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Old 11th October 2010, 19:10   #1
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Suggestions for Planning Lucknow-Jodhpur-Jaisalmer-Bikaner-Lko in 6 days! Possible?

Hi All,

Seeing kid's school off for 4 days this weekend had aroused a late wild dream. And the Safari travel bug is out of the net yet again, suddenly, much sooner then we expected, and without any planning!

Want to share a very late thought. Its really very late to take opinion, still, I want to have views from experienced members as whether something like the following will be feasible:

Day1: Lucknow-Agra-Jaipur-Beavour-Jodhpur (Night halt)
Start 3.30am, Agra breakfast 8-8.30am, Jaipur lunch 1.30-2.30pm, reaching Jodhpur 8-8.30pm.

Day2:
Exploring Jodhpur and night halt

Day 3: Jodhpur - Jaisalmer (Reaching Jaisalmer by lunch time and exploring fort, night halt)

Day4: a.Exploring Jaisalmer: Morning visit to Sam dunes, camel ride, etc.
b. Departure to Bikaner in afternoon around 3pm, night halt at Bikaner.

Day 5: Exploring Bikaner and Karni Devi temple, night halt at Bikaner.

Day 6: Bikaner - Jaipur- Agra- Lucknow drive back
(Start 6am - Hope to reach home by 10pm)

My observations/Apprehensions:

1. I know time is not enough for properly exploring each of the three major touristy attractions of Raj. But, then our purpose is not to cover all the spots in typical touristy style! Want to see the major things and have the feel of the place and famous original Rajasthani Khana.

2. Is the 1st day drive feasible?
I know it'd be very ambitious and tiring. Total distance/time-wise, I can drive Safari easily for that much, and road conditions are superb between Lko-Agra-Jaipur-Ajmer. But given the 2-lane roads of Post-Ajmer/Beavour- to Jodhpur, can we target Jodhpur on Day 1? or should we have to stay at RTDC Beavoura/Barr? Ideally, want to reach Jodhpur on Day 1 even if it be 10 pm!

3. How much time Bikaner would need for sightseeing?
I know this is a silly question for any place, yet, asking to have a better/realistic estimate/plan as want to give more time to Jaisalmer (off course desert/sand dunes attraction), and bare minimum to Bikaner.

So should we stay back at Jaisalmer on day 4 night and start very early morning on Day 5! Jaisalmer-Bikaner drive will take approx 4-4.5 hrs (I guess!). If we start at 5.30 am on Day 5 and reach Bikaner by 10-10.30 am, will it be enough to see 'reasonably enough' of Bikaner during rest of the Day 5?

4. If this trip happens, we'll start on Wednesday (Day after tomorrow!! ). It means no time for advance bookings! We may call and try RTDC Hotels/Motels at all the places. Like HVK Sir, we too prefer and like RTDC Hotels! Off course, everyone would love to stay in those Heritage havelies, but, not aiming any of those for purely budget reasons. But, at this time (just the start of season for Raj, I suppose, but, not the peak), shall we have problem in getting accommodation when going without bookings?

Specially,

Plz suggest freely and fast, specially, on four aspects:

1. Overall feasibility of the plan and any specific suggestion as asked above or otherwise also.
2. Budget accommodations at all the places with safety and parking. Specially, eager to book at Jodhpur as we'd be reaching very late and tired there and also Jaisalmer.
3. Must see places at the three cities in the given time frame.
4. Though routes are more or less standard, still, any suggestions about route condition.

PS: 1. Have gone through some TLs about Rajasthan including latest one by Ranjit. So have basic idea.

2. We have done Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Mt. Abu stretch last year.
3. The trip can't be extended beyond 6 days plz.
Originally, it started with 3 days trip to some nearby places, then stretched to Ujjain-Maheswar etc, in 4 days, but, finally dreaming about this, have already added 2 full days. So 6 days are the maximum.

Would wait for your suggestions pl...

Thanks in advance..

Last edited by LongDrive lover : 11th October 2010 at 19:12.
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Old 11th October 2010, 23:18   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LongDrive lover View Post
Day1: Lucknow-Agra-Jaipur-Beavour-Jodhpur (Night halt)
Start 3.30am, Agra breakfast 8-8.30am, Jaipur lunch 1.30-2.30pm, reaching Jodhpur 8-8.30pm.
Easily doable,I havent done LKO-Agra so cant comment,but Agra-Jaipur-Beawar-Jodhpur can easily be done.The best thing is that coming from Agra you dont have to enter Jaipur town,you can directly land up on NH8 and continue onto the GVK Expressway.

Jaipur-Kishengarh : 1.5hours

Kishengarh-Nasirabad:20minutes9approx 25kms (Continue on NH79A-Do not take the NH8,take the road towards Chittor-Udaipur)

Nasirabad(NH79A)-AjmerBypass:30kms 30mins /passes through the Nasirabad Cantt & railway station.At the end of the bypass you would be on NH8 again,take a left and go towards Beawar.

Ajmer BP-Beawar:roads are terrible.Road widening.Will take you around 1hour

Beawar-Barr-Jodhpur:Excellent Road.Jaipur-JDP should take you around 5.5-6hours.



Quote:
Originally Posted by LongDrive lover View Post
Day2: Exploring Jodhpur and night halt
Mehrangarh Fort,Umaid Bhawan Palace,Mirchi Wadas,Pyaaz Kachori,Choorma Laddus.Fort would take you around 3 hours,Umaid Bhawan palace is just a photo-op.

Quote:
Originally Posted by LongDrive lover View Post
Day 3: Jodhpur - Jaisalmer (Reaching Jaisalmer by lunch time and exploring fort, night halt)
4hour drive.Only fort is worthwhile.

Day4: a.Exploring Jaisalmer: Morning visit to Sam dunes, camel ride, etc.
b. Departure to Bikaner in afternoon around 3pm, night halt at Bikaner.

Day 5: Exploring Bikaner and Karni Devi temple, night halt at Bikaner.

Day 6: Bikaner - Jaipur- Agra- Lucknow drive back
(Start 6am - Hope to reach home by 10pm)

My observations/Apprehensions:

Quote:
Originally Posted by LongDrive lover View Post
1. I know time is not enough for properly exploring each of the three major touristy attractions of Raj. But, then our purpose is not to cover all the spots in typical touristy style! Want to see the major things and have the feel of the place and famous original Rajasthani Khana.
at jaisalmer,ask people for a restaurant called Riddhi Siddhi near Hanuman chowk,easily the best in town.

Quote:
Originally Posted by LongDrive lover View Post
2. Is the 1st day drive feasible?
I know it'd be very ambitious and tiring. Total distance/time-wise, I can drive Safari easily for that much, and road conditions are superb between Lko-Agra-Jaipur-Ajmer. But given the 2-lane roads of Post-Ajmer/Beavour- to Jodhpur, can we target Jodhpur on Day 1? or should we have to stay at RTDC Beavoura/Barr? Ideally, want to reach Jodhpur on Day 1 even if it be 10 pm!
easily doable,no need to stay in Barr,in case of unforeseen ,you can stay at Barr

Quote:
Originally Posted by LongDrive lover View Post
3. How much time Bikaner would need for sightseeing?
I know this is a silly question for any place, yet, asking to have a better/realistic estimate/plan as want to give more time to Jaisalmer (off course desert/sand dunes attraction), and bare minimum to Bikaner.
nothing much to see in Bikaner,except for the Deshnoke temple and the palace there.Must visit is the Bikanervala bhujia place.People usually use Bikaner as a stopover between Jaipur & Jaisalmer.

Quote:
Originally Posted by LongDrive lover View Post
So should we stay back at Jaisalmer on day 4 night and start very early morning on Day 5! Jaisalmer-Bikaner drive will take approx 4-4.5 hrs (I guess!). If we start at 5.30 am on Day 5 and reach Bikaner by 10-10.30 am, will it be enough to see 'reasonably enough' of Bikaner during rest of the Day 5?
Enough time.

Quote:
Originally Posted by LongDrive lover View Post
4. If this trip happens, we'll start on Wednesday (Day after tomorrow!! ). It means no time for advance bookings! We may call and try RTDC Hotels/Motels at all the places. Like HVK Sir, we too prefer and like RTDC Hotels! Off course, everyone would love to stay in those Heritage havelies, but, not aiming any of those for purely budget reasons. But, at this time (just the start of season for Raj, I suppose, but, not the peak), shall we have problem in getting accommodation when going without bookings?
you might have a problem with bookings because the season has already started in RJ thanks to the CWG,when we went in Sep itself most of the places were full,in fact Udaipur refused to give us an extension because they were sold out.Might be a good idea to call ahead and atleast check on current status.


Quote:
Originally Posted by LongDrive lover View Post
1. Overall feasibility of the plan and any specific suggestion as asked above or otherwise also.
Easily feasible

Quote:
Originally Posted by LongDrive lover View Post
2. Budget accommodations at all the places with safety and parking. Specially, eager to book at Jodhpur as we'd be reaching very late and tired there and also Jaisalmer.
You could book Mapple Abhay,in the range of 2k.You might have problem with food in RTDC with late arrival.Mapple is close to the fort as well.

Quote:
Originally Posted by LongDrive lover View Post
3. Must see places at the three cities in the given time frame.
my travelogue!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by LongDrive lover View Post
4. Though routes are more or less standard, still, any suggestions about route condition.
routes are all good,just small bad patches here and there

Have a good trip Lalit.
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Old 12th October 2010, 11:06   #3
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Thanks Ranjit.

Noted all the points. Getting accommodation may be the only possible trouble. But, that risk has to be taken in any such hurriedly planned trip. may be at places we'll have to settle for some less then the desired accommodation. Your info for avoiding Ajmer city mess is very valuable. Preparations have begun at home.

One more query:
If we stay back at Jaisalmer for full day on day4, We'll have plenty of time (having seen the fort on previous day), then how you would suggest to spend the whole day in Jaisalmer?

Morning visit to Sam dunes/ and or Khuri dunes?

Then in afternoon-evening visit to Tanot! (All precautions read in your TL (lack of habitation, no fuel en-route, 140 kms from city, etc...).
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Old 12th October 2010, 12:11   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LongDrive lover View Post

One more query:
If we stay back at Jaisalmer for full day on day4, We'll have plenty of time (having seen the fort on previous day), then how you would suggest to spend the whole day in Jaisalmer?

Morning visit to Sam dunes/ and or Khuri dunes?

Then in afternoon-evening visit to Tanot! (All precautions read in your TL (lack of habitation, no fuel en-route, 140 kms from city, etc...).
You could do Tanot on Day 3 as well.The day you reach Jaisalmer,you could see the fort,go around the town,and have a nice Rajasthani thali at Riddhi Siddhi.

Next day morning,you could go to Sam for the sunrise,earlier you reach,lesser the mess with the camel handlers!.After that you could return to the hotel for breakfast and again spend the day in Jaisalmer and in the evening you could leave for Tanot around 3pm.You would reach there by 5pm.And you could leave Tanot by 530 and be back in Jaisalmer by 730.Please note there is no mobile connectivity on that 140km stretch beyond Ramgarh.We opted for a local cab to have a tension free drive!!Would cost around 2k.Next day morning after breakfast you could leave for Bikaner.

If you want to stay for Day 4,there is nothing much to do,unless you want to spend that night in one of the hotels in Sam,but frankly 2nights 3 days should be more than enough IMO to see Jaisalmer in your hectic schedule.
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Old 21st October 2010, 14:36   #5
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We did this trip as was planned. It was a fast but memorable trip. Though already several Rajasthan TLs have given a rich treasure of info and beautiful pics, yet would share the experiences of this trip with selected pics after Diwali as will be away for official trio for next 2 weeks.

Ranjit, HVK sir. Thanks for all the help over phone/sms.
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Old 21st October 2010, 15:11   #6
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Welcome back Lalit!Glad
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