[jaysmokesleaves]

Hello everyone,

Friends I am planning to do a Rajasthan tour starting Nov 18th - Nov 30th. (13 days). I can stretch to 14 days maxx.

Following are the list of places in my itinerary that I found out from the Rajasthan tourism website. However, I need help in planning the trip so as to be able to make best use of the most important resource = TIME..!!

Destinations shortlisted in random order:
Udaipur > Ajmer > Pushkar > Bikaner > Jaisalmer > Jodhpur > Mount Abu.

I also see that there are more points of interest : Shekawati > Alwar > Chittaurgarh > etc.

Currently I have figured out a round trip something like this : (not final)

Bombay > Ahmedabad > Udaipur > Ajmer > Bikaner > Jaisalmer > Jodhpur > Mount Abu > Ahmedabad > Mumbai.

Day 1: Mumbai - Udaipur
Day 2: Udaipur > stay
Day 3: Udaipur -Ajmer(288kms) - Pushkar(15kms) - Bikaner(278kms) > stay
Day 4: Bikaner(stay)
Day 5: Bikaner - Jaisalmer (355kms) > stay
Day 6: Jaisalmer (stay)
Day 7: Jaisalmer - Jodhpur (305 kms) > stay
Day 8: Jodhpur > Stay
Day 9: Jodhpur - Mount Abu (326kms) >stay
Day 10: Mount Abu > stay
Day 11: Mount Abu - Mumbai

According to the above plan I have 2 days spare. Any suggestions?
All distances as per the RJTDC website.

I need advice about the following:
1. Is the plan good enough to cover sightseeing at the selected destinations?
2. Can any additions be made to the plan ? OR Any alterations suggested ?
3. I would love to do a jungle safari in Ranthambore if time permits & if the sanctuary is open in Nov.
4. Are there any offbeat locations that can be added by replacing any of these destinations ?
5. Is the plan too stretched? Should I reduce the number of destinations?
6. Hotel suggestions and route plans are most desired.

I am open to a completely different plan or suggestions to cover Rajasthan over a maximum of 14 days Bombay to Bombay.

Thanks in advance.

J

[genesis]

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

Hello everyone,

Friends I am planning to do a Rajasthan tour starting Nov 18th - Nov 30th. (13 days). I can stretch to 14 days maxx.
...deleted...
Day 1: Mumbai - Udaipur
Day 2: Udaipur > stay
6. Hotel suggestions and route plans are most desired.

J

Least I can do is help with the first part .

Mumbai to Udaipur easily doable in a day.

I would highly recommend Jaiwana Haveli. We just stayed there last weekend. It is in the old city but has its own parking. (a guy from the hotel came and drove our innova for the last stretch during the diwali mayhem ) Walking distance to everything. Spotlessly white, squeaky clean, ask for a lake view ac room. Good roof top restaurant with amazing views. Best of all sub 2000 tariff. Owner is Yash Ranawat. Say that Soumya & Priti who drove from Mumbai during Diwali referred you.

[sudev]

1. On Day 3 instead of Udaipur-Beawar-Ajmer do Udaippur-Chitaur-Kishangarh-Ajmer/Pushkar. Even road is better this way. Stay at Pushkar and move on to Bikaner (via Nagaur) next day morning.

2. On way out of Bikaner drop in at Fort Gajner, for a cup of tea or perhaps breakfast. Lovely view from lake side terrace. If you can do this the evening before - day4 - it is even better offering stunning pictures of sun set. About 40kms out of Bikaner.

3. Day5 or 6? Sam desert camps are bit over rated but interesting to spend a night there, especially a moonless one out under the stars youd never see in a city. Spend one night there instead of Jaisalmer. About 50 kms further.

[Akadian]

Hi,

Bundi is beautiful as well but does not feature in your plan as of now. If you want to go that way, you will have to come a little more eastward though. Most of your plan at the moment concentrates on western Rajasthan. If you do go the Bundi way, then try visiting Bhainsrorgarh as well. You will have to go there from Kota but it is very very beautiful and scenic

Regards

[hvkumar]

Long ago, I did a comprehensive tour of Rajasthan which went this way:
Bombay-Jaisalmer-Jodhpur-BIkaner-Jaipur-Pushkar-Udaipur-Bombay

The log book of that trip is attached, you may find the distance info very useful. The route plan was exciting because we managed to cover the desert regions of Barmer. You can also drive directly from Jaisalmer to Bikaner, which is what I would suggest for you since you are not planning Jaipur. That means: Bombay-Jaisalmer-Bikaner-Jodhpur-Mt Abu-Udaipur.

Rajasthan roads are very fast and uncluttered and you can almost do 100 kms to an hour in most places! The Mt Abu-Udaipur is now part of the East-West corridor and a wonderful 4-laner.

I found RTDC hotels good places to stay in.

In case you are interested in temples, you can check out Eklinji, Nathdwara (Udaipur-Ajmer route).

The unique rat temple - Karni Mata temple - is at Deshnoke near Bikaner.

You can marvel at sculptures at the Jain temples of Ranakpur (Jodhpur-Mt Abu route) or Dilwara Temples at Mt Abu (the only good reason for visiting Mt Abu).

If you want to visit Ranthambore, then you will have to go via Jaipur. NO idea when the WLS opens.

Chittorgarh is 110 kms from Udaipur on GQ route (NH76) to Jaipur, and you will have to budget at least 1/2 a day to and fro Udaipur. This means you will have to either take an extra day off at Udaipur or plan your return (if you go to Ranthambhore) that way: Ranthambhore-Kota-Chittorgarh-Udapur-Bombay.

If you leave Jaisalmer early in the morning, you can reach Jodhpur in 3-4 hours and spend the rest of the day exploring Jodhpur, so you don't need to spend an extra day there, you can leave for Mt Abu the next day.

[anainar]

I did a rajasthan trip last week, lasting 12 days and covered almost similar places. Except I had Jaipur instead of Mount Abu. So, don't think the plan is stretched. I see two days stay in Bikaner, there is nothing much to do, except Junnagarh fort. Same is true with Jaisalmer. Three days in Jaisalmer can be cut to two days, one day in Desert camp - Sam or Khuri and one day in the city to see the Fort. You can spend a day at Chittaurgarh instead and visit the fort. Has a lot of history embedded in it, if you are interested.

My trip was like this.. Will write a detailed travelogue soon when I get time - but a gist -- Pune - Vadodra- Stay - Vadodra - Udaipur - 2 nights stay - Jodhpur - 2 nights stay - Jaisalmer - Stay in Sam Dunes - Bikaner - Stay - Jaipur - 2 days stay - Chittaurgarh - Stay - Surat - Stay - Pune. all in all 12 days.

At Jodhpur stayed at Indrashaan - a home stay and it was fantastic. At Bikaner, Basant Vihar Palace - again a haveli converted to hotel. Very nice place. At Chittaurgarh stayed at Fort Bassi - A fort converted to hotel. Jaisalmer stayed in the dunes. Dune stay costs skyrocket in the week ends. Plan your stay during the week and you can get rates like 2100-2500. Weekends it goes to 4500-7000. Also if you book from Bombay, the rates are sky high. You can go there and negotiate if in a week day.

Hope this helps.

Nainar

[gd1418]

@Jaysmokes: HVK has said it all. and I broadly concur. I always prefer to stay in the RTDC hotels as they are VFM and safe. You can go to RTDC's Hotel Kajri in Udaipur and they conduct sightseeing tours twice a day with a 1.5 hrs break for lunch. The morning tour is of the city and the evening tour of the outskirts that includes, Haldighati, Srinathji etc.

Similar tours are offered by all RTDC hotels across the state. I personally feel they are better since it save you from the hassles of finding the place in a new city and parking blues.

You'll have to do the bookings now itself as the tourist season has started and you may find it difficult to get rooms.

RTDC Hotels in Raj:

Hotel Kajri, Udaipur - 01294 2410501, 2, 3
Hotel Ghoomar, Jodhpur - 01291 - 2544010
Hotel Moomal, Jaisalmer
Hotel Panna, Chittorgarh

[anainar]

Originally Posted by gd1418

@Jaysmokes: HVK has said it all. and I broadly concur. I always prefer to stay in the RTDC hotels as they are VFM and safe. You can go to RTDC's Hotel Kajri in Udaipur and they conduct sightseeing tours twice a day with a 1.5 hrs break for lunch. The morning tour is of the city and the evening tour of the outskirts that includes, Haldighati, Srinathji etc.

RTDC Hotels in Raj:

Hotel Kajri, Udaipur - 01294 2410501, 2, 3
Hotel Ghoomar, Jodhpur - 01291 - 2544010
Hotel Moomal, Jaisalmer
Hotel Panna, Chittorgarh

Be aware that RTDC hotels do not accept credit cards and hence carry enough cash always.

On the VFM part, I do tend to disagree. The money I paid for RTDC at Kajri is Rs.1400 for a non-ac room. For a A/C room it was Rs.1900. While I booked an A/C room at Mountain Ridge for Rs.1800 which was on a mountain top. Of course I had to cancel that because I was not able to locate the place and the hotel phones were dead for a couple of hours. So could not get enough guidance to locate the place.

At Indrashaan guest house, I paid Rs.1500 for an A/C room. At Bikaner Rs.1900 for A/C room which is a haveli converted to hotel.

So, look around and you will get choices for sure. But, yes, RTDC hotels are hassle free,easy to locate. But not so great in terms of service.

Nainar

[hvkumar]

I have stayed in RTDCs at Behror, Shahpura, Jaipur, Bikaner, Ajmer - and checked out Rishabdeo, Chittorgarh. Service is not great, parking is great, definitely expensive.

[tsk1979]

Do it the other way round.
From Mumbai enter Gujrat - Barmer - Jaisalmer. Interior Rajasthan roads, though single, are extremely smooth and devoid of traffic.
Hit Jaisalmer first, and spend 3 nights there (1 night in the desert)

After that Go to Jodhpur - Bikaner, come back to NH via Sambhar lake, and head ot Ajmer-Udaipur

KML attached, this is approx route, while going you will have to take some SH in Gujrat, but Gujrat roads are good
Rajasthan Path.kml

So it can be
Day 1&2, reach Jaisalmer
Day 3 - Night in desert
Day 4 - Night in Jaisalmer
Day 5 - Reach Jodhpur early and spend night there
Day 6 Reach Bikaner
Day 7 Bikaner
Day 8 Ajmer via Sambhar lake
Day 9 Udaipur
Day 10,11 Udaipur
Day 12 Start for bombay

[jaysmokesleaves]

THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR RESPONSES.

Originally Posted by genesis

Least I can do is help with the first part .

Mumbai to Udaipur easily doable in a day.

I would highly recommend Jaiwana Haveli.

I will appreciate if you can PM me the hotel telephone number if you still have it.

Originally Posted by sudev

1. On Day 3 instead of Udaipur-Beawar-Ajmer do Udaippur-Chitaur-Kishangarh-Ajmer/Pushkar. Even road is better this way. Stay at Pushkar and move on to Bikaner (via Nagaur) next day morning.

I see Chittaurgarh on the map but not Kishangarh. I didnt know I could stay at Pushkar - thanks.

2. On way out of Bikaner drop in at Fort Gajner, for a cup of tea or perhaps breakfast. Lovely view from lake side terrace. If you can do this the evening before - day4 - it is even better offering stunning pictures of sun set. About 40kms out of Bikaner.

Is this on the way from Bikaner to Jaisalmer?

3. Day5 or 6? Sam desert camps are bit over rated but interesting to spend a night there, especially a moonless one out under the stars youd never see in a city. Spend one night there instead of Jaisalmer. About 50 kms further.

How do I find the contact numbers for Sam camps? Is it easy to find these camp sites after reaching Jaisalmer or do I have to book these n advance? I night in the tents is a good idea. Id llike to go offroad too and have some fun in the sand.

Originally Posted by Akadian

Hi,

Bundi is beautiful as well but does not feature in your plan as of now. If you want to go that way, you will have to come a little more eastward though. Most of your plan at the moment concentrates on western Rajasthan. If you do go the Bundi way, then try visiting Bhainsrorgarh as well. You will have to go there from Kota but it is very very beautiful and scenic

Regards

Thanks. Maybe if I do the trip in reverse order, I might be able to squeeze these locations too in the plan.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Long ago, I did a comprehensive tour of Rajasthan which went this way:
Bombay-Jaisalmer-Jodhpur-BIkaner-Jaipur-Pushkar-Udaipur-Bombay

The Mt Abu-Udaipur is now part of the East-West corridor and a wonderful 4-laner.

I am evaluating the possibility of doing the trip starting with Jaisalmer.

I found RTDC hotels good places to stay in.
Im not a big fan of fancy hotels since I spend very less time in them. Just a bug free bed with decent ventilation & decent food would do for me, except when I decide to stay put for more than a day.

In case you are interested in temples, you can check out Eklinji, Nathdwara (Udaipur-Ajmer route).

The unique rat temple - Karni Mata temple - is at Deshnoke near Bikaner.
I have to see this place for real. Seen it enough number of times on discovery.

You can marvel at sculptures at the Jain temples of Ranakpur (Jodhpur-Mt Abu route) or Dilwara Temples at Mt Abu (the only good reason for visiting Mt Abu).

If you want to visit Ranthambore, then you will have to go via Jaipur. NO idea when the WLS opens.

Jaipur is out for now. Will hit that section when on a North trip. Ranthambore, if it is open, maybe possible if i start the trip from Jaisalmer

Chittorgarh is 110 kms from Udaipur on GQ route (NH76) to Jaipur, and you will have to budget at least 1/2 a day to and fro Udaipur. This means you will have to either take an extra day off at Udaipur or plan your return (if you go to Ranthambhore) that way: Ranthambhore-Kota-Chittorgarh-Udapur-Bombay.

If you leave Jaisalmer early in the morning, you can reach Jodhpur in 3-4 hours and spend the rest of the day exploring Jodhpur, so you don't need to spend an extra day there, you can leave for Mt Abu the next day.

Originally Posted by anainar

I did a rajasthan trip last week, lasting 12 days and covered almost similar places. Except I had Jaipur instead of Mount Abu. So, don't think the plan is stretched. I see two days stay in Bikaner, there is nothing much to do, except Junnagarh fort. Same is true with Jaisalmer. Three days in Jaisalmer can be cut to two days, one day in Desert camp - Sam or Khuri and one day in the city to see the Fort. You can spend a day at Chittaurgarh instead and visit the fort. Has a lot of history embedded in it, if you are interested.

This sounds like a good idea and fits the plan if I drive straight from Bombay to Jaisalmer. Is it possible to do Bombay Jaisalmer in a day with some spirited driving starting at 5am???

My trip was like this.. Will write a detailed travelogue soon when I get time - but a gist -- Pune - Vadodra- Stay - Vadodra - Udaipur - 2 nights stay - Jodhpur - 2 nights stay - Jaisalmer - Stay in Sam Dunes - Bikaner - Stay - Jaipur - 2 days stay - Chittaurgarh - Stay - Surat - Stay - Pune. all in all 12 days.

At Jodhpur stayed at Indrashaan - a home stay and it was fantastic. At Bikaner, Basant Vihar Palace - again a haveli converted to hotel. Very nice place. At Chittaurgarh stayed at Fort Bassi - A fort converted to hotel. Jaisalmer stayed in the dunes. Dune stay costs skyrocket in the week ends. Plan your stay during the week and you can get rates like 2100-2500. Weekends it goes to 4500-7000. Also if you book from Bombay, the rates are sky high. You can go there and negotiate if in a week day.
Nainar

Can you PM me the numbers for the dune stay, homestay & other hotels you put up at? It would certainly help.
Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by gd1418

@Jaysmokes: HVK has said it all. and I broadly concur. I always prefer to stay in the RTDC hotels as they are VFM and safe. You can go to RTDC's Hotel Kajri in Udaipur and they conduct sightseeing tours twice a day with a 1.5 hrs break for lunch. The morning tour is of the city and the evening tour of the outskirts that includes, Haldighati, Srinathji etc.

Similar tours are offered by all RTDC hotels across the state. I personally feel they are better since it save you from the hassles of finding the place in a new city and parking blues.

You'll have to do the bookings now itself as the tourist season has started and you may find it difficult to get rooms.

RTDC Hotels in Raj:

Hotel Kajri, Udaipur - 01294 2410501, 2, 3
Hotel Ghoomar, Jodhpur - 01291 - 2544010
Hotel Moomal, Jaisalmer
Hotel Panna, Chittorgarh

Thanks, I will evaluate the selection of the hotels after due budget & service considerations.

Originally Posted by anainar

Be aware that RTDC hotels do not accept credit cards and hence carry enough cash always.

On the VFM part, I do tend to disagree. The money I paid for RTDC at Kajri is Rs.1400 for a non-ac room. For a A/C room it was Rs.1900. While I booked an A/C room at Mountain Ridge for Rs.1800 which was on a mountain top. Of course I had to cancel that because I was not able to locate the place and the hotel phones were dead for a couple of hours. So could not get enough guidance to locate the place.

At Indrashaan guest house, I paid Rs.1500 for an A/C room. At Bikaner Rs.1900 for A/C room which is a haveli converted to hotel.

So, look around and you will get choices for sure. But, yes, RTDC hotels are hassle free,easy to locate. But not so great in terms of service.

Nainar

Assuming I do not book in advance. How difficult is it to find a hotel on arrival considering that Nov will be tourist season?

Originally Posted by hvkumar

I have stayed in RTDCs at Behror, Shahpura, Jaipur, Bikaner, Ajmer - and checked out Rishabdeo, Chittorgarh. Service is not great, parking is great, definitely expensive.

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Do it the other way round.
From Mumbai enter Gujrat - Barmer - Jaisalmer. Interior Rajasthan roads, though single, are extremely smooth and devoid of traffic.
Hit Jaisalmer first, and spend 3 nights there (1 night in the desert)

After that Go to Jodhpur - Bikaner, come back to NH via Sambhar lake, and head ot Ajmer-Udaipur

KML attached, this is approx route, while going you will have to take some SH in Gujrat, but Gujrat roads are good
Attachment 214308

So it can be
Day 1&2, reach Jaisalmer
Day 3 - Night in desert
Day 4 - Night in Jaisalmer
Day 5 - Reach Jodhpur early and spend night there
Day 6 Reach Bikaner
Day 7 Bikaner
Day 8 Ajmer via Sambhar lake
Day 9 Udaipur
Day 10,11 Udaipur
Day 12 Start for bombay

This sounds like a decent alternative plan in reverse order to my original. Im hoping to drive Bombay to Jaisalmer in 1 day. If that is possible then, since im resting for 2 days around Jaisalmer and yet saving a day, maybe I can add another destination like Chittaurgarh.

[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.

[hvkumar]

The route from Chittorgarh to Ajmer is on NH79 (GQ) via BHilwara. You can turn off at Nasirabad before Kishangarh (where you rejoin NH8) and go direct to Ajmer/Pushkar. Pushkar is under 20 kms from Ajmer.

Gajner is on the Jaisalmer-Bikaner road.

Deshnoke is on the Jodhpur-Bikaner road.

You could follow my itinerary, as you can see from teh log book:
Bombay-Jaisalmer-Jodhpur-Bikaner-Jaipur-Pushkar-Udaipur-Bombay

You can drive from Bombay to Jaisalmer in 1 day. I have left Bombay at 10 pm and reached Jaisalmer at 4 pm next day on conventional 2-lane roads of earlier years. With the high-speed roads of today, you can reach Jaisalmer in 16 hours. Bear in mind taht if you do not want to push it, there are hardly any stay facilities between Palanpur and Jaisalmer, all towns and villages in between being very small.

[anainar]

Search the forum. There is a travelogue by Ramkya where he did the drive from Bombay to Jaisalmer I guess. It does look doable distance wise, as 1100 kms in a day should not be a big deal in GQ with a spirited drive and early morning start. 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.

During season the good hotels get booked I was told. I walked into hotels in Bikaner, Chittaurgarh, Jaisalmer and Udaipur, got rooms without any problems. I had trouble in vadodra, when I had to stop at two hotels which were full, finally managed in the third attempt.

Sure, will PM you the numbers of the hotels I stayed. I have the bills and have to retrieve them.

Nainar

[phamilyman]

please see kumbhalgarh and ranakpur too!