train tables look at http://erail.in/

For flights see http://www.makemytrip.co.in/makemytrip/MMTHome.do

as the others say, take it easy the first time

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Mickey S

Kerala is a long way, and is a destination in its own right. Leave it for another vacation.

You could reasonably follow this route in 17 days:

Delhi - Varanasi - Agra - (Bundi?) - Udaipur - Mumbai.

All of it could be done by train, without retracing your steps.

As vonkla says, check train times at www.erail.in. It's a very user-friendly site.

There are many trains between Delhi and Varanasi, both during the daytime and overnight, with journey times ranging from 9 to 17 hours.

Similarly, there are several very convenient trains between Varanasi and Agra. Bear in mind that Mughal Sarai, which is about 15km from Varanasi, has much better long-distance connections than Varanasi itself; if you enter "Varanasi" as your starting point on erail.in it will also list trains that depart from Mughal Sarai (MGS).

There is a direct train from Agra to Kota, from where there are frequent buses to Bundi.

There is a morning train from Bundi to Chittaurgarh, from where you can take a bus or local train to Udaipur.

There is an overnight train from Udaipur to Mumbai.

And, if you chose not to visit Bundi, there is a daily overnight train from Agra to Udaipur.

Phi

Advise please! I am going to India for 17 days in December-Jan and this is what I"ve planned thus far:

Delhi-4 days (including day trip to Agra)
Delhi-Udaipur on overnight train
Udaipur- 3 days
Udaipur to Kerala flight
Kerala-5 days
Kerala to Mumbai flight
Mumbai-5 days

Advice? Suggestions? Am I cramming in too much?

steven_ber

Delhi 3 days, then Agra (staying overnight in Bharatpur, 55kms from Agra), then a day in Bharatpur (read about the place in a guidebook), then an overnight train from Bharatpur to Udaipur, then a flight to Kerala (via Mumbai as there are no direct flights), then 7 days in Kerala, then fly to Mumbai and spend 2 days there. (I'm guessing you're flying home from Mumbai)

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Train information.

Mickey S

Any reason why this could not have been added to the previous thread you started on the same topic?

capt_mahajan

steven_ber

I didn't realise, but I thought....not another Del, Ag, Raj, Ker thread, I only replied because I thought other members may be sick of replying to these same threads over and over again.

Mickey S

I just thought it was somewhat bizarre (and even rude) that someone should begin a thread and then, having received a number of replies and suggestions in that one, starts another, identical thread with the same question.

Phi

Thanks all for the input. I did post a thread yesterday (my first) and, based on feedback, altered my itinerary. This is my second day on IndiaMike and I"m just learning the ropes. I didn't even realize it would attach it to my thread from yesterday or I would have done so myself.

Thanks again for the advice. I shall continue working on my itinerary.