Itinerary in India late Oct to late Nov - advice pls!

Pangli

Hello Everyone

It’s my first post on this brilliant website!

I am planning my first solo trip to India. I am a 30 year old female.
I am on medium budget, am flexible with timings and places to visit, would prefer train (does not matter if not air-con) and don’t mind plane journeys if they will save me time.

I will be spending 2 weeks volunteering in Jaipur which will include visits to Delhi, Agra and Amber Fort. Then I have a total of 3 weeks free after that.

Please could you see if my suggested itinerary below is manageable? Am I visiting in places in the right order? I don’t mind missing out some places. Have I allowed enough days per location? How should I travel from Udaipur to Khajuraho? Also how to travel from Varanasi to Aurangabad?

I don’t want to be too stressed out from travelling especially by myself and ideally I want a few days to relax in Kerala before my return flight home – any suggestions other then the mentioned places in Kerela is welcome!

Day 1 – London to Amritsar
Day 2 – See Amritsar and Atari
Day 3 to 17 – Volunteering project in Jaipur
Day 17 – Overnight train Jaipur to Jaisalmer arrive early afternoon
Day 18 and 19 – See Jaisalmer (and camel safari?)
Day 20 – Overnight train Jaisalmer to Jodhpur arrive early morning
Day 21 – See Jodphur, then evening taxi to Udaipur
Day 22 and 23 – See Udaipur
Day 24 – Travel to Khajuraho? HOW?
Day 25 – See Khaj
Day 26 – Fly Khaj to Varanasi – arrive early afternoon
Day 27 – See Varanasi
Day 28 – Travel to Aurangabad? HOW?
Day 29 – Bus to Ellora, then to Aurangabad, then train to Mumbai
Day 30 – See Mumbai
Day 31 – Late morning flight to Trivandrum then bus to Kovalam
Day 32 – Kovalam
Day 33, 34, 35 –Varkala/or boat tour e.g. Alleppey? Any suggestions?
Day 36 – Return to Mumbai for flight home

Many many thanks

Pangli
xxx

Khak

there is no rail station near Khajuraho......... you have to make 5-6 hrs road journey from Jhansi....... you can consider travelling to/from Khajuraho by air in budget permits....... there is air connectivity with Khajuraho from Delhi, Mumbai and Varanasi.........book in advance to get cheap bargains

__________________
~Khak~

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover

Uncle_Martin

Hi Pangli

Some of these plans are a tad ambitious.

Day 21, it took us most of the day to travel between Jodhpur and Udaipur, perhaps the roads have improved in the last four years but its probably about 5-6 hours driving time.
Day 24 ... How? exactly you might be able to fly into Delhi on an early morning flight and then fly from Delhi to Khaj. via Varanasi but I suspect the timings could be tight.
Day 28 is another How? ... exactly you would probably be able to do it with two/three flights ... Khaj to Delhi and perhaps on to Aurangabad. As for by train well its a problem. A long hard drive to Satna and then a train along the line to Mumbai and then a bus or taxi ... possible but not easy.

I would suggest that you go from Udaipur to Aurungabad, I believe there is a bus (endurance) journey, and then from there to Ajanta and on to Jalgaon to get a train to Satna to visit Khaj. then 'plane to Varanasi and then hop to Mumbai by 'plane, probably via Delhi.

Other more knowledgeable people will both welcome you to the site and provide more appropriate amendments to your route, but in case they miss your post thats my tuppence worth.

Good Luck

Pangli

Hi Khak and Uncle Martin, your advice is very valuable and is much appreciated!

Uncle Martin, I have revised my itinerary with your suggestions:

Day 22 – Travel Jodphur to Udaipur
Day 23, 24 - See Udaipur
Day 24 – Fly to Aurangabad arrive late afternoon
Day 25 – Bus to Ellora, then to bus to Jalgaon
Day 26 – Train from Jalgaon to Satna, bus to Khajuraho
Day 27, 28 – See Khaj
Day 29, 30 – Early afternoon flight to and see Varanasi
Day 31 – Late afternoon flight to Mumbai (via Delhi) arrive late evening

Day 32 – Late morning flight to Trivandrum, then bus to Kovalam
Day 33 – Kovalam
Day 34, 35 – Varkala
Day 36 – Return to Mumbai for flight home

When you mentioned Ajanta, did you mean Ellora? I don't have time to visit both and some posts seem to indicate that the Ellora caves are more impressive.

I have found out that there are flights from Udaipur to Aurangabad, so won’t have the endurance bus journey, thank goodness!

Hopefully the revised itinerary is much less ambitious and I'll still get to visit all the places I want to go to!

Many thanks

Pangli

vandy

Hi there, If you are intending visiting Kovalam &
Varkhala for the beach type atmosphere, I suggest
you go to Goa for this, a lot closer to Mumbai.

Personally I am not a big fan of Goa, but this will not stop me reccomending the place to save someone a lot of time & Money for the same experience of relaxing on a beach.The money you save will enable you to stay at a nice resort in
South Goa close to the beach.The train trip from
Mumbai to Goa will also be Interesting.

Maybe you could have a look at Kerala another time
when you have more time on your hands.Its a long way to go from Mumbai even if you are flying,just
for 3 days.

As this is your first trip to India, you will be
Tired from travelling after your first few weeks.
Travelling in India for First timers can be very
Daunting,its very different from travelling in
Europe & other Western Countries.

vandy

Uncle_Martin

I found Ajanta even more impressive than Ellora, if you took a taxi and went b*gger the expense or found other travelers to share one, it is just possible to do Ellora and Ajanta in a day and get the bus from what the RG describes as the 'T' junction to Jalgoan for a train to Satna.

If you took one day to see Ellora and the Fort on the way there and then the next day to do Ajanta I believe it would be worth your while. I know this might be stretching things but ...

Now should you want a compromise between Goa and Varkala I could suggest Mangalore and the beach resort at Summer Sands at Ullal beach as a way to cool out. I thoroughly enjoyed Mangalore, and the fishermen's villages on both sides of the beach resort were OK. The Moslem's village to the south was nicer and the sunsets were wow ...there had been a little trouble with aggressive begging on the beach to the North but using a brummie accent and "hey f/*ckface, yow wanna to live a long life ar kid?" had the desired effect even when coming from an elderly lippy hippy with a walking stick.

btw my elder daughter was not too impressed by Varkala, however what she would have made of Ullal Beach is beyond my imagination, but all the younger people who bothered to pass the time of day with me seemed to be enjoying their few days recuperation time.

Pangli

Hey Guys

It wld be a bit difficult to do both Ellora and Ajanta.

It makes sense to leave Kerala for another time.

Thanks for the anecdote about Mangalore! Just visited the website of the resort that was suggested, and it looks like just what I am after for, so I think I'll go with it. I am sure I will need a lot of rest and relaxation all the travelling in the preceding weeks!

Many thanks!

xxx

wonderwomanusa

Years ago, travelling with friends, I saw Ajanta. I can't even recall how we got there, or why we rushed off to somewhere else, but I've been kicking myself ever since for not seeing Ellora, and have both Ajanta and Ellora on the itinerary for an upcoming visit to India.

If you're going to be that close to both sets of caves, don't pass either of them up .. they are very different.

Pangli

Well, I've been swayed by your opinions, so I will try to see if I can fit both in since I will be that close to Ajanta. I suppose one fewer day on the beach is worth it if I get to see some amazing caves... Thx