J'ai cherché de long en large sur le forum, mais n'ai pas trouvé réponses à mes questions, alors je poste!
On part avec mon ami en Inde du sud (arrivée Chennai) en novembre.
On aimerai faire une boucle jusqu'à Trivandrum, est ce que quelqu'un pourrait nous indiquer des trucs sympa à faire, qui sortent un peu des guides.
J'ai acheté le Lonely planet, mais je n'arrive pas trop à faire des priorités! :)
Pour info, on aimerait faire un peu de plage mais pas trop et surtout éviter les grandes villes! on reste ouvert à tout le reste! :)
Aussi, j'aimerai savoir ce qu'on doit apporter là-bas, sachant que je compte acheter mes vêtements sur place, et voyager léger... ma question est plus pour l'anti-moustique, moustiquaire, type de chaussures? bref côté pratique...
On m'a parlé des toilettes là-bas... est ce que c'est vrai aussi pour le sud qu'il ne faut pas utiliser de papier? (désolée, mais c'est le genre de chose que j'aimerai savoir)
Merci à quiconque me donnera des infos pratiques et des idée de choses à faire!! 🙂
bonjour,
ben cst vrai mais ps exactement, cst votre choix , je justement voulais dire que chaque pays est differents culture, vie qutidien, il faut explorer et gouter l'experiece et en meme temps faire face la situation parceque vous ne toujours pas prévoyez que vous voulais.
cest un reponse de drnire question................a plus
merci....
on compte bien gouter la culture! 🙂 on aura des imprévus, c'est sûr, mais c'est la première fois qu'on part comme ça, avec les sacs à dos, et j'essaie de me rassurer en prévoyant un peu comment ça sera... :)
et sinon pour l'itinéraire, aurais-tu des conseils? Tu es indien(ne)?
bonjour,
vous avez chosir une tres bon endroit pour visiter(kerela).
on commencr par plages, les plages populaire sont varkala, kapped, kovalam (kovalam a trivandrum).
mais il faut visiter a kollam et alleppy pour rester tranquillement sur la mare(la vous pouvez Pêcher avec les filets de pêche chinois, et rester dans un bateau-maison pendant votre voyage.
si vous etes curieux et voulais bénéficiez l'expérience du massage d'ayurveda, faut visiter chez "Sree Sankara Ayurveda Vaidyasala" cst environ 150km de trivandrum, et "kalari kovilakam"(cst ainsi une centre pour faire massage) en fait il ya beaucoup de centre de massage partout a kerela mais si vous ne trouveriez pas, vous pouvez y visiter comme un option.
si vous aimez la vie d'advanture, vous pouvez visiter le sanctuaire de faune a "Idukki"
cst environ 55km de kochi, en plus autour de cette endroit il ya plusieurs place a voir comme Kalvari hill ou bati, Thattekkad Sanctuaire d'oiseau Moolamatton, Peermade, Rajamala sancturaire de faune, Cheruthoni barrage etc....
mon lieu preferable, cst ALLEPPY.
si vous visite a mumbai par hasard, peutetre on va se voir mais comme vous avez citer que vous n'ai pas envie de visiter des grands villes.
oui bien remarquer, suis en indien.
plus de info.. n'hesite ps
a plus
Tout d'abord, novembre est dans le sud le début de la belle saison.
est ce que quelqu'un pourrait nous indiquer des trucs sympa à faire
En l'absence de plus de précision, et en fonction de ses aspirations, à titre d'exemple : se rapprocher de la population locale et par chance, se faire inviter dans une famille pour y vivre quelques jours.
on aimerait faire un peu de plage
Pour les plages et la baignade, surtout sur la côte ouest depuis Kovalam jusqu'à Goa en passant par Varkala, les Backwaters, Gokarna...C'est vaste, presque illimité.
surtout éviter les grandes villes
Les grandes villes étant des points de communications majeurs (train, bus), on peut difficilement les éviter et se limiter à y transiter.
je compte acheter mes vêtements sur place
Sur mesure, en 24/36h, petit budget (150/300Rs)
anti-moustique
Odomos+coils+diffuseurs, à acheter sur place (cf Rechercher>Mot-clé=Odomos)
moustiquaire
encombrant, souvent inconfortable, pas indispensable (cf Rechercher>Mot-clé=moustiquaire)
type de chaussures
à emporter : baskets basses en toile
à acheter sur place : tongs, de préférence en cuir (200/300Rs)
(cf Rechercher>Mot-clé=chaussures)
est ce que c'est vrai aussi pour le sud qu'il ne faut pas utiliser de papier?
Pour des questions culturelles/religieuses , et probablement de carence de réseaux d'assainissement, le papier n'est pas utilisé. D'ailleurs, sans que l'usage en soit strictement interdit, les toilettes n'en sont généralement pas pourvues sauf dans les grandes structures hôtelières. Mais pour satisfaire aux règles d'hygiène, il est remplacé par l'accessoire magique : la douchette, toujours à portée de main. Attention à certains modèles caractériels, en particulier dans les trains où l'usage va parfois bien au-delà de ce qu'on voulait en faire, vous laissant aussi bien une sensation de fraîcheur persistante pour le reste du trajet que des vêtements témoignant d'une incontinence précoce...
Pour les trucs sympa, si c'est vague, c'est justement qu'on ne sait pas trop quoi faire!
Bien sûr les villes pour transiter, peut-être une visite ou deux, mais pas plus... En effet, on aimerait bien rencontrer la population locale et partager. On n'y va pas pour se faire inviter, mais si ça se passe comme ça, on sera super heureux! En tous cas, j'espère que nous ferons de belles rencontres...
J'ai même acheté un guide culturel histoire de comprendre un peu plus l'Inde, les populations, leurs coutumes et le savoir-vivre là-bas! :) Mais bon, un guide ne remplacera pas l'expérience sur place!
Merci pour ces renseignements!! 🙂 ça donne déjà un bon début!
Je suis également allée trois semaines en Inde du sud, avec une arrivée à Chennai et un départ de Kochi.
Tu peux lire mon récit de voyage sur http://mesbellesechappes.blogs-de-voyage.fr , par contre notre trajet était tout à fait "classique" (difficile de faire autrement l'Inde reste très touristique) mais ça te donnera peut être quelques idées. N'hésites pas si tu as d'autres questions :)
Ce que j'ai aimé au Kérala : descendre d'Allepey (alhapuza) à Kollam en houseboat, avec nuit dans le bateau (on a fini en ferry, le houseboat nous a déposé avant Kollam). Kochi est une ville sympathique, malgré son côté touristique.
Kollam en revanche, triple bof... Mieux descendre à Varkala.
Dans ce que je regrette de ne pas avoir fait, il y a la visite de plantation de thé / 'epices vers Munnar. Mais j'ai encore le temps d'y aller.
Sinon, si la nature vous tente, on s'était arrêtées 3 jours dans la réserve de Parambikulam, dans les Ghats occidentaux, à la limite du Tamil Nadu et du Kérala, vers Coimbatore (à quelques heures quand même de la cité), nettement moins cotée que Periyar et Cie, mais j'ai bien aimé la simplicité et l'authenticité de l'endroit.
Je reviens de 4 semaines d'Inde du Sud, arrivée Chennai et départ Cochin pour Mumbai.
J'ai bien aimé Mamalapuram à côté de Chennai et son côté détente, guesthouses, et bons restos (aller au Moonrakers et prendre un poisson braisé aux épices, le top des top !).
J'ai aussi bien aimé Pondichéry et son côté vieille France, ses flics en képi. Ville très calme et sympa avec une belle promenade en font de mer.
J'ai aussi adoré les maisons du Chettinad et une ballade dans les rues à pied, superbes demeures anciennes bien décrépies.
Un des spectacle du voayge a été la ballade en jeep à Rameshwaram jusqu'au la pointe (Danuskodi). Vraiment une ballade au bout du monde sur le sable et personne, plus de route au bout et seuls, entourés du Golfe de Bengale et de l'Océan Indien. Superbe.
J'ai adoré les Backwaters à Allepey et une location en houseboat avec une nuit à bord est extraordinaire. On navigue seuls (ou presque) sans bruit dans un super bateau (un peu idem à la Baie d'halong pour ceux qui connaissent).
Autre moment fort, les plantations de thé à Munnar, superbe de chez superbe. Belles ballades, discussion avec les travailleurs...
Pour les toilettes, dire qu'il ne faut pas utiliser de papier est ton choix personnel. ce qui est sûr, c'est qu'il y a les douchettes dans presque toutes les toilettes, mais nous avons acheté du papier sur place (on en trouve facilement). chacun sa manière de vivre...
Contrairement à ce que dit quelqu'un sur le sujet, je n'en ai pas trouvé dans certains hôtels comme à Rameshwaram (principalement musulman) et je ne sais plus quelle ville dans le Chettinad.
Merci merci merci pour toutes vos réponses, ça nous fait déjà un bon début, et puis en lisant vos récits ou en regardant vos sites, je voyage déjà un peu! :)
Le Kerala est super et ils sont si gentils. Ca vaut la peine de s'attarder pour apprendre à les connaitreTu peux bien sur faire les plages de Goa, il y a l'embaras du choix, beaucoup de boutiques, de très bons restaurants et centres de massage, moi, j'ai aimé la plage de colva plus indienne ou Palolem
Puis, en prenant le train à Margao, tu peux aller à Hampi, un temple et un site magnifique, ne pas manquer la rivière et le passage en petite barque. Puis, tu peux aussi te rendre à OOty, plus frais dans les montagnes et là, tu peux patrouiller pour pas cher dans les plantions de thé (prendre un taxi après avoir regarder les prix proposés our les circuits dans les agenges. Il y a 2 belles guest houses à Ooty en face du parc de jeux) et prendre le train bleu (toy train) qui te ballade 3 heures à travers le splantations de thé et les petits villages
Mais, de là pas facile pour rejoindre Cochin, tu dois prendre 2 trains en passant par mangalore si je me souviens bien
Fort Cochin, j'ai adoré, j'y retourne chaque année dans une famille qui a une petite home stay de 5 chambre, pres de la zonr touristique à 10 mn de la mer
Bastian Home stay à 200 m de la Santa Crus Basilica vers le sud tel 00 91 0484-654716 ou portable 98471042289, c'est une famille catholique adorable et c'est très propre
de là, tu peux aller voir le bain des éléphants et si tu as le temps, ils ont une soeur qui a une home stay à Munnar dans la montagne et les plantations de thé
Ils gardent vos gros bagages pendant ces 2 jours
Après, bien sur les back waters.
Allepey et ses environs est pas mal si tu trouve un bon rickshaw pour te faire visiter
Puis prendre un bateau pour les 7 heures d'un voyage merveilleux sur les backwaters, pour ma part, je préfére prendre le bateau collectif a étage que les gros bateaux touristiques
Tu peux t'arréter à l'ashram d'Amma sur la route et prévoir de dormir là une ou 2 nuits (je peux t'expliquer le focntionnment), puis Varkala, sa falaise, ses marchands et sa belle plage, ses bons restaux et ses petits hotels avec bungalow en bois
C'est là que j'aime m'acheter des vetements et souvenirs, il sont super sympas
A ton service pour d'autres infos
Je suis dingue du Kerala
Je vous envoie ce message car je suis à la recherche d'informations sur le parcs Parambikulam.
J'ai du mal à trouver des infos sur comment organiser excursion/trek/hébergement dans la réserve.
Peut on s'organiser directement à l'entrée du parc où peut on prévoir un peu davantage grâce à un office à Pollachi (ou ailleurs) ?
J'arriverai de Madurai et je n'ai pas très envie de pousser jusque Coimbatore pour trouver un office (les bus de Madurai doivent bien s'arrêter à Pollachi non ?).
Hello!
We're a family of 4—3 adults and a 14-year-old. We're seasoned travelers with a passion for science, culture, and history. In short, we love discovering and learning.
We'll be in India for 3 weeks, from December 11, 2026 (in Goa) to January 3, 2027 (in Thiruvananthapuram).
We're looking for one or more drivers to handle the journey and guides who speak clear, fluent English, French, or Spanish. We'd love guides who are knowledgeable, passionate about their region, and able to answer our countless questions while giving us in-depth insights into the places, rituals, culture, and more.
Do you know of such guides or drivers, or have any tips on how to find people who can help us create unforgettable memories?
Thank you so much in advance!
Cat
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.
Hello,
Planning a cruise on the Brahmaputra in January—should we worry about being bothered by those little critters? One of us has allergies.
Thanks for your replies
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!
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!
