tentative rajsthan three weeks, June

bjrobe72

Yes, I know it's going to be hot but I'm confident I can do it.

I'm playing with a medium-high budget in the sense I'd prefer to keep costs low but I'll spend what I have to for the trip to work out. I'm doing one overnight train and then I'll do busses afterwards so I can hopefully keep my itinerary flexible. I'm traveling all by my lonesome.

I haven't traveled out of the U.S. that much. I spent three days in Beijing and did a week in Morrocco in 2000. I've been reading Lonely Planet's Indiafor the past month and have been reading this forum as well. The plan is to start at Jaisalmer and work my way back to Delhi. So I present for your suggestions:

June 4 Leave Orlando
June 5 Arrive Delhi 8:45 pm
June 6 Delhi
June 7 Delhi > overnight train to Jaisalmer
June 8 train > Jaisalmer
June 9 Jaisalmer
June 10 Jaisalmer
June 11 Jaisalmer-Jodhpur probably by bus
June 12 Jodhpur
June 13 Jodhpur
June 14 Jodhpur > Ranakpur/Kumbalargh
June 15 Ranakpur/Kumbalargh > Udaipur
June 16 Udaipur
June 17 Udaipur
June 18 Udaipur > Pushkar
June 19 Pushkar
June 20 Pushkar
June 21 Pushkar > Jaipur
June 22 Jaipur
June 23 Jaipur > Agra
June 24 Agra
June 25 Agra > Delhi > leave 10:45 pm

Any suggestions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome!

Thanks!

daverm18

Hi there:
My wife and I had a car and driver for 3 weeks in Rajasthan in Feb. of this year at a cost of about $200 Canadian per week plus tip. Highly recommend this way of travel if you're mid/high range. More flexibility. We started in Udaipur and ended in Delhi. Our driver took us to places a lot of people don't get to see. Our itinerary was a bit different, but our driver made up a trip that was unforgettable on many fronts.

npjai

1 - Take the night train Jaisalmer to Jodhpur..thye have Ac sleeper
2 - Fly Jodhpur to Udaipur and visit Ranakpur from Udaipur. Or take a night train to Falna..ask Steve_Ber for the details. Best to avoid road travel in the heat
3 - Again night train to Ajmer from udaipur and then taxi to Pushkar (10 Km away)

Also just curious to know why youve slotted so many days at Pushkar?

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bjrobe72

Regarding staying in Pushkar for three nights, I'm just trying to take everything slowly- it is not worth tht much time?

npjai

Then Id recommend one night more in Jaipur and one night less in Pushkar

jyotirmoy

Delhi - Jaisalmer by overnight train.
Jaisalmer - Jodhpur by overnight train.
Hire cab in Udaipur to visit Ranakpur & Kumbhalgarh. There is a great resort at Kumbhalgarh to stay.
Take care... drink lots of water... don't dehydrate yourself, use a hat or umbrella in the Sun... use sunscreen creams. I live in Delhi used to heat but to be frank I wouldn't go to Jaisalmer & Jodhpur or for that matter anywhere in Rajasthan in June. I suggest stay in AC rooms. Good luck & take care.

bjrobe72

So where would you go if you had three weeks in India that time of year? Aren't all of the hill stations and Himalaya super crowded? I could be convinced to rethink where I'm going on this trip. The only thing set in stone is that I fly into and out of Delhi.

SHIMLA

I would head for the hills. They are certainly crowded at that time, but the crowds start thinning from June 10 or so. You have many options in Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal.

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dleeone1

I am guessing you can handle the heat better than a lot of us. Do you run or bike in the day heat of summer in Orlando?

If you decide on Rajasthan, I second starting in Udaipur. You turn your trip into a L rather than a circle. In June I might add Mt. Abu to my itinerary.

Fly out of Delhi as soon as possible and leave the end of the trip for Delhi. Takes the worry out of making your return flight and you are better prepared for the pleasantries and hassles of Delhi.

bjrobe72

I have done a lot of outdoor activities in the sun in the past but right now I'm out of practice. I do drive a Jeep with no A/C, though.

I'm contemplating the hills now as a possible alternate, something along the lines of Delhi > Shimla > Manali > McLeod Ganj > Chamba > Amritsar > Delhi.

Tough choice here. Shimla and Jodhpur are the two places I've wanted to visit for the longest time.

SHIMLA

I suggest the following :

June 6 and 7 : Delhi.
June 7 : overnight train to Shimla, via Kalka.
June 8 to 10 : Shimla
June 10 overnight bus to Manali
June 11 to 15 : Manali and Kullu
June 15 : overnight bus to Dharamsala
June 16 to June 19 : Dharamsala, Mcleodanj and Palampur
June 20 : Day bus to Dalhousie
June 20 and 21 : Dalhousie
June 22 : Day bus to Chamba, via Khajjiar
June 22 to 24 : Chamba and Bharmour
June 24 : afternoon/evening bus to Pathankot, overnight train to New Delhi
June 25 : arr. Delhi morning

bjrobe72

OK> So I go Delhi to Kalka and then Kalka to Shimla the following morning. I assume I'm going to have to resrve all places in advance, right?

Casey

I would agree with one less night in Pushkar and one more in Jaipur. We did this trip, only in reverse and it was great. I found the bus trips to be quite comfortable (compared to my last visit in 2000) and we took them between Udaipur and Jaipur and then to Jaisalmer.

SHIMLA

Right !

bjrobe72

OK- Here's my reworked itinerary:

June 4 Leave Orlando
June 5 Arrive Delhi 8:45 pm
June 6 Delhi
June 7 Delhi > overnight train to Jaisalmer
June 8 train > Jaisalmer
June 9 Jaisalmer> overnight train to Jodhpur
June 10 Jodhpur
June 11 Jodhpur
June 12 Jodhpur>Pushkar
June 13 Pushkar
June 14 Pushkar
June 15 Pushkar>overnight train to Agra
June 16 Agra
June 17 Agra>Haridwar
June 18 Haridwar
June 19 Hardiwar>Rishikesh
June 20 Rishikesh
June 21 Rishikesh>Mussoorie
June 22 Mussoorie
June 23 Mussoorie
June 24 Mussoorie>Haridwar
June 25 Haridwar> Delhi (7:40-13:05)> leave 22:45 pm

I decided to throw in some Uttaranchal to offset the heat of Rajasthan.

I'd still love to hear what y'all have to say.