North India Next December with Old People & Teen :-)

** jeanneleez **

My parents (the old people - mid to late 60s), my son (14) and I will be touring North India next December. We will be going primarily by rail in this order (at least this sounds doable to me):

Mumbai (3 days)
Ahmedabad (day trip, switch trains)
Udaipur (1 day)
Jaipur (2 days)
Agra (day trip)
New Delhi (1 day)
Chandigarh (1 day)
Varanasi (1 day)
Gaya (1 day)
Kolkata (1 day)
Darjeeling (3 days)
Kolkata then off to another country.

With overnight trains, this comes to around 21 days, but we are flexible. We may stay in Kolkata a few days before heading to Darjeeling. My parents are retired, so the schedule is pretty much open...

Budget is the high end of medium to low end of high. I plan to pay for the rail, sights and hotels for all of us, then my parents will pay for meals and other expenses... I would prefer to set up quick half day tours to get acquainted with each place, then find experiences, like elephant rides, camel safaris, sitar recitals, or temple dancing to give them a feel for traditional India.

My parents aren't tourists. They don't shop for souvenirs, they don't want to see the Taj, they don't go to the typical places tourist frequent. They prefer archaeological digs to beaches, but they like having a car, so flexibility in the schedule will be important. I prefer more spiritual and natural places like rishikesh, the sunderbans and darjeeling to the bustling city. Scenic routes are a blessing.

I don't want to stay in western hotels, eat western food, or do western activities. My son and I live in Kolkata for a reason. My parents live in the States and getting them to come here was a big challenge. They will be coming here fresh from Europe, Morocco, Egypt and Petra, Jordan, and will be heading to Angkor Wat after their time here in India.

I only speak enough Hindi to argue with taxi drivers. My son is getting pretty good with Bengali, but I don't think that will be any use up north.

Does anyone have suggestions for things we absolutely MUST do? Places to stay in each place? Since we live here, this is really all about my parents and I want to give them an experience they will never forget. I want to help them understand why this place pulled me back 30 years after my first experience here. (They are still upset with me for uprooting my son and taking him halfway around the world - away from the family!)

In the six months we've lived here, IM has been a refuge for answering all those little questions I've had. Thanks everyone!

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-- Jeanne
http://american-in-calcutta.blogspot.com/

"The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can't be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it."
Harry Emerson Fosdick

steven_ber

It's difficult to put this another way....

That Itinerary is a nightmare waiting to happen, far too rushed, far too much travel, never any time to recover from travelling, and completely reliant on everything running on time.

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How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions.



Train information.

capt_mahajan

=crossposted=

At first glance, it appears very hectic, specially after/around Delhi.

Why Chandigarh, Varanasi and Gaya for a day each.

Keeping the rest of your post in mind

Very generally, I would suggest, spend a couple of days in Delhi, knock off Chandigarh and maybe Gaya and Varanasi, or, if you must go to the last two places, fly between Delhi and Varanasi and Kolkata.

And the Agra day trip could be an overnight one.

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Aishah

I have to agree with Steven - are they here for only a set no. of days or could it be a little more flexible? If only a set no. then you need to cut out a few things and stay a bit longer in what you have left. I could well be around the age of your mother Jeanne, and I find that too much travelling too soon is very tiring. You need days where you can stay somewhere nice and just do very little. I think they will be exhausted by this - also repeated overnight train trips are very hard on the system.
Stay 2 nights at least in Udaipur - this is a delightful, restful place if you are in the right spot, and also there is that long train journey to recover from Mumbai - Ahmedabad - Udaipur. Break the Udaipur - Jaipur journey by looking at Chittaugarh then staying in a delightful rural village called Basi at Basi Fort. Next move to Bundi, stay the night here then onto Jaipur. For this section I suggest you take a car from Udaipur to Jaipur. This will be easy on everyone's systems! Jaipur - stay 2 nights then train to Agra, where you should stop one night. Why not 2 nights in Delhi and show them some nice spots like Humayun's Tomb,Safdarjung Tomb and gardens and Red Fort/Jama Masjid? Have some good meals in great restaurants in Connaught Place, or Khan Market.
That's got you through some of Rajasthan in a pleasant way - I would think twice about Chandigarh too. As Captain suggests fly to Varanasi, also overnight train I think from Delhi,quite a longish journey.

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** jeanneleez **

This is great. I wasn't sure about the timings. What places would you suggest we look into in Udaipur? I don't want to stay at the Lake Palace - I was thinking of staying at a place overlooking the palace, and then hitting up the place for a meal... Is that suggested? There were some hotels right on the lake shore that seemed within my price range...

I love the suggestions for the Udaipur-Jaipur - will definitely look into them! I'm not a big fan of Delhi, so I was using it mostly as a layover...The Chandigarh leg is important to my dad as Corbusier was his role model as an architect. This is the only project of Corbu's that he HASN'T seen.

A friend of mine suggested going to Simla if we head to Chandigarh, since it's fairly close...any thoughts?

I was thinking the long train journey to Varanasi would be nice, just to sit and chat with the folks, but you think it would be too much? I was thinking of staying at the Sita Guest House there. Does that seem okay? We get in at 2:30 in the morning if we do the train, though...

This will be a once in a lifetime trip for them. I want to make sure it will be memorable in a good way. :-)

Thanks!

capt_mahajan

If you are doing Darjeeling (better than shimla, in my view),and are fighting for time, Shimla should be out.

Aishah

Jeanne - Some nice places in Udaipur are Haveli on the Lake if you can get the downstairs room for your parents if they have problems climbing steps, also a friendly dog but I found him o.k.It is right on the lake and with superb view of Lake Palace (hideously expensive); Jagat Niwas Palace Hotel is also right on the lake and very nice. Some cheaper havelis also but I'm not sure of names. Check Udaipur under Hotels heading at the top of page.You can also check out hotels for wherever you are going there too. Near Haveli on the Lake is a very nice lakeside restaurant called Ambrai. It is in walking distance of everything, and a quiet location, with nice garden.
I did Chandigarh in a day - took the early fast train Shatabdi and then came back to Delhi in the evening time. I had friends there who met me and drove me around for the 'sights' but it might be worth your while to hire a taxi for a day's sightseeing.
Maybe check if there are other trains that will bring you into Varansi at a more reasonable time. Arriving at 2.30 a.m. I know I literally feel 'sick' for the day! I don't seem able to go to sleep after settling into hotel early a.m. I can understand flying for all of you would be quite costly.

steven_ber

A few options, and not all of them are great options.

Mumbai-Udaipur

Train 2995, Bandra (Mumbai) 15.45, Udaipur 08.50 (3A, SL.)(this train only runs on Wednesday, Friday and Sundays)

Or get a bus between Ahmedabad and Udaipur, the bus only takes 5 hours.


Udaipur/Chittaurgarh-Jaipur

Train 2966, Udaipur 21.40, Chittaurgarh arr 23:30 dep 23:50, Jaipur 07.10 (1A, 2A, 3A, SL.)


Agra-Chandigarh

Train 4217, Tundla (25kms from Agra) 00.25, Chandigarh 09.25 (2A, 3A, SL.)(careful with date when booking)


Chandigarh to Varanasi

Chandigarh is about 65kms from Ambala, Ambala Cant station has many more train options than Chandigarh.

The first train is a beauty, but only runs twice a week.

Train 8104 (Wed & Fri only), Ambala 16.55, Varanasi Jn 09.30 (2A, 3A, SL.)

Train 4524 (Tue & Sat only), Ambala 22.15, Varanasi Jn 15.30 (3A, SL.)

The best daily train seems to be train 3006, Ambala 23.35, Varanasi Jn 16.45 (1A, 2A, 3A, SL.)


Gaya-Darjeeling

There are a couple of useful, well timed overnight trains from Patna (100kms north of Gaya) to New Jalpaiguri (for Darjeeling Himalayan Railway), but none will get there in time for the DHR's 09:00 departure, despite what the timetable says.

Also, you'd need to travel to Patna in daylight hours, so would lose almost half a day.

Aishah

Well if you could time your days to leave on either a wed. or Fri. that train 8104 from Ambala to Varanasi would be superb! Book it well ahead I should think. And the Agra - Chandigarh if you wanted to skip Delhi also great! Terrific work, Steven!

capt_mahajan

Not really archeological or on your route, but they may have liked Hampi.

And, if that they may like places with history, I would spend a couple of days in Delhi- even if the historical places there are a tourist attraction and frequented (which they don't care for)

Few major Indian cities have the varied depth of history Delhi has.