Dharamsala, Varanasi, Rajasthan, Khuri, Jodhpur, Bundi, birds, transport?

traveljoe

Hi,
We're excited for our 1 month trip Oct 19 - Nov 19. We are an active couple. We travel on a low budget ($15 per night for accommodations). Love nature, birds, meeting local people, authentic experiences. Not at all interested in things overly touristy, or loud partying backpackers.<br><br>

ITINERARY:
North: Delhi, Kullu (Dussehra!), Dharamsala<br>
Rajasthan: Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bundi, Keoladeo, Fatehpur Sikri<br>
Varanasi area: Varanasi, Sarnath, Bodh Gaya<br><br>

QUESTIONS:<br>
1) Recommendations for half day camel rides from Khuri (we are not interested in camel tourist throngs of Jaisalmer)? Is sunset ride and return to hut hotel enough? or must we sleep in dessert? Note: girlfriend has bad back so minimal camel riding is ideal.<br><br>

2) In our Itinerary above, we wish to see huge Himalayan peaks. Will we get huge peaks near Kullu?, Dharamsala?, Almora? Or, somewhere else?<br><br>

3) Near Dharamsala, any good tips on Dalhousie versus Chamba? Which is best?<br><br>

4) East of Delhi, any tips on Almora, Binsar, Jageshwar?<br><br>

5)Varanasi, tips on Sarnath and Bodh Gaya<br><br>

6) TRANSPORTATION: How to best get from Dharamsala to Jaisalmer. (do we need to go via Delhi?)<br><br>

7) TRANSPORTATION: Your best recommendations exactly to best go from Delhi - Jaisalmer - Jodhpur - Bundi - Agra? – Varanasi – end in Delhi in quickest amount of time. (OK to suggest 1 short flight segment somewhere.)<br><br>

8) BIRDING: Keolaedo is a definite for us. Is SULTANPUR worth a visit? Any other recommendation?<br><br>

Thank you

Aishah

I will answer 2 of your questions - to get from Dharamsala to Jaisalmer I suggest you take the bus or taxi to Pathankot and catch the train to Jodhpur - there is no need to go via Delhi.
if your train arrives early morning you will have enough time to check out Fort etc. then catch the overnight train to Jaisalmer or a bus early evening. Have a feeling the Jodhpur - Pathankot train gets in middle of day in which case maybe stay one night Jodhpur.
Keep in mind Diwali holidays which are around Nov 9.10,11 and both Jaisalmer, Khuri and Sam resorts will be packed with holidaying Indian tourists for around 10 days prior to these dates and about a week after. You should be making bookings if your time of arrival in Jaisalmer is going to coincide with these dates. Also, you need not necessarily go to Khuri and do your camel ride and think it is off the beaten track - Khuri has now developed into a multi-tented resort area and many new places to stay have sprung up since '99 when I first saw it and thought 'how nice and undeveloped it was'. I looked out there a year ago and was hugely disappointed. What you need to look for is someone who will organize you out to the desert, pick up a camel and ride away from the hordes in a quiet area - this is easily done. Your quiet area can be found in vicinities before Sam or Khuri.

__________________
"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

wonderwomanusa

I don't recall views of the Himalayas from Kullu/Manali, but that's probably because these were my first stops in India and I was too busy looking around to look up! You certainly can get good views of the mountains from Almora; sunrise can be most beautiful, and you'll want a blanket to keep you warm if you are just sitting and watching. And your long underwear!

You have planned quite a bit for your month in India; I fear you will be too tightly scheduled, depending on how you travel. Everything takes much longer than it does in the US.

karuna

We stayed at Krishna camp in Khuri, there are dozens of places all doing much the same thing. Your hotel will be utterly delighted to give you a recommendation....

Hmm....you can see peaks if you take a day trip from Manali to Rohtang pass, or also on the way to Dharamsala from Mandi if I recall correctly.

Different different. Chamba is small and more remote. Depends what you're looking for.

Sorry, don't know.

You can go to Sarnath, visit the main temples there and be back in Varanasi within a couple of hours. It's quite interesting if you're interested in Buddhism, otherwise, not at all.

Aishah answered this part already. Just to add that is a loooong journey. A looooooooooooong journey.

Please see Steven ber's train times thread, he has the answers you seek, my friend.

The flight segment would probably be Varanasi to Delhi to prevent tedious backtracking.

Again sorry, I've no idea.