1-Month Itinerary in Rajasthan

Hi there. We’re heading to India at the end of December for a month. I planned an itinerary: Delhi, Nawalgarh, Sikar, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Chittaurgarh, Bundi, Jaipur, Bharatpur, and back to Delhi. Our driver told us it’s not possible because there are no roads. He’s suggesting the usual tourist circuit, which we don’t want to do. What do you think of my route? Any tips? Thanks, community!

hi there Are you planning to take a taxi with a driver for the circuit? They’ll take you where it’s in their interest: their commission. Use public transport instead. For the roads, no problem—they even have highways.

Totally agree. I’ve never understood this need for a chauffeur-driven car. If you want to immerse yourself even a little in the culture and vibe of a country, you’ve got to take public transport. Wander a bit randomly, step away from the tourist guides—you’ll meet people naturally along the way.

Hotels, cars, and tightly planned circuits where everything’s mapped out in advance… that’s not traveling. All of that just distances travelers from the environment they’re in!

Our driver wrote to us that it wasn't possible because there's no road. He’s suggesting the usual tourist circuit we don’t want to do

Of course there are roads between these stops (not always great, I’ll admit)! This driver is just making stuff up to sell you his standard tourist circuit where he earns commissions.

What do you think of my itinerary?

Honestly, it’s really good—especially if you’ve got a month to enjoy each stop.

Any tips?

Like the others, I’m not a huge fan of driver-led circuits, and I’d say if you’re up for a bit of adventure, you can do this route using public transport (buses, trains) and occasionally hiring a driver for the trickier legs. Taking buses and trains in Rajasthan adds a whole new dimension to the trip. Just so you know, for long distances, besides trains, there are private sleeper buses (even during the day) that offer a change of scenery while being comfortable and super cheap. For shorter trips, local buses are super handy—they cover the entire local network and are ridiculously cheap. It takes a bit more of an adventurous spirit, but there’s no better way to experience the real India and authentic Rajasthan. (Especially for you, since you originally wanted to stay in a "hashram" [;)])

Hi there,

In January 2024, I did a tour of Rajasthan, Delhi, and Agra by car with a driver for almost the entire trip (we took the train from Delhi to Agra and flew from Jaipur to Delhi). I can assure you our driver took us exactly where we wanted to go—we chose our hotels and restaurants, and he never tried any detours for commercial reasons. I think you could consider hiring a different driver. For me, this is the most flexible way to travel, with no schedule constraints. The train was nice, but its 2-hour delay ruined our day. My main tip would be to split your time between a driver and public transport to experience all the different ways to get around in the country you're visiting.

Hey Kate! A transport delay "wastes a whole day" when you’ve planned an itinerary down to the last detail. But Padmalya has a whole month to cover a route that some people do in 15 days, so there’s little risk of "wasting time"—especially since you can always find something to do in India!

Hey [:)]

You're right, and I might've exaggerated a bit. It ruined one visit for us, but I still had time to take tons of photos at the station [;)] Yes, public transport is a great way to dive into local life, but a car gives you freedom and saves time—especially when you only have 3 weeks and a tight itinerary.

No matter how you get around, the most important things are keeping an open mind, staying amazed, and seeking out connections...

Totally agree!

Totally agree!

Haha, that’s some up-close-and-personal contact! I like it, but only for a short time

Hi Patricia (and everyone else 😊)

For my part, we visited Rajasthan for 3 weeks in March 2024. After thinking it over, we decided to organize our transfers on the spot: a bit of train and a lot of taxis because we made a few stops in less-frequented places.

In the end, it cost us less than renting a car for the entire stay, and it gave us more freedom.

Plus, we stayed several nights in some cities where a car wasn’t really useful (like Pushkar or Udaipur, for example).

Overall, we found it really easy—either through our accommodation or by simply searching on Google Maps.

But it’s true that for this kind of travel, you shouldn’t be a fan of super precise planning or too picky about the driver’s qualities (shoutout to the kid who was filming us, blasting music while driving... at 30 km/h, don’t worry 😅).

You can check out my Rajasthan travel journal on my profile if you're interested.

Happy planning! 😊

Hello,

It’s not up to the agency to decide your itinerary—it’s up to you.

I’ve always shared my route with agencies when requesting quotes, and none have ever tried to push something else on me.

If a leg of the trip really isn’t feasible (usually because it’s too long in practice, even if it looks okay on paper), the agency should explain why and suggest an alternative *only* for the problematic part.

You can also book accommodations separately without any issues.

When it comes to transportation in India, a car with a driver (since self-driving isn’t really an option) is, in my opinion, the best solution for a multi-stop circuit: comfort, time savings, no need to negotiate fares daily, the freedom to stop wherever you want, and a better view of the landscapes you pass through.

For city-to-city circuits where you stay 3+ nights in each place, other options might work: taxis to reach the next city, daytime trains (preferably under 4–5 hours), or flights for longer distances.

Buses are great for getting around a city’s outskirts (max 1-hour trips) without luggage, but they’re pretty exhausting for long hauls...

Hello,

Just so you know, your promotional post singing the praises of your agency actually lends credibility to all the previous ones—posted by travelers who’ve proven themselves on VF for a long time.

Hi there. Thanks for your reply

Our driver wrote to us that it wasn't possible because there's no road. He’s suggesting the usual tourist circuit we don’t want to do

Of course there are roads between these stops (not always great, I’ll admit)! This driver’s just making stuff up to sell you his standard tourist circuit where he earns commissions.

What do you think of my itinerary?

Honestly, it’s really good—especially if you’ve got a month to enjoy each stop.

Any tips?

Like the others, I’m not a huge fan of driver-led circuits, and I’d say if you’re up for a bit of adventure, you can do this route using public transport (buses, trains) and occasionally hiring a driver for trickier legs. Taking buses and trains in Rajasthan adds a whole new dimension to the trip. For long hauls, besides trains, there are private sleeper buses (even during the day) that offer a change of scenery while being comfy and super cheap. For shorter trips, local buses are super handy—they cover the whole local network and cost next to nothing. It takes a bit more of an adventurous spirit, but there’s no better way to experience the real India and Rajasthan. (Especially since you originally wanted to stay in a "hashram" [;)])

Hi. That’s exactly what I thought. Thanks a lot

Hi Solène. Thanks for your reply. How do the buses work there? Thanks

Hi Patricia, What a wonderful project, this trip around Rajasthan with a comfortably long duration that lets you travel at a relaxed pace—though why December? I’ve read through the messages you received, and I agree with some of the points, even if they sometimes contradict each other or come across as critical. But that’s okay. The important thing is to get an idea and then make your choice. All kinds of ways to travel through this vast state are possible, but it depends on what you’re looking for: adventure, authenticity, budget-friendliness, safety? ... Personally, after traveling in different ways—sometimes even pushing my own safety limits—when I went to Rajasthan in 2020, I opted for a car with a driver: no stress, no surprises, total freedom. Sure, it was a classic itinerary, almost identical to yours, done over three weeks, which I negotiated with the agency I contacted. They were very attentive to my requests. The trip went smoothly, and the driver was quite flexible. For us, the trip was a success and matched exactly what we were looking for. One thing: you don’t mention BIKANER, UDAIPUR, or AGRA? Did you forget, or are they not part of your plans? Feel free to reach out via PM if you’d like.

Agra? An oversight or not considered?

Hi,

Probably because Agra isn’t in Rajasthan but in Uttar Pradesh.

Hello

As an informative note, your promotional message touting the merits of your agency lends credibility to all the previous posts by travelers who have proven themselves on VF for a long time.

Weird, I didn’t post any ads. I’m not an agency but just a private individual trying to plan my trip. Best regards

Kate was replying to a message that was removed by moderation. This removal made it seem like she was responding to you since your message was the one right before the deleted post.

Hi there. Thanks for your message. From what I’ve read, Bikaner doesn’t seem all that interesting, and I already visited Agra a few years ago. What could be another interesting circuit in Rajasthan? I mean, one with different discoveries from one city to the next? Thanks

Hello. Thanks for this information. Best regards

Hello, I’m planning a trip to Kerala and Pondicherry at the end of 2026. Would you be willing to share a budget for a car with a driver? Any estimate would be great. Thanks for your help!

Hi,

You should ask Kate. She just got back from there.

Hi there, and thanks for your reply—but who’s Kate?

Post 5 in this thread.

Hello and thank you for your reply, but who is Kate?

Hello, here I am

We were very happy with our driver in Rajasthan. He was careful, punctual, and didn’t take us to "tourist" shops for his commission (it’s always best to specify this to drivers upfront). Communication was easy via WhatsApp. His rate in January 2024: 49,500 Rupees for 14 days, all-inclusive. Here are his details:

Kumar Sevinder +919958402866 hello@privatedriverindia.com www.chauffeurpriveeninde.com www.privatedriverindia.com B-78/A LGF, Kalkaji, New Delhi - 110019

Hello and thank you for your feedback. "Attila" tells me you’ve just returned—do you have any 2025 prices? That’d help me see how much things have changed in a year. Thanks for taking the time to give me a second update, and happy holidays!

The answer might be in her travel journal?

Since the thread’s topic is about Rajasthan, Kate probably didn’t realize your question was about a different region. [;)]

Oops, I accidentally replied to you—I meant to send this to Kate. I’ll resend my message to her. Thanks so much!

No, no, it's all good. [;)]

Hi there! So for Kerala, same story—we got super lucky with Vijay!

Here’s the agency that employs him: KG TOURS WhatsApp: +919443790487 kg.tours@hotmail.com

And here are Vijay’s details—he set up his own little business alongside KG TOURS: WhatsApp: +917305429329

49,000 rupees for 8 days. Kerala is a bit pricier than Rajasthan.