Only 25 days to see it all...

Andressa

Dear India Experts,

Hi! My name is Andressa and in about 10 days I'll be in India for the first time and I'll have only 25 days to see it all.

I'm planning to go to the cities bellow. How long should I stay in each? Am I forgetting a must-see one?

Mumbai - 3 days ?
Delhi - 3 days ?
Dharamsala - 2 days?
Amritsar - 1 Day ?
Agra - 1 day?
Jaipur - 1 day?
Khajuraho - 1 day ?
Varanasi - 3 days?
Bodh Gaya - 1 day?
Sanarth - 1 day?
-- Kathmandu 3 days?
Bangalore - 2 days?
Goa - 1 day?

Please consider that I rather leave something for the next time than overseeing things to stick to the plan. And that, mostly, I'm travelling overnight.

All sugestions and advices are welcome!!!

Thanks!

machadinha

I don't mean to spoil your plans, but... what exactly made you come up with this itinerary, other than "seeing it all"? Looks a little much, to say the least. I'm also not sure if this route would be entirely logical, if this is what you want. I think you're doubling up a couple of times.

I left some travel planning links recently on this thread Mumbai, Goa, Taj Mahal/Delhi: Itinerary advice needed, maybe they could help to get some idea of what you're looking at in terms of travel time involved and so on. And mind that as noted there, too, I tend to be a little conservative on these itineraries.

Good luck with it. The rails site linked to there features a decent map btw; try also http://www.samit.org/irmap/.

btw Have you checked on the weather for those areas for the coming time at all? Try
India climate chart ,
http://www.wunderground.com/ .

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Shaktipalooza

STOP!

You need to check the travel times between destinations. Overnight trains won't necessarily cut it.

Some of the choices are a bit puzzling too. Bangalore is well seperated from every other destination you've chosen. It is an interesting place but I wouldn't make time to visit just Bangalore and not the other interesting places in the area.

One day in Goa doesn't make much sense either.

Three days in Mumbai AND Delhi on the same trip is overkill when you could be spending quality time in less polluted, crowded places.

With 25 days I'd probably limit myself to a region. Perhaps Rajasthan and Varanasi would work. Or do South India.

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PeakXV

Take the good advice offered and scale the itinerary down to enjoy the Indian experience more ..... trying to get the maximum location-notches in your travel belt in a minimum time limit is often a tough & tiresome task in India.

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arunchs

For the 25 days you have, I would suggest the following from your itinerary which knocks off some of your destinations -

Mumbai -> Rajasthan(Jaipur and other cities) -> Agra -> Varanasi, Sarnath, Gaya -> Delhi/Mumbai, wherever you are flying out from.

This will easily take up all your time. If you really think you can see more, add one of Amritsar or Khajuraho(but not both)

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Andressa

Thank you very much for all the help! I knew it was probably too much... Let's see what I can do now (probably gonna cut Amritsar, Goa and Bangalore, and limit the days in Mumbai and Delhi). THANKS!!! : )

machadinha

Don't forget to ask on with your revised plans, if you want to Cutting off what you're cutting off now already makes it seem much more realistic to me btw, so looks like a good start. I assume your tickets are booked? Flying on Delhi would make more sense for your route, but I guess it'll just have to be then.

saajan_20

when u complete the trip do put up your experiences we might consider some sort of speed award for it

bhel wala trip !!!

sorry not to offend you but why dont you cut the number of places to ha lf in the same number of day s !!!!

nobody comes to india for once am sure you are gonna promise urslef before leaving a revisit and that wont be soon too so why do you wanna do it all in the very first trip

sorry but what if u suffer from a heat stroke or some other fatigue related illness ????
regards
saajan

rangss

Andressa

Unless you are a politician on a campaign trail, you would not get much out of this plan. I would suggest you to cut down a few destinations, spend more time at the ones you have chosen and also allow some time for train/flight transit.

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Andressa

Ok!!!! I am getting more and more convinced that my original itinerary was crazy!!!!

But I'm not yet comfortable travelling from Brazil to India and missing major spots... It's hurting so bad to cut cities out, but all of you make sense: it's unreasonable to run from one place to another, after all I want to enjoy this trip!!!

So, what do you guys think of this changes:

Days City
2 MUMBAI (I arrive there at 1 am. on july 3nd and leave on the 4th)
1 DELHI (have to go to catch the train/flight to Dharamsala)
2 DHARAMSALA (For Dalai Lama's B-day on the 6th)
1 DELHI (back just to catch a train to Agra)
1 JAIPUR (check the main spots and move to Agra)
1 AGRA (See the Taj before sunrise and on sunset, and other sights)
1 KHAJURAHO (just half a day because its on the way to Sanarth)
1 SANARTH (quick stop before Varanasi, check the Temple and Stupa)
3 VARANASI (stay for 3 to 4 days to get the feeling)
1 BODH GAYA (It's a must on this trip. I gotta stay for a day)
1 VARANASI (to catch a flight to Kathmandu)
3 KATHMANDU (tour around including a flight to the Himalaya's if weather helps)
1 DELHI (This time for shopping!)
1 MUMBAI (back to catch my flight)
TOTAL:20 days (plus another 5 for travelling form one point to another, getting sick (no!), staying a little bit more where I like it more, et)

Sorry if it still didn’t get to my head that I just can’t do all. But w/ more help it’s improving!!!! Thanks Again!!!!

Shaktipalooza

How do you intend to travel from Mumbai > Delhi and Delhi > Mumbai?

The fastest train I'm aware of between these two cities is 16 hours. I'm guessing you aren't really appreciating the travel time involved with trains and planes in India.

With your new schedule New Delhi would make much more sense as a port of entry. Skip Mumbai altogether as it's just costing you valuable travel time.

saajan_20

and there arent no flight s or trains to dharamshala !!!

Shaktipalooza

Jaipur...

Jaipur is five hours by train from both Agra and New Delhi. New Delhi to Agra is just two hours.

Taking the time to visit Jaipur and not Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer while you are in the area would be a shame. Maybe consider my advice about skipping Mumbai and spending a few days in Rajasthan.

Andressa

I'm so glad I found help!!! Thanks for your attention!!! : )

Unfortunately I can't skip Mumbai (the tickets are not refundable). At least I'm somehow happy w/ the romantic idea that afterall, mumbai - w/ the gateway of India - is the natural entrance to this adventure...

From Mumbai to Delhi, and backwards, we'll be flying. From Delhi to D'sala we'll take the Jammu Mail train to Pathankot, then train/bus to Kangra, then taxi to D'sala (that's the only part of the journey that is pretty much arranged already).

wonderwomanusa

You should try to avoid backtracking here: can you go to Bodh Gaya from Khajuraho, and then to Varanasi to see that and Sarnath (only half-an-hour away by bus or taxi) and then to your flight to Kathmandu?