Jodhpur to Udaipur drive

trvller

I am thinking of taking a car from Jodhpur to Udaipur after arriving from Jaisalmer via train (no air tickets avail). Any thoughts on the trip (comfortable, long etc.)? how long is the trip, which road is preferred, rest stops / must see places you would recommend? I don't want to stop at Ranakpur / Kumbhalgarh if they are just another temple and fort resply.

Should I stop for the night at either Rawla Narlai or Devi Garh? Anybody stayed at either of these places and what has the experience been like? or should we just head straight into Udaipur?

I have two children 3 and 6 who are used to travel in US but India is another story

Thanks for your comments

InduBala

hi trvller,

Trip from Jodhpur to Udaipur will be comfrtable in Car. it may take 4 to 5 hrs journey.the Ranakpur and Kumbhalgarh are worth seeing places and not just another temple and fort resply. it is good to stay in Udaipur there will get more accomodation facilities.

Have a nice journey

InduBala

dot

I did the exact same trip on November 19-21. We spent two nights in Jodhpur, left in the early morning and drove to Rawla Narlai (I think it took about 3 hours). Rawla Narlai was without reservation the most special part of our 2 week trip. The property is situated in a very small village, and it is staffed by many villagers -- one very nice man, Dustbin (sp?) -- brought us on a village walk, including a trip to a temple inside a mountain, around the village to the goat herder, the school, etc. We saw monkeys at one of the temples and he introduced us to everyone we met. We were invited into the schoolteacher's home for tea. Really, an experience not to be missed. After the night in Narlai, we drove to Udaipur, stopping at Ranakpur and Kumbalgarh on the way. Neither of these places are like anything else you will see. In Kumbalgarh, take the kids on a camel ride inside the very, very large grounds of the fort. Kumbalgarh is about 1.5 hours out of the way, but Ranakpur really isn't at all. It was a nice drive, and great to see the country side. I think we arrived in Udaipur around 5 pm that afternoon. Note that Ranakpur doesn't open to tourists until noon (we were too early and had to wait around). Definitely get guides in every temple/fort you go -- it is really, really cheap (2 bucks?) and you will learn so much and see things you would never have seen.

If you have any questions, or need a recomendation for a driver or hotel, please ask!

trvller

Wow DOT, this is great feedback !

You just made us solidify the itenerary. I will certainly follow in your footsteps. Please send me details of a car/driver.

Thanks again for the help

klowe

I am having a hard time getting ahold of the Rawla Narlai. Dot- did you book your room there before you went to India? Do you have an email address for them?
Thank you
Klowe

dot

I also had a difficult time getting through -- although they are a sister hotel to Ajit Bhavan (amazing!) in Jodhpur. I went through a travel agent, Jai Singh at Travel Made Easy in Udaipur for booking. He knows the folks at Rawla Narlai personally. Jai is very good and trustworthy, and he can book a driver as well as any of your hotel needs. I did, however, find Jai's price for a driver to be a little bit high, and I ended up using a driver, Sagar, who lives in Jodhpur, that Lily and Mahendra at Jasvilas in Jaipur recommended. Sagar was a great guy -- he drove us from Jodhpur to Narlai and then to Udaipur. Although, in the interest of full disclosure, we asked for an a/c ambassador and he showed up with a brand new Tata or Meruti (?) basically a small 4 door w/ a/c.

Here is Jai Singh's address: sales@royalrajasthan.com. Also, check out the agency's website www.royalrajastan.com.