Month Long Itinerary First Time in India

ronzesty

Hello everyone. This is my first trip to India and we have about a month. The plan after Kolkata is pretty much up in the air, so I would welcome all suggestions:

May 21st - May 23rd: New Delhi
24th Agra [night train to Varanassi]
25th - 27th Varanassi [night train to New Jalpaiguri]
28th - 1st Darjeeling [night train to Kolkata]
2 - 4th Kolkata [night train to Gaya]
5 Gaya [night train to Satna]
6 Khajuraho [night train to Jaipur]
7,8 Jaipur [night train to jaisalmer]
9 - 11 Jaisalmer [train to jodhpur]
12 - 14 Jodhpur [train to udaipur]
15 - 17 udaipur [night train to Delhi]
18 - 19 Delhi [outbound flight on the 19th]



There are some things about the itinerary that I don't like. I would have liked to visit Mumbai, but some people say that it can be missed. Is Jodhpur a better place to visit than Udaipur? Also, is there anything in between Kolkata and Jaipur that shouldn't be missed other than Bodh Gaya and Khajuraho?

Should I rearrange the itinerary to include Mumbai and perhaps Goa?

Indizen

There is a direct overnight train from Udaipur to Mumbai, three days a week.
Train No 2996A UDZ BDTS SF EXP leaves UDZ at 21.40 to reach Bandra, Mumbai BDTS at 14.25 in 16.45 hours.
www.erail.in
Mumbai to Delhi, you can take a low cost domestic flight

steven_ber

You're going to spend a long time getting to/from Khajuraho, but you'll have little more than half a day there, doesn't seem worth it.

Even when the trains start from Khajuraho, it's very unlikely that they'll go to Jaipur, Agra yes, but not Jaipur, so if you do go forward with this plan, go Delhi-Varanasi, then later, Khajurahi-Agra-Jaipur. (or fly from Delhi to Bagdogra to get to Darjeeling, and go to Varanasi on your way back, there may even be a Varanasi-Khajuraho train announced in the rail budget in 3 days)

You'll need to get a bus from Jodhpur to Udaipur.

Overall, you've included far too much in your plans, you need to forget about 2 places, at the very minimum, 1 place.

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Train information.

jyotirmoy

June will be terribly hot in Jodhpur & Jaisalmer.
I agree with Steven, travelling so long for half a day at Khajuraho is really not worth.
You are doing a little back tracking in your Kolkata, Varanasi. Gaya sector.
Consider this:
Delhi-Varanasi-Gaya-Kolkata-New Jalpaiguri-Delhi. Instead of the long train journey from New Jalpaiguri I would recommend taking a budget airline to fly Bagdogra-Delhi.
There is a convinient overnight train from Delhi to both Jodhpur & Jaisalmer.

ronzesty

For my one month intinarary, I have picked too many cities. Out of the following cities, if you had to knock out two of them, which places wouldn't make the cut?

Jaipur
Jodhpur
BodhGaya
Jaisalmer
Udaipur
Khajuraho
Simla
Kolkata


Also, not completely related, but how safe would it be to drink the chai they serve on the trains. To that regard, how safe would chai be in general in India? love my chai, but don't want to get sick.

machadinha

Since chai is (vigorously) boiled with all its ingredients, it's generally safe to drink.

Some people worry about the freshly rinsed (with tap water, or kept in a bucket thereof rather) glasses it may be served in; what can I say, never bothered me. In fact it's the nr. 1 cheap and universally available refresher over there, and a nice way to wile away the time and watch the world go by while you're at it.

What cities to drop, I can't tell you, those all look nice to me. Jaipur I wasn't big on, but that's just me. Hectic and congested place with lots of pesky touts I found, and many report the same. Others obviously like it for being the famous city with its renowned sights that it is.

[Edit: merged your related threads now. Had I known about your period of travel and other considerations and the previous replies you got, I might have viewed it differently. May be back on it later; or maybe not.]

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ronzesty

my apologies for not replying to my original post, and thank you for merging the two.

Also, thanks for the advice on the chai. I look forward to many cups.

kristinm

I second both these sentiments - we drank copious amounts of Chai (still trying to get rid of the sugar cravings now!!!) - and I would personally put Japiur and Jodphur to the bottom of my list, they are so hectic and touristy - we loved Jaisalmer and Udaipur..

machadinha

Er, except I really really liked Jodhpur, and others report the same... Jaisalmer I found very pretty and evocative and romantic, but way too touristed in contrast. Udaipur, ditto, really.

So many different stories, right! Arriving a day before or after may make a world of difference anyway. Bumping into the right people, stumbling over that one great eatery. Or not. Etc.

ps Ron, no apologies needed. One gets cranky sometimes over separate threads being started where the full picture would have been handier, that's all, it happens, no biggie.

I guess you'll realize it will basically be hot, and possibly getting wet by that time. Focusing on the mountains might make sense in that way; if it does get wet, this may mean transport complications up there by way of landslides etc. however. Well, once the monsoon hits, there'll be transport complications everywhere anyway.

Try this whole thread for a general overview of the weather: India climate chart. And bear in mind that's just general indeed, the climate doesn't tend to stick to charts.

kristinm

So true - we happened to be in Jodhpur when it was heavily overcast and we really couldn't breathe at all... coupled with the crowds and touts around the clocktower and a morning spent attempting to post stuff back here and it wasn't the best place - Jaisalmer straight after with its clear desert air was a real contrast - touristy inside the fort, but not outside I thought.. and compared to the touts in Jaipur and Agra later the Jaisalmer lot were just beginners!!!!

manali4now

Simla - boring!!!!! Just a bunch of middle class indians promonating along the pedestrian-only mall. Not real close views of the mountains. Expensive accomodation.

Jaipur - built up and really more a big Indian city now.

Jodpur - better, but also just another big city.

Udaipur is a nice choice for the lake and reasonable guesthouse prices.

Other choies - Bundi, Pushkar, Orchha (which is Mahdya Pradesh - but a 8 hour train from Delhi!!!!

You're going in JUNE!!!

Man, you'll be roasting!!!! Last time I was in Delhi, in June, it was 46 degrees celcius. That's like 114 degrees F.

Can I suggest you go after the Monsoon time (like Septemeber onwards)...then everything will be green and the heat will be gone.

If you have to go somewhere in June in India, then go to Himachel Pradesh, North Bengal, Uttar Pradesh...Basically the Himalayas.