Hiring a driver+car, rajasthan. Itinerary?

Does anyone have any good suggestions for a driver for rajasthan, with the trip beginning in Delhi.
I was wanting to do my own trip though, not a planned tour. I would also like to know what price I should expect to pay.

Thanks for your help!

Hi Maddie,

Here are some links to recent threads giving recommendations for car hire businesses, and some about what are good prices. Most car and driver hire companies will quote for your own unique itinerary.

Tour Company or Own Driver?

Car and Driver North India 20 Days

This one is a little out of date now (in fact it's before my time!). I know there's a more recent thread discussing car hire prices but I'm darned if I can find it. I'll keep looking though.

Car Hire Costs in Rajasthan (2005)

I hope that helps.

Hi,
I am going to be in India for 13 days...I know its a very short time. I am flying in and out of delhi so thought I would keep my trip to the rajasthan area. Despite being in India for a short time I don't really want to feel rushed so thought I would limit the number of places I visit. Definitely will stay in Delhi and Agra...thought I may go to another 3 places...any suggestions?

I like the sound of udaipur, what about pushkar, jaipur or jodpur?

Where would be the 3 places you would recommend most highly in the rajasthan area, to get a broad experience of india?

thanks, maddie

Still looking for that car price thread....I'm sure it existed. Am I finally going nuts?

Anyway, in 13 days (12 nights?) by car I think the places you've mentioned are great. You could do something like Delhi (2 nights) - Agra (2) - Jaipur (2) - Jodhpur (1) - Udaipur (2) - Pushkar (2)- Delhi (1) (I've said 1 night in Jodhpur cos that would be my preference...clearly change that as you like!).

You could fit more destinations in, but I think it would be rushed.

HTH.

PS If you scroll down to the bottom of this page you'll find a list of related links with info on hiring cars with drivers.

Oh. My. God.

I finally found it. I will not lose this thread again. This talks about car hire prices and then veers off a bit, but it's useful info.

Car and Driver Downpayment

Now...must....sleep......

I wouldn't spend two nights in Agra or for that matter in Jaipur. If you go to Jodhpur try to include Jaisalmer too. Visit Ranakpur & Kumbhalgarh on your way to Udaipur from Jodhpur.

thankyou for your help!
i will continue my planning from here!

I agree with Jyotirmoy - by including Jaisalmer you will see something really unique in India, all places so far mentioned by you will have something different to each other so a good choice. You can manage Jaisalmer in a 13 day tour, and by car it is not so tiring for travelling.

I was just really thinking about her saying she didn't want to feel rushed. Normally I wouldn't stay two nights in Agra either. I think there's enough in Jaipur to warrant two nights though.

I know what you mean about Jaisalmer Aishah (and you'd know much better than I!) but it always seems to be just that little bit too far for these kind of sub-two week itineraries. I personally would probably plan to make it the focal point- spend a good 3 or 4 nights there or out in the desert and just one or two nights in a few other places. But people seem to like seeing lots of places.

I need a shrugging smiley right now. Where's the shruggy smiley?

Hi Karuna! I think it depends on what sort of tour OP wants and if this is her first trip to India - does she like a 'looking at a great variety of things' sort of tour or a 'slow tour absorbing up the atmosphere' one. Often first trippers do quite a lot in a short time, then later come back to the places they want to stay longer on another visit. We get many people coming on 10 day tours from Delhi - they seem to be enjoying themselves and very happy! Also some will stay a week, include a safari etc.
I originally came here because a friend back in Oz said to me if you are going to Rajasthan you must go to Jaisalmer - well, I did and you can imagine his surprise when I told him I was returning to live there!!!

It's definitely the place I'm coming back to next time- that and Pushkar. But next time might be April so I expect I would boil in Jaisalmer. This April I boiled in Delhi!

I didn't see the cenotaphs last time, and I think I'm going to do a jeep trip out in the desert- I'm not the camel type.

Look at me planning my next trip already! I was in Delhi and Shimla not two weeks ago. Gets under your skin, doesn't it?

Early April you might just manage the heat, Karuna - after that awful. I stay usually till mid-May then have to leave - life becomes like gaol - inside with a/c too much. Temps in April will be up to and maybe just over 40'c. I'm off to NZ and Oz mid-April next year! First time back for 3 years...

Hi,
I know haven't written for a while but I have had lots to organise!
Anyway this is the itinerary I have come up with based on the advice you gave me...and some of my own feelings:
Delhi (3)
Agra
Pushkar(2)
Jodpur(2)
Jaisalmer(3)
Udaipur(3)
Jaipur(1)
Delhi

Ok, so I have decided not to stay a night in Agra? what do you think about this? Is that a huge day to drive from delhi-agra-pushkar? Also, thought I wouldn't stay another night in Delhi at the end (we fly out of delhi late at night on the final day). How far is the drive from jaipur to delhi?
Also I was wondering if you had any idea of how many hours drive it would be in between each city...that would be fantastic if you could tell me how long it took from delhi to agra...agra to pushkar...puskar to jodhpur..etc ..please refer to my itinerary.
Thankyou for your help. Maddie

Can't do all your timings Maddie but can give you a rough idea of some -Delhi - Agra - Pushkar sounds big, someone else might help here. Why not Delhi - Agra (stay 2 nights Delhi) then next day to Pushkar? Pushkar - Jodhpur is only around 4 hours. Jodhpur - Jaisalmer direct about 4 hours but you might like to extend your day by going via Osyian, Phalodi, khichan etc. Otherwise stop at Manvar Resort halfway between Jod. & Jaisalmer, and have a break, a cuppa etc. Then your journey will be 4 hours plus the time of your break.
Jaisalmer to Udaipur is HUGE in one day, i think. Although many people do do it. I suggest you go via Barmer onto Bhenswara Village, stop the night there or even onto Ranakpur and stop there the night. Visit the temples there and then onto Udaipur and stay 2 nights Udaipur. You will be quite rested by that.
Jaipur - Delhi used to be 6 hours but I think less with better roads.

Jaipur - Delhi is about 5 hours.

I would say spend a night in Agra for one reason: the Taj Mahal is best seen first thing in the morning, before 9am when the tour groups start pitching up (and boy do they - I sat in the car park and watched em once- from 8.30 to 9 you wouldn't believe the difference).

Alright, two reasons- Delhi - Agra - Pushkar with stops is a long day's travel.