A solo female traveller first time in India - tips needed

Hey!

I am a solo female traveller who is going to spend 13 days in India in the end of this month. This will be my first visit to India and I%26#39;m not quite sure where to go. So, I would love to get the advices of any of the local experts here.

I am planning to do either

Delhi (2) - Mandawa (1) - Jodhpur (2) (- Jaisalmer (1)) - Udaipur (2) - Jaipur (2) - Agra (1)

or:

Delhi (2) - Udaipur (2) - Jaipur (2) - Agra (2) - Khajuraho (1) - Varanasi (2)

Which one do you prefer? What is the best order to do these places in? Am I trying to fit too much in, should I add/delete something? Also, is a trip to Ranthambore worth it or would you bypass?

I know this 13 days is not long enough so I want to make the most of my time and plan wisely. Lastly, do you recommend a private tour or travelling on my own?

Cheers, Anna

A solo female traveller first time in India - tips needed

I prefer the second option, mainly because you will get more variety in terms of culture. Varanasi and Khajuraho are both distinctly different from Rajasthan.

Does your itinerary have any flights in it? Khajuraho has an airport.

I would actually do Delhi (0 or overnight) - Udaipur (2) - Jodhpur (2) - Jaipur (2) - Agra (1) - Delhi (1) - Khajuraho (1) - Varanasi (2)

OR

Delhi (0 or overnight) - Udaipur (2) - Jaipur (2) - Ranthambore (2) - Agra (1) - Delhi (1) - Khajuraho (1) - Varanasi (2)

If budget is not an issue, get a private tour, you will really understand more of what you are seeing. In my view, most tourists experience the colour and vareity, but don%26#39;t understand or even see the complex layers in the culture. In Rajasthan, as well as Delhi and Agra, it is easy to get ';forted out'; and ';palaced out'; unless you have a story-teller with you who can tell you what%26#39;s going on. Have you been to the Tower of London? Imagine walking into it without the Beefeater tours. Bo-ring.

- Deepa

A solo female traveller first time in India - tips needed

yes deepa i agree with ur suggestion.her second option is gud i m from allahabad its 135 kms.from varanasi and i m working in a travel agency as a trip planner and looking only holiday packages.

So if u dont mind u can contact me amiq100@rediffmail.com

Hi Anna

Is this going to be your only trip to North India? If not, go for option 1 and do Rajasthan in detail. I beg to differ from Deepa about being ';forted-out'; or ';palaced-out'; (innovative and really interesting terms!!). Each Rajasthan city does have its own character and even though we dont have the cocky Beefeaters, there are competent guides available if book in advance, who could make the difference as Deepa rightly says. If you do this programme, youll have to go Delhi(0 - this means driving straight from the airport)-Mandawa(1)-Bikaner(1)-Jaisalmer(2)-Jodhpur(1)-

Udaipur(2)-Jaipur(2)-Agra(1)-Delhi(1) by car.

However if this is the only trip you will ever make to North India, then Id suggest a variation to Deepa%26#39;s suggestion No 1. Again, I feel reducing Delhi to 0 nights is a bit harsh. A city that has a history as rich as Delhi does deserve attention even though it may be difficult to negotiate. Id suggest -

Delhi (0 - this means taking a connecting flight)) - Udaipur (2) - Jodhpur (2) - Jaipur (2) - Agra (1) - Khajuraho(1 - Take train to Jhansi and drive to Khajuraho) - Varanasi (2) - Delhi (1)

Also do pls read up all the advice available for single women travelers on this site and on Thorntree.

Many thanks for great advices!

I%26#39;m afraid this is going to be my first and last trip to North India (I%26#39;m planning to go to South next year), so I decided to do Varanasi and Khajuraho too. I%26#39;m planning to fly from Delhi to Varanasi and Varanasi to Khajuraho but I%26#39;m not sure whether it%26#39;s better to hire a car with a driver (is it expensive?) or take a public transport from Khajuraho to Agra-Jaipur-Jodhpur-Udaipur. Also, is it possible to book a guide/tour (eg. sightseeing in Delhi, boat trip in Varanasi etc) while I%26#39;m in India or should I book in advance?

Thanks!

Boat trip in Varanasi can by arranged by your hotel once you get there, but I would suggest you arrange car and driver in advance through a local India travel agent. We used Castle and King and thought they were excellent and reasonably priced:

info@castleandking.com

npjai can give you other suggestions.

I would reccommend you 2nd options because it has variety where you can se more places...and want to include Bodhgaya in this tour just next to Varanasi.Can take direct train,cab or group tour buses. This is supreme place for lover of Budha and Hinduism.Lord Budha got enlightement here under the bodhi tree that is still there and many temples and monastries made by different countries.

Thanks

a few questions

Hi all,

I am just starting to do a little research on india for a trip that we, 2 couples, are planning next year, this will be our first time.

we have about 3 weeks that we can play with and have been looking at the following destinations, which can be reversed if need be .

flying from either sydney or brisbane ,

Delhi 2nts

Varanasi 2nts

Khajuraho 2nts

Agra 2nts

Jaipur 2nts

Udaipur 2nts

Bombay 2nts

Goa 2nts

Bangalore 2nts

then onto bali for a weeks R%26amp;R

1. Can anyone tell me if we should be spending more or less time at any place or something we should not bother with or include .

2. Are we trying to fit in too much ?

3. Does anyone know what airlines fly to bali and where from ?

4. Can you recomend where to stay in each place ...i didnt realise there were so many suburbs in each place.

Not overly into huge crowds , not 100% of the time anyway , but i would still love to see how hectic delhi and mumbai are .we like to walk , restaurants and somewhere to sit and have a nice drink at the end of the day is in our sights.

5. I have a few ideas of what to see and do from an advertised online tour...but does anyone know of better things to see and do away from the usual and if it is easy for us to arrange a tour like this ourselves , as the tour prices seem extremely high, that and the fact that if we find something interesting then we would want to take our time looking , not being rushed like a herd of sheep....lol

I really like the look of the buildings at Khajuraho , although temple hopping is not our favourite thing to do the whole time , we dont mind seeing the spectacular ones. We like to see things of history and culture , old and new ....perhaps a little shopping .

I think thats enough questions for now ....i am sure i will think of a million more before the trip starts .

Any tips are greatly appreciated

many many thanks to those who take the time to answer .

cheers

batt

a few questions

On the whole it sounds like a sensible agenda, but I have some suggestions.

I would do only one night in Agra. There is Agra Fort and the Taj, and Sikandra, but it can all be pretty much done in 1 day, so stay overnight, then drive to Jaipur, stopping to see Fatehpur Sikri on the way.

I am not sure what you%26#39;re doing in Bangalore? It is not a city people pick for sightseeing. I would fly out of Mumbai to Bali. And use the 2 days saved in Bangalore in Rajasthan, perhaps at Ranthambore Tiger Sanctuary (before the tiger becomes extinct!).

Also, since Bali is a beach, I would actually skip Goa. For those 2 extra days, an overnight desert safari at Jaisalmer sounds like a better thing.

a few questions

really long post...hv u specified the time of the year anywhere? or hv i missed out seeing it?

If not please do tell us..as this cud be the real decider as to whr u go and whr not.

thanks so much deepa , your ideas sound good .

vibrantholidaysindia

yes sorry about the long post , but i dont like it when people go ..im coming where can i stay and what can i do .....lol we have no idea on what that person wants , so i tried to describe as best as possible .

as for the time of travel , no you didnt miss i t, i forgot about that bit ...hahaha ...MARCH next year .

thanks to both of you

cheers

batt

no offence for the long post...i was trying to just say that since its long, have i missed out on reading the time of travel..:-)

Now posters will hv better ideas for you, im sure

I actually think it%26#39;s a little packed. You%26#39;ll be doing an awful lot of flying! Bear in mind that of your 2 nights in each place, much of one day will be spent either in airports/planes or cars (assuming you%26#39;re doing the Agra/Jaipur/Udaipur run by car.

In 18 nights you could do a car tour (I always say car tours because that%26#39;s what I know, others can help you with other ideas) like this:

Day 1 arrive Delhi

2 Delhi

3 Fly Delhi - Varanasi

4 Varanasi

5 Varanasi

6car to Khajuraho

7 Khajuraho

8 car to Orchha

9 Orchha

10 Orchha - Agra

11 Agra - Jaipur

12 Jaipur

13 Jaipur - Udaipur (quite a long run by car, you could fly, or break it in Pushkar?)

14 Udaipur

15 fly Udaipur - Mumbai

15 -18 in Mumbai and fly to Bali from there.

That feels like a reasonable pace to me, you can give or take a day in each place as per your preferences (e.g. just one night in Khajuraho and add the extra night in Mumbai...I would prefer that I think). But you would miss out on Goa and Bangalore, so I guess it depends on your priorities- where is top of your list?

rajkumari_again

thanks so much for your reply .

within your itinarary , where would we be able to fit in Rajasthan %26amp; Jaisalmer ?

it doesnt matter if we go over the 3 weeks a little as we will have enough holidays up our sleeve to go longer .

thank you

batt

I would reccommend your trip this way:-

1 Delhi

2 Delhi

3 Agra

4 Ranthambore

5 Ranthambore

6 Jaipur

7 Jaipur

8 Pushkar

9 Udaipur

10Jodhpur

11 Jodhpur

12Jaislmer

13 Bikaner

14 Bhartpur

15 Orcha

16 Khajuraho

17 Varanasi

18 Varanasi

19 Bodhgaya

20 Bodhgaya-Rajgir-Nalanda-Kakolat cold water fall(one day)

21 Patna-Delhi-Bali

Clothing for early March in Delhi and Palace on Wheels trip

Any advice on women%26#39; attire for our holiday in early March would be gratefully recieved.

Clothing for early March in Delhi and Palace on Wheels trip

Feb is still wintery, but March usually starts to get warmer. Last year, March 1 had an average temperature of 63°F (18°C ). The highest was 21 and lowest was 14. But we%26#39;re having an exceptionally cold winter, so all bets are off for March 2008. I%26#39;d bring layered clothing for this March.

Clothing for early March in Delhi and Palace on Wheels trip

Tourists who visit India dress in different ways: Some try Indian fabrics and clothing because they%26#39;re logitically right for the weather, or because they have aesthetic appeal. Others stick to what%26#39;s familiar. Some are considerate about local sensitivities, while others dress like they would in Rio. Apart from dressing for the weather, you can just find your own comfort zone in terms of style. The more upmarket you dress, the more you%26#39;re charged in the streetside shops.

Thanks for the very useful information.

You might consider bringing some kind of long flared skirt as well as trousers. Sometimes the practicality can be an advantage..... especially on long road trips.

On bus and train journeys you may find a head scarf is particularly useful.

To dismiss unwanted attention, covering your face with a scarf or even just throwing the end over your shoulder is effective body language, it might save you hours of intense staring.

If you are doing the Palace on Wheels, then do take at least one or two dressy things. If you%26#39;ve seen the itinerary, you%26#39;ll see there are dinners in nice restaurants (not on the train).

The best clothes to bring on the POW trip (I%26#39;ve just done it for the second time in 20 years) are loose comfortable clothes that wash easily. Then throw in a few sparkly items to dress them up for dinner.

The terrain can be very hard going with a lot of walking through areas with excrement on the ground.

I wore a pair of comfortable ECCO sandels that I could rinse with water each night.

Also light, gauzy tops and loose jackets over viscose strappy dresses. Women who showed too much fresh or dressed very expensivly were hassled in the streets. We were mobbed by street vendors so you will need a bag with proper closures.

There are laundry days on the train but in the very limited bathroom there is a line in the shower and delicate clothes that you don%26#39;t want to send out, can be hung to dry on. A tube of travel wash is handy.

Some of the people on the train decided to wear the native clothes (particularly tunic and loose trousers) and this worked very well.

Swimming pools are available at some of the lunch break hotel but you will need to ask (and make sure that they don%26#39;t charge you).

A lunchtime swim is a good idea - especially for those of us with long hair as the cabin showers have little water.

The POW has very small cabins (although we loved ours) with limited wardrobe space. Your suitcases need to go under the bed.

Hope thast this helps.

flopsy that was very useful indeed, i learnt quite a few new things!

driving direction Bangalore to kodaikanal

Hi

New to Bangalore please advice good driving direction from bangalore to kodaikanal by car I appreciate thanks.

driving direction Bangalore to kodaikanal

Bangalore - Hosur, Salem, Namakkal, Dindigul, Batlagundu, Kodaikanal - Total driving time - 8 hours

purple makeup

day trips/boat trips

Anybody have any experiences of either Johns Boat tours or The %26#39;Queen of Hearts%26#39; dow. I perfer a large boat rather than some of the small ones I have seen photos of. Im a awfull swimmer so would like to make sure they have all the safety equipment.

Also anybody been on johns boat tours Dudusagar falls ATV trip?

Apart from the jungle book tour where can I bathe with elephants nearish to Candolim? Don%26#39;t want to do a overnight tour. Just a hour or so%26#39;s taxi ride to ride and bathe with these wonderful creatures.

I know this seems to be a regular question but never seen a straight answer. Going in 4 weeks WOO HOO!

BTW am aware of the tours from the north thread.

Thanks

Rob

day trips/boat trips

I have been been on a boat trip with Johns Boats it was ok. Also went on the D Falls trip with them. Would advise getting a taxi to the falls, it will be half the price of J B%26#39;s , and you can also call at Old Goa or anywhere else you want on the way.

4 or 5 star hotels in the New Delhi Business District?

What are 4 or 5 star hotels in the Bangalore Business District?

Please write back ASAP!

Thank you,

JML

4 or 5 star hotels in the New Delhi Business District?

There isn%26#39;t one single business district. I usually stay at the Leela Kempinski, which is close to the airport and convenient for the offices that I need to visit.

4 or 5 star hotels in the New Delhi Business District?

Jlusk, the Leela is in Bangalore. You posted the wrong question.

- Deepa

Woman Travelling Alone

I am planning a 3 month trip by myself for january-march of 2009. I wanted to start my travels in India. I am 27 year old blonde woman and was wondering if I should have any concerns or stay clear of any specific geographical locations. Also, any suggestions would be wonderful! I%26#39;m feeling overwhelmed. I really want a beautiful spiritual and art focused trip...

Woman Travelling Alone

If you type ';woman alone'; or ';female alone'; or ';safe for women'; in the little white box on the top, you%26#39;ll find about 20 posts on the same subject. There is so much information on this forum already for woman travellers. Once you%26#39;ve read those, you can ask more specific questions perhaps?