India--advice on a month-long trip in December

17 years ago, November 13th 2006 No: 1 Msg: #8503 Delete Edit

natemeg2006
natemeg

N Posts: 2

Hi,
Longtime lurker, first time poster. Love this forum!
My girlfriend and I are looking for advice on a month-long trip in December. In Brazil we did Lonely Planet's 4 month itin. in 3 1/2 weeks using air travel to cover

more ground. Hoping to apply same strategy here. Money is not a problem. Basically we are aiming for 9 days in the North and 21 days in the South.

Is this possible? If not what can we get away with? Priorities from first to last are: Mumbai, Goa, Varanasi, Kerala, Rajastan, Agra/Delhi. But of course we want to

do it all!!! 😊
Looking for adventure and visually striking photo/video ops.

What order would you recommend travelling through the following itin? @=Airline, +=Train
MUMBAI > DELHI @
DELHI > AGRA +
AGRA > JAIPUR +
JAIPUR > VARANASI @
VARANASI > (DELHI > BANGALORE > ) CHENNAI @
CHENNAI > ALL SOUTHERN CITIES + (planes possible in south?)
SOME SOUTHERN CITY(BANGALORE,MYSORE?) > GOA @
GOA > MUMBAI @

Is there a direct flight from Varanasi>Chennai?
from Mysore > Goa?

Ok, finally here is the itin--

PROPOSED ITIN
----------------
>MUMBAI- 2 nights

>DELHI - 1 night
*want to experience city

>AGRA - 1 night
*Taj Mahal

>JAIPUR/UDAIPUR/JAISALMER - 3 nights
*best departure point for camel ride?

>VARANASI - 2 nights
*want to see strange spiritual things. standing babas? ascetics? rituals?

>Chennai --Arrive and leave

>Mamallapuram -- 1 night
--2 hours by bus from Chennai?
*Temples, Rock carving

>Pondicherry --1 night
--2 hours by bus from Mamallapuram?
*Idyllic, French

>Madurai -- ½ day
--8 hours by bus from Pondicherry, 2 daily, plane available??
*Temple Only

>Ooty --2 nights
--Miniature train from Chennai departs Mettupalayam at 7:20am daily 5 hours
--Bus to Mysore 4 hours
--Bus to Coimbatore 5 hours, then train to Chennai or Kochi
*Walking/trekking/hilltop village

>Kochin --4 nights
--Hub for backwaters mosques/churches/kathakali performance/synagogues/jewish town
--Rent house boat in backwaters (2 of 4 nights)

>Munnar --1 night
--Tea growing region full day hike/tour
--4 ½ hours by bus from Kochi

>Madikeri (Kodagu Region) --3 nights
--3 ½ hours by bus from Mysore
--Trekking green mountainous expanse in Southwest Karnakata forested hills whose roads ramble through flowering vines, bamboo trees and coffee estates
--3 hrs from Hassan

>Wayanal Wildlife Sanctuary --2 nights
--Most beautiful landscapes in the state, paddies, spice plantations and forest. No other travelers, elephants, bison, sambar, etc.
--Trekking formation of large boulders in forest, waterfalls
--Visiting sanctuary 5 hr treks, jeep tours, etc.
--Bus from Calicut to Mysore pass through Kalpetta and Sultanbatheri 3 hours
--One bus per day passes through Saltanbatheri to Ooty at 1am
--Few morning services from Kannur

>Gokarna --2 nights
--Beach town
--15 hrs by train to Kochi
--14 hrs by bus to Mysore

>Goa 3 nights
--North Goa Anjura Wednesday flea market
--Old Goa ? 1 night
--Agonda/Palolem Beaches
--Exploring beaches 2 nights
--Boat trips, mountain biking, etc.

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17 years ago, November 13th 2006 No: 2 Msg: #8507 Delete Edit

Lauralee
Laura

B Posts: 138

hmm. hope this helps

www.airdeccan.net -> alternate discount airline. I took it it and it was great, though its sometimes unheard of even by locals. I flew Mumbai to Goa which saved a lot of time rather than taking the train.

Indian airlines is another place to look and Air India?

- Delhi to Agra - take the train. there's tons that go pass on that route each day. Only takes you about 2 hours. Agra you definitely only need one day for - make sure you plan it so you don't go on the day the Taj Mahal is closed. For scenic/photographic view - try to go during sunrise or sunset. Less tourists will be in your pictures.

Jaisalmer is supposed to be the best place to do camel safaris in the desert (usually these are multi-days). I don't know about 1 day or half day rides though.

- Jaipur to Varanasi - you would most likely need to pass back through Delhi as thats the train central.

- Ooty is awesome. Two days is plenty. I would recommend hiring a driver or doing a tour that checks out the tea plantations, etc.

Keep in mind that the train system is extremely busy, packed and frustrating to organize. If you plan on accomplishing that much you need to seriously organize this ahead of time and probably do most of it online. I found the train system frustrating - I had to buy all my tickets in advance as getting a ticket the day of was difficult. Waiting in line with 50 other Indians is not a good time.

Easiest way to do all of this is do it in a relatively straight line. Most travellers fly into Delhi, do the triangle (agra, jaipur), head back, fly/train to Varanasi, fly back... fly to Mumbai, head down to Goa/Kerala to finish your trip.

good luck with your planning!
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17 years ago, November 13th 2006 No: 3 Msg: #8511 Delete Edit

jaswin
jaswinder singh

B Posts: 10

Hi welcome to India , i would suggest spend more time in each place , if you realy want to experience india plan for either north or south for whole month, second thing i would suggest is avoid big cities , you will find flavour of india only in small places , big cities have become more like concrete jungles with lots of peoples around you , which is a very frustrating experience but if you travel to smaller cities you will find entirely different attitude.
I hope this will help you in someway to enjoy India.One thing more December is a very busy season and lot of local tourists are also on the move so book your hotels , flights , train(i do not think you will find any seats available now for december in all major trains)etc.
best of luck Reply to this

17 years ago, November 15th 2006 No: 4 Msg: #8564 Delete Edit

The Travel Camel
Shane Dallas

B Posts: 7,300

Your itinerary sounds most comprehensive. Word of advice though - try to do the south first as it is a far gentler introduction to the chaos and energy of India than the north. The northern areas you intend to go - in particular Agra and Rajasthan - are hassle-filled tourist traps and it's best to be a bit wiser about being a traveller in India before heading there. That being said - the north is spectacular - and worth every moment.

Jaislamer does have afternoon/sunset camel treks if you do not wish to sleep on the ground overnight. There are plenty of options inside the fort area, so if you walk around, you'll be sure to find one.

In Madurai, if you can, visit the temple at sunrise or sunset - this is when a lot of the pujas (prayers) occur and the place really buzzes.

Mysore Palace on a Sunday night is a must - they light up the whole temple for only one hour each Sunday evening and it is spectacular.

Varanasi - again sunrise and sunset are great viewing times - maybe take a boat ride at sunrise - plenty of photo ops then as the light is at its best. You can then walk along the ghats at sunset and get another perspective at a busy time.

Train travel is a marvel - but as Jaswinder said, December is a peak time so getting tickets on some routes may be difficult. If you want to check what trains go where and at what times - check the official Indian Railways site, where you can book tickets online. Be aware that deciphering these timetables can be a bit frustrating at first, but after a while, it becomes much easier. Also, certain train stations (and possibly the Internet) sell "Tourist Quota", so as a foreigner, you are able to buy tickets on trains that are supposedly 'sold out'.

December is a bit of a popular month for weddings too - and you will probably hear the noise of a wedding procession and festivites long before you see it! I was fortunate to be walking along the streets in Agra and was invited to join a wedding procession that was passing by, which included attending the banquet. If this opportunity arises, grab it - it is certainly something that memories are made of! Reply to this

17 years ago, November 15th 2006 No: 5 Msg: #8580 Delete Edit

natemeg2006
natemeg

N Posts: 2

OK thanks for all the replies. I revised this and added some transportation info here.
Really interested to see what everyone thinks.
Any problems with this? Alternative recommendations???

* = Tourist destination for us. Cities that dont have this are just transportation hubs.

NORTH: MUMBAI, RAJASTHAN, AGRA, VARANASI
----------------------------------------------------------

Mumbai> Jodhpur: plane (ONLY FROM MUMBAI) Jet Airways
JA 9W3407 Mumbai (BOM) 1045 Jodhpur (JDH) 1315 Daily

*Jodhpur > Jaisalmer : train (overnight) Jaisalmer Express 6 hrs. 11:15 pm > 5:15am

*Jaisalmer > Jodhpur > Jaipur : train (overnight) Jaisalmer Delhi Express 11 hrs. 4:15 pm > 5:15am $30 AC2
- 1 night in desert with camel

*Jaipur > Udaipur: Jet Airways
JA 9W709 Jaipur (JAI) 0700 Udaipur (UDR) 0745 Daily
- 1 night

*Udaipur > Delhi: Jet Airways
9W708 Udaipur (UDR) 1530 Delhi (DEL) 1640 Daily
- 1 night

Delhi > Agra: train, car 2 hours
- 1 night

*Agra > Delhi: train, car 2 hours
DELHI > VARANASI : SpiceJet $22 1hr.
*VARANASI > DELHI SpiceJet $22 1hr.
- 2 nights

DELHI > CHENNAI SpiceJet $55 3 ½ hrs.

SOUTH: Chennai, Pondicherry, Madurai, Cochin, Varkala, Munnar, Wayanal Wildlife
----------------------------------------------------------

CHENNAI
Mamallapuram - 1 night
Pondicherry - 1 night

CHENNAI > MADURAI : AIR DECCAN 1 HR 15 MIN $23
*MADURAI > BANGALORE : AIR DECCAN 1 HR 30 MIN $10?

BANGALORE > TRIVANDRUM ( AIR DECCAN 1 HR 30 MIN $21 )
*TRIVANDRUM > Varkala train 1hr.
- 2 nights

*Varkala > COCHIN : coastal train 3 ½ hrs.
- 4 nights including houseboat tour

*COCHIN > MUNNAR : 4 ½ hrs. bus or car
- 2 nights

COCHIN > CALICUT : early Cannanore Express train 5 hrs.
*Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Near Calicut)
- 2 nights

CALICUT > GOKARNA : coastal train ?? hrs.
- 2 nights

*GOKARNA > GOA (Margao) (Konkan Railway 2 hrs.)
- 2 nights

*GOA > MUMBAI : 1 hr. SPICE JET $100 , AIR DECCAN $21
- 2 nights
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17 years ago, November 16th 2006 No: 6 Msg: #8585 Delete Edit

The Travel Camel
Shane Dallas

B Posts: 7,300

I didn't take any plane flights in India, so I cannot comment on the procedure of flying in India. You have a lot packed in - but after your Brazilian experience, this probably isn't a problem.

Glad that Jodhpur has been included, I didn't want to suggest anything not on your itinerary in your last entry. You have a few hours there, so head up to Mehrangarh (Mighty Fort) - I thought it the best fort in India - take the audio tour - well worth it. If I was allowed to make one addition to your journey, it would be Khajuraho - the quality of the carvings are amazing. It's best to fly in - and then from there you can fly to Varanasi. So, my suggestion would be fly from Agra to Khajuraho - stay a day - fly to Varanasi and then directly back to Delhi.

If you are interested, I wrote a full version of my "best of" after my 3 months in India on another forum - http://www.travelblog.org/Forum/Threads/2139-1.html

Finally, be ultra careful of the water - don't even brush your teeth or clean your tootbrush with the stuff. I used antiseptic hand wipes before every meal as well - and I was cautious with any tea, juices and lassis. Be particularly careful in Varanasi - some of the water they use comes directly from the Ganges - and you definitely don't want to drink that, even if it has been boiled.

I look forward to reading your stories! Reply to this

17 years ago, November 16th 2006 No: 7 Msg: #8600 Delete Edit

jaswin
jaswinder singh

B Posts: 10

Have a nice journey , only thing i can suggest in your itinary is that you can use texy to go from Jaipur to Udaipur as you will be able to see much more on the way like ajmer , beawar and time difference between a flight and texy will hardly be three to four hours. Waiting to read your experience in India , While in india if you need any help/advice you can contact me through email as i am in india till Jan and would be glad to help you. Reply to this

17 years ago, November 17th 2006 No: 8 Msg: #8617 Delete Edit

neel76
Indraneel Chatterjee

B Posts: 7

Hi,

On your north trip, i would suggest you spend a night in Jodhpur. It is a very pretty place before proceeding to Jaisalmer.
Also I would suggest you take the train route to Agra from Delhi. It leaves early in the morning from Delhi and would save you a lot of time. The name of the train is Shatabdi Express. You can book tickets online on www.irctc.co.in

Have a great trip.

Cheers
Neel

If you need any other info about the north, you can write to me on indraneel76@gmail.com Reply to this

17 years ago, November 24th 2006 No: 9 Msg: #8770 Delete Edit

lugasuga
david

N Posts: 1

why not you get in touch with professionals. if you want i can gicve you the contact of the agency of provide me wonderful holidays twice. if u wish can mail me at: lugasuga@hotmail.com
david howard Reply to this

17 years ago, November 30th 2006 No: 10 Msg: #8864 Delete Edit

baiju
Baiju Padmanabhan

N Posts: 2

Hi,
In Kearla - Varkala is a beach side, and i think after that yo are heading straight to Cochin. I would like to suggest you Alappuzha, because if you want a backwater experience it will be the best option, QSt and R blocks will give nice experience, also to enjoy the house boat trip. 2/1 night at Alappuzha and 2/3 nights at Cochin will be nice, in my opinion.
In Cochin you can experience Kathakali, Jewish Synagogue, St Francis Church-(Indias oldest European Church), Vasodagama Square- Chinease nets, etc. Hill Palace will take 1/2 day tour(if you are interested in architecture, paintings, and old things)
In Munnar try one day at Cliff Hut, clinging to the mountainside, 6,600 feet up an isolated camp place. you have to trek to this place for 1hr.
Have a nice trip

Thank you

Baiju - mail me if you have any doubts baijupadmanabhan@yahoo.co.in. Reply to this

17 years ago, January 11th 2007 No: 11 Msg: #9786 Delete Edit

gelfey
gelfey sterling

N Posts: 3

hi,

you can take the advice of famous travel agency india below:

http://www.airawat.com

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India--advice on a month-long trip in December