Help me Chose Between 2 Itineraries: Should I go futher 'off the beaten track'?

anthropologist

I’ve been working on an itinerary for our trip to Rajasthan and now I’m changing my mind…please give me your feedback even if you can only comment on a part of the trip.

On both itineraries we’re flying into Bombay and end in Delhi, where we’ll be visiting friends. Currently we’re planning to take a car, with driver, from Udaipur to Jaiselmer and Jaipur…on the second itinerary we’d probably combine a car with train travel. We’ll have about 9 days after this part of the trip in Delhi and will possibly divide up the time with a quick detour somewhere else.

Just to give you a sense of what we’re like…
We’re in our 30’s and 40’s a Brit and a New Yorker. We’ve traveled a lot...for example Iran and Armenia last year. It’s my first trip to India and though my husband has spent 2 months backpacking in India this is his first visit to Rajasthan. We’re interested in architecture, getting a sense of the culture and seeing something of the rural areas.

My concerns: I don’t want to spend endless days in a car or a train constantly rushing from one place to the next.

Itinerary One
Udaipur 3 nights - Kankarwa
Deogarth 2 nights
Rohet Garh 3 nights
Jaiselmer 3 nights + 1 night camel trek
Jodhpur 1 night (to break up the journey)
Jaipur 2 nights - Jasvilas
Shekwati 3 nights- Apanhi Dhani


Itinerary Two
Fly into Indore transfer to Ahilya Fort, Maheshawar 3 nights
Bundi 2 nights
Chittogarh 1 night
Udaipur 3 nights - Kankarwa
Deogarth 2 nights
Rohet Garh 3 nights (see Jodhpur from here 40 minutes away)
Jaipur 2 nights - Jasvilas
Shekwati 3 nights- Aphani Dhani

Questions:
What would you recommend as the best way to get from Indore to Kota (for Bundi)
Do you think it’s worth spending a night in Chittogarh or should we push on to Udaipur?
Given that it’s touristy in Rajesthan in Nov/December is the second itinerary a better bet or would we be crazy to miss Jaiselmer?
Which itinerary would you go for and why?

Many thanks I appreciate any thoughts or comments.

anthropologist

Anyone...please?

maree

it would be a shame to miss Jaisalmer... definitely a Rajasthan highlight. can you not cut down your 9 days in delhi?

unclelach

The fort at Jodhpur is stunning, as much as seen from the town below as close up. Jodhpur has some great medium priced historic building hotels as well although like all cities the traffic is frantic.

The Ranakpur temples on the back road between Udaipur and Jodhpur are worth some time. I had just half an hour when my public bus had a rest stop.

I think the overnight stop(s) on the camel safaris are much over-rated unless you have particularly good company. The camel rides though are fun.

vinayverma

I would take #2 with some twicking:
I'd reduce few nights to include Jaiselmer.
You do with 3 nights in Udaipur and 1 night in Rohit Garh
You can also avoid the night stay in Chitorgarh. Add ranakpur temples on your way to Jodhpur from Udaipur.
If you are interested in architecture, and getting a sense of the culture then Jaiselmer deserves atleast 2 nights.
Plus Shekhavati would be great and I would recommend moving around in that region and staying at other small towns, if you can.

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steven_ber

A few trains: -

I have not got the local train timetable for the Indore - Kota section and can only find a couple of poorly timed express trains.

Train 9773 departs Indore (Wednesdays & Fridays only) at 22:05 and gets to Kota at 04:25. (3A, SL.)

Train 2415 departs Indore (Daily) at 16:05 and gets to Kota at 22:55. (1A, 2A, 3A, SL.)

Below is a possible alternative.

Train 9770 departs Indore daily at 21:15 and gets to Chittaurgarh at 05:55 the next morning, the train has 2A, FC and SL classes of accomodation.
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Rohet Garh? I've found a place called Rohat about 40 kms south of Jodhpur, could this be the place?

Rohat train station looks to be about 4 - 5 kms from Rohat.

Devgarh Mandariya is (I think) the station for Deogarh.

T...484 ...Udaipur 06:10, Deogarh 10:48, Marwar Jn. 13:40, (II only.*)
T...2JM ...Marwar Jn. 14:20, Rohat 15:32, Jodhpur 17:00, (II only.*)

* Any train with only second class unreserved (II) may be very crowded, it may also be empty, and you would be advised to go to the train the day before and look for yourself, and also ask the ticket man on the train.
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How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions.



Train information.

Lily

Rajasthan as a destination can accommodate far more tourists than we receive - you will hardly ever find the cities teeming with tourists. However this year we are facing great difficulty in finding hotel rooms in Udaipur and Jaisalmer. (Deogarh and Rohet are very popular destinations and always busy from October to March.) So, if you have bookings confirmed at Kankarwa, Rohet and Deogarh, do not change them now.

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Lily

anthropologist

Thanks so much for all of your feedback...I really do appreciate eveyone's thoughts/advice. I'm now thinking of a combination of the two with Bundi and Jaiselmer but leaving out Indore etc. I was shocked to find the Ahilya Fort in Maheshawar charges an astounding $225 per person per night!!! So we won't be staying there!

We're definately interested in Ranakpur and Kumbbhalgarh.

Lily is absolutely right that the main difficulty has been coordinating the hotel reservations as many dates are already booked for November and December.

Thanks again for all the help.