Varanasi, Khajuraho, Orchha, Agra

proxyindian

In March, 2009, we're planning to go back to India. Is it realistic to travel by car from Varanasi to Khajuraho in a day and still be able to see the temples?

We plan on spending one night in Khajuraho and then go to Orchha for one night. How long will it take to get from Khajuraho to Orchha? Or should we, who love old things, spend two nights in Orchha?

Then from Orchha to Agra. How long will that drive take? We've been to Agra before so we thought to just relax, eat a dinner on a rooftop overlooking the Taj Mahal. The next morning we would see the Taj, drive to Sikandra, then spend two nights in Mathura before going on to Delhi.

What I want to know is how long it will take to get from one place to the other and if we should take a train instead.

Is all this a better train trip or car trip?

Thanks.

Darmabum

In May of last year I did the trip you're contemplating . . . Varanasi to Khajuraho was about ten hours (this included an hour lunch break). I'd spend the night in Khajuraho, get up early for the temples. Khajuraho to Orrcha is not far at all, but I'd suggest spending at least one night there. Orrcha to Agra is a loooooong day, probably made longer by the fact that I had no AC in the Ambassador; longer than the trip from Varanasi to Khajuraho, maybe 11 or 12 hours. Though the food is not gourmet, the view is: from the top floor/outside restaurant of the Shanti Lodge in Agra the view to the Taj is amazing. Have a Great Trip.

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Darmabum

P.S. I also continued to Mathura from Agra, maybe four hours . . . then a loooooong 16 or so hours back to Varanasi.

proxyindian

Ten hours from Varanasi to Khajuraho. That's a long day. I can see how a night in a hotel is needed.

Eleven or twelve hours from Orchha to Agra! That's even longer. I can think I could handle one long car trip but two of them? Maybe we should break up this leg with a night in Gwalior.

Now my partner says we should spend two nights in both Khajuraho and Orchha. Is that overdoing it? Or will we have enough to do while in those places? I know from experience that at least two nights in Mathura is needed since we want to take "Krishna pilgrimige". But I just don't know about Khajurao and Orchha.

vonkla

We made this in 2005 and had a break in Chitrakoot. We stayed there two nights, it has a nice ghat and it the surroundings are a lot of places connected with the Ramayana.



Not far from Khajurao is Ken Gharial Sanctuary a small but nice wilde life resort.

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proxyindian

This is not the first time I've been told to stay in Chitrakoot. The trip is still a little over a year away so it will give us time to look into this. I haven't read much about it yet but I'm starting to have that positive feeling (hey, I'm easily swayed).

Varanasi to Chitrakoot for a night. Then to Khajurao for a night. Orchha for two nights. Mega travel to Agra, spend night. Then to Mathura for two nights. Then to Delhi. Now I'll have to see what this schedule looks like when I put it into a chart.

wichy

Can't say about Khajuraho - as for Agra-Orchha or back - last year it took us 5-6 hours. It depends on the time - it's faster in the morning, as for our back way - from 4PM - there were lots of tracks which tried to stop for the night, so the traffic was very slow.

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