[emmaj432]

Hello!

I'm going to India with my boyfriend for 54 days from mid-June to mid-August. I'd really appreciate any tips about anything to do or try or to take in India!

We've got our flights, visas and a hotel in Delhi for the first and last days.

Our route is Dehli, Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaiselmer, Udaipur, Mumbai, Goa, Mysore, Mudumalai National Park (inc. Ooty), Allepey, Kochin, Trivandrum, then a flight back up to Delhi. We haven't booked anything else yet so any suggestions would be great!!

Thanks,

Emma x

[priya]

Welcome, Emmaj432

What a wonderful trip you have planned, but you do realize that it'll be extremely hot and humid in some areas.  One word of warning in these extreme temperatures is to drink lots - and by that I mean lots of bottled water, which is available everywhere.  Light cotton clothing too is a must.

That's my 5¢ worth, but I'm sure others will be along to add their bits of advice plus suggestions.

Happy travelling.  I'm sure you'll have a memorable trip.

[iwanttogoback]

i can only reiterate what priya has said - it will be hot, damn hot. if i had to go at that time of year i would be heading for the north, and avoiding rajasthan and the south. which cuts out a chunk of your itinerary.

any chance of going at another time?

[cyberhippie]

It's also monsoon in this time so if your thinking of Goa for the beach forget it, huge waves and strong currents are the order of the day.
Also on the west coast/Konkan railway there can be delays during the monsoon,

[dzibead]

Welcome, Emma.  

Well, as others have said, it will be hot, HOT, HOT when you are there, both in the areas of North India you've listed, particularly Rajasthan, and also humid - and monsoonal - as well as very hot in the areas of South India you have on your itinerary, so these would not be my first choices for the time of year you plan to be there.  

You may have your heart absolutely set on the places you listed, but if you are open to re-thinking your itinerary, I would suggest that instead of Rajasthan and South India, you might consider Himachal Pradesh and Uttahakhand (and maybe Ladakh).  The Parvati Valley in Himachal Pradesh and the Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand (formerly called Uttarachal) are outstanding and July-August is an ideal time to visit them.

In Uttarakhand, the Garhwal and Kumaon areas are beautiful, and the pilgrimage route to Yamunotri, Ganotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath is one of the most important in Hinduism.  Haridwar and Rishikesh are also in Uttahakhand, and so is Corbett National Park (but I think the park is only open to visitors until mid-June).  

Ladakh is another whole world, across the Western Himalaya, up on the Tibetan Plateau (reachable either by a multi-day road journey from Delhi or by air from Delhi), and is culturally very different from the India of the plains - it's essentially Tibetan culture - It's fantastic and summer is the perfect time to visit.  

All of these places make more sense to me for someone with a flight into and out of Delhi than all the places in South India you've listed, particularly at the time of year you plan to be there.

[jyotirmoy]

This year summer has set in early and day temperature in Delhi has already shot up to 42 degC, very unusual. So expect intense heat during June. As dzibead has said you should skip Rajasthan. Himachal Pradesh will be the best choice. Uttarakhand is also very beautiful and full of pilgrims from all states of India, that is an experience and sight as such. but accomodation might pose a bit of problem.
Towards the end of June monsoon will set in and travelling in the Garhwal mountains will become difficult but this is the time to visit the Valley of flowers. After that you may go to Ladakh which remains dry and July is probably the best time.

[john.sw]

Hi Emmaj,

It's NOT going to hot here in the jungle at Mudamulai, or up in Ooty from June to August.

The monsoon arrives during the first week of June and should be gone by the first or second week of August when the temperatures will be around 22°C during the day.

Cochin and Alleppey won't be too hot either - in fact, August is a great time to take a kettuvallam houseboat on Lake Vambanad and the backwaters - you may get a little rain, but that will make your stay all the more pleasurable!

Let me know if there's anything you want to know about the Nilgiris...

[emmaj432]

Hello everyone!

Thank you for the replies... I'm going to chat to my boyfriend (and get him to get an account on here!!) and see what he thinks.

His parents went to Rajahstan in 1980 something and it was their favourite part of India. Will have a look at the other places you've suggested and see if it'll work..

Thinking we might cut out the desert and maybe just visit some of the sites in a week or so and spend more time in the south,

Thank you and any other advice would be fantastic

Emma x

[cyberhippie]

Hey John interesting information, I've nevr been in India in the monsoon so didn't realise how much the rains cool things down.
I'll bear you answer in mind when sharing information in the future.

[john.sw]

The reason it doesn't get extremely hot here in the Nilgiris is because of the altitude and the mountains.

Ooty town is about 7500 feet above sea level, and here in Mudamulai it is around 2000ft above MSL.

April/May is the hottest time of the year and although temperatures have reached a little over 30°C in recent days, it's not unpleasant as we have a cool breeze.

We were in Ooty the other day and Mrs. SW was wearing a cardigan!

Yesterday was lovely and cool.  the night before we had thunderstorms and heavy rain, so everything felt refreshed.

The thermometer said 26°C, but it was very comfortable - we didn't even turn a fan on all day or in the night!

I've just finished breakfast (fresh pineapple and papaya, followed by cigarettes and coffee) and it's 26.6°C on the verandah.

Over breakfast we saw a rare hornbill in the garden, along with the red-vented bulbuls, parrots, parakeets and the mynah birds.

Have a nice day!  

[priya]

Emma, even though we've warned you about the heat, and yes, it is almost unbearably HOT, don't let that put you off if you feel you'll be able to cope with it.  In saying that, if you've never experienced heat of this magnitude, visiting Rajasthan would be the place!!   It'll be an experience you'll not forget in a hurry, plus it'll be enjoyable, if you want it to be.  You have 54 days to play with, so India's there, just waiting for the opportunity to show you what she has to offer.

[jyotirmoy]

Monsoon does play magic in many areas. Ch bhai you should try Goa during the monsoons. The sea may be rough and the beach shacks missing but the vast paddy fields look awsomely green and the air smells divine.
For us Delhites the monsoon is a soother after the summer inferno. I do enjoy my trips to Solan during the monsoons, clouds playing hide and seek with the mountain ranges and descending as low as my hotel windows.

[cyberhippie]

It's just not a possibility Jyoti even I have some diciplines I must follow anf that's the time for me to earn money. It's the busy season in flowerbulbs lot of overtime, theperiod that largely finances our trip.

John you'll have to be my guide when I''m there next. Are you In Tamil Nadu or Kerala, I neglect the south sometimes but I've been writing a guide for Tamil Nadu and it's got me thinking.

I´ll bring my tent, Mrs cyber is good with animals, she´ll likely be seen feeding the leapards............

[jyotirmoy]

Ch bhai there is a very fine line between feeding the leopords and being gobbled by leopords.

[emmaj432]

Hello everyone!!

Just a quick note to say I had a truly amazing time in India. My travel partner has become my life partner (he proposed half way through the trip!) and I just had such wonderful experiences that I will treasure forever. I have given out SO much advice since I've been as all my friends have decided it's a must stop on their gap years, thanks to my stories and pictures!! I loved it all but some of my favourite places were Fort Kochi, Allepey (private house boat), Ooty, Jodhpur and of course, the Taj Mahal. Thank you all so much for your advice and we hope to go back again and see the rest of India soon!!

Love Emma xxx

[priya]

It is so good to hear from someone who's been there, done that and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

How romantic getting a proposal from your man while there!  I'll bet you didn't think that would be part of the "package"   Congratulations  eyesluv.gif   946bytes   0 downloads

[emmaj432]

Thank you! Yeah, it was really unexpected. On an empty beach in Goa, it was sunny, despite being 4th July (until we got back to the hotel and then the heaven's opened!!).  

[Somerset]

Thank you so much for posting a followup!

So...was it hot?

[vandy]

Glad to see you both had a memorable trip to India.

Hope to see some of your pics and Hotel reviews, when you get the time.



vandy

[noflylist]

Would love to hear about your houseboat experience.