Hello TravelBloggers,
Im a 20 year old student from England and im in the process of planning a solo 1 month trip accross north india. My intention is to fly into Delhi at the beginning of July and return at the beginning of august (i also have the option of travelling from mid july to mid aug).
I have so far loved researching and planning my trip but as i get deeper into the planning stages im getting so much infomation (mainly from other blogs) but i have not been able to find many details on travel during the english summer holidays (july-aug).
Ive got my vaccinations and im starting to gather the things i'll need for my Visa. My travel buddies have one by one dropped out so this is now a solo trip (which i think makes rough planning all the more important).
My current plan is to travel from Delhi to Dharamsala (making a number of overnight stops along the way including Amaritsa) although I would love to travel to Leh though infomation is mixed as to whether this is a good idea between july-aug. I would then like to travel south again and accross towards Sikkim. It seems like there are hundreds of reccomended stops along this route and there are so many suggestions that it feels like my brain is melting. There are also mixed feelings towards going into Sikkim in July.
What im really looking for with this post is advice about travel during July, ive read about the Monsoon but have found few details of peoples experences tarvelling at this time.
My only other concerns are the usual scams, but ive read alot about these and feel comfortable that i can avoid them reasonably well. And oversleeping my stops on trains.
Any and all advice is appreciated
Thanks alot
Reply to this Hi James - welcome to travelblog 😊
Im unfortunately not much help with India but may I suggest you read some of the blogs here that people who have travelled India have published to give you some ideas...theres a wealth of knowledge here from those who have been there and done it.
I personally like travelling in monsoon seasons...sure, sometimes you get delayed sometimes you may find yourself flooded in but its only water - I like dancing in the storms and wading through monsoon flooded streets, probably because I live in one of the dryest and most fireprone places in Australia.
Scams are everywhere, rely on your gut feelings. You will find good and bad in humans everywhere. Perhaps you can hook up with some other bloggers on your journey. Making a rough plan is a great idea, making a rigidly structured plan will possibly lead you to disappointments if say the train is late and you miss the next one if you plan down to the moment. Let yourself have some moments of nothing....when you are travelling these are the important times, to recharge your batteries and to be open to the unexpected. Sometimes when that plane or train gets delayed and you miss it and have to make a decision to find something else you might just find a tiny bit of paradise or a person who will remain with you in a fantastic memory for the rest of your life.
My personal view on monsoons is that they are just rain...warm rain as opposed to cold rain you are used to in the UK...travel with an open mind and check some blogs that have details about the specific areas you wish to visit...just search India > Dharamsala > Leh blogs in the Asia section up the top and have a scan to see if you can find any that have specific info you are after. Im sure there are many other travelbloggers who can help you out 😊
Good luck and happy travels!
Reply to this Thanks Littlewing,
As i've mentioned i've found little in the Leh blogs that is specific about the time I am planning on travelling. Most people travel during the peak times (december to january and after august).
This is my main concern, since I made this post (earlier today) I have also found that few people can suggest sites in Uttar Pradesh and West India that are really worth seeing ( the only suggestions are the much travelled Agra and Varanasi which i am planning to go to).
I have a friend who has spent almost a year in India and he has written a diary. However, he has said that I am only allowed to open each section of the diary once i have arrived at each destination.
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