Advice for family trip to Rajastan in March 2013 please!

We are a family of four - two daughters aged 10 and 12 and looking for advice on both travel and accommodation in Rajasthan

Homestays looks appealing - I like the idea of benefitting local people and having an authentic experience. We have 17 days and want to see the key sites.

Grateful on advice for particular homestays or budget / mid-range hotels you recommend and also how you suggest we travel as this is our first time to India. Also, should I book homestays direct or go through a website like Mahindra.com?

All responses appreciated. Many thanks! Justin

Where are you flying in and out from? Do you want to spend all the 17 days in Rajasthan? What is your budget?

You could do one big loop of the state of rajasthan .. the biggest cities are (going clockwise) Jaipur ->Ajmer ->Jodhpur -> udaipur -> Jaisalmer -> Bikaner -> Back to Jaipur. Along the way, you can go to many other small towns, maybe 1-2 hour each way travel distance, to get the max out of the trip.

For ex. Agra is close to Jaipur, whereas places like mount abu is closest to udaipur, pali is close to jodhpur, like that...

You could do the homestay bookings yourself. Rajasthan toursim site has a list of homestays, for each of those cities, with phone numbers and a somewhat outdated price list...but that would be a starting point. if you do not want to make individual calls, then go through the company you mentioned.

I'll be going end of this year as part of a wider trip - taking in Jaipur,Jodhpur, Udaipur and Jaisalmer. PM me happy to share some accommodation tips. There are some beautifully converted heritage hotels in these parts which are very reasonably priced and well reviewed.

Don't limit yourself to the homestays on Mahindra. it is a limited list, and I think the owners pay to get on there.

http://palmstay.com/

it's in Agra, where i expect you'll be gong on your way from New Delhi (assuming you arrive there) to Rajasthan.

I didnt stay there ( was lucky to have Starwood points for the gorgeous ITC Mughal) but contacted the owner Varun on behalf of a friend, and he is terrific! The place gets great reviews on tripadvisor too.

If you are going, i HIGHLY recommend Saubhug B and B homestay. The owner, Meera, will make you feel most welcome on your first trip! But, if you decide on this place, don't wait...her place is deservedly popular. There are other great homestays in New Delhi.

In Jaipur i stayed at a moderately priced hotel called Dera Rawatsar. It was ok, but food mediocre--and when there are places that include excellent breakfasts/meals, why settle for less? Next time I will stay at Jas Vilas-- gracious owner, and a great price. it is also listed on tripadvisor as "good for families"

In Udaipur I now always stay at Jaiwana Haveli on Lal Ghat. Over time, I have become good friends with the owners, really nice and reliable people who will make sure you have everything you need.

Last summer, I also visited a very cute homestay in the old town. I have never stayed there, but it is run by a very nice family, the place is called Little Garden Guest House.

I lived in Udaipur for 6 months as a volunteer, and though I was staying in the not so tourist area, I spent some of my free time in the old town. So if you need any information, post on here or PM me. I love talking about my other home, and so will be happy to answer any questions, especially if you want to get off the beaten path and go and explore some of the more local areas of town! At the moment, I am trying to go back every 6 months :-)