Hill Forts of Rajasthan

[RooFlyer]

I've been to India a couple of times, and enjoyed it more than I expected. Both were private tours - the first was the 'Golden triangle' (Delhi-Jaipur-Agra) A series of Firsts: India and Xi'an, mainly thanks to AFF with a fantastic private guide recommended by @jogen; the next to Mumbai and the Elora and Adjanta 'caves' (temples) Twice around the world in 40 days. There I used India Heritage tours, recommended by @RB and more recently used by @Jacques Vert . Its a single guy outfit, as far as I can tell, who just arranges cars, drivers and guides (and hotels) in whatever combination. He's pretty cheap and all the experiences have been good as far as I can tell.

This time I've just got him to do the car with guides at each stop. I'm doing a tour of the hill forts (and temples, I guess) of Rajasthan over 10 days. I've also got him to book most of the hotels, following jacques vert's lead, but I'm not convinced that was the best plan. We'll see how it pans out.

This is the road route (returning to DEL, but ran out of stops on Google maps)



and in a wider context:



Core flights are Srilankan MEL-CMB-DEL and return in J. Got a great sale deal in the middle of this year. The HBA-MEL-HBA flights are QF J award flights. Bit of a luxury, but I like to start and end in the same style as the longer trip!!



@Pushka - have you been to Pushkar?

 

[Happy Dude]

Brush up on your cricket stats/results and you'll have a better trip. Great part of the world. Have a good trip!

 

[Pushka]

I've been to India a couple of times, and enjoyed it more than I expected. Both were private tours - the first was the 'Golden triangle' (Delhi-Jaipur-Agra) A series of Firsts: India and Xi'an, mainly thanks to AFF with a fantastic private guide recommended by @jogen; the next to Mumbai and the Elora and Adjanta 'caves' (temples) Twice around the world in 40 days. There I used India Heritage tours, recommended by @RB and more recently used by @Jacques Vert . Its a single guy outfit, as far as I can tell, who just arranges cars, drivers and guides (and hotels) in whatever combination. He's pretty cheap and all the experiences have been good as far as I can tell.

This time I've just got him to do the car with guides at each stop. I'm doing a tour of the hill forts (and temples, I guess) of Rajasthan over 10 days. I've also got him to book most of the hotels, following jacques vert's lead, but I'm not convinced that was the best plan. We'll see how it pans out.

This is the road route (returning to DEL, but ran out of stops on Google maps)

View attachment 198056

and in a wider context:

View attachment 198057

Core flights are Srilankan MEL-CMB-DEL and return in J. Got a great sale deal in the middle of this year. The HBA-MEL-HBA flights are QF J award flights. Bit of a luxury, but I like to start and end in the same style as the longer trip!!

View attachment 198055

@Pushka - have you been to Pushkar?

No but MrP has!

 

[RooFlyer]

Brush up on your cricket stats/results and you'll have a better trip. Great part of the world. Have a good trip!

I reckon the results of the present test series will be a point of happy conversation

 

[daft009]

very nice!
seems like a lot in only 10days though.

bikaner is also famous for its sweets & savoury snacks, bikanervala is the brand.
they also have restaurants around the place. usually good/clean/veg food while on the road. Haldiram is the other one with good restaurants.

eating while on the road is not very easy to do over there

 

[RooFlyer]

Not a great start ... and I haven't even started! I arrive in Delhi at 4:10am on Friday, the day before the tour starts, so have booked the Pullman at the airport with a basic room for the evening prior, and the next, with a Club room for the second (matter of cost). I've stayed here before, and its a good Club and I'm not sure if i'll go into Delhi or not - weather is foggy and smoggy this time of year.

I e-mailed them 2 days ago noting my late arrival, with the flight deatils, and asking if the free airport pick-up due to the club room on the second night might be used when i arrive.

Last night, abt 10:30 i got an e-mail asking about my arrival details and if I wanted a pick-up. . Automated, no doubt. As it was late I thought I'd reply in the morning (this morning).

But the phone call I got 3 hours later, at 1am, wasn't automated - the guy was asking the same things!! The reason he got through when my mobile phone was on overnight silent is that he called once, got voice mail, so then called again, which punctures the silent mode. .

I mentioned what time it was, but he ploughed on, politely asking if I need a pick-up etc. I told him that I had e-mailed all of this, which slowed him a bit, but he went on, notwithstanding I again reminded him that it was 1am. Then I told him again, a bit more testily, I think he twigged and quickly backed off the call.

I got an e-mail this afternoon I think replying to my first, and I've got the pick-up at least, and have been told that the driver and placard will be at "the arrival lounge", whatever that is.

I'm hoping that they will put me in the Club room when I arrive, rather than me changing room; if they made a note about that early call, I'm hopeful.

 

[daft009]

Not a great start ... and I haven't even started! I arrive in Delhi at 4:10am on Friday, the day before the tour starts, so have booked the Pullman at the airport with a basic room for the evening prior, and the next, with a Club room for the second (matter of cost). I've stayed here before, and its a good Club and I'm not sure if i'll go into Delhi or not - weather is foggy and smoggy this time of year.

I e-mailed them 2 days ago noting my late arrival, with the flight deatils, and asking if the free airport pick-up due to the club room on the second night might be used when i arrive.

Last night, abt 10:30 i got an e-mail asking about my arrival details and if I wanted a pick-up. . Automated, no doubt. As it was late I thought I'd reply in the morning (this morning).

But the phone call I got 3 hours later, at 1am, wasn't automated - the guy was asking the same things!! The reason he got through when my mobile phone was on overnight silent is that he called once, got voice mail, so then called again, which punctures the silent mode. .

I mentioned what time it was, but he ploughed on, politely asking if I need a pick-up etc. I told him that I had e-mailed all of this, which slowed him a bit, but he went on, notwithstanding I again reminded him that it was 1am. Then I told him again, a bit more testily, I think he twigged and quickly backed off the call.

I got an e-mail this afternoon I think replying to my first, and I've got the pick-up at least, and have been told that the driver and placard will be at "the arrival lounge", whatever that is.

I'm hoping that they will put me in the Club room when I arrive, rather than me changing room; if they made a note about that early call, I'm hopeful.

Haha love it. Welcome to India

Aerocity is a nice area to stay. It's where I stay too. Nice bunch of hotels

 

[MEL_Traveller]

In terms of hill forts/palaces, the Devi Garh just outside Udaipur is fantastic. Not sure if you have a night there? (it is well worthwhile).

 

[RooFlyer]

Have 2 nights at Udaipur. Not sure of the exact itinerary there, but as its just me, I reckon it'll be flexible

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Have 2 nights at Udaipur. Not sure of the exact itinerary there, but as its just me, I reckon it'll be flexible

The Devi Garh is about an hour outside of Udaipur, and a place you'd want to spend a full day at. If it's not already on your itinerary probably a bit too late to include it now If you haven't been to Udaipur before you'll easily fill a couple of days in the city itself.

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks for the tips. Hmmm, it might get a gig - but not a day. I think the only site I've spent an entire day at is the Hermitage museum in St Petersburg.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks for the tips. Hmmm, it might get a gig - but not a day. I think the only site I've spent an entire day at is the Hermitage museum in St Petersburg.

The Devi Garh is actually a hotel - but with only a handful of rooms in the entire palace. It's a place to relax, watch the sunset over he hills. Drink. Eat good food. Relax. Not a museum type place.

 

[RooFlyer]

Yes I was a bit puzzled when I googled it. Anyway, not on the schedule - I spoke to my tour guy tonight and asked about it.

Im staying in the Neemrana Fort Hotel which sounds a similar setup, except that it occupies the entire fort - enormous.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes I was a bit puzzled when I googled it. Anyway, not on the schedule - I spoke to my tour guy tonight and asked about it.

Im staying in the Neemrana Fort Hotel which sounds a similar setup, except that it occupies the entire fort - enormous.

It does look very similar! I'll have a think about there for next time!

 

[RooFlyer]

Anyway, I replied to the Pullman e-mail telling them my arrival time. Pick-up offered, and I would be met at the 'guest lounge'. I e-mailed back, asking for more details on the meeting point.

No reply to that, but overnight another e-mail asking for my arrival details. . The only difference from last time is that I've now been upgraded to an Accor Platinum member (up from silver).

Off to HBA this morning, always a low point of any trip.

 

[RooFlyer]

The trip starts, as always, at the execrable Hobart airport. This is a picture of nothing happening at the gate. So far taken 20 minutes to load a single wheelchair pax ( not yet finished). One more to go! No criticism of the pax in any way, just the primitive way HBA functions.

 

[RooFlyer]

So, 30 minutes for the first pax, just starting the second

 

[daft009]

So, 30 minutes for the first pax, just starting the second

breath in the serenity?
SYD/MEL are too hectic these days

 

[RooFlyer]

Yes, a good idea. It’s just that HBA is sooooooo bad and has been for years. One I leave Im OK

 

[daft009]

Yes, a good idea. It’s just that HBA is sooooooo bad and has been for years. One I leave Im OK

getting reports from relos/friends not a good time to go to North India. lots of of them getting sick, smog really bad in Delhi..
be extra careful!