Kolkata-Darjeeling-Varanasi-Delhi: 17 days January/February

Shingle

Hi All!

Many thanks in advance for any advice.

I'm travelling to friends' wedding in Kolkata in January, and plan to spend a couple of weeks after that travelling around. I'll be travelling with my flatmate, who has been to India before, but I've never been (very excited!) and neither of us has been to these places before, so any advice on timings, things to see and do, etc. very welcome.

We realise we are packing a lot in, but that's the kind of holiday we tend to like, and we are happy sleeping on overnight trains. On the other hand, we are not that big on cities and have quite a few days in Delhi at the end, so we'd be happy to add a day or two to other places along the way instead of Delhi.

Many thanks!

Diana


**Thursday
Fly to Kolkata
**Friday
Day in Delhi
Mendhi party
**Saturday
Day in Kolkata
**Sunday
Wedding
**Monday
Trip to Santiniketan
**Tuesday
Lunch party in Kolkata
Overnight train to NJP/Siliguri [12 hours]
**Wednesday
Toy train to Darjeeling
**Thursday
Day in Darjeeling/Ghoom
** Friday
Train/taxi to Siliguri and on to Madarihat
Stay at Jaldapara
**Saturday
Jaldapara
Overnight train to Patna Junction [12 hours]
**Sunday
Train to Gaya [2h30 – 3 daily]
Bus to Bodh Gaya [13km]
Afternoon/evening in Bodh Gaya
**Monday
Bodhy Gaya to Gaya
Gaya to Varanasi [4-6h]
**Tuesday
Overnight Train Varanasi to Agra [12h]
**Wednesday
Day in Gwalior [1–2h each way]
Stay in Agra
**Thursday
Day at Agra
Stay in Delhi
**Friday
Delhi
**Saturday
Delhi
** Sunday
Day in Delhi
Late plane to London

wonderwomanusa

It's hard to know what your question might be.

I think you are trying to do too much; a delayed train may totally destroy your schedule. And all those train rides followed by an entire day's sightseeing and then back on a train for another ride and more sightseeing ..... this is no holiday, it's an endurance test!