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For my big 50 next year i want to a 12 day trip to India with my mum (77 but no health issues) Jan/Feb.
Thinking of doing Delhi-train to Udaipur – Pushkar – Jaipur – Agra – train to Varanasi – flight to Delhi
Still in the early stages of planning, but would appreciate any suggestions for:
hotels (£250 a night budget but happy to do 1 or 2 in more expensive ones),
trains – what class should we go for – important that it is comfortable & clean
drivers and guidesThanks
I’d take a gander at the current series of Race around the World if I were you and take an unvarnished view of the whole shenanigans. It reminded me why I’ve no desire to return after doing the infernal triangle a few years ago. It’s the only country among some 70 I’ve traveled to that neither the missus or I have any desire to return to. If on reflection you still want to go, two tips, first insulate yourself from the maelstrom as far as possible and second avoid any meat products, even in 5 star hotels and stay veggie.
Consider a driver and car for the duration with maybe one train journey. It’s an odd place India, I keep saying I’ll never go back and then about every 3 years I do and then say the same thing! It’s definitely one to tick off the bucket list though.
Try Delhi Magic for some ideas, maybe even ask them to put an itinerary together for you. They were OK when we used them about 10 years ago but can’t comment on whether they are still so.
India is like marmite – you either love it or hate it. I can understand why people would not like it. I’ve been a few times and am planning on a few more trips next year now that retirement beckons! As has been said choose decent hotels not necessarily Taj or Oberori. Some of the heritage hotels are great to stay in albeit with it faded charm in some instances if you like that sort of thing. Maidens Hotel in Delhi springs to mind. I’d echo about sticking to veggie meals. I’ve been on group tours but also private with a driver. Worth looking at the likes of Trailfinders, Cox&Kings, Audley etc for ideas and costs. We recently priced up a trip using Indian Panorama which ironically was coming in similar to a UK based operator. I’d leave Varanasi to the end as it is a real assault on the senses and it gives you time to get used to the somewhat unique way of doing things in India.
Indian Panorama is another (local)option for putting a comprehensive itinerary together for you. We’ve travelled with them 3 times (out of 6 visits) and been very happy with them. They’ve provided English speaking drivers and clean, comfortable, and most importantly, air conditioned Innovas, as well as quality guides in each of the cities we visited. In contrast with C&K and Audley, their prices are very reasonable.
Checkout seat61.com for info on Indian train classes.
Do not miss Mantar Jantar in Jaipur. Note that the Taj Mahal is closed on Friday.
We love the food in India but would second sticking to vegetarian dishes which are amazing.
I thought people like to go somewhere nice for their 50! Punishing themselves wouldn’t have been on the list!
Jokes aside, seriously reconsider visiting places like Pushkar and Varanasi, unless you are fully prepared for it. Forget about taking your mom. These places are massively crowded, dirty and unsafe. The other places on your list are far better!
Oberoi and Taj if you want luxury – you can even stay at palaces and be treated like royalty. Some new chains are focussing on heritage and restoring old buildings – consider postcard hotels and CGH earth.
I’d avoid trains – unless they are the palace on wheels or Deccan odyssey – the equivalents of orient express. Flights are cheap and Indigo is good enough.
Maidens Hotel in Delhi springs to mind.
+1…..We lived right around the corner in Delhi! The Sikh doorman used to
put our son on top of his head ;o)The metro right next to it makes it very easy to get around. Only a couple of
stops from the markets at Chandni Chowk, and the same line goes straight to New Delhi,
as well as tourist highlights such as Hauz Khas and Qutab Minar.I forgot to add, make sure you check out the Jantar Mantar in Jaipur, it’s a fascinating collection of astronomical instruments that was completed in 1734.
Only thing that helped me go through India was to have access to a decent hotel during the day to have some rest from the noise and the pollution. So get the best you can.
Itinerary can be a never ending debate but, I found the golden triangle the most boring part of my time there. Varanasi, on the other hand, was life changing for me.
If you are traveling as two women, I’d recommend a vetted driver or tour guide as well.
If you have a sensitive tummy, take antibiotic/antacid/antidiar. and even antibiotics.
+1 for Jantar Mantar, too.
I have travelled extensively in India, probably 12 months in total combined, and it is an amazing country to travel; however it is not for the faint hearted. Good advice earlier for watching the latest series of race across the world for a look at what it is like. My advice would be to not fly and start in Delhi, it is a very tough start to travelling India. And yes it is like marmite. I would say overall there is 1000 things that may make u cry every day but also 1000 things to make you laugh. I do eat meat there but only in certain places where its popular and known for it, the food is generally fantastic and easy to stay veggie, however that is no guarantee of not getting an upset stomach at some point. seat61 good info on gettin train tickets
I would not go to Varanasi on a first trip to India. Even going back to a nice hotel doesn’t do much to help you unwind from the burning ghats.
I’d add Jodhpur, and either a desert trip or Ranthambore if you like nature and fancy rolling the dice on seeing tigers.
If you take a train, pick 2AC which is a good mix of Indian train culture and not roughing it. Don’t bother with 1AC as it’s very sterile and dull.
It’s been a very long time since we did the Golden Triangle so no recommendations from me. In Delihi we always stay at the Lalit because it’s close to loads of really good restaurants and has an excellent pool for a post chaos beer.
On the topic of food, good advice to stick to vegetarian food, but also insist on hot food. Dont order salads or anything cold. Salads could be made of food past expiry date, simply washed before serving. Ice cubes are made from tap water that even local residents consider undrinkable. There is no concept of food standards or hygiene ratings. Bottled carbonated drinks like coca cola are safer than milkshakes or juices.
Agree wholeheartedly with the plan of eating predominantly vegetarian food. I hadn’t realised just how good it could be until we visited for the first time, so much so our diet when we got home changed and we have many more vegetarian dishes. We will eat meat in India but only at large well-know establishments.
I’m sure you have a good idea what Varanasi is like; fwiw we thought it the highlight of our last trip. By chance we stumbled across Jitendra Pandey (taxi driver from Varanasi airport) WhatsApp +919838570869, lovely guy, he drove us around and helped as a guide but not in the sense of a jabbering person whisking us around the sites, more helping navigate the city and surrounds providing input when asked and e.g. giving a rough idea of what an hour or so private Ganges boat trip should cost. When we were ‘templed out’ and said we like ‘people stuff’ he took us to his home village for a look around and his wife cooked us a very nice (vegetarian) lunch.
I would not go to Varanasi on a first trip to India. Even going back to a nice hotel doesn’t do much to help you unwind from the burning ghats…
Is it the smell?
I would not go to Varanasi on a first trip to India. Even going back to a nice hotel doesn’t do much to help you unwind from the burning ghats…
Is it the smell?
I don’t recall a smell actually, but it’s just the raw emotion of it all. It’s hard to put a finger on, but it also felt very privileged to be allowed to walk around the cremation area.
Varanasi, on the other hand, was life changing
Are you able to say a couple of words why, can2?
You should definitely watch Race across the World – it has reminded me that there are still vast and varied areas of India that we haven’t visited although we’ve been there 4 times. The first time we were there was over 40 years ago and on that visit we took in all of your itinerary apart from Varanasi but including Kashmir which of course isn’t recommended now. On that visit we stayed in mid level hotels but staying a night at Rambagh Palace and The Lake Palace Hotel in Udaipur. Back then they cost £30 a night! One thing when watching that programme is that you would be travelling rather differently!
Our second visit we followed the same itinerary but excluded Kashmir but included Kerala staying in heritage hotels and at those Palace hotels which were considerably more! On that visit we stayed in Khatu Haveli in Jaipur which featured in the documentary series The Real Marigold Hotel in which Miriam Margoyles starred. I don’t know if that is still on BBC iPlayer but you should try to watch it if you can. What was funny when we got there was apart from 1 young Swiss couple all the other guests were middle aged and older British people who had seen the programme. One guest got dropped off by Oberoi car – she had been staying with the Oberoi family for the wedding of one of their daughters.
On that visit we hired drivers and guides which meant we could stop off to see sights along the route including Fatehpur Sikri an abandoned palace in the desert. We also visited Pushkar for a short visit as a stop and it’s nothing like what Varanasi from what I’ve seen. I would have no hesitation in returning.
Btw I’m your mother’s age and I found that many people visiting India are retirees.
I found Varanasi very moving and spiritual. Yes it’s chaos dirty busy and noisy but it’s a very special place especially 1st thing in the morning down at the ghats. We took our kids when they were 8 and 10 and it was a real eye opener for them in a good way. The latest series of race round the world has made me want to go back again.
It’s too many years ago to be of any tangible use to you but I lived & worked in Delhi and made many, many trips all across the country. It’s a magnificent place and whilst a lot of what others have written here is reasonable, it very much depends upon your outlook and experience of elsewhere in the world. For all we know, you might have grown up in Lagos, in which case all the horror expressed here will be irrelevant. Conversely, if you have never been further than Spain, then maybe India isn’t the best starting point. Only you & your mum can know. If your pockets allow, follow the advice given above of staying in the very best, palace hotels as they are part of the experience and try to arrange a private driver for everywhere you don’t need trains & planes for. The best companies will assign one man who will be with you for the duration, staying in the staff accommodation of the same hotels and will assist with anything you need.
Good luck with your dream trip, I hope it happens for you.
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