Avant que de poser certaines questions je vous conseille d'acheter un guide de voyage du style Lonely Planet, Le Routatd, Footprint, Guides Bleus, Gallimard, etc.
Dans ces guides il y a plein d'informations et plein de réponses aux questions que vous vous posez et qui sont par moment d'une incomensurable banalité pour ne pas dire plus et donc apparaitre comme grossier 🤪
si je passe du temps sur ce forum (même parfois à répéter des choses déjà expliquées, même à répondre à des questions qui peuvent te sembler d'une incommensurable banalité), c'est justement parce que j'ai bien l'intention d'en passer beaucoup moins le pif dans des guides de voyage comme je faisais auparavant.
le planet ou le routard (surtout ce dernier, mais on pourrait en citer d'autres, sans doute) ne peuvent remplacer un tel forum, de par ses réponses claires et précises, spontanées (ça compte aussi !) et mises à jour, dans l'idéal, quasi en temps réel.
que crains-tu ? l'encombrement ? l'embouteillage ? à toi de faire le tri dans les questions / réponses qui t'intéressent... et si la réponse à une question mille fois posée rend service à quelqu'un... tant mieux...
Je partage ton avis sur la nécessité ou pas d'avoir un guide papier avec soi en voyage lorsque l'on la possibilité et l'envie de partager en ligne les questions/réponses des uns et des autres. Bien-sur, il est nécessaire de s'informer avant le départ pour un pays comme l'Inde, certains guides font un bon boulot de recherches et d'apport de connaissances diverses. D'autres lectures peuvent aussi approfondir certains thèmes de culture générale, d'actualités... sans oublier les livres d'auteurs, de romanciers, etc...
Se suffire d'un guide touristique "papier" avant la première découverte d'un pays laissera le voyageur, à son arrivée, sans confiance et assurance de lui-meme pour bien tracer sa route vers les multiples rencontres, surprises, nouveautés que lui offriront son séjour. Si, à chaque instant où se présente une situation nouvelle, il doit se replonger dans son guide pour avoir le conseil "rassurant" que tout va bien pour lui, eh bien tout risque vraiment de tourner mal. J'ai en mémoire la vision de touristes fraichement débarqués de notre hexagone, les yeux rivés dans leur bible du routard avec un attroupement d'Indiens intéressés leur proposant un catalogue d'arnaques sans fin... On a tous connus ici cette situation pas facile sur place, on s'est surement fait avoir plus ou moins en pensant que tout allait au mieux. Je veux juste dire que oui un site comme VF offre à chacun des échanges de connaissances valables, actualisées, bien pensées et tellement plus vivantes que des pages d'infos souvent erronées.
Bon voyage et que ce forum vive de justes interrogations avec un max de réponses constructives.
Michel
... je suis entièrement d'accord, sinon plus 😉, avec toi !
... l'immense majorité des informations les plus courantes communiquées ici existent déjà dans tout bon guide papier qui se respecte,
... et je ne vois donc pas l'intérêt qu'il peut y avoir à rabâcher sans arrêt les mêmes infos maintes fois réchauffées à des gens qui n'ont même pas le minimum de respect d'eux-mêmes, et donc des autres, de faire l'effort de rechercher par eux-mêmes les infos dont ils ont besoin alors qu'elles existent déjà ici ...
... qui jugent certainement plus malin d'attendre qu'on les leur livre toutes cuites et moins fatigant de marcher sur les traces des autres qu'avoir à ouvrir leur propre chemin ...
... et en plus, certains font cela dans un souci d'économie ! 😕
J'ai en mémoire la vision de touristes fraichement débarqués de notre hexagone, les yeux rivés dans leur bible du routard avec un attroupement d'Indiens intéressés leur proposant un catalogue d'arnaques sans fin...
C'est une image de l'excellent livre "Bonjour les Indes" de DODO, BEN RADIS & JANO édition La sirène - humanoïdes associés (1991)
Je trouve ce forum nettement mieux informé que certains guides, et je le consulte toujours lorsque je suis à la recherche d'un hôtel ou lorsque je recherche une réponse précise pour trouver un moyen de locomotion (trains ou bus). Par ailleurs, je trouve que la dégradation de certains hôtels est tellement violente - parfois même très rapidement) qu'il est préférable de poser la question sur ce forum. Pour exemple, en réponse à une demande d'un hôtel à Mumbai, j'avais donné l'adresse d'un petit hôtel qui, lorsque j'y ai séjourné 3 ans plus tôt, était "propre" et agréable. J'ai reçu une réponse d'un membre du forum qui m'a déclaré que cet hôtel était devenu un taudis, chose que j'ai pu vérifier par la suite. Alors, oui aux guides, mais pour des réponses précises ce forum est supérieur parce que, en règle générale, on a une réponse plus actualisée. J'ai en parcourant ce forum fait d'agréables découvertes (restaurants, hôtels, lieux à visiter...) alors que les guides n'en parlent presque pas ou les ignorent et surtout ne peuvent pas me dire que ce n'est pas le moment de me rendre à tel endroit car, par exemple, comme on restaure ce temple... Alors oui, parfois (souvent) on retrouve les mêmes questions, mais j'ai l'impression que les réponses évoluent avec le temps... Oui aux guides (je ne citerai aucun nom), mais seulement se faire une idée générale et cela me paraît tout à fait normale, les guides ne peuvent pas se permettre de faire des mises à jour quotidiennes
Alain
Je souscris complètement aux propos de Ragamuffin et maitairoa. Je rigole vraiment quand je lis : je pars en Inde dans une semaine : Où dois-je aller ? Que voir en Inde ? Que mettre dans mon sac à dos ? Comment se déplace-ton en Inde ? Que mange-t-on en Inde ?
Mais je rigole autant, voire plus, quand j'en lis d'autres, qui ne sont allés qu'une seule fois dans ce pays, et il y a plusieurs années déjà, qui se posent en grands conseilleurs, agents de renseignements, et donneurs de leçons, qui nous inondent de leur prose au quotidien, alors qu'eux même affirment que l'Inde évolue à la vitesse grand V dans le domaine socio-culturo-économique. Ils me font penser à certains bénévoles en milieu associatif, qui ne cessent de ramener leur fraise, à la recherche d'un "pouvoir" de pacotille, sans lequel leur vie serait si plate, si morne, si triste. Certes VF apporte beaucoup et m'a beaucoup aidé à préparer mon voyage, mais il y a tout de même les renseignements basiques incontournables dans n'importe quel guide "papier".
"Y'a quoi à voir en Inde?
C'est où l'Inde?
On mange quoi en Inde?
Ils parlent quelle langue les Hindous?
Où aller en Inde?
Il fait chaud en Inde?
Ca vaut la peine d'aller en Inde?
Hé mais il faut que tu mettes en image attachée celle ou il y a ces touristes totalement entourés par une masse d'Indiens qui veulent leurs vendre tout et n'importe quoi.
J'avais il y a quelques années ouvert mon propre forum de discussions sur l'Inde 🤪
www.co*#ard.com
Voici quelques questions qui y furent posées :
L'Inde, est-ce peinard, un peu ou beaucoup anar, le lupanar vicelard ou alors un
vrai cauchemard ?
Est-il vrai que notre teint blafard leur laisse croire que nous sommes au bord du mouroir ?
A l'hôtel, peut-on se promener dans les couloirs le soir en calebard ?
Est-il vrai que traverser un boulevard relève du jeu de hasard ?
Est-ce vrai que si on se montre trop bonne poire on se fait avoir par de drôles de lascars qui nous racontent des bobards et nous montent des canulars ?
Est-il vrai que les autocars sont conduits par des chauffards qui les transforment en corbillard ?
Sur 1 milliard, combien de tocards ? 1/4 ou 3/4 ?
Est-ce un bon avatar que de renaître en clébard ou en cafard ?
A Pushkar, peut-on se jeter un riccard derrière le coltar ou se fumer un pétard sans risquer de filer au mitard ?
Peut-on rouler sans phares quand il fait nuit noire ou en plein brouillard ?
Faut-il prendre des dollars, des dinars ou des bolivars ? ... ou peut etre des carambars ?
Je rentre tout juste de mon premier voyage en Inde.
j y suis rester un mois ce qui fut cours a mon gout mais mon mari et mon fils aurait eut du mal a me laisser plus longtemps.
Je me suis poser plein de questions moi aussi avant de partir, j ai regarder dans les archives mais j ai aussi pauser des questions qui pouvai parraitre completement stupides, certainement aux yeux de certain, comme, " aidee moi a me servir de ce forum je n arrive pas a pauser un post) sa fais rire mais heureusement que certaine personnes on de la patiente pour d autre, qui en on moins, mais qui reste eux aussi de bon conseil.
Je suis surprise de ce coup de sang, pourquoi s enerver pour de si petite choses?
j ai preparer mon voyage un an en avances avec toute sorte de guides et dans mon sac à dos j avais le lp, le routard mais le mieu reste ce forum, avec ses voyageur aimable, pres a renseignee et donner des conseil, astuce sans demander la moindre roupie😉.
je suis desolee de voir que certaine personnes se sente au dessus des autres grace à leur bon conseil.
si vous trouvé une question stupide... passé à autre chose il y aura bien quelqu un de patient pour y repondre pas besoin de s envoyer des vacheries ça ne change rien, non?
malgree tout je tien a remercier ragamuffin pour ses post enterieur sur ce forum ainsi que stanislass et parvat qui m on beaucoup aidee a preparer mon voyage sans le savoir.
maloukie
je tien a remercier ragamuffin pour ses post enterieur sur ce forum ainsi que stanislass] et parvat qui m on beaucoup aidee a preparer mon voyage sans le savoir.
maloukie[/reply
Tu veux dire Stalingrad, je suppose ?
Les guides sont souvent impersonnels (j'ai le guide du routard et le lonely planet mais c'est dans ce forum que j'ai pêché les meilleurs infos) et rien ne vaut l'avis d'une personne, avec ses sentiments, que ça fasse 30 piges que la personne n'ait pas été en Inde ou à peine revenu. De quel droit juge t on ?
Abstenez vous de répondre tout simplement.
Ceux qui posent des questions ont besoin de personnes qui les rassurent.
J'essaie dans la mesure du possible de chercher ma réponse et lorsque je ne trouve pas je pose une question. La dernire fois il s'est trouvé que la question etait deja posée ... mais je ne l'ai jamais trouvé;la reponse n'etait pas celle que je demandais. J'ai mis toute une journée à trouver par moi même.
Je comprends toutefois que ça soule ... mais abstenez vous de repondre plutôt que de renvoyez les gens à une frustration.
Merci Navvy pour cette réponse, quelques uns sur le forum, une minorité heureusement ont une attitude prétentieuse et voudraient avoir le monopole idéologique du forum.
Ils croient former un clan à part. Qu'ils se détrompent, en voyage ils sont considérés touristes blancs comme tous les autres par les locaux.
mais abstenez vous de repondre plutôt que de renvoyez les gens à une frustration.
Dans ce message dont je suis l'auteur je n'ai répondu a personne j'ai juste voulu donner un conseil, un de plus depuis 888 messages et le 27 septembre 2005.
C'est donc a moi de vous demander de vous abstenir de propos qui comme on disait dans le temps ne font pas "avancer le schmilblik" car en passant rapidement en revue vos interventions sur ce forum je constate - mais je peux me tromper - que vous posez des questions mais que vous n'apportez pas de réponses, pas d'informations.
Quand vous parlez de frustration la mienne est bien plus important quand je lis ce type de critique alors que j'essaye de faire partager a d'autres mon expérience de voyage, mes tuyaux pratiques, mes informations. Certains m'en remercient d'ailleurs.
J'espere qu'en ce qui vous concerne l'avenir me contredira et je lirai avec plaisir toutes les informations que vous voudrez bien faire partager a d'autres
Hi there,
Our trip to India, starting at the end of October, is taking shape.
I’d like to book a hotel in Delhi for our first three nights and another in Amritsar, where we’ll be staying during Diwali.
I’ve realized it’s really hard to trust the reviews on Booking. Have any of you stayed at and can recommend mid-range hotels in these two cities?
Your feedback could help us decide!
Thanks in advance.
Hi there, we're planning to go to Haridwar and Rishikesh in February, either from Delhi or from Amritsar where we'll be beforehand. What's the best way to get there? Driver, private car, train? Your tips would be much appreciated... thanks
Hi, I'm thinking of attending the Nagaur Fair in Rajasthan, which takes place from February 12 to 15, 2027.
Has anyone been to this fair? Is it just a livestock market or a real festival with music and dancing? Since it’s quite a detour for me, I wanted to know if it’s worth it. Thanks!
I'm also considering a trip to Sri Lanka.
I'm surprised to find so few references to Jaffna in the comments.
Does that mean this destination isn't worth it?
Thanks for your thoughts!
We’re heading to Sri Lanka for 23 days in January 2027—there are four of us—and we’ll wrap up the trip with 5 days in Mumbai. Our itinerary is coming together, but what do you think? (We can’t change the dates since our flights are already booked.)
We still have one night to slot in, and I’ve tentatively planned it in Tangalle, though it was a bit random. Would it make more sense to place it at a different stop? Or is there an intermediate stop I might be missing?
I’ve got accommodations sorted everywhere except Mumbai—it’s a nightmare (either way too expensive or really dodgy). By default, we’ve spotted the Residency Hotel Fort, but 70 € a night (with a discount) for a hotel that doesn’t offer anything special in India?!
I’m planning a short visit to Pokhara around mid-February 2027 (it’ll be my 4th time in Nepal 😊, over 40 years!). I’d like to book a room in advance rather than looking when I arrive. I’ve checked a bit on Bxxking.com and see lots of options. I’m used to scoping out the surroundings of places listed, just to avoid ending up in areas that are either unappealing or far from everything.
So, I see quite a few offers around the lake (Lakeside?), but every time I check what it looks like, the streets seem really uninviting. It’s kind of like a construction site with buildings everywhere… Nothing like Bhaktapur (for example) or even Thamel, where the streets seem way more pleasant.
Could anyone give me some advice?
Also, I don’t really get the impression that Pokhara is worth a visit of several days. The lake, sure, but once you’ve seen it—what else is there?
I’m interested in the 10-day/8-night "Discover Nepal" tour offered by Capitales Tours, among others.
For Day 4, it lists Kathmandu-Mugling-Pokhara as 200 km and 8/9 hours of travel.
Is this duration due to the road conditions? I assume the stop in Mugling for lunch is included in the travel time.
For Pokhara-Chitwan, only the distance is mentioned: 160 km. Should I expect a long bus ride there as well?
The proposed flights would be with AIR-INDIA via DELHI. We had issues with AIR-INDIA before—they denied us boarding for Paris even though we arrived at the airport more than 3 hours early. There was no specific counter for PARIS; the counters were for all destinations, and we waited in line for over 2.5 hours only to be told "too late"...
Thanks for your advice: Mum49
Is it still like this?
Yeah, VF, which used to be so responsive, still doesn’t even have a thread about this devastating mudslide that’s ravaged a region of Nepal where hundreds have died and hundreds more are missing (provisional toll). But from the images, we know the number of victims is going to be terrifying.
Thoughts to everyone affected, including, according to early reports, many travelers..
Hello,
We’ve already traveled to India twice before, but only for two-week stretches (2013, a loop from Mumbai including Hampi, and in 2019, Tamil Nadu). This time, we’re leaving at the end of October for nearly three months of travel—something completely new for us! We’ll arrive in Delhi and depart from Bangalore. Our goal is to explore Northern India and then head down to Kerala, taking a maximum of one flight and prioritizing trains.
Traveling for this long should let us plan longer stops to slow down the pace and fully enjoy our trip...
What are the places you’ve loved with this in mind?
I’ve already thought of Gokarna... Do you have any other suggestions, especially in Northern India?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Hi there,
I’m planning a trip to Bangladesh for tourism during All Saints' Day 25. The government website is pretty discouraging! I’d love to hear from people living there or who’ve been recently before I buy my tickets.
How’s the security level and feasibility of a circuit (boat, train, bus around the country)? We’re used to basic conditions :)
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Cécile
I’ll be landing in Srinagar on October 23rd. I’ve decided to visit this region of India that I haven’t explored yet to discover new landscapes and, especially, their crafts.
I don’t have anything planned so far. I’ll be staying for about two weeks before heading back to Pushkar.
I’d love any tips you can share—small towns or villages to visit, ideas for affordable and authentic accommodations, workshops to check out, and so on. I’m open to all your suggestions!
I might head toward Jammu, where a host has offered to put me up for a few days.
Thanks in advance, and take care!
Hello,
We are two couples of friends aged between 65 and 70. Do you have a local agency or a local French-speaking driver-guide to recommend for a trip around Sri Lanka between February 14 and March 14, 2027? We’re open to any tips for our trip. The reviews and advice for agencies found on the forum are several years old. Thanks for your help.
Hi,
I’m looking for an organized tour in Northern India that goes through Agra (of course!) over about twenty days, prioritizing 2-day stops given the long distances or flights.
So far, my search has led me to these tours:
Intimate Rajasthan + Ganges Valley
Intimate Rajasthan and Goa
Confidential Rajasthan + Goa circuit
The number of kilometers is still pretty overwhelming and a bit scary.
Thanks for your feedback!
bcricri14
Practical tips from my 105 days of erratic wandering in India
Day 1 (10/10/2006): arrived in Mumbai around noon. Bus No. 338 5 Rs + 5 Rs (bag) 20' to Andheri station. Train 6 Rs to Dadar. Train 41 Rs to Lonavla 2h30 Hotel Chandralok 500 Rs **
Day 2: bike rental 7 Rs/h (too expensive, normal price 2-3 Rs/h) visit to the caves of Bhaja and Karla.
Day 3: train 28 Rs to Pune 1h20 Hotel National 416 Rs *
Day 4: train 141 Rs (with reservation) to Satara 2h45 Hotel Sagar 364 Rs **
Day 5: bus 110 Rs to Pandharpur 4h Hotel Aishwarya 450 Rs ***
Day 6: bike rental 2 Rs/h
Day 7: bus 125 Rs to Ahmadnagar 4h20 Hotel Parijat 250 Rs *
Day 8: train 151 Rs (!ticket for a mini 600 km trip!) to Jalgaon 5h30 Hotel Plaza 200 Rs **
Day 9: round-trip bus 38 Rs to Ajanta 1h30 + shuttle 6 Rs 5' Site entrance 250 Rs
Day 10: train 47 Rs to Khandwa 3h + bus 40 Rs to Omkareshwar 2h Ganesh G.H. 150 Rs *
Day 11 to 13: Omkareshwar
Day 14: bus 35 Rs to Maheshwar 2h45 Akashdeep Rest House 200 Rs **
Day 15: bus 8 Rs to Dhamnod 20' bus 20 Rs to crossroads 14 km from Mandu 1h40 bus 9 Rs to Mandu 20' Ram Mandir Dharamshala 100 Rs + 5 Rs for hot water *
Day 16: bike rental 3 Rs/h
Day 17: bus 50 Rs to Indore 4h Hotel Neelam 209 Rs
Day 18 to 20: Indore + round-trip bus 30 Rs to Ujjain 1h45
Day 21: train 82 Rs to Bhopal 5h30 Hotel Ranjeet 358 Rs *
Day 22: train 10 Rs to Sanchi 1h20 Jaiswal Lodge 200 Rs + 15 Rs for hot water! *
Day 23 and 24: visit to Sanchi + bike rental to visit the caves of Udayagiri
Day 25: train 69 Rs to Jhansi 5h + tempo 5 Rs to bus station + tempo 10 Rs + 5 Rs (bag) to Orccha 25' Sri Mahant G.H. 200 Rs **
Day 26 and 27: bike rental + train 20 Rs to Datia 30' + bemo 6 Rs to city center. Return bus 15 Rs 1h15
Day 28: bus 100 Rs to Khajuraho 4h Yogi Lodge 150 Rs **
Day 29: bike rental 30 Rs/day to visit the temples
Day 30: bus 70 Rs to Satna 4h + train 56 Rs to Jabalpur 3h Hotel Banjara 350 Rs **
Day 31: bike rental 2 Rs/h and visit to the Marble Rocks (50 km round trip)
Day 32: bus 50 Rs to Mandla 3h Hotel Satyam 250 Rs ** Round-trip bus 15 Rs to Ramnagar 1h15
Day 33: bus 60 Rs to Dindori 4h + bus 45 Rs to Amarkantak 3h (hellish road) Sarvodya Lodge 250 Rs °
Day 34: Amarkantak
Day 35: bus 25 Rs to Pendra Road 1h30 + train 120 Rs + 109 Rs (reservation) to Nagpur 8h Hotel Grand 257 Rs **
Day 36 and 37: bike rental + round-trip 25 Rs to Ramtek 1h40
Day 38: train 141 Rs + 125 Rs to Hyderabad 10h Hotel 3 Castles 200 Rs ° + Hotel Suhail 200 Rs °
Day 39 to 41: stay in Hyderabad
Day 42: train 48 Rs to Warangal 3h30 Hotel Surya 410 Rs **
Day 43: 60 Rs to Vijayawada 4h15 Hotel Sindhuri 275 Rs **
Day 44: round-trip bus 21 Rs to Amaravati 2h
Day 45: train 98 Rs to Visakhapatnam 7h30! (normally 6h) Hotel Sri Sampath Residency 250 Rs **
Day 46: train 111 Rs + 95 Rs to Puri 11h30 Travellers Inn 100 Rs ° + Hotel Z 300 Rs ***
Day 47 to 52: Puri + round-trip to Konarak
Day 53: train 38 Rs to Bhubaneshwar 1h15 Hotel Upasana 275 Rs *
Day 54: train 70 Rs to Balasore 4h bus 26 Rs to Baripada 1h40 Hotel Ambika 225 Rs °
Day 55: bus 25 Rs to Balasore 1h40 train 66 Rs + 68 Rs to Calcutta 6h30 Hotel Paragon 270 Rs * Hotel Crystal 350 Rs **
Day 56 to 62: Calcutta
Day 63: 60 Rs to Bishnupur 5h Hotel Monalisa 200 Rs *
Day 64: stay in Bishnupur no bike rental!
Day 65: bus 20 Rs to Bankura 1h30 bus 20 Rs to Durgapur 1h15 bus 28 Rs to Bolpur 2h15 Hotel Nisa 150 Rs *
Day 66 and 67: visit to Bolpur/Shantiniketan. Refused bike rental at ... 100 Rs/day!!! (Communist state of Bengal!!!)
Day 68: bus 20 Rs to Sainthia bus 35 Rs to Baharampur 4h30 bus 7 Rs to Murshidabad 40' Hotel Manjusha 350 Rs **
Day 69: bike lent by the friendly hotel owner and visit to Murshidabad
Day 70: bus 8 Rs to Baharampur 35' bus 60 Rs to Malda 6h (hellish road) Hotel Pratapaditya 231 Rs **
Day 71: train 66 Rs + 70 Rs to New Jalpaiguri 4h Hotel Holydon 250 Rs °
Day 72: train 52 Rs to Darjeeling 9h30! (normally 7h) Hotel Pineridge 500 Rs **
Day 73 to 75: Darjeeling
Day 76: train to New Jalpaiguri 9h30 + overnight train 271 Rs
Day 77: Patna Hotel President 482 Rs **
Day 78: stay in Patna
Day 79: train 18 Rs to Gaya 3h10 tempo 10 Rs to Bodhgaya 30' Deep G.H. 400 Rs!! °°
Day 80: return to Patna
Day 81: round-trip train 36 Rs to Rajgir 4h! (normally 3h)
Day 82: train 75 Rs to Varanasi 5h! (normally 4h) Yogi Lodge 150 Rs *
Day 83 to 87: Varanasi
Day 88: overnight train 310 Rs to Jaipur Evergreen G.H. 250 Rs **
Day 89: bike rental 30 Rs/day round-trip to Amber
Day 90: bus 59 Rs to Sikar 2h30 bus 23 Rs to Fatehpur 1h30 Rajshri Rest House 300 Rs *
Day 91: round-trip bus 12 Rs to Mandawa 30'
Day 92: round-trip bus 17 Rs to Churu 1h30
Day 93: bus 80 Rs to Jaipur 3h30 Evergreen G.H.
Day 94: bus 105 Rs to Bundi 5h30 Shivam G.H. 200 Rs **
Day 95: bike rental 3 Rs/h
Day 96: auto-rickshaw to station 45 Rs 25' train 44 Rs + 50 Rs to Chittorgarh train 21 Rs to Udaipur (total trip 8h) Badi Haveli 330 Rs **
Day 97 to 99: Udaipur + round-trip bus 45 Rs to Ranakpur 3h30
Day 100: bus 143 Rs to Ahmedabad 5h30 Hotel Manila 300 Rs **
Day 101: Ahmedabad
Day 102: bus 99 Rs to Bhavnagar 4h30 Hotel Vrindavan 200 Rs *
Day 103: round-trip bus 22 Rs to Palitana 1h10
Day 104: bus 85 Rs! to Ahmedabad 5h30 + overnight train ? Rs (feels like the end of the trip!)
Day 105 (January 22, 2007): train 6 Rs from Dadar to Andheri 20' + bus 5 Rs + 5 Rs (bag) to International Airport 20'
More figures
British Airways flight price Brussels-London-Mumbai-London-Brussels 576 €
Exchange rate from 55 Rs to 58.6 Rs per euro
Average room price 272 Rs/night
Daily budget 11 €
Chai from 1 Rs (Calcutta-Bengal) to 6/7 Rs (Rajasthan)
Bottle of water from 6 Rs (Udaipur), 8 Rs (Varanasi) to 12/13 Rs
Internet from 8 Rs (Warangal), 10 Rs (Calcutta, Indore, Hyderabad), 20 Rs (often) to 40/60 Rs!! (Rajasthan)
Beer in a restaurant from 85/100 Rs (often) to 150/165 Rs (Varanasi/Udaipur)
More details on request
Hello everyone,
we got back from our trip to Kashmir and Ladakh three weeks ago.
We spent 4 weeks there, including one in Kashmir.
We’re really happy with our stay in Srinagar and Sonamarg. The Kashmiris gave us a very warm welcome and seemed pleased to see tourists who weren’t Indian. In fact, over the 4 days we spent in Srinagar, we only saw 4 people who looked European... Srinagar is stunning with its lakes and the lively Mughal gardens. No trouble getting around, whether by shikara, rickshaw, taxi, or on foot. The houseboats are gorgeous, unfortunately controlled by consortiums. We took a taxi to Sonamarg (20 €).
Sonamarg (two nights) and its glacier are easy to explore, either on horseback or on foot, but it’s becoming a leisure spot for Indians.
To get to Ladakh afterward, we opted for a private taxi (quite expensive at 100 €, but the road is long). Since we’re a couple, it allowed us to stop whenever we wanted... and the route is beautiful all the way to Lamayuru, with our first snow-covered pass under snow when we crossed around May 21st. Then we stopped in Mulbek and Kargil before arriving in Lamayuru (three nights). We took another taxi to Alchi (26 €), spent one night there, and took the local bus at around 8 AM to Leh (3 €, a comfortable one-hour ride). We arrived in Leh around 9:30 AM, and Gyatsel from Tsarap Guesthouse came to pick us up with our backpacks. His guesthouse is located 500 meters from the market square in Leh, in a quiet little alley with no traffic. We highly recommend it because Gyatsel is invaluable for arranging taxis and organizing off-agency circuits...
His accommodation is super comfortable, and he cooks with vegetables from his garden. His wife also helps out... It’s Gyatsel’s mother who tends the garden. Through him, we arranged permits for the Nubra Valley up to Turtuk, then the Pangong and Tso Moriri lakes (we didn’t do the latter due to snow overnight!). We also crossed the Changtang (magnificent) to reach Thiksey, Stakna, Hemis, and returned to Leh. Six days in a private taxi (400 €). Since the roads were clear, we headed to Zanskar for 5 days in a shared taxi (28 € round trip for both of us). The route from Leh to Zangla follows the Zanskar gorges (impressive!).
We discovered Padum, Pibiting, Karsha, and Puktal, which you can reach via a small 7 km road and a 45-minute walk to finish, plus the sacred summit on the way to Manali.
Back in Leh, we extended our permit to visit the Aryan Valley by taxi (round trip, two days, 90 €).
We spent our last two days resting in Leh—the altitude is really tiring...
I’m sharing these taxi prices as a guide for a couple.
Accommodation ranged from 12 € in Leh to 30 € at Pangong Lake (the most expensive), but averaged around 15-17 € per night.
We’re not trekkers, but we love walks, discovery, and meeting people along the way. It was an amazing trip, and we even discovered a very old monastery a few kilometers before Lamayuru, where a monk took us—timeless...
I’m sharing these details because it’s hard to find precise information about Kashmir.
I’m heading to Sri Lanka for 3 weeks in July with my two 11-year-old kids, and I’m wondering about how to organize the trip. We’re used to traveling on the go, staying 1 to 2 or 3 nights per place depending on how we feel.
Do you recommend planning the itinerary and booking accommodations in advance to save time once we’re there?
Or is it pretty easy to organize everything as we go without any issues?
Same question for activities: Should we book safaris and tours ahead of time, or can we arrange them easily on the spot? Is there a risk of not getting a spot, for example, to visit a park since we’ll be there in July?
We’ll be using local transport (train, VTC via PickMe, tuk-tuk) to get from one place to another.
In short: Are there any must-book things we should reserve now?
So far, I only have the flight tickets!
Hi there, I think you're on the right track—you plan the itinerary and book the rooms in advance, and that’s it.
Not only do you save time, but you also know where you’ll be staying each night. Choosing well on Booking (or elsewhere) is actually a pleasure!
For safaris, given the number of jeeps with drivers available, it’s unlikely you’ll be turned away... the real issue is more about the concentration of jeeps around the animals.
I travel like you do—train, bus, tuk-tuk, and sometimes taxi. Ride-hailing apps like PickMe and other VTCs are mostly in big cities.
For the mountain train, due to severe flooding, service was interrupted on the line between Kandy and Ella. Check ahead, because reservations for this train are very complicated, if not impossible.
For the Colombo/Kandy train, you reserve your seats by buying the ticket before boarding. In the south, no need to book in advance for trains.
In Sri Lanka, there’s always a solution for getting around—just ask your hosts. They have trusted contacts at their fingertips. But still, compare prices—😏 smart move!
I stick to booking my nights and keep pre-planned activities to a minimum.
For reservations you can’t skip, it’s the beach stays you’ll want to secure.
I’m trying to find out if it’s still possible to travel from Mumbai to Goa by ferry or any other sea route. My search results aren’t very clear, and if it *is* possible, I can’t figure out where to book...
If anyone has any info, I’d really appreciate it—thanks in advance!
It seems there’s a ferry from Nagapattinam to Jaffna in India. Has anyone here taken this ferry before? My main question is how to get to Nagapattinam—by train, bus? And from which town further south, of course.
Thanks, friends!
Hi there.
We’re spending a month in Sri Lanka in March, and we’ll have one week left after leaving Polonnaruwa.
We’re torn between spending it in the Jaffna region or on the east coast between Batticaloa and Trincomalee.
We’re divers, so the east coast appeals to us for snorkeling, beaches, and lagoons—but it seems like late March might not be the best time for that coast. What do you think?
As for Jaffna, the culture of the region, its more authentic feel since it’s less touristy, and the offshore islands all appeal to us too—but it seems far from the rest of the country and harder to access.
We have to choose because we won’t be able to visit both sides, and I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks, Marie
Hi there,
We just got back from a 2-week trip to Sri Lanka as a couple, and while planning the trip, we found plenty of info on the itinerary, places to see, and transportation, but much fewer clear reports on the actual budget to expect once there. Yet, that was an important point for us because we like to plan ahead a little before traveling.
So, we took the time to break down our complete budget after the trip. In our case, we spent around **930 € per person** for 2 weeks, being careful without depriving ourselves, mixing guesthouses, more comfortable hotels, quite a few activities, and even a private driver for part of the stay.
What we found interesting when crunching the numbers is that in Sri Lanka, it’s not necessarily meals or short trips that blow the budget, but rather flights, certain accommodations, cultural activities, and all those little expenses we sometimes forget, like tips.
If this can help other travelers get a better idea, we’ve put everything together on our blog with our experience, a detailed breakdown of expenses, and practical info on money while there, withdrawals, and tipping:
https://aventures-sans-mesaventure.com/budget-sri-lanka-pour-un-voyage-de-2-semaines/
We’re a group of 5 heading to the Everest Base Camp trek in early April. We won’t have a porter or guide—we’re used to hiking independently and have already done the Langtang trek and the Annapurna Circuit (back in 2003!).
I’d love to know if it’s necessary to book lodges in advance or if we’ll easily find availability during this busy season. Also, will we find lodges all along the route between the main stopover villages, or only in those villages? I remember there were plenty everywhere on the Annapurna Circuit. We want to stay as flexible as possible.
We’re heading to India in March 2026 and had planned to visit the parts of the Meenakshi Temple that are open to non-Hindus. However, the temple is currently undergoing major renovations—with all the towers covered in scaffolding—which might really take away from the experience and our stop in Madurai.
After some frustrating and vague online searches, and before we reshuffle our itinerary, I’d love to know—if possible—the most accurate expected completion date for the renovation work.
We’re planning a trip to Nepal and would love to do a helicopter tour to Everest with Namche Heli Service.
Has anyone here used this agency? I can’t seem to find any reviews online.
Thanks in advance!
I’m spending two weeks studying Hindi in the mornings in Delhi, in the Hauz Khas neighborhood.
What spots should I check out in this area? Any cafés to chill at?
How do I get to other parts of Delhi? By rickshaw? Is it easy to negotiate the price upfront?
Hi,
I’m leaving this Saturday for Northern India from 15/02 to 27/02. I’m planning to visit New Delhi, Agra, Chand Baori, Jaipur, Ranthambore, Bundi, Udaipur, and Jodhpur.
What’s the best way to get around?
I was thinking of doing everything by train.
Maybe taking the bus for some stretches?
As for renting a car with a driver, it seems expensive, so I’ve pretty much ruled that out. Unless someone’s got space for the same dates?
We’re heading out in March for this trek. We’re used to hiking and long-distance treks, but this’ll be our first time in Nepal.
QUESTION: People from Nepal are telling us it’s MANDATORY to have guides! Is this true, or is it just agencies trying to get work for their staff?
The Lonely Planet says: "In April 2023, the government announced that every trekker would need to hire the services of a porter or a licensed guide to obtain the TIMS permit. The law isn’t enforced, and by 2025, there were no longer any obligations for teahouse treks."
What do you think? What’s your experience? Thanks for your feedback.
Hi,
I’d like to arrive in India at New Delhi Airport with some cash. I was wondering if the exchange rates at the airport are any good or if it’s best to avoid them (and exchange in the city instead?).
Yet Another Travel Journal in this (Too) Familiar Rajasthan, But with Family and Kids
A lovely wander at the mercy of the wind in this amazing Rajasthan
From Delhi to Agra and the extraordinary stay in Chhattisgarh
Discovering Assam and Nagaland 2025
The Hippie Trail to India in the 60s and 70s
4 friends discover a piece of North India
The Pearl of Africa - July-August 2026
A little piece of Sulawesi with the family: Rantepao and Selayar
