Delhi-Agra-Gwalior-Jhansi-Orchha-Khajuraho

[architect]

After managing Naintal-Sattal-Bhimtal alone, I am planning another 4 day trip. Need Advice & Suggestions, considering the following:

1. Not much driving experience (just about 20,000 kms on 4 wheels and 40,000 kms on 2 wheels)
2. Planning to do these locations on my Palio Multijet in stock conditions.
3. Planning to do it alone.
4. No night driving. I prefer bright daylight.
5. Hoilday season is on, finding a place stay could be tricky.

Here's is what I am planning to do:
Wed 24 Dec
Delhi-Agra (start from Delhi by 7.00 PM, after office, hit Agra and bed by 11.00 PM)
Thu 25 Dec
Agra-Gwalior-Jhansi-Orchha (start early morning from Agra as I have already seen Agra many times. Might stop at Gwalior to see the fort.)
Fri 26 Dec
Spend day at Orchha. For an architect like me, Orchha has a special significance.
Sat 27 Dec
Drive to Khajuraho. Reach by mid / late morning and see the sights as well as the famous sound and light show at night.
Sun 28 Dec
Drive back from Khajuraho to Delhi.

I have the following concerns:
1. Agra-Gwalior-Jhansi should not be a major problem in terms of roads. I would prefer a realistic time duration considering I am a sedate driver doing this section for the first time.

2. Jhansi-Khajuraho is the part about which I am clueless. How are the roads?

3. Khajuraho-Delhi seems difficult to do in one day. As long as I have crossed Agra by sunset, I am on familiar ground. Any suggestions?
I have the option of dropping Khajuraho from my itinerary altogether, but it seems worthwhile to visit Khajuraho if you have driven all the way to Jhansi.

There is a further option of driving straight through to Khajuraho on Dec 25 from Agra, stay there on 26 Dec and drive back to Orchha by 26 Dec evening. Then I stay in Orchha for the 27th Dec and drive back to Delhi on 28th. That seems to be a better way out.

4. I have no bookings of any sort whatsoever. Only some friends in Agra who could fix me a hotel there. I think Orchha has very limited places to stay. What about Khajuraho? And I have a somewhat restricted budget. Any suggestions?

P.S. I also have an alternative itinerary for Rajasthan. Let's see where I end up!

[hvkumar]

Jhansi-Kajuraho road is narrow and to be taken only by day. But road condition was apparently good a couple of months ago.

Instead of staying in Orchcha, stay in Jhansi, which also has a few hotels.

Keep the fog factor in mind in planning your schedule. I am not sure about your evening departure plans for Agra, could be hampered by early evening fog.

[Bubby]

Originally Posted by architect

Delhi-Agra (start from Delhi by 7.00 PM, after office, hit Agra and bed by 11.00 PM)

Hi there,

Starting at 0700pm is not a good idea.

I did my engineering from Agra, so i have travelled to & fro several times and have experienced the fog around that route during foggy days.

Delhi-Agra-Gwalior will take you around 4.5 hours, Delhi-Agra will be little under 3 hours, if you drive at 100+. with one stoppage, for a tea or lunch, only under no foggy conditions.

Starting at 0700pm may mean that you will face very dense fog and if that is the case it will take you close to 7-8 hours just to reach Agra, that will mean you will reach Agra by 0200am to 0300am, and if you have not at driven in dense fogs it will be nightmare for you to drive 180+ kms in dense fog and that too at night.

You for sure need to rework at your start time mate.

Cheers.

[ntomer]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Jhansi-Kajuraho road is narrow and to be taken only by day. But road condition was apparently good a couple of months ago.

Road condition is OK, but roads are very narrow. But as a plus point, there is very little traffic on this road. You will be able to cover Orchha-Khajuraho (170 odd KMs) in 3.5-4 hours.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Instead of staying in Orchcha, stay in Jhansi, which also has a few hotels.

Er... I would strongly suggest that you stay in Orchha, preferably in Sheesh Mahal. Orchha is a delight during sunrise and sunset; the reflections in Betwa are wonderful. Jhansi is a regular town, no point staying there.

\N

[ntomer]

Originally Posted by architect

After managing Naintal-Sattal-Bhimtal alone, I am planning another 4 day trip. Need Advice & Suggestions, considering the following:

1. Not much driving experience (just about 20,000 kms on 4 wheels and 40,000 kms on 2 wheels)
2. Planning to do these locations on my Palio Multijet in stock conditions.
3. Planning to do it alone.
4. No night driving. I prefer bright daylight.
5. Hoilday season is on, finding a place stay could be tricky.

Here's is what I am planning to do:
Wed 24 Dec
Delhi-Agra (start from Delhi by 7.00 PM, after office, hit Agra and bed by 11.00 PM)
Thu 25 Dec
Agra-Gwalior-Jhansi-Orchha (start early morning from Agra as I have already seen Agra many times. Might stop at Gwalior to see the fort.)
Fri 26 Dec
Spend day at Orchha. For an architect like me, Orchha has a special significance.
Sat 27 Dec
Drive to Khajuraho. Reach by mid / late morning and see the sights as well as the famous sound and light show at night.
Sun 28 Dec
Drive back from Khajuraho to Delhi.

Originally Posted by architect

I have the following concerns:
1. Agra-Gwalior-Jhansi should not be a major problem in terms of roads. I would prefer a realistic time duration considering I am a sedate driver doing this section for the first time.

Agra to Jhansi will take about 3-3.5 hours. Road from Agro to Gwalior is 4-laned and good. Raod from Gwalior to Jhansi although single-laned, is in good condition and traffic is also not too much.

Originally Posted by architect

2. Jhansi-Khajuraho is the part about which I am clueless. How are the roads?

In good condition, but narrow. Not too much traffic.

Originally Posted by architect

4. I have no bookings of any sort whatsoever. Only some friends in Agra who could fix me a hotel there. I think Orchha has very limited places to stay. What about Khajuraho? And I have a somewhat restricted budget. Any suggestions?

Orchha has lots of hotels catering mainly to back-packers. You can find reasonably good accommodation for as low 300.

P.S. I will be in Jhansi from 25th to 28th Dec. And might be in Orchha on 26th.

\N

[Sudipto-S-Team]

Originally Posted by architect

Sat 27 Dec
Drive to Khajuraho. Reach by mid / late morning and see the sights as well as the famous sound and light show at night.
Sun 28 Dec
Drive back from Khajuraho to Delhi.

You don't have even one clear day for Khajuraho !! I think that's grossly inadequate, particularly when you take so much trouble to reach there. I would keep at least two clear days for Khajuraho. I would suggest first night halt at Panna.
The sound and light show in Khajuraho is a waste of time and money.

[ntomer]

Originally Posted by Sudipto-S-Team

You don't have even one clear day for Khajuraho !! I think that's grossly inadequate, particularly when you take so much trouble to reach there. I would keep at least two clear days for Khajuraho. I would suggest first night halt at Panna.
The sound and light show in Khajuraho is a waste of time and money.

IMO, one night in Khajuraho is enough. I would rate Orchha higher than Khajuraho; it's more interesting. I found the light and sound show quire interesting and informative.

\N

[Sudipto-S-Team]

Originally Posted by ntomer

IMO, one night in Khajuraho is enough. I would rate Orchha higher than Khajuraho; it's more interesting. I found the light and sound show quire interesting and informative.

\N

Well, both these are very personal taste oriented issues and I suppose we should let it rest at that and agree to disagree .

[architect]

Thank you for the quick responses. As of now, things are still not finalised, because I might have company, who stil haven't confirmed. So we have two options:

1. If I go alone, I will drop Khajuraho from the itinerary. In that case, it will be as follows:
Day 1, Dec 25: Delhi-Jhansi (Orchha).
Day 2, Dec 26: Orchha.
Day 3, Dec 27: Orchha - Gwalior.
Day 4, Dec 28: Gwalior -Delhi.

2. If I go with company, then we will try (as my company are wanting to go to Khajuraho)
Day 1, Dec 25: Delhi-Khajuraho (a little diffcult and achieveable only if your reach Jhansi by lunch.)
Day 2, Dec 26: Khajuraho.
Day 3, Dec 27: Khajuraho-Orchha.
Day 4, Dec 28: Orchha-Delhi.

If I don't find acomodation In Orchha, wil have to stay in Jhansi. Staying in Gwalior should not be a problem.
I am not sure about budget accomodation in Khajuraho. Any ideas?

[ramkya1]

Hai,

You might find the following travalogue useful for information @ Khajuraho.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...c-statues.html (MP: Temples,Hills, Marble Rocks, Water falls, Tigers, Erotic Statues and.....)

I drove up from down south but you would get info from my travalogue to the distance from Khajuraho to Chhatarpur, about 60 KMs, not so good, which you would ride.

I would highly recommend the light and sound show at Khajuraho, I saw it for 2 days continuously, wanted to shoot the show with a tripod on the 2nd day and also enjoyed it, if you enjoy history / historical stories you'd like it more. I agree with Sudipto, Khajuraho needs at least 2 complete days.

Incidentally, there are people who have driven form Delhi to Bandhavgarh, through Khajuraho, 5 am to 6 pm, so driving back from Khajuraho to Delhi on one stretch is possible, fog permitting.

IMO you can drop orchha and add khajurao, if the choice is between the two, many tourists have written that Orchha is dirtied up with garbage pretty bad over the years, I dropped it from my plans when I did the MP circult.

There's a hotel bang opp. the big, temple, its in my travalogue, but this time around it would be booked out, costs about 1000/- A/C double.

All the best for your trip.

--Ramky
=====

[Sudipto-S-Team]

Delhi to Khajuraho in a day I think is being a bit too over ambitious. Hotels of all sorts of budgets is not a problem in Khaju. MPTDC's Hotel Rahil is a good option. Wherever you stay, make sure they have water supply. That's a big issue in Khajuraho these days.
I think the first option is better. Keep Khajuraho pending for some other time.

[phamilyman]

Yaar dekh,

I'll repeat what I postead earlier.

a. Khajuraho in a day is overly doable.
b. Orcha is best left for a two day weekend from Delhi - not to be used up for a 4 day weekend.
c. Panna is tigress-less. Tigers milne ka scope lag raha hai.
d. Do it like this (ducks and runs for cover)
25th reach khajuraho. see around
26th reach bandhavgarh
27th reach khajuraho
28th leave afternoon, come to delhi by 2am types.

Best utilization of diesel

[architect]

Originally Posted by ramkya1

I agree with Sudipto, Khajuraho needs at least 2 complete days.
IMO you can drop orchha and add khajurao,

Totally agree with you that both Orchha and Khajuraho deserve two complete days each. However, because I will not drive at night, I will probably miss Khajuraho this time, if I have to choose between the two.

While your friends may be right about Orchha being dirty, the beauty of Orchha is the brilliant blue waters of the Betwa. While I am not a DSLR-Tripod guy yet, but I hope to fulfill some of my photographic ambitions in Orchha.

However, would love to do both places.

Originally Posted by ramkya1

Incidentally, there are people who have driven form Delhi to Bandhavgarh, through Khajuraho, 5 am to 6 pm, so driving back from Khajuraho to Delhi on one stretch is possible, fog permitting.

Originally Posted by Sudipto-S-Team

Delhi to Khajuraho in a day I think is being a bit too over ambitious. Hotels of all sorts of budgets is not a problem in Khaju.

Delhi-Khajuraho is doable but I would not risk it because of fog and because I want to avoid driving after dusk. Khajuraho-Delhi is still doable in a day as I will be more comfortable doing Agra-Delhi at night instead of Jhansi-Khajuraho.

Originally Posted by phamilyman

25th reach khajuraho. see around
26th reach bandhavgarh
27th reach khajuraho
28th leave afternoon, come to delhi by 2am types.

My driving day starts at sunrise and ends at sunset.

Originally Posted by phamilyman

c. Panna is tigress-less. Tigers milne ka scope lag raha hai.

Panna and Bandhavgarh were out of the itinerary anyways.

[phamilyman]

My driving day starts at sunrise and ends at sunset.

LOL. I recommend the Shatabdi Express in that case - or more leave!

[Sudipto-S-Team]

Originally Posted by architect

Panna and Bandhavgarh were out of the itinerary anyways.

Coming in from Satna to Khajuraho, you cannot avoid going through Panna. You may choose not to stay there, which is a different matter. Bandhavgarh is a detour in a different direction.