Northern India itinerary help - 16 days

permiche

Hi,
I will spend my winter holidays in Northern India. I will travel alone, and this is roughly what I would like to do:

26/12 - Flight Torino - Delhi / Arrival in Delhi at 23:05 / Night in Delhi
27/12 - drive from Delhi to Ranthambore National Park (8h), if possible with a quick visit of Jaipur / Night in Ranthambore National Park
28/12 - Ranthambore National Park / Night in Ranthambore National Park
29/12 - drive from Ranthambore National Park to Udaipur (9h, via Bundi, Chittor), if possible with a quick visit of Bundi / Night in Udaipur
30/12 - drive from Udaipur to Jodhpur (6h) with visit at Ranakpur / Night in Jodhpur
31/12 - Jodhpur / Night in Jodhpur
01/01 - drive from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer / Night in Jaisalmer
02/01 - Jaisalmer / night train Jaisalmer - Delhi
03/01 - drive Delhi - Agra, with stops at Sikandra, Fatehpur Sikri / Night in Agra
04/01 - morning visit to Taj Mahal, drive from Agra to Orchha (5h) / Night in Orchha
05/01 - morning visit of Orchha / drive from Orchha to Khajuraho / Night in Khajuraho
06/01 - Khajuraho / Night in Khajuraho
07/01 - flight Khajuraho to Varanasi / Varanasi / night in Varanasi
08/01 - Varanasi
09/01 - Varanasi + flight to Delhi / Night in Delhi
10/01 - visit Delhi + transfer to airport in the night

Of course I would rent a car + driver for the first part (until Jaisalmer), and one for the second part (from Delhi to Khajuraho). In case the program is too full, I could skip Udaipur, still maintaing the visit to Ranakpur.

Any comment would be very useful to me!

Thanks in advance!

OceanTragic

Car and driver is a great way to experience India but I wonder whether it's worthwhile for you considering that you're travelling alone and some of the long distances you're doing.

It seems a shame to have to spend 8 hours couped up in a car to get to Ranthambhore than spend a couple of nights there, paying for a driver all that time, when he won't be required. Then travelling another 8/9 hours by car, then again from Udaipur to Jodhpur.

Maybe a better route may be: fly to Varanasi, fly to Khajuraho, Orchha, Agra, Ranthambhore, Bundi, Udaipur Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and back to Delhi. If you did this you may be better off organising the car+driver from Agra.

__________________
.

permiche

Thank you OceanTragic,
your comment is very interesting, even if I might consider your idea on the opposite direction (I'd like to keep Varanasi at the end).
So, I could do Delhi - Jaisalmer - Jodhpur - Udaipur - Bundi - Ranthambore - Agra - Orchha - Khajuraho.
Is there any particular reason why you suggest the other way? And why do you suggest orginizing the car from Agra?

Thank you!

OceanTragic

I merely kept your Ranthambhore to Jaisalmer section together as you had it originally. THe first route seems to have you doing two different sections all involving some long distances. It seems you'd be better trying to combine it into one flowing route if you can.