Bundi or Shekawati?

gianni66

Hi all!! My countdown has already started... 4 weeks (28 days) to go for my first trip to India, and I have finally set all my itinerary and booked the train tickets (which have been perfectly delivered to the hotel in Delhi where I will spend my first Indian night).
I will travel with my wife (it's a honeymoon!) completely indipendently and by train or bus. Here is our itinerary:
- arrive in delhi late evening; 1 night in Delhi;
- train to Agra, 1 night in Agra;
- day in Agra; night train to Varanasi;
- 3 nights in Varanasi;
- flight back to Delhi; night train to KOTA or NAWALGARH;
- 2 nights in BUNDI OR NAWALGARH;
- bus to Pushkar;
- 2 nights in Pushkar;
- train to Jodhpur;
- 2 nights in Jodhpur;
- night train to Jaisalmer;
- 3 nights in Jaisalmer;
- night train to Jodhpur + bus to Ranakpur/Udaipur;
- 3 nights in Udaipur;
- flight to Mumbai and flight back to Italy.
I have still a doubt... BUNDI OR SHEKAWATI?? I would like to visit both places, but it would be not so easy for the connections, so I have to choose, although it's very hard! I have both the tickets from Delhi to Kota and to Nawalgarh booked, so I can also decide at the last moment and ask for a refund of the unused tickets.
WHAT IS YOUR SUGGESTION??? Two full days in the magic Bundi or two days around the Shekawati havelis?
Thanks for your help!!
I will start the hours countdown soon... :-)
Gianni

spitze_udz

Two days in Bundi is a better option..... Wish u had time for shekhavati also... but when in comes to choosing between the two.. i would suggest bundi.
Have a nice time.

lonelyaztec

Hey, u r doing only Rajasthan. Then, why are n't u going to Jaipur and Bikaner...two most beautiful cities u have missed in ur itenary. Why r u thinking of Bundi / Shekawathi, if u r not going to Jaipur and Bikaner....

Do 1 day in Bundi and 1 day in Shekawathi...both would be great. also ask ur travel agent to include Jaipur and Bikaner in ur itenary.

Are u comin back again for Himachal Pradesh, Kerala...and other places in India. I think u r missing Kerala.

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spitze_udz

I agree...it will be hot in rajasthan by the time you come here... reduce number of days in rajasthan and plan for kerela instead... but if u are bent upon visiting rajasthan only then i would advice you to avoid bundi and shekhavati both... (its not an ideal honeymoon place).

spitze_udz

from delhi go directly to jaipur, from jaipur you go to bikaner and then jaiselmer.....

lonelyaztec

Gianni 66,

U missed Mt. Abu in ur itenary. It is the hillstation in Rajasthan.

ditch Shekawati and Bundi...go to Mt. Abu instead.

spitze_udz

yes after u come to udaipur .. u can move to mount abu ... amazing place.... do visit dilwara temples there and u'll remember me for advicing this ;-)

machadinha

Well, just to show there's always as many views as the people you ask, I'd say Jaipur is pretty but other than that it's bloody hectic with traffic and touts and what have you, you might well give it a miss if you ask me.

Bundi in contrast used to be really mellow and I've heard several reports it still is, with enough beautiful sights to keep you occupied for a number of days. Hire a bicycle and tour the countryside if you get bored; just taking it easy and hanging out there is also great. Don't miss the baoris (step-wells) there, marvelous.

So... given the choice I think you know what I'd do.

Happy travels. Jodhpur is nice enough btw, the fort is magnificent. Ah well most of the towns and forts and sights in Rajasthan are anyway. Shekhawati is also supposed to be nice but I never visited there. Kota had some nice sights but somehow I didn't enjoy myself there much, all relative and subjective though and a matter of being in the right mood at the right time and staying in the right place and meeting the right people and not the wrong ones I'm sure.

I personally wouldn't be so partial to having everything planned to the minute in advance but that's up to you.

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machadinha

nb re: Havelis, Bundi has plenty of those (you can stay in one, namely the Haveli Bruj Bhushanjee if it's still around) so it's no reason not to visit

spitze_udz

Have a look at this plan.... i think people who have visited rajasthan will like it better
- arrive in delhi late evening; 1 night in Delhi;
- train to Agra, 1 night in Agra;
- day in Agra; night train to Varanasi;
- 3 nights in Varanasi;
- flight back to Delhi;Bus or train to Jaipur;
- 1 night in Jaipur;
- Bus to Ajmer;Taxi to pushkar;
- 2 nights in Pushkar;Bus to Udaipur;
- 3 nights in Udaipur(1 day at chittaurgarh);move to Mt Abu;
- 1 night at mount abu; Visit ranakpur and move to Jodhpur;
- 2 nights in Jodhpur and move to Jaisalmer;
- 2 nights at Jaisalmer;
-1 night at bikaner; flight to bombay from jaipur..

gianni66

Thanks all IMers for your replies and proposals!!
I feel much more confused now... ;-)
But after all I have decided to choose Bundi, maybe I will try to go to Mt. Abu also on my way to Udaipur.
I will surely skip Jaipur, too much crowded, traffic and touts and tourists crowds.
Yes, my next trip to India will be in the south, Tamil Nadu and Kerala!
Gianni

spitze_udz

Sorry to confuse you..... Plan ur trip well, ABU will be a nice option as its going to be hot.... All the best enjoy...... and keep posting for further help....