3 Week Trip To India - Summer 2010 - Help!

Hi!

I am planning a trip to India for three weeks next July with a friend - we will both be 18 at the time... Not sure where to start really, we definately want to include tigers and Goa in the trip and mainly want to travel by train! Any ideas, advice or intineries greatly appreciated...

Thanks
-A

Train travel is a great way to get around. There are ´tourist clase´seats available, which means that certain seats are saved for tourists. This is helful as sometimes the trains fill fast, though I wasn´t in India in July, so not sure how crazy it is at that time of year.

I wouldn´t recomend trying to do too much or go to too many places if your trip is for 3 weeks. India is huge and travel is slow. The highlight of India, I think, is the people and culture and if you are trying to hop around too much, you may not be able to soak it all in and relax.

Also, not sure but I think July is in the monsoon season....lots of rain and possibly difficult to travel. Again, I wasn´t in India at this time of year so I am not exactly sure.

Assuming the monsoon is not in the way, I´d suggest flying in to Mumbai and hitting Goa and then train travel to Rajastan, visiting Udaipur (very cool chill place) and then heading to Ranthambore National Park for tigers, ending in Dehli and flying out from there.

Good luck!

July is mansoon time in north around Delhi-Agra and Rajasthan tiger park Ranthambore Rajasthan is closed in this time.
but raining is very less around Rajasthan, best to keep a rain coat and some plastic cover for your backpack.
for travel best to start from north Dehi- Agra then to Rajasthan , jaipur- then to jodhpur for best fort in India Mehrangarh and blue city, and take an excursion to desert some 40miles north-west of jodhpur one can ride camels or staying at local desert folks; from jodhpur drive to Udaipur city of lakes via Ranakpur milky marble jain Jain temple in lap of hills.
from Udaipur one can fly to Goa via Mumbai(one stop).
traveling by India trains is fun and one can book online too, best to book it advance as there are always people moving with in india, most trains are full very quick, so hurryup.
for advance booking online train booking www.irctc.co.in one can book 90 days advance.
for tim-table and train infos www.indianrail.gov.in
welcome to Rajasthan-India.
cheers
Gemar

Thanks very much both of you for your help! We are thinking now that we would probably like to stay in India for 4 weeks to pack more in...

There are many places we would like to see but are finding it very confusuing to establish what order and where exactly to go! Our plan is to fly into Delhi from London and then fly back from Delhi at the end of our trip. We would definately like to go to Mumbai, Agra, Goa, Pondicherry, Chennai, Kerala and would like to incorporate a wildlife experience of some sort in our trip. We plan to travel from place to place via train and stay in 2/3 star accomodation. Basically could you guys suggest a plan!!

Thanks

-A

U can do the Golden traingle of Delhi-Agra-Jaipur first in the same sequence. These places are separated from each other by around 4 hrs of travel by rail/road.

Once u r done with Jaipur, u can cover some other towns of Rajasthan like Udaipur/Jodhpur and then from there take a direct train to Mumbai.

Mumbai-Goa can again be done by an overnight train, spend some time in Goa and again take a train to Kerala. U can consider spending some time in Gokarna which is in between Goa and Kerala. Gokarna has nice beaches !!

Munnar-Thekkady--Alleppy is the Golden traingle of Kerala which is not to be missed. After finishing this go further south to the tip of India i.e Trivanduram, spend some time there and take a train to Chennai. Explore Chennai and Pondicherry and then take a flight or train back to Delhi

Hope this helps

Do let me know if u need any specific info

Cheers
Arif

Best to take some trains/ calss 3rd aircon is good enough and available to most trains. you may try some private taxi trip for excursion or to travel from Bundi to Udaipur via chittorgarh Fort and from Udaipur to Jodhpur via Jain temple at Ranakpur and Kumbhalgarh Fort is nice sights.
you may try also some internal flights for long distances for info www.cleartrip.com
in Rajasthan if needs any travel related info for booking taxi with driver or hotels/guide you can send a query to Rajasthan Association of tour operator -snip- your query will reach to all members you you will get more ideas of how to plan your travel.
i would do this way,
Delhi-Agra-Jaipur-Pushkar-Bundi-Udaipur-Jodhpur-Osian
-Jaisalmer-back to Jodhpur and fly to south India for Goa via Mumbai.
OR
Delhi-Shekhawati{Mandawa/Nawalgarh}-Bikaner-Jaisalmer-Osian
Jodhpur-Udaipur-Bundi-Pushkar-Jaipur-Agra-Delhi and fly to Chennai is good prices for flights see www.cleartrip.com
sorry i can not give you any idea of travel around south but i have been to Hampi is a great place, not to be missed.
for Rajasthan travel you are welcome for any Q and info.
Cheers.
Gemar

[ Edit: Sorry, no promos please. ]

I just returned from my first trip in India in May. I could tell you what a good job Icon India Tours did for us in all aspects of planning, budget and travel plans but then the people that read this (except you who wants good information) will pull the information and say I am trying to self promote---even tho I'm a retired old lady in Missouri, USA. So good luck on getting any first hand info because they only post from travel guides who are the real ones who want to self promote.

hi sandikg, I am sorry if you took it that hard, i was just about to inform things coming on forums few time.
Please do write some of your travel experices about indian cities and any places you like more\less and the travel company, hotel and resto's that can make one's post more authentic and trust-worthy please feel nice and keep posting more real experience , about hotel you like and places you have visited.
we all here to help other travelers either we are travel related guides/hotelers,or one real travelers like you.
thanks
hope you will take it easy.
Cheers.
Gemar