Hi forum
It%26#39;s time to give something back for all the great advice I%26#39;ve received on this and other India forums.
My husband and I visited Rajasthan, Delhi, Agra and Varanasi on a 3 week tour in September-October this year. Loved every minute of it! After considering several tour companies in our native Denmark we decided to book our trip with Indian Panorama, which is an Indian tour company, instead. We are so glad we did! We emailed with the owner, Faith Pandian, all through the process and received great advice on every aspect of our trip. Always very honest about our options and costs. I cannot recommend Indian Panorama highly enough - everyone was always on time, we always got what we were promised in every hotel (and frequently more in the form of great rooms, early breakfasts etc. etc). I never really imagined a trip this long being this flawless.
Our trip included all our hotels, train tickets Agra-Varanasi, flights Varanasi-Delhi, overnight private desert trip in Jaisalmer, two private boatrides in Varanasi, guides in every city and a car and driver the whole way. One of the best choices we made, was to upgrade our car from a Tata Indigo to a Toyota Innova, even though there were only two of us. It cost us app. $US 200 extra for the whole trip, but meant that we had lots of space and legroom, which was great on a long trip. We were lucky enough to have Raj as our driver, an absolute sweetheart. Kind, considerate, protective and a great sense of humour. Having a driver who is also good company means the world, when you spend close to 3 weeks together!
Below I will review our trip, but I won%26#39;t mention everything we saw or experienced - I will simply try to give you our best tips on what we loved most and for off the beaten track places we found along the way.
Our itinerary was as follows:
1.
Arrival Delhi early morning, stayed at the Hotel Florence Inn in Karol Bagh. Very nice and clean, plus the staff was kind enough to make us breakfast at 5.30 am the following morning. Our favourite place in Delhi was the Gandhi Smrtri (spelling??), where Mahatma Gandhi lived for the last few months of his life and was shot. Very peaceful and wonderful place and great displays in the museum. Had dinner at Chor Bizarre - nothing special.
2.
Left for Mandawa at 6 am. Throughout our trip we chose early morning starts in order to arrive in time to do some exploring on the same day. We mostly left at 7 am though. Stayed at Castle Mandawa, lovely hotel, with lovely pool area. On the way there we stopped at Rani Sati Mandir in Jhunjunu, which is a temple to the Sati Mata cult, who show reverence for women who committed sati/suicide on their husbands%26#39; funeral pyres. Beautiful and interesting temple, one of the richest in India, apparently, but hardly visited by foreigners. Mandawa is a cute little town with quite a few painted havelis which can be taken in on a walking tour.
3.
We left in the morning for Bikaner, but stopped in Fatehpur to take in a few of the painted havelis here, which I thought were more interesting than the ones in Mandawa, certainly in a better state of preservation.
In Bikaner we stayed at the Laxmi Niwas Palace, which was gorgeous. We arrived in time for a late lunch, which is served in a beautiful restaurant. Very good Indian food. The fort was definately worth visiting, we found it to be one of the most interesting in Rajasthan. We we%26#39;re tired so opted for dinner at the hotel, even though we normally avoid buffets like the plague. This was much better than average and helped along by a beautiful setting in a large courtyard.
Our room was huge, oldfashioned and a fun experience. Oh, and the hotel has great massages at about 1000 rps an hour.
4.
We visited the rat temple in Deshnok. At the stall across from the temple, where you can leave your shoes (not to be worn in the temple) one of the attendants for some reason chose to give us little slip on covers, so we didn%26#39;t have to go barefoot. We didn%26#39;t ask for them, but if you are very concerned about the rats I suppose you could. We very lucky enough to see the white rat (which is actually sort of orange), and are waiting for all the luck it is supposed to bring. Seriously though, we loved the visit, because it is so unlike anything we have ever seen. Yes there are lots of rats, but they don%26#39;t come running at you. Don%26#39;t miss it.
Back in Bikaner we had lunch at Gallops, situated almost opposite the fort. Very good Indian food and a lovely restaurant with a more modern casual decor than most of the places we ate.
We ventured into the old part of the city, to the surprise of our guide as there was nothing there for tourists (it%26#39;s a quote!). We were glad we did. We got to watch everyday life in the bazar close up, with no one trying to sell us anything, as there were no souvenir shops. We bought lovely silk and rajasthani skirts at local prices and had a great time just looking around.
5.
We left for Jaisalmer in the morning, arriving early afternoon. We stayed at the Garh Jaisal Haveli, which was our favourite hotel/B%26amp;B on our trip. Small place with lovely decor and glorious windowseats with a view of the city and the desert beyond. It has a roof terrace with even more amazing views and good, cheap Indian and continental food.Breakfast was lovely and served whenever it suits you (even ridiculously early). The hotel is situated in the fort, close to the entrance. Beautiful and strange city, we spent ages just watching people in the main square Gandhi Chowk. Here you will also find the Nachana Haveli, where the saffron restaurant is. Eat there, the food is wonderful!
6.
We went on an overnight desert trip in the Khuri area, satarting with a jeep ride from Jaisalmer. It was arranged by the hotel beforehand, so we were able to leave all our luggage there. We went to a village, where there were also huts for tourists to stay in, so we had the choice of those or staying in the desert overnight. We went on a private tour with only us and our cameldrivers. Apparently most people go for a camelride for about an hour before sunset and then return to the village for dinner and a folkdancing/singing show. We chose to stay in the dunes after about 1½ hours of camelriding. We then sat in the dunes as it got darker and darker until eventually the stars brought a bit of light. We ate our dinner in total darkness and talked to the cameldrivers (who didn%26#39;t speak a word of English!) and took turns singing to each other. Other than than the occasional camel moving about all was quiet. It was a wonderful night, nothing to do but talk in the darkness. We were glad we opted to stay in the desert rather than participate in a larger group dinner.
7.
We rode back to meet the jeep early in the morning and saw lots of deer on the way. Spent the rest of the day in Jaisalmer. Especially enjoyed feeding the catfish with the locals at Tilon-ki-Pol. There are so many of them, you think they will crawl onto land... Also don%26#39;t miss the wonderfully carved havelis, of which we thought the Patwa Haveli were the most impressive or the cenotaphs at Bada Bagh.
Ate at the Surja Guesthouse right next to the Garh Jaisal - super food! Don%26#39;t mistake it for the Surya, which is right next to it, but has pretty awful food!
8.
This day we headed for Jodhpur. The fort and Jaswant Thada were both wonderful and afforded great views of the city in all it%26#39;s blue beauty. We stayed at the Pal Haveli, which offers a great location right next to the Sadar Market. It has a roof restaurant with stunning views of the fort and really yummy food. Our room (suite, actually) was not restored to the extent that many other hotels are, but was charming and clean.
9.
On this day we had one of the best experiences of our trip. We had arranged for a daytrip to the Bishnoi area independently. We started out at 6 am. We went with Gemar Bhati. He is an independent guide, who believes strongly in sustainable tourism and comes from the area himself, but lives in Jodhpur. He speaks excellent English and has a tourism degree. He managed to take us to visit two families in a very nice way, which didn%26#39;t make us fel like we were intruding, as their lives were not made into a zoo or worse. They were the kind of visits where the children are interested in you for a few minutes, and then go back to playing, and are not paraded for photos. I found his way very respectful. He told us that he never takes big groups, only 2-4 people and not every other day. After this he offered to take us for a walking tour of the blue part of the city, Brahmpura (I think that%26#39;s what the neighbourhood is called), were it seemed that no tourists came. I cannot recommend him enough. His contact details are as follows:
Gemar Singh, Hacra India
E-mail: guidedesert@gmail.com;
Tel. (91) 02922 27 23 13
Mobile- (91) 09460 58 51 54
(91) 09829 61 45 43;
Website: www.hacra.org
In the evening we had dinner at the Kalinga Hotel in Station Road with all the local well-to-dos. Great white tablecloth dining experience and one of the best meals we had on our trip.
10.
We visited the temples at Ranakpur on our way to Udaipur. They were absolutely beautiful as is the setting. Worth the long drive!
In Udaipur we stayed at the Jagat Niwas Palace. Really lovely hotel, nicely decorated and great views of the lake and the Lake Palace. Make sure you make reservations for a room with a view - even though you get the same view from the restaurant you won%26#39;t tire of it.
11.
Udaipur
The fort was interesting and women has that little something extra: an Anokhi shop. Gorgeous cotton printed clothing in designs that work in Europe too. I fell in love with it and bought lots at prices that are higher than in the markets, but the quality is great.
Right next to the Jagat Niwas there are a few very good tailors as well - not the cheapest in town, but the craftmanship was excellent. If you fancy having old saris made into the design of you choice, we found Udaipur to be the best place for it in Rajasthan. The think about the old silk saris is that they are soft as opposed to new ones. The choice in Udaipur is huge.
The Jagdish Temple was beautiful too and very welcoming.
We had dinner at the Ambrai at Amet Haveli. A beautiful setting in a garden with views of the Lake Palace and the City Palace. Food was wonderful and so was the ambience.
12.
Visited Chittaurgarh in the morning. Make sure you climb the tower of Vijay Stambh to enjoy stunning views of the temples around it and the fort.
We arrived at Shahpura Bagh in Shahpura in the afternoon. It is a large family home, which has been in the family for generations and has now been converted into a hotel. It is situated in the countryside, but not fra from the town. As soon as we got there we felt calm and relaxed and spent the afternoon exploring by the nearby lake and relaxing in our room. Rooms are huge and beautifully decorated, very simple and elegant. At Shahpura Bagh you have all meals with the family and other guests. You meet for drinks in the colonial style sitting room and then have wonderful homecooked Rajasthani food. The hosts were interesting and knowledgeable and the other guests likewise. It is definitely off the beaten path, but in a very pleasant, understated luxurious way.
13.
We went for a jeepride in the countryside and for a walk in the town in the late afternoon. There is an old stepwell worth seeing, but no other sights as such. The attraction is more so that this is a relatively large town in a rural setting, and walking about you get a good idea of the life of people living there. We felt very welcome and to some extent like a novelty. A lot of fun.
14.
We arrived in Ajmer at around lunchtime and decided not to head straight for Pushkar,as most visitors do. We were glad we didn%26#39;t. We stopped at the Nashiyan Jain Temple, where there is a bizarre mirrored room several stories high with a golden glittering display of a scene with temples, animals, people and what have you. Strange, but fun.
We walked through Dargah Bazaar to the Dargah Khwaja Sahib, which is a huge marble complex, where the sufi saint Khwaja Muin-ud-din-Chisti was buried. So it is a Musim shrine complete with mosques, tombs etc. You cannot bring a camera. It was stunning - serene and noisy at the same time, lots af visitors/pilgrims. If you walk about quitly you will get to see the prayers and the worshipping first hand. It feels like a world of it%26#39;s very own, and made a lasting impression on us. If you are going to Pushkar don%26#39;t miss it!
Visiting Pushkar was something of an anticlimax. Walking the ghats was interesting, the view frm our hotel, Pushkar Palace was great, but the whole town seemed tired and scruffy. And I don%26#39;t mean in the normail Indian way, where litter is everywhere etc - this was more a case of the whole atmosphere being scruffy. Hard to explain.
As for the Pushkar Palace it was an ok hotel, but had it not been right on the lake, it would have been a different story. The food was below mediocre, the staff was indifferent and the rooms less than clean. But having checked it on Tripadvisor before booking we knew this and had chosen it strictly for the views.
One nice thing in Pushkar was watching the sunset from the Sunset Café. Go early!
15.
Once again leaving early, we reached Jaipur for lunch and a swin in the pool at Alsisar Haveli, where we stayed in a suite, as regular rooms are quite small. The room was beautiful with lovely paintwork on beams and walls. The whole hotel is very beautiful and the staff was very welcoming and helpful. Food is ok, but not great, but breakfast was the exception, and a great start to the day.
My husband played golf at the Rambagh Golf Club. You can book ahead via email. Greenfee including a caddie and renting equipment cost a fraction of European prices, I think about $US 30.
I headed for the Anokhi store (can%26#39;t remember the address, it%26#39;s on their website www.anokhi.com) and shopped like a madwoman. There are a few god malls in Jaipur as well, should you be so inclined.
16.
We went to Amber Fort in the morning. Do go early, as the line for elephant rides can get quite long. Plus, if you go later, there may be no elephant rides, as they are only allowed to go up a certain amount of times each day.
In the late afternoon we opted not to go to the most commonly visited bazaars and instead we took a rickshaw to the Suraj Pole Gate and walked through the various bazaars all the way to Chand Pole. This was great, no hassle to buy and all stalls and shops were aimed at local costumers. Food, clothing, kitchen utensils, religious paraphernalia, jewelry....it was all there. A great walk!
We ate at the Peshawari Restaurant in Hotel Rajputana Sheraton (or did the name of the hotel change?). One of the best meals of the entire trip, the lamb melted in our mouthes as did the Bukhara dal. Pricey for India, though, about $US 80 for two, but woth it for a treat.
17.
We visited Fatehpur Sikri, with the highlight being the the Jama Masjis Mosque. Tis was at the end of the Ramadan, so it may have been livelier than usual, but it was very interesting watching big families making a day of a visit to the mosque. There was music, stalls with religious trinkets and lots of people. And the mosque itself was beautiful.
In Agra we stayed at the Howard Park Plaza, which is conveniently situated near the Taj Mahal. A hotel without much personality, but very comfortable.
We went to the Taj Mahal for sunset. Everyone who has ever commented on this forum is right: you expect a tourist trap, but it is indescribably beautiful in the soft light right before sunset.
18.
We started the day early, and left the hotel at about 5.20 am. to be at the gates to Taj Mahal at 5.40 am. Most guides will tell you to leave your hotel at 6 am, but that is basically too late, if you want to enjoy the monument without to many fellow visitors. When we reached the ticket sales booth, which opens at 6 am, there were about 30 people there and 10 minutes later there were a hundred. Somehow our guide worked magic, and we were the first ones through the security check. I%26#39;m sure everyone else thought we were mad, but we ran all the way up to the entrance where you first see the Taj, which meant that we had a couple of minutes totally alone at that huge monument. I cannot describe how it felt to see it there in solitude. If you can, try to get that moment, you will never forget it.
At night we took the train to Varanasi. If, like us, you are flying in and out of Delhi, and going to Varanasi as your last stop before going back to Delhi, you might get your tour company to take your bags to Delhi, so you only have a small bag with a bit of whatever you need for at couple of days in Varanasi. This makes the train trip so much easier, plus many hotels in Varanasi are not easily accessible by car, so no carrying luggage around.
We travelled 2nd class AC, which was fine, and we were comfortable.
19.
We arrived in Varanasi late in the morning - the train was delayed for three hours. We had brought some fruit and bisquits along - might be a good idea, as I think the trains are often delayed. We stayed at the Rashmi Guest House, which we loved as much as everyone else on Tripadvisor. We had booked a room with a view of the Ganges, do that if you can get one.
On our first day we walked around the ghats and the chowk. Be ready to spend lots of time just walking, sitting on the ghats and watching the theatre that it is for the uninitiated. We went for a sunset boatride, but got off to a late start at 5.30 pm. If you are at all interested in taking photos you should start at no later than 4.30 pm. The stretch between Dasashwamedh Ghat, where you can watch the fire aarti just after sunset and Manikarnika Ghat (burning ghat)is the most intense and where you will find the most people.
We ate at the Dolphin Restaurant at the hotel - very, very good.
20.
The day started with a sunrise boatride at 5 am - gorgeous light and wonderful scenery on the ghats. After this we took a stroll through the narrow alleys around the Vishwanath temple, fun to see the day getting started, shops opening etc.
Later in the day we visited Sarnath, interesting to visit an important Buddhist site after all the Hindu and Jain temples, the Stupas are amazing.
Another interesting place is the Mother India Temple with the large relief map of India.
21.
Back to Delhi by plane. One thing that might be good to know is that lithium batteries for digital cameras are not allowed in your hand luggage, so you have to put them in your checked luggage. On our international flight it was exactly the opposite, go figure...
This was a long one, I hope it will be of use to some of you. Feel free to ask anything! And yes, we loved India, and are definitely coming back.
Hunbille
Trip Report Rajasthan, Delhi, Agra and Varanasi Sept. 2008
A nice %26amp; detailed report. It%26#39;ll beneftr future visitors.
Thanks for taking out time.
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