Rajasthan Goa Itinerary Advice

ZUZU

Here's what we're planning. The places we most wanted to see are Jaisalmer & Udaipur, ending the trip with a rest in Goa with time for beach and seeing old Goa. I hate feeling rushed, so I was trying very hard to keep us at least 2 days in our key spots. I'd really wanted to see Bundi and Pushkar - but I don't want to crowd the schedule too much. Does anyone see alternative approach that gives us 2-3 days each in Jaisalmer & Udaipur, but which incorporates Pushkar and/or Bundi say instead of Mandawa? I was also worried about that Mandawa leg to Jaisalmer - too far?

We're planning in advance so we can be flexible a bit on the funds if another domestic flight would help.

Day 1: arrive Delhi & crash
~with driver & car~
Day 2: Delhi to Mandawa - night in Mandawa
Day 3: Mandawa to Jaisalmer (too long?) - night in Jaisalmer
Day 4: Jaisalmer
Day 5: Jaisalmer
Day 6: Jaisalmer to Jodhpur - spend night in Jodhpur
Day 7: Jodhpur
Day 8: Jodhpur to Ranakpur & spend the night Rawla Narlai
Day 9: Continue to Udaipur & spend night
Day 10: Udaipur
~end car & driver~
Day 11: am flight Udaipur to Bombay - catch evening Konkain train to Goa
Day 12: arrive Goa mid-day, spend night - Heaven Goa -Benaulim
Day 13: Goa
Day 14: Goa
Day 15: Goa
Day 16: fly to Bombay, spend the night near airport
Day 17: fly home to US

One final question - like most on here, we are pretty independent and usually plan all ourselves without guides, tours and cars. Our most 'non-western' experience was Turkey (which we LOVED and did on our own). I'm feeling comfortable doing the hotel reservations based on this forum, guidebooks, the net, trip advisor, etc. We are planning the trip for December (yes Dec 2008 - nothing like starting early on the planning - so I know this is high season - I'm assuming I'll need to put deposits on rooms maybe prepay??

Okay, really final question - I keep going back and forth on the car/driver thing. Is there a difference between having a car & driver and having a ~guide~ - is this the same thing really?

Thanks in advance!!

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[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Purple"][I]Zuzu[/I][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

dhans

You sound independant enough. We always found hotelrooms over X-mas, so with the exception of your first night I wouldn't worry.

How about taking the nighttrain to Jaisalmer and start your cartrip from there?

Hans

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Tips for trips to India with (young) children: India with kids
Stories about our travels in India: Journal

ZUZU

Hans,

Thanks for your kind reply. It's very funny, my first schedules incorporated the Delhi to Jaisalmer night train - sometimes your first impressions end up being the best approach. It would save being awake time, fulfill my husband's train fetish (the ride would fall on his birthday no less), and even save time later in the trip since we could just fly directly into Goa without the Bombay detour (except maybe the airport) and the additional train ride.

Very much enjoyed your travel report by the way - your little ones will be very well-traveled.