Need assistance in planning a Rajasthan tour

[jaysmokesleaves]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

If you reach Jaisalmer late in the night, spend 3 nights there
1 night in desert on the dunes, and when you come back to hotel around 11am, you can spend the rest of the day in the Khaba and Kuldhara ruins. you can check out my travelogue for details.
I suggested reverse circuit as it will entail less driving time, and you will also be able to drive on the Sambhar lake bed.

Though I cant find Sambhar lake on the map, I will find out from Jaisalmer. I am quite convinced that the reverse circuit starting with Jaisalmer is the best way to enjoy this trip.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

The route .... there are hardly any stay facilities between Palanpur and Jaisalmer, all towns and villages in between being very small.

Thanks for the route info HVK, I gues i shall plan my departure in a way to reach Jaisalmer by evening.

Originally Posted by anainar

But Bombay - Surat - Ahmedabad will take quiet a time. Beyond that I think it will be a breeze as the roads in Rajasthan are devoid of traffic.
Nainar

I think the 4 laning of Surat bypass is completed. And hopefully very early in the morning there should be no traffic issues.

Originally Posted by phamilyman

please see kumbhalgarh and ranakpur too!

Kumbhalgarh & Ranakpur are wildlife santuaries as per the map. Will they be open this time of the year. And is it accessible from Bhilwara or Raj Samand?

[tsk1979]

Sambhar lake is near the NH8 Kishangarh.
After Bikaner, when you go on your return leg, return on NH8 through Sambhar city.
The city is next to lake. You can drive on the lake bed instead of following the road.
Check out my travelogue for pics and likes

[jaysmokesleaves]

Ok here goes guys, please post your comments/ advice:

Day1: Bbay - Abad - Jmer
Day2: Jmer
Day3: Jmer - night at Sam dunes
Day4:Jmer - Jodhpur
Day5: Jodhpur
Day6: Jodhpur - Bikaner.
Day7: Bikaner
Day8: Bikaner - Pushkar - Ajmer (via Sambhar lake)
Day9: Ajmer - Udaipur
Day10: Udaipur
Day11: Udaipur - Mount Abu
Day12: Mount Abu
Day13: Mount Abu - Bombay.

Question: How long does it take to cross Ahmedabad ? Is there a bypass?
Day 1 depends upon road conditions from Bombay to Jaisalmer & how long it takes to clear Ahmedabad.
Else I may have to break journey in Ahmedabad and the entire trip gets extended by a day.

So guys.. what do you think?

Thanks,

J

[phamilyman]

There is a gigantic bypass called sardar patel ring road.

as of june 2007 - the semi bypass (now almost part of city) - the sarkhej gandhi nagar highway is also VERY quick and easy, unless you're unlucky short of sarkhej - that too a few mins here or there. if u want, can source the GPS logs for the same

can send u pics straight away!

[hvkumar]

You can whiz through Ahmedabad - thanks to the Sardar Patel Ring Road - without realising it!

84 kms from teh Baroda-A'Bad expressway first toll gate (Baroda end), you will come to the penultimate exit (last being A'bad city), where the signages point to Sarkhej/Rajkot/Gandhinagar. Take that and you are on S P Ring Road. It intersects the old Baroda (NH8) and Rajkot (NH8A) highways and continues to Palanpur on NH14. Lovely road. Will take you hardly 30 minutes to cross the A'bad urbal sprawl.

Don't break journey in A'Bad, better to do so in Kalol or Palanpur which have good hotels too.

[jaysmokesleaves]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

There is a gigantic bypass called sardar patel ring road.

as of june 2007 - the semi bypass (now almost part of city) - the sarkhej gandhi nagar highway is also VERY quick and easy, unless you're unlucky short of sarkhej - that too a few mins here or there. if u want, can source the GPS logs for the same

can send u pics straight away!

Will appreciate if you can. Thanks.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

You can whiz through Ahmedabad - thanks to the Sardar Patel Ring Road - without realising it!

84 kms from teh Baroda-A'Bad expressway first toll gate (Baroda end), you will come to the penultimate exit (last being A'bad city), where the signages point to Sarkhej/Rajkot/Gandhinagar. Take that and you are on S P Ring Road. It intersects the old Baroda (NH8) and Rajkot (NH8A) highways and continues to Palanpur on NH14. Lovely road. Will take you hardly 30 minutes to cross the A'bad urbal sprawl.

Don't break journey in A'Bad, better to do so in Kalol or Palanpur which have good hotels too.

Since bypassing Ahmedabad will/should be a breeze, I guess I shall try leaving Bombay by 3am. In that case I should make it to Jaisalmer by 8pm latest if all goes well. Else Palanpur will be my halt and in which case the next day i will go to Sam dunes first and then stay in Jaisalmer the next night.

Can someone provide me a link or phone numbers for making bookings at Sam..?

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

Since bypassing Ahmedabad will/should be a breeze, I guess I shall try leaving Bombay by 3am. In that case I should make it to Jaisalmer by 8pm latest if all goes well. Else Palanpur will be my halt and in which case the next day i will go to Sam dunes first and then stay in Jaisalmer the next night.

If you leave Bombay at 3 am, you can easily make it to Jaisalmer that night.

[gd1418]

Try spending the night at the Khuri dunes. Less crowded and better view than the Sam

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

Ok here goes guys, please post your comments/ advice:

Day1: Bbay - Abad - Jmer
Day2: Jmer
Day3: Jmer - night at Sam dunes
J

[issigonis]

Lads,

To add to the discussions going around here on Rajasthan, I'd request inputs on a seven (7) day holiday, roughly as follows :

1. Day 1 - drive from Bombay to Udaipur (NH8)
( Suggestions on stoppage for breakfast, lunch & tea please!)
2. Day 2 - spend sightseeing in Udaipur
3. Day 3 - spend sightseeing in Udaipur
4. Day 4 - inputs on sightseeing in surrounding areas
5. Day 5 - inputs on sightseeing in surrounding areas
6. Day 6 - inputs on sightseeing in surrounding areas
7. Day 7 - drive back from Udaipur to Bombay, through Jai Samand Lake near Sambhar)

I intend to have Udaipur as a base as my mother might not be able to stand the strain of staying at various places (cleanliness, climbing staircases continuous check-ins and outs and so on..) and so will drive to interesting places of historic and scenic interest and be back in Udaipur at night.

The places that I have shortlisted for visiting on days 3-6 are (distances from Udaipur , if you please?)
Day 4 - Eklingji, Nathdwara, Haldighati & Rajsamand
Day 5 - Ranakpur & Kumbhalgarh
Day 6 - Chittorgarh

A. Please provide inputs on places to stay in Udaipur.
B. Please provide inputs on places for sightseeing in Udaipur.
C. Also are all these places, especially Ranakpur & Kumbhalgarh motorable from Udaipur? The Eicher India Road Atlas shows no roads to Ranakpur & Kumbhalgarh, and it is referred to as 'Kumbhalgarh & Ranakpur Wildlife Sanctuary'.

I am open to modifying my details.

I intend to cover Jodhpur/Jaisalmer/Bikaner/Mt.Abu separately, later.

Regards

[jaysmokesleaves]

Originally Posted by gd1418

Try spending the night at the Khuri dunes. Less crowded and better view than the Sam

Is there a contact for a camp operator for Khuri dunes?
I couldnt find any mention of an operator on the RJTDC website.

[gd1418]

Go to Hotel Moonlight , Khuri Resort , Hotel jaisal Palace We stayed in Jaisal Palace in Dec 2008 and spent a night in the tents at Khuri.

Then there is this restaurant Trio in Gandhi Chowk. Excellant for food and spirits. Almost everybody flocks there.

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

Is there a contact for a camp operator for Khuri dunes?
I couldnt find any mention of an operator on the RJTDC website.

[anainar]

Originally Posted by issigonis

Lads,

To add to the discussions going around here on Rajasthan, I'd request inputs on a seven (7) day holiday, roughly as follows :

1. Day 1 - drive from Bombay to Udaipur (NH8)
( Suggestions on stoppage for breakfast, lunch & tea please!)
2. Day 2 - spend sightseeing in Udaipur
3. Day 3 - spend sightseeing in Udaipur
4. Day 4 - inputs on sightseeing in surrounding areas
5. Day 5 - inputs on sightseeing in surrounding areas
6. Day 6 - inputs on sightseeing in surrounding areas
7. Day 7 - drive back from Udaipur to Bombay, through Jai Samand Lake near Sambhar)

I intend to have Udaipur as a base as my mother might not be able to stand the strain of staying at various places (cleanliness, climbing staircases continuous check-ins and outs and so on..) and so will drive to interesting places of historic and scenic interest and be back in Udaipur at night.

The places that I have shortlisted for visiting on days 3-6 are (distances from Udaipur , if you please?)
Day 4 - Eklingji, Nathdwara, Haldighati & Rajsamand
Day 5 - Ranakpur & Kumbhalgarh
Day 6 - Chittorgarh

A. Please provide inputs on places to stay in Udaipur.
B. Please provide inputs on places for sightseeing in Udaipur.
C. Also are all these places, especially Ranakpur & Kumbhalgarh motorable from Udaipur? The Eicher India Road Atlas shows no roads to Ranakpur & Kumbhalgarh, and it is referred to as 'Kumbhalgarh & Ranakpur Wildlife Sanctuary'.

I am open to modifying my details.

I intend to cover Jodhpur/Jaisalmer/Bikaner/Mt.Abu separately, later.

Regards

I really doubt you can do much for seven days in Udaipur, unless you intend to laze around. But you can visit quiet a few off beat places apart from usual things.

Ranakpur and Kumbalgarh are wildlife sanctuaries for sure. The Jain Temple of Ranakpur is inside the wildlife sanctuary and you have to go in ghat section. Check in google maps and you can get better picture.

Eklingji/Nathdwara/Haldighatti are very close by and RTDC operates tours starting from Udaipur at 8:00 AM, finishing the whole and returning by 1:00 PM. So you can understand how much time each will take.

At Chittorgarh plan on spending a day. You can stay there itself. I stayed a place called Fort Bassi and it was very nice. They organise visits to nearby village called Bundi where you can see artisans at work.

Nainar

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by issigonis

Lads,

To add to the discussions going around here on Rajasthan, I'd request inputs on a seven (7) day holiday, roughly as follows :

1. Day 1 - drive from Bombay to Udaipur (NH8)
( Suggestions on stoppage for breakfast, lunch & tea please!)
2. Day 2 - spend sightseeing in Udaipur
3. Day 3 - spend sightseeing in Udaipur
4. Day 4 - inputs on sightseeing in surrounding areas
5. Day 5 - inputs on sightseeing in surrounding areas
6. Day 6 - inputs on sightseeing in surrounding areas
7. Day 7 - drive back from Udaipur to Bombay, through Jai Samand Lake near Sambhar)


The places that I have shortlisted for visiting on days 3-6 are (distances from Udaipur , if you please?)
Day 4 - Eklingji, Nathdwara, Haldighati & Rajsamand
Day 5 - Ranakpur & Kumbhalgarh
Day 6 - Chittorgarh

A. Please provide inputs on places to stay in Udaipur.
B. Please provide inputs on places for sightseeing in Udaipur.
C. Also are all these places, especially Ranakpur & Kumbhalgarh motorable from Udaipur? The Eicher India Road Atlas shows no roads to Ranakpur & Kumbhalgarh, and it is referred to as 'Kumbhalgarh & Ranakpur Wildlife Sanctuary'.

I am open to modifying my details.

I intend to cover Jodhpur/Jaisalmer/Bikaner/Mt.Abu separately, later.

Regards

You can also cover Mt Abu in a day, now that the Udaipur-Mt Abu road is fantastic.

Eicher Road Atlas is full of mistakes, use it with care.

[jaysmokesleaves]

Originally Posted by gd1418

Go to Hotel Moonlight , Khuri Resort , Hotel jaisal Palace We stayed in Jaisal Palace in Dec 2008 and spent a night in the tents at Khuri.

Then there is this restaurant Trio in Gandhi Chowk. Excellant for food and spirits. Almost everybody flocks there.

Thanks a ton for that direct link. It saves me a lot of hassle.

[tsk1979]

Do not go to Khuri or Sam. Both are absolute dump as compared to a night on Truly vigin dunes.
Talk to Shahi palace, tell them you will take your own safari to the dunes, he will come down to 1200-1400 for food etc., and night on dunes.
Speak to Pappu there. Tell him you are my friend. He should remember me