Nervous and leaving for India in 21 days! Please help!

MaHoney 09 · Oct 17th, 2009, 00:07

Hi everyone,

Apologies in advance for the huge post, and for probably sounding incredibly naive

, but my fiancé and I are visiting India for the first time in just three weeks, and we could really use some advice!

For a number of reasons, not least because we are only going for two weeks, we have decided to use an Indian tour company for our trip, which will include a driver, tours, accommodation and some meals. We are both fairly well travelled, but this is my first time going somewhere as different as India, and ideally, I’d like to see as much of the country as possible, in the safest way possible (my partner suffers from IBD so health is a concern). I am sure that I’ll receive a lot of grief for this – some of our friends have already told us that it’s a mistake and overpriced, but with a bit of help from our parents, and a lot of saving, we have a fairly reasonable budget to go with, and want to ensure the best ‘bang for our buck’! The tour is private, and customisable, so we can change parts based on the advice I will hopefully receive here!

I know it’s a lot to ask, but if you’re experienced in India, and have 15 minutes to spare, I’d REALLY appreciate it if you could check out our potential itinerary and let me know if you think it sounds good, i.e. nice places, not trying to cram too much in, and useful tips, places to avoid or make sure we visit etc.

Here goes!...

Delhi – Agra – Ranthambore – Jaipur – Jodhpur – Udaipur - Cochin – Kumarakom – Alleppey – Cochin – Delhi

07.11.09
Day 01
Arrive in Delhi
Check into hotel, sleep!

08.11.09
Day 02
Visiting attractions in Delhi
Visit the Qutub Complex, drive to British Delhi to visit the monuments such as the President’s House, Parliament House and India Gate. After lunch, start with Old Delhi visiting the Red Fort then the Jama Masjid. Then Bazaar Walk in Old Delhi and Chandni Chowk area with cycle rickshaw ride from Jama Masjid to Chandni Chowk.

09.11.09
Day 03
Delhi – Agra (4 hour drive)
Sightseeing in Agra city with a visit to The Taj Mahal at dawn. Followed by Agra Fort, and a photo-stop at Emperor Akbar’s mausoleum in Sikandra. Visti to Itmadullah's Tomb (known as the Baby Taj Mahal) where you can see a wonderful view of the River and the famous public laundry. If you have more time, we can also take you to see the real Agra – its bylanes and bazaars.

10.11.09
Day 04
Agra – Bharatpur – Ranthambore (1 hour drive followed by 2 ½ hour train journey from Kota Jan Shatabdi to Sawai Madhopur (Ranthambore)

**What can I expect from this train journey?!**

On-route visit to Fatehpur Sikri (a deserted, sandstone city). Check in to hotel ,have lunch and in the afternoon visit Ranthambore national park and tiger reserve.

11.11.09
Day 05
Ranthambore National Park
You have full day game viewing inside the jungle (two safaris – morning and evening).

12.11.09
Day 06
Ranthambore – Jaipur (3 hour drive)
After breakfast at the hotel, we will drive you to Jaipur to spend the day doing as you wish in the city. We recommend viewing the massive forts, magnificent palaces, exquisite temples and lush gardens.

13.11.09
Day 07
Jaipur Sightseeing
After breakfast go on a sightseeing tour of Pink City with our experienced Guide. This will include:

Amber Fort Palace tour with an Elephant Safari ride
City Palace tour
Jantar Mantar observatory tour
Hawa Mahal, the"Palace of Winds" tour

**Do you think this is a bit much for one day?!**

14.11.09
Day 08
Jaipur – Jodhpur (6 hour drive)
Visit the museum of Umaid Bhawan Palace and afternoon sightseeing tour of Jodhpur including Mehrangarh FortJaswant and the Thada Memorial.

**Is one day in Jodhpur enough and are we trying to cram too much in here?**

15.11.09
Day 09
Jodhpur - Ranakpur – Udaipur (5 hour drive)
In the morning before the long drive, go on a village safari in the jeep and have a rare glimpse into the rich culture and true essence of India. Abundant wildlife (game) and memorable moments of the great desert landscape fascinates one while driving along the countryside. Back to the hotel for breakfast, then drive to Udaipur with an en-route visit to Ranakpur Temple. Check into hotel and spend a relaxing evening and have dinner in Udaipur.

16.11.09
Day 10
Udaipur
Sight-seeing in Udaipur including: City Palace, Saheliyon ki Bari, Lake Pichola and Jagdish Temple

17.11.09
Day 11
Udaipur – Delhi – Cochin (2 hour flight followed by 3½ hour connecting flight)
On arrival in Cochin, check into hotel and proceed into town to see sights such as the Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue, Fort Kochi and St. Francis Church, followed by a Kathakali show over dinner.

18.11.09
Day 12
Cochin – Kumarakom (1 hour drive)
Sightseeing of Kumarakom City, Kerala's rice bowl, for backwater tours of the evergreen paddy fields, large mangrove forests stretching and palm trees by the sea shore. Followed by a tour of the major attractions of Kumarakom City such as the 14 acre Water Bird Sanctuary on the eastern banks of the Verbanad Lake.

19.11.09
Day 13
Kumarakom – Alleppey (by Overnight House boat Cruise – 22 hrs)
Morning after breakfast, transfer to deluxe houseboat to enjoy the 22 hours of backwater cruise from Kumarakom to Alleppey. This journey is considered to be one of the best attractions. The house boat is fully furnished with single and double bedrooms, sundeck, private balcony and a kitchen. It also comprises a chef, Oarsmen & cabin assistant. The materials that go into the making are all local and Eco friendly bamboo poles, coconut fibre ropes, bamboo mats, coir carpets etc.

20.11.09
Day 14
Alleppey – Cochin – Delhi (3½ hour flight)
A full day at leisure in and around the hotel in Delhi

21.11.09
Day 15
Delhi – Home (3 hour drive to airport)

Apart from the questions in-line, my main concerns are:

Are we trying to do too much? We will be wasting a day flying down to Kerala – is it worth it?
Will we be too rushed on the tours? Taj Mahal etc.?
Will the long drives be a great way to see the country, or drive us absolutely crazy?!

Thank you SO much for even reading this far! x

gaurav1441 · Oct 17th, 2009, 00:19

This itinerary is probably made by a seasoned travel agent. This is not too much of a rush anywhere.

Haylo · Oct 17th, 2009, 00:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaHoney 09

my partner suffers from IBD so health is a concern

No idea what IBD is, sorry, but if you're careful in India, it doesn't have to be a particularly unhealthy place to be. In five trips to Delhi, I've only had Delhi belly twice, and only once was bad.

Your itinerary doesn't give you any slack, and you seem to be moving every day, personally I'd find that far too exhausting, but many people do enjoy those sorts of travels.

Quote:

I am sure that I’ll receive a lot of grief for this – some of our friends have already told us that it’s a mistake and overpriced

Well, not everybody feels confident to make their own bookings first time, don't worry about it. If you ever go back, you can save yourself a lot of money by doing it yourself.

Quote:

The tour is private, and customisable, so we can change parts based on the advice I will hopefully receive here!

As you're going to Agra anyway, you might consider visiting Fatehpur Sikri, which is nearby (30 mins away or something like that) and far less busy than the Taj Mahal. I found it a lot more relaxing than Agra.

Quote:

**Do you think this is a bit much for one day?!**

If you've had enough on one day, you can always just tell your driver to take you back to your hotel.

Quote:

Delhi – Home (3 hour drive to airport)

If it's a 3 hour drive, you're not in Delhi!

Quote:

Are we trying to do too much? We will be wasting a day flying down to Kerala – is it worth it?

Well, if you enjoy doing a lot of travel, yes. It will be a totally different India to the one you've seen in the North. I say go for it, just give yourself a holiday to recover when you get home!

Quote:

Will we be too rushed on the tours? Taj Mahal etc.?

TM doesn't take long to visit, it really depends on how energetic you are.

Quote:

Will the long drives be a great way to see the country, or drive us absolutely crazy?!

You aren't doing any really long drives, longest one I've done is 18 hours and that WAS hard work. The distances you're diong will be fun though, make sure they're in daylight, or they'll be a mixture of boring and far too exciting.

Oh, and don't worry about being nervous, everyone who says they weren't nervous before their first trip to India is either stupid or lying.

vintech · Oct 17th, 2009, 00:36

Just be sure that someone is assiting you from the travel agent side when going through a tricycle rickshaw in Chandni chowk.. Train journey for Rajasthan, dont book your tickets in regular class, have it in the AC compartments else that could be little annoring..At Agra, beware of the local hawkers and if you want to shop anything do that in Delhi itself... be it whether postcards or the Taj mini sculpture.. South should not be a problem at all.. you can be very sure which is from Day 12 onwards.. Take the phone number of the travel agent and keep him informed when changing states You are crossing from Delhi - Rajasthan - Kerala (3 states).. what else.. you should be fine and have ample time to see things...

OceanTragic · Oct 17th, 2009, 00:40

Obviously it's your tour but you're doing a huge diversion just to ride on a houseboat for one day; if it were me I'd stay up North and spend a little more time at one of the destinations you're already going to.

Maybe I read it wrong but you won't be seeing the Taj Mahal at dawn if you're travelliing down from Delhi, not unless you less at 2am.

Jodhpur to Udaipur is more like 7 or 8 hours.

MaHoney 09 · Oct 17th, 2009, 00:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haylo

No idea what IBD is, sorry, but if you're careful in India, it doesn't have to be a particularly unhealthy place to be. In five trips to Delhi, I've only had Delhi belly twice, and only once was bad.

Your itinerary doesn't give you any slack, and you seem to be moving every day, personally I'd find that far too exhausting, but many people do enjoy those sorts of travels.

[/font]Well, not everybody feels confident to make their own bookings first time, don't worry about it. If you ever go back, you can save yourself a lot of money by doing it yourself.

As you're going to Agra anyway, you might consider visiting Fatehpur Sikri, which is nearby (30 mins away or something like that) and far less busy than the Taj Mahal. I found it a lot more relaxing than Agra.

If you've had enough on one day, you can always just tell your driver to take you back to your hotel.

If it's a 3 hour drive, you're not in Delhi!

Well, if you enjoy doing a lot of travel, yes. It will be a totally different India to the one you've seen in the North. I say go for it, just give yourself a holiday to recover when you get home!

TM doesn't take long to visit, it really depends on how energetic you are.

You aren't doing any really long drives, longest one I've done is 18 hours and that WAS hard work. The distances you're diong will be fun though, make sure they're in daylight, or they'll be a mixture of boring and far too exciting.

Oh, and don't worry about being nervous, everyone who says they weren't nervous before their first trip to India is either stupid or lying.

Haylo, Vintech, you have no idea how helpful that information is or how much you've put my mind at ease. Thanks to you I'll sleep a lot better tonight!

Haylo · Oct 17th, 2009, 00:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by OceanTragic

Maybe I read it wrong but you won't be seeing the Taj Mahal at dawn if you're travelliing down from Delhi, not unless you less at 2am.

What's wrong with getting up at 2am?

Anyway, there's no traffic at that time, and sunrise isn't until 6.30am at that time of year, so getting up at 3.30ish should be early enough if you don't waste time with silly things like breakfast and dressing nicely.

The journey back to the airport from Delhi taking 3 hours... Do you know what hotel you're in? If it's way South of Delhi you're onto a good thing with getting to Agra, but if it takes so long because for some odd reason you're in a hotel North of Delhi (though I can't think of any likely place that would be as far as 3 hours from the airport) you could be having to get up at midnight!!!

MaHoney 09 · Oct 17th, 2009, 00:55

I think we're staying at the Florence Inn as that's where we're staying first time round in Delhi (any good?), but he has put 3 hours drive (157km), and then mentioned getting to the airport 2hr 30mins before the flight, so maybe he's accomodating for that? Not sure how long 157km would take?

Haylo · Oct 17th, 2009, 01:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaHoney 09

Not sure how long 157km would take?

About three hours is about right for 157km, but if that's the distance from your hotel to Delhi international airport, your hotel certainly isn't in Delhi, or anywhere near it!

Maybe he has made a mistake, and that's the Agra hotel?

I googled "Florence Inn" and there's one in Karol Bagh, Delhi. That's about 20km / 30 mins from the airport, though obviously depending on the time of day you might want to allow plenty of extra time.

MaHoney 09 · Oct 17th, 2009, 01:03

Hmmm, I'll find out and let you know! That's the correct Florence Inn for the first part of our trip though.

Haylo · Oct 17th, 2009, 01:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaHoney 09

Hmmm, I'll find out and let you know! That's the correct Florence Inn for the first part of our trip though.

Apologies in advance if I'm not able to respond. In fact I should be packing right now!

Plenty of other members who know Delhi well though.

capt_mahajan · Oct 17th, 2009, 01:47

Agree with Haylo about Fatehpur Sikri and OceanTragic about staying North.

andymell · Oct 17th, 2009, 02:23

I agree with others that your itinerary is aggressive, but doable. This is a bit faster pace than I set on my first couple trips to India. While I loved those trips, I found that a slower pace gave me much more time to really see the people in a town, and the sights were more enjoyable if I wasn't exhausted. I guess if you have limited vacation time, then maybe it is worth it.

Ft. Cochin & the houseboat are lovely and great fun. But, you are taking a huge detour to do this. If Mumbai interests you, you could go from Udaipur to Mumbai and then return home from there. It's a big, crowded city. But, it's walkable, and the colonial-era architecture as well as the people-watching at parts and the beach are well worth it. Lots of other great options in the North/West of India as well.

Do make sure that you'll actually get to see the Taj. It looks like you have one day to see all of Agra (including the Taj) and then go to Bharatpur and then get to Ranthambore that night.

andymell · Oct 17th, 2009, 02:27

Want to add:

There is a great variety of hotels in India. Even among "luxury" hotels, some are top notch, comparable to the top hotels in a mid-sized American/European city. While some are, uh, not. Make sure you look at TripAdvisor and this board for the names of the hotels you are staying at. Make sure that the reviews of the hotel match your expectations.

lkowallah · Oct 17th, 2009, 03:04

Will the long drives be a great way to see the country, or drive us absolutely crazy?

The sights are indeed great, but the ride will not be as comfortable as one is used to in the west. Suggest try to cut out some of those long drives.

Oct 17th, 2009, 00:07	#1
MaHoney 09 Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: London Posts: 4	Nervous and leaving for India in 21 days! Please help! Hi everyone, Apologies in advance for the huge post, and for probably sounding incredibly naive , but my fiancé and I are visiting India for the first time in just three weeks, and we could really use some advice! For a number of reasons, not least because we are only going for two weeks, we have decided to use an Indian tour company for our trip, which will include a driver, tours, accommodation and some meals. We are both fairly well travelled, but this is my first time going somewhere as different as India, and ideally, I’d like to see as much of the country as possible, in the safest way possible (my partner suffers from IBD so health is a concern). I am sure that I’ll receive a lot of grief for this – some of our friends have already told us that it’s a mistake and overpriced, but with a bit of help from our parents, and a lot of saving, we have a fairly reasonable budget to go with, and want to ensure the best ‘bang for our buck’! The tour is private, and customisable, so we can change parts based on the advice I will hopefully receive here! I know it’s a lot to ask, but if you’re experienced in India, and have 15 minutes to spare, I’d REALLY appreciate it if you could check out our potential itinerary and let me know if you think it sounds good, i.e. nice places, not trying to cram too much in, and useful tips, places to avoid or make sure we visit etc. Here goes!... Delhi – Agra – Ranthambore – Jaipur – Jodhpur – Udaipur - Cochin – Kumarakom – Alleppey – Cochin – Delhi 07.11.09 Day 01 Arrive in Delhi Check into hotel, sleep! 08.11.09 Day 02 Visiting attractions in Delhi Visit the Qutub Complex, drive to British Delhi to visit the monuments such as the President’s House, Parliament House and India Gate. After lunch, start with Old Delhi visiting the Red Fort then the Jama Masjid. Then Bazaar Walk in Old Delhi and Chandni Chowk area with cycle rickshaw ride from Jama Masjid to Chandni Chowk. 09.11.09 Day 03 Delhi – Agra (4 hour drive) Sightseeing in Agra city with a visit to The Taj Mahal at dawn. Followed by Agra Fort, and a photo-stop at Emperor Akbar’s mausoleum in Sikandra. Visti to Itmadullah's Tomb (known as the Baby Taj Mahal) where you can see a wonderful view of the River and the famous public laundry. If you have more time, we can also take you to see the real Agra – its bylanes and bazaars. 10.11.09 Day 04 Agra – Bharatpur – Ranthambore (1 hour drive followed by 2 ½ hour train journey from Kota Jan Shatabdi to Sawai Madhopur (Ranthambore) What can I expect from this train journey?! On-route visit to Fatehpur Sikri (a deserted, sandstone city). Check in to hotel ,have lunch and in the afternoon visit Ranthambore national park and tiger reserve. 11.11.09 Day 05 Ranthambore National Park You have full day game viewing inside the jungle (two safaris – morning and evening). 12.11.09 Day 06 Ranthambore – Jaipur (3 hour drive) After breakfast at the hotel, we will drive you to Jaipur to spend the day doing as you wish in the city. We recommend viewing the massive forts, magnificent palaces, exquisite temples and lush gardens. 13.11.09 Day 07 Jaipur Sightseeing After breakfast go on a sightseeing tour of Pink City with our experienced Guide. This will include: Amber Fort Palace tour with an Elephant Safari ride City Palace tour Jantar Mantar observatory tour Hawa Mahal, the"Palace of Winds" tour Do you think this is a bit much for one day?! 14.11.09 Day 08 Jaipur – Jodhpur (6 hour drive) Visit the museum of Umaid Bhawan Palace and afternoon sightseeing tour of Jodhpur including Mehrangarh FortJaswant and the Thada Memorial. Is one day in Jodhpur enough and are we trying to cram too much in here? 15.11.09 Day 09 Jodhpur - Ranakpur – Udaipur (5 hour drive) In the morning before the long drive, go on a village safari in the jeep and have a rare glimpse into the rich culture and true essence of India. Abundant wildlife (game) and memorable moments of the great desert landscape fascinates one while driving along the countryside. Back to the hotel for breakfast, then drive to Udaipur with an en-route visit to Ranakpur Temple. Check into hotel and spend a relaxing evening and have dinner in Udaipur. 16.11.09 Day 10 Udaipur Sight-seeing in Udaipur including: City Palace, Saheliyon ki Bari, Lake Pichola and Jagdish Temple 17.11.09 Day 11 Udaipur – Delhi – Cochin (2 hour flight followed by 3½ hour connecting flight) On arrival in Cochin, check into hotel and proceed into town to see sights such as the Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue, Fort Kochi and St. Francis Church, followed by a Kathakali show over dinner. 18.11.09 Day 12 Cochin – Kumarakom (1 hour drive) Sightseeing of Kumarakom City, Kerala's rice bowl, for backwater tours of the evergreen paddy fields, large mangrove forests stretching and palm trees by the sea shore. Followed by a tour of the major attractions of Kumarakom City such as the 14 acre Water Bird Sanctuary on the eastern banks of the Verbanad Lake. 19.11.09 Day 13 Kumarakom – Alleppey (by Overnight House boat Cruise – 22 hrs) Morning after breakfast, transfer to deluxe houseboat to enjoy the 22 hours of backwater cruise from Kumarakom to Alleppey. This journey is considered to be one of the best attractions. The house boat is fully furnished with single and double bedrooms, sundeck, private balcony and a kitchen. It also comprises a chef, Oarsmen & cabin assistant. The materials that go into the making are all local and Eco friendly bamboo poles, coconut fibre ropes, bamboo mats, coir carpets etc. 20.11.09 Day 14 Alleppey – Cochin – Delhi (3½ hour flight) A full day at leisure in and around the hotel in Delhi 21.11.09 Day 15 Delhi – Home (3 hour drive to airport) Apart from the questions in-line, my main concerns are: Are we trying to do too much? We will be wasting a day flying down to Kerala – is it worth it? Will we be too rushed on the tours? Taj Mahal etc.? Will the long drives be a great way to see the country, or drive us absolutely crazy?! Thank you SO much for even reading this far! x

Oct 17th, 2009, 00:40	#5
OceanTragic More Of A Leecher Than A Seeder Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Southampton,UK Posts: 946	Obviously it's your tour but you're doing a huge diversion just to ride on a houseboat for one day; if it were me I'd stay up North and spend a little more time at one of the destinations you're already going to. Maybe I read it wrong but you won't be seeing the Taj Mahal at dawn if you're travelliing down from Delhi, not unless you less at 2am. Jodhpur to Udaipur is more like 7 or 8 hours. __________________ . My 2009 Trip Journal..... Information about planning a trip around Rajasthan (with kids).....My photo gallery

Oct 17th, 2009, 01:47	#12
capt_mahajan Infidel Sufi Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: styx Posts: 13,605	Agree with Haylo about Fatehpur Sikri and OceanTragic about staying North. __________________ . Outside the machine

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Oct 17th, 2009, 00:19	#2
gaurav1441 Maha Guru Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Orleans Posts: 729	This itinerary is probably made by a seasoned travel agent. This is not too much of a rush anywhere.

Oct 17th, 2009, 00:36	#4
vintech Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 4	Just be sure that someone is assiting you from the travel agent side when going through a tricycle rickshaw in Chandni chowk.. Train journey for Rajasthan, dont book your tickets in regular class, have it in the AC compartments else that could be little annoring..At Agra, beware of the local hawkers and if you want to shop anything do that in Delhi itself... be it whether postcards or the Taj mini sculpture.. South should not be a problem at all.. you can be very sure which is from Day 12 onwards.. Take the phone number of the travel agent and keep him informed when changing states You are crossing from Delhi - Rajasthan - Kerala (3 states).. what else.. you should be fine and have ample time to see things...

Oct 17th, 2009, 00:55	#8
MaHoney 09 Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: London Posts: 4	I think we're staying at the Florence Inn as that's where we're staying first time round in Delhi (any good?), but he has put 3 hours drive (157km), and then mentioned getting to the airport 2hr 30mins before the flight, so maybe he's accomodating for that? Not sure how long 157km would take?

Oct 17th, 2009, 01:03	#10
MaHoney 09 Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: London Posts: 4	Hmmm, I'll find out and let you know! That's the correct Florence Inn for the first part of our trip though.

Oct 17th, 2009, 02:23	#13
andymell Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New York Posts: 16	I agree with others that your itinerary is aggressive, but doable. This is a bit faster pace than I set on my first couple trips to India. While I loved those trips, I found that a slower pace gave me much more time to really see the people in a town, and the sights were more enjoyable if I wasn't exhausted. I guess if you have limited vacation time, then maybe it is worth it. Ft. Cochin & the houseboat are lovely and great fun. But, you are taking a huge detour to do this. If Mumbai interests you, you could go from Udaipur to Mumbai and then return home from there. It's a big, crowded city. But, it's walkable, and the colonial-era architecture as well as the people-watching at parts and the beach are well worth it. Lots of other great options in the North/West of India as well. Do make sure that you'll actually get to see the Taj. It looks like you have one day to see all of Agra (including the Taj) and then go to Bharatpur and then get to Ranthambore that night.

Oct 17th, 2009, 02:27	#14
andymell Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New York Posts: 16	Want to add: There is a great variety of hotels in India. Even among "luxury" hotels, some are top notch, comparable to the top hotels in a mid-sized American/European city. While some are, uh, not. Make sure you look at TripAdvisor and this board for the names of the hotels you are staying at. Make sure that the reviews of the hotel match your expectations.

Oct 17th, 2009, 03:04	#15
lkowallah Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: California, USA Posts: 28	Will the long drives be a great way to see the country, or drive us absolutely crazy? The sights are indeed great, but the ride will not be as comfortable as one is used to in the west. Suggest try to cut out some of those long drives.