Need some advice (Madhya Pradesh)

mjl · Oct 5th, 2007, 01:09

Posted this in the wrong thread I think,

I am going to be traveling in India for the first time from Dec.22 - Jan.5. I'm trying to plan a trip for me and my girlfriend and we're not sure where to go yet. We mostly want to stay in Madhya Pradesh as well as around Mumbai. So far we definitely want to see Pachmarhi, Sanchi, Jabalpur, and Matheran. Other possibilities are Ellora and Ajanta, the meteor crater, and Mandu.

Are the first four cities I mentioned manageable in 2 weeks? Would it be wise to plan more stops along the way? Less stops?Are these places going to be insanely crowded around Christmas/New Years? Also, any information anyone has about these cities would be much appreciated.

Georg Naggies · Oct 6th, 2007, 00:26

Hello!
Let's see. Am I right in assuming you fly to and from Mumbai? To get to Pachmarhi you would have to train it to Pipariya and then take a bus journey up the mountains. You could take the Kolkata mail from Mumbai at 21:25, be the next day at 10:47 at Pipariya station, then go some two hours by bus to reach Pachmarhi. Then enjoy yourself in Pachmarhi. Sanchi and Jabalpur are in opposite directions, so you would have to decide which. Say you choose Jabalpur, this is a three hours train journey from Pipariya, which is the railhead for Pachmarhi. See for yourself the train schedules: http://www.indianrail.gov.in/inet_srcdest_names.html
I have never been to Jabalpur, I think it is a big city and maybe not the most scenic place. But there are the marble rocks and wasn't there a national park nearby, too.
Matheran again is someplace completely else. I think you should take a glance at a map to work out a probable route and then check with the Indian railways as under the Url I have given you above. As it is your list of destinations is a wild to and fro.
Best, Georg

mjl · Oct 8th, 2007, 22:25

Thanks for the response!

The plans loosely were to start in Jabalpur, work our way west through Pachmari to Bhopal and take a plane from there to Mumbai and then go to Matheran. I've read a few interesting things about Jabalpur, mainly the things you described, and am not sure it is worth a visit on such a limited trip. Alternatively, I was thinking we could base ourselves out of Bhopal and shoot out to Sanchi and Pachmarhi then get back to Mumbai as previously planned. All I really know about Bhopal is the chemical disaster, is a good place to visit?

wonderwomanusa · Oct 8th, 2007, 23:19

I spent a few days in Bhopal a couple of years ago and found it very restful. I didn't do much sightseeing (someone I knew was living there and we had a nice visit). There are a couple of beautiful mosques. Bhopal is well off the tourist trail, so you won't find many Westerners, or touts, and people were very nice to me there.

Georg Naggies · Oct 9th, 2007, 15:12

I have been to Pachmarhi in 2003. Must have been in a bad, critical mood because I found much fault with Pachmarhi. Have some pictures here: http://georgs-home.com/gallery/indien2003
I found it a poor and desperate place. Can't have been that bad, must have been myself. The walks were nice, very nice. Maybe I expected too much.

Oct 5th, 2007, 01:09	#1
mjl Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: United States Posts: 5	Need some advice (Madhya Pradesh) Posted this in the wrong thread I think, I am going to be traveling in India for the first time from Dec.22 - Jan.5. I'm trying to plan a trip for me and my girlfriend and we're not sure where to go yet. We mostly want to stay in Madhya Pradesh as well as around Mumbai. So far we definitely want to see Pachmarhi, Sanchi, Jabalpur, and Matheran. Other possibilities are Ellora and Ajanta, the meteor crater, and Mandu. Are the first four cities I mentioned manageable in 2 weeks? Would it be wise to plan more stops along the way? Less stops?Are these places going to be insanely crowded around Christmas/New Years? Also, any information anyone has about these cities would be much appreciated.

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Oct 6th, 2007, 00:26	#2
Georg Naggies Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Vienna, Austria Posts: 10	Hello! Let's see. Am I right in assuming you fly to and from Mumbai? To get to Pachmarhi you would have to train it to Pipariya and then take a bus journey up the mountains. You could take the Kolkata mail from Mumbai at 21:25, be the next day at 10:47 at Pipariya station, then go some two hours by bus to reach Pachmarhi. Then enjoy yourself in Pachmarhi. Sanchi and Jabalpur are in opposite directions, so you would have to decide which. Say you choose Jabalpur, this is a three hours train journey from Pipariya, which is the railhead for Pachmarhi. See for yourself the train schedules: http://www.indianrail.gov.in/inet_srcdest_names.html I have never been to Jabalpur, I think it is a big city and maybe not the most scenic place. But there are the marble rocks and wasn't there a national park nearby, too. Matheran again is someplace completely else. I think you should take a glance at a map to work out a probable route and then check with the Indian railways as under the Url I have given you above. As it is your list of destinations is a wild to and fro. Best, Georg

Oct 8th, 2007, 22:25	#3
mjl Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: United States Posts: 5	Thanks for the response! The plans loosely were to start in Jabalpur, work our way west through Pachmari to Bhopal and take a plane from there to Mumbai and then go to Matheran. I've read a few interesting things about Jabalpur, mainly the things you described, and am not sure it is worth a visit on such a limited trip. Alternatively, I was thinking we could base ourselves out of Bhopal and shoot out to Sanchi and Pachmarhi then get back to Mumbai as previously planned. All I really know about Bhopal is the chemical disaster, is a good place to visit?

Oct 8th, 2007, 23:19	#4
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 3,245	I spent a few days in Bhopal a couple of years ago and found it very restful. I didn't do much sightseeing (someone I knew was living there and we had a nice visit). There are a couple of beautiful mosques. Bhopal is well off the tourist trail, so you won't find many Westerners, or touts, and people were very nice to me there.

Oct 9th, 2007, 15:12	#5
Georg Naggies Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Vienna, Austria Posts: 10	I have been to Pachmarhi in 2003. Must have been in a bad, critical mood because I found much fault with Pachmarhi. Have some pictures here: http://georgs-home.com/gallery/indien2003 I found it a poor and desperate place. Can't have been that bad, must have been myself. The walks were nice, very nice. Maybe I expected too much.

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