The Maha Rajasthan Itinerary Info Thread

Visiting Rajasthan? Need some help planning your trip?

Here's some stuff to start you off.

• In this post I've listed some of the most useful existing threads on itineraries in Rajasthan. They cover where to go, how to get there, where to stay, and more. Note that these posts have been chosen because they have helpful discussions on them- even if the title or the first post in a thread doesn't seem to match your requirements, later responses may be of more interest.
  
  
• Please also note the forum search function, located in the top right of the page. A search of your keywords (eg "Jaipur", "Pushkar Camel Fair") will bring up relevant threads.
  
  
• At the bottom of every page in a thread, there is a list of "similar threads". If the thread you are reading doesn't quite answer your question, scroll down and see if any other recommended threads might help.
  
  
• When you are looking round the forums for information, remember that there are 2 places you might find threads on Rajasthan. The first is, not surprisingly the Rajasthan forum, where more general questions about places in Rajasthan go. The second is here, the Itineraries forum, where people plan how to get from A to B and which places to include and leave out. It's worth browsing both.

Rajasthan Itinerary Threads for your delight and edification:


Where to go
Udaipur, Jodhpur Or Jaipur?
Udaipur or Jaipur?
Am I nuts to want to miss out Jaisalmer??
Udaipur or Shimla?
Rajasthan - Where to Go
Kumbalgarh or Chittaurgarh ??
http://www.indiamike.com/india/rajas...r-both-t49239/
Lots of suggestions for places to go!
A brief taste of Rajasthan, which city?
Just do Rajasthan, or include Kerala/Varanasi/Goa- other places?



Should I book in advance?
Hotels, in October Rajasthan in October - to book or not to book.
Trains, in October Do we "wing" it around Rajasthan?
Trains, at Xmas time Tight Rajasthan Itinerary, book ahead??
Buses (general consensus is that buses can be booked on arrival, but this thread lists online bus booking services):
Online bus ticket reservation sites



Best method of transport
Round Rajasthan in 15 days- car and rail itineraries here!
Round Rajasthan, car or train?
Car or train to Jaipur - Jaisalmer - Jodhpur?
Trains, planes or automobiles in Rajasthan
Rajasthan Tourism car tour or private car tour?
How to get from Jaisalmer to Pushkar. Train or bus?
Jaipur to Udaipur- train or bus?


Buses
Where to find bus timetables, and buses Ahmedabad-Udaipur-Jodhpur-Jaisalmer
Bus Schedule from Bikaner to Jaisalmer




Round Rajasthan by Rail- itinerary advice
Comprehensive information on train times between cities in Rajasthan can be found on the Train Information thread.
In nine days: 9 days in Rajasthan
In ten days: delhi-rajasthan round trip
In 11 days: 11 days- Delhi- Agra-Jaipur-Udaipur-Jodh-Jais- are we nut jobs?
In 3 weeks: 3 weeks in North India - so many places so little time!
In 17 days: 17 days North India in October
In 20 days: Where should I spend my time in Rajasthan ?- too much I want to see!
In 32 days: 32 days in rajasthan - itinerary input
delhi - bikaner by train: is it possible??



Really Good Itineraries
These are at the right speed, well researched and show you what can be achieved ie aim for this kind of speed!:

23 days by rail: 23 days itinerary
2 weeks by car: 2 weeks in Rajasthan



Round Rajasthan by car- itinerary advice
In 7 days: 7 days in Rajasthan- any suggestions?
Rajasthan, 7 to 10 days tour?
Hiring a driver+car, rajasthan. Itinerary?


Rajasthan and Beyond
Agra, Rajasthan and Kerala in 2 weeks
delhi, golden triangle, amritsar, wagah, shimla, varanasi - best route?
Where should I spend my time in Rajasthan ?- too much I want to see!
6 weeks to see North and South - can it be done?!
Delhi to Mumbai in 18 days
Rajasthan + Varanasi in18 days?
Rajasthan-Agra-Varanasi 15 days



Cars and Drivers/Car tour prices
Please note that car hire prices are subject to change
Cost for Car/Driver in Rajasthan
Rajasthan: Car with driver?
http://www.indiamike.com/india/rajas...daipur-t51716/
A car tour operator wants me to send money in advance. Should I?


Hotels
For more hotel reviews please visit IndiaMike's hotel section. Note that prices are subject to change; if in doubt contact the hotel directly
Hotel Recommendations for Jaipur & Udaipur
http://www.indiamike.com/india/rajas...odhpur-t53147/
hotel recommendations in Udaipur and Jaisalmer?
Bikaner accommodation - max budget 1200 per night
cheap rooms in Pushkar??

Camel Safari Info
which place is best for a camel safari?
Camel Safari in jaisalmer -- tourist or non-touristic route?
http://www.indiamike.com/india/rajas...salmer-t27461/ (note this thread is from 2006!)

Ranthambhore Info

Online bookings for safaris are here: http://www.rajasthanwildlife.in/make...ailability.jsp

Hotel and safari time recommendations
Ranthambor Info: Jeeps, Canters and all that jazz
Rathambore Question
Ranthambhore report
Traveling from Agra to Ranthambore Park
Jaipur train station to Ranthambore

Great thread, karuna.

Karuna: Wow! great compilation of Rajasthan info & threads. Cant understand, why it took a month to be found?
.

Karuna, Very helpful. Everything in one place.

Only problem is, the Rajasthan Tourism modified their website , I think, and so there is no link to "book a safari" online. I was able to locate it just a month ago, but now that I really need to book, it vanished? Can someone help?

NIB

Yes, I noticed that! The link's just dead now, isn't it?
Didn't think of updating this thread! I'll put a note in there. Thanks!

As for help- you can book through your hotel (although prices may range all over the place depending on the hotel).

The booking service isn't available all year if I recall correctly, because the park is closed for the summer. I don't know whether it's just still closed and will be opened when the park does, or has been removed permanently.

Now with even more info! On Ranthambhore!
And example good itineraries!

The new website for Ranthambore safari bookings is
www.rajasthanwildlife.in

I called up a Ranthambore hotel - that is where I got this peice of info. There is a separate "wildlife" ministry, that is separate from rajasthan tourism, hence now they have their own separate websites - you think they would at least put a link in the old website? Hell, no.

When I tried, they take only Indian credit cards, no debit cards or International credit cards. Then they try to put you thru this Paypal system, by which point I gave up.

Besides, all Gyspsies for most of the last 2 weeks of December are taken anyway, it seems.

Oh, that's great stuff, thank you so much. Will update now. And I will append your post to the sticky on Ranthambhore in the Wildlife forum too.

Thanks! And sorry the booking doesn't work...they'd better get that sorted.....

I Ts No Doubt The Complete Thread For Rajasthan

thaaaaank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is great.

we have just returned from wonderful trip and found it was good to limit the distances we travelled, so we did Delhi, Agra, train bharatphur to Kota, bundi, jaipur, and Udaipur, via Fort Barli - which was wonderful and Rawla narlai, which was very mixed but enabled us to go to Ranakput, which is a must see. Udaipur one of our favourite places to walk round and check out the new cable car at sunset

Brilliant & thank you, Karuna. Your work is invaluable.
Still having fun planning!

Super work!!

Karuna and co.

I agree that this thread is great but I may ask an age-old question (so that I can craft my own particular plan/ itinerary...)

I'm off to India this Saturday 28th November (wahoO!), landing in Dehli and leaving from Mumbai on the 30th December (gives me roughly 4.5 weeks). I'd planned on heading straight to Varanasi from Dehli then inching my way back to Rajasthan via Agra. The current thinking is Dehli - Varanasi - Agra - Jaipur - Jodhpur - Jaisalmer - Udaipur (Mt Abu?) - Mumbai. Haven't quite figured out all the transport plans yet and want to be fairly flexible (within reason).

What I'm now thinking is that it is madness to try fit in Varanasi (that will be trip to India numero 3). So, sticking to Rajasthan and surrounds, is the above reasonable? Am I missing anything amazing? I get the sense that Jodhpur/ Jailsalmer/ Udaipur are must haves but are there any hidden treasures in between?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated . Thanks to everyone for all their previous comments...this place is a fountain of good info.

Nicky

I have just received my tour planning from the travel agency, and it really seems fine and dandy...distances from 150 to 300+ kms covered by car every other day, more or less. Here that would mean max 21/2 hours of driving on the longest legs... but I do understand that Indian roads and traffic doesen't compare. As am travelling with children would like to have a more accurate timing...Does it depend on the roads a lot (We're not going to small faraway places, but main Rajasthani cities) or on the season? How much time should I count for 100 kms? (and how much more to get in or out of big cities?) Travelling around Easter. Thanks in advance!