Some Suggested Itineraries

India is huge and getting from place to place takes a lot longer than you think it will. Below are some possible itineraries that will give you an idea of what to expect with the time that you have. Just beware! I would dearly love to say that I return to India every year and retrace my footsteps on each and every one of these routes to see if they still work. But, alas… All I can say is that at one time – perhaps many years in the past – they were a great travel experience. Listen to your tour company! They know the latest and the greatest and will have all the latest on road closures, strikes, new fabulous hotels that have come up, and great new experiences.

I’ve written them to begin on the day you leave Delhi, Chennai, etc. Don’t forget to add a day – or several – to do some sightseeing locally.

Tours out of Delhi:

• 4 days in Delhi

• 7 days Golden Triangle: Agra, Jaipur, Samode, Neemrana

• 9 days Golden Triangle: Agra, Bharatpur, Rathambore, Jaipur, Neemrana.

• 10 days Best of Northern India: Varanasi, Agra, Udaipur, Rohet Garh, Jodhpur.

• 18 days Best of Rajasthan: Jodhpur, Rawla Narlai, Udaipur, Dungapur, Devi Garh, Deogarh, Pushkar, Phool Mahal, Jaipur, Samode, Neemrana

• 11 days Deserts and Mansions: Bikaner, Mandawa, Shekhavati, Nagaur, Phalodi, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur

• 17 days Forts of Rajputana: Udaipur, Luni, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Khimsar, Bikaner, Mandawa, Samode, Jaipur, Agra, Varanasi,

• 19 days Footsteps of the Buddha: Lumbini, Kushinagar, Patna, Bodh Gaya, Varanasi, Darjeeling, Pelling, Gangtok, Bhopal, Sanchi

• 7 days in Ladakh

• 19 days Across the Rhotang: Pinjore, Shimla, Kulu, Naggar, Manali, Keylong, Sarchu, Leh, Alchi, Lamayuru

• 8 days Mountains and Monasteries: Darjeeling, Pelling, Gangtok, Kalimpong

• 11 days Gods, Kings, and Sages: Darjeeling, Gangtok, Kalimpong, Agra, Varanasi, Khajuraho.

Tours out of Chennai:

12 Days Temples of Tamil Nadu: Mamalapuram, Pondicherry, Kumbakonam, Trichy, Tanjore, Chettinad, Rameswaram, Madurai

18 Days Dravidian Heritage Trail: Mamalapuram, Pondicherry, Kumbakonam, Trichy, Tanjore, Chettinad, Rameswaram, Madurai, Mysore, Hassan, Hampi, return to Bangalore.

Tours out of Bangalore

2 days Mysore and Srivanabelagola

5 days Highlights of Karnataka: Mysore, Srivanabelagola, Hampi

Tours out of Mumbai

12 days Kingdoms of Central India: Aurangabad, Ellora, Ajanta, Hyderabad, Gulbarga, Bijapur, Badami, Hampi, Goa

7 days Ajanta, Ellora, and Goa