Main Problem...how to get to Darjeeling and away from Darjeeling...plus more

Ajita

I am going to India for the third time, but the first time completely on my own. I want to travel throughout the country and I have two months. My itinerary (if you can call a list of places an itinerary) is below.

Mumbai
Ahmedabad (and travel around Gujarat)
Mount Abu
Jodhpur
Amritsar
Shimla
Varanasi or Khajurao
Darjeeling
Pondicherry
Chennai
Tiruvanamalai
Madurai
Kodaikanal (or Kodai)
Back to Mumbai
Delhi
Agra
Mathura
Delhi
Jaipur
Udaipur
Mumbai
Goa
Kerala
Back to Mumbai for flight home

I'd really appreciate help with getting from Khajurao/Varanasi to Darjeeling and from Darjeeling to [ideally] Pondicherry (or the nearest big city where I can get a flight/train to Pondicherry).

Also, if anyone else has any other suggestions/recommendations, I would REALLY appreciate them. My itinerary is completely flexible except the Gujarat bit and the bit after KodaiKanal. The bits after Darjeeling until 'Back to Mumbai are also a bit hazy (not too sure about the order etc).

Thanks a mil!

Mabsentt

I went from Varanasi to Darjeeling a couple of years ago, I got a rickshaw to Mughal Serai (roughly 30 minutes)where i caught a train to New Jalpaiguri (NJP) i think it leaves MS at around 6 in the evening arriving at NJP the following morning (9-10ish???), from there you have the options of the toy train, a share/private jeep which are easily found outside NJP station or the bus from Siliguri.

capt_mahajan

Unless you want to rush, I think you may need to drop a couple of places from your list. Seems quite a bit for 2 months.

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atala

There are no flights or even trains to Pondicherry, except a train from Bhubaneswar (Orissa) to Pondy, I think on Wednesday or something like that, and a few odd ones from Chennai, but not advisable. Reason is, Pondy was French and not well connected to British India. You will reach Pondy from Chennai though, and best thing to do is to take a taxi,(from Chennai airport around Rs 1500 for the 120 kilometers) unless you are okay with point-to-point busses, and finding that bus terminal.

All in all I wonder why you do not do the North India trip in one piece, and then come down South, or first do the South and then the North in one piece? Two months is not much; you could spend that easily just in the South, or North alone. What do you gain by such a run thru often similar looking places? Just trying to be helpful...

look for trains here
http://www.indianrail.gov.in/
then choose "trains between important stations" from the menu.

Ajita

Thanks to everyone who's posted a reply.

To respond to what a couple of people have brought up, I know my itinerary is ambitious (to say the least!), but I want to see as many of the places I've heard/dreamt(!) about. I realise I may not be able to do some places, which I don't have a problem with. The key places I definitely have to go are Gujarat (its where my family is from), Simla and Darjeeling and also Khajurao and Tiruvanamalai. Also, the last stretch of the trip (Mumbai-Delhi-Agra-Mathura-Delhi-Jaipur-Udaipur-Mumbai-Goa-Kerala-Mumbai) is based on my boyfriend coming to visit me while I'm out there. As he's never been to India, he'd like to see the main touristy bits, but he's also slightly obsessed with canal boats so Kerala is a must. The Mumbai bits in that part of the itinierary are very flexible, and don't have to be for more than a day, as we know we'll go back there in the future. The basis of the whirlwind tour of India is simply that I want to see certain areas; I know I will definitely go back to India at least ten more times in my lifetime (my parents have a flat in Mumbai and I'm planning to buy a property in either Goa or Kerala), so I can go back to areas that I fall in love with etc.

Ajita

Also, thanks very much Mabsentt. I need all the suggestions I can get!

jyotirmoy

You could rearrange the itinerary as
Mumbai-Ahmedabad-Mt.Abu-Udaipur-Jodhpur-Jaipur-Agra-Delhi-Varanasi-NJP-Kolkata-Chennai-Kerala-Goa-Mumbai.

Ajita

Also, I've just been looking at a map of India - there seem to be THREE Pondicherrys! Which is the one i want?!?

Ajita

Jyotirmoy - I completely understand the logic in what you're saying, however, as my boyfriend is coming out to visit me in November, the last part of the itinerary is much more fixed than the rest.

atala

The one 130 km south of Chennai.

Ajita

Thanks Atala!

atala

For travel from Chennai to Pondicherry I recommend to get a car from Pondy to pick you up at the Airport or the train station. it is cheaper and more reliable,and they know where to go in Pondy, which Chennai drivers won't. You get excellent drivers from these institutions, without any obligation to participate in anything else with them:

Sri Aurobindo Autocare Services
507, M.G. Road, Muthialpet
Pondicherry - 605 003
India. ISD Code 0091
Telefax: (0413) 2220957
Telephone: (0413) 2220612

and

avtransportserv@auroville.org. in

The first one is a bit less expensive, the second one is better if you want to go to Auroville (which is worth a visit for everyone, but heavily booked Dec-Feb).

The above car services are also heartily recommended for longer journeys in South India. Extremely nice and reliable drivers, at low cost. 600 Rupees a day plus 4.5 Rupees per kilometer. Fixed rates to and from Chennai RS 1300 for Sri Aurobindo Autocare, 1500 for Auroville transport service.

When you are picked up by a driver, he will have your name on a card board where you exit the airport, or inside the train station end of arrival platform or exit. Look out for that.