Travel around India Dec- Feb

Lexwa

Hi,

I am travelling to India ( for the first time ), late Dec 07 just before new years for 6 weeks. I would like a comment to my prospective itinery, if anyone might think it too much to achieve in the time given (also noted that there are lots of threads similar to this).

Anyways, where I want to go:

Chennai-Pondicherry-Varanasi-Darjeeling-Agra-Delhi-Chennai

Most of this will be by train hopefully, though most probably will need to fly back to Chennai to get my return flight back to Australia on Feb 10th 08.

What are peoples thoughts on my 6 week schedule to completing that ( and given the time of yr etc)? Am thinking probably only a couple of days for Chennai and Pondicherry before I head up to the North. I also really would like to get to the Punjab as well, but might be pushing it a wee bit.

Cheers

Lex

If a

wonderwomanusa

Is it too late for you to leave for home from Delhi?

I'm sure this trip fulfills some wishes of yours, but unless you are flying, there are a couple of 40-hour train rides in there.

You may want to swop Darjeeling and Varanasi in this line-up, to avoid backtracking across Northern India. If you're doing this by train, you might plan a day or two in Kolkata after the long ride up from Chennai.

You could probably stop a couple of times between Chennai (you'll have to go back there for a train going north, but that's not a big daal as it's only a short bus ride) and Kolkata, depending on your interests.

Or you could go from Chennai to Delhi (get that long ride out of the way) and then do Agra, Varanasi, Kolkata, Darjeeling, Puri and then head for Chennai.

backpakker

Thats a bit ambitious I would say as you are covering a lot of cities and train journeys can take a lot of time - more than 36-40 hours esplly if you can planning Chennai-Delhi or Chennai-Calcutta or even Del -Cal . You may want to fly these routes to save time

You could go the following way

Chennai to Pondicherry by road - It takes about 3 hours max .

Fly to Delhi from Chennai and take a train to Agra and Varnasi -Pls book this in advance as it can get quite crowded

You would then need to fly to Calcutta from Delhi and visit Darjeeling from there by train or by road .

Return to Chennai by flight or if you have time, take that long journey by train

Or you could try the following tho I would suggest the former

Chennai-Pondycherry-Chennai-Calcutta-Darjeeling-Calcutta-Delhi-Agra-Varnasi-delhi-Chennai

__________________
www.backpakker.blogspot.com

Lexwa

thanks for your responses folks, appreciate that. Yeh I was wondering about getting lal the way upto the north and back in the time, think i might book a flight to Delhi and go it that way, and maybe train it back afterwards to Chennai especially.

atala

That would be the better option also because Pondicherry is fully booked with Indian tourists around Xmas- New Year. Later not a problem.