NOVEMBER 2024
OVERVIEW
Rajasthan (the ‘Land of Kings’) is a state in north-western India. It is the largest Indian state by area and it comprises most of the inhospitable Thar Desert.
If you haven’t done so already, I suggest that you read my India Tips, Tricks, and Traps post first. This will help explain much of what you are going to read now.
In this post, I document a 1 month train tour of Rajasthan.
I start in New Delhi and stop off in each of the, following, towns before leaving Rajasthan and heading for Ahmedabad (the capital of Gujarat):
- Bikaner;
- Jodhpur;
- Ajmer;
- Jaipur;
- Sawai Madhopur ;
- Bundi;
- Chittaurgarh;
- Udaipur.
I wanted to take my time, so I decided to stay 4 nights in each place (for better or worse) … I had a total of 32 nights.
TRAINS
I usually travel Aircon 2nd class (refer Seat61.com).
I heard that Indian trains can get booked out weeks if not months in advance. I did not know how true this was. So, for safety, I booked all of my trains 2 months in advance.
I have since discovered that some of my trains could have been booked at short notice (sometimes, even the same day).
HOTELS
I book GRANDPAcking Standard accommodation.
MONEY
EXCHANGE RATE
The currency in India is the Rupee (the ‘INR’ or ‘rs’). At the time of writing, the exchange rates for the major currencies were:
| US$1 | EU€1 | GB£1 | |
| Published Wholesale Rate | 84.08 | 91.02 | 109.19 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Wise Debit Card) | 83.24 | 90.11 | 108.10 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Typical Credit Card) | 81.56 | 88.29 | 105.91 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Good ATM) | 82.58 | 89.40 | 107.25 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Bad ATM) | 76.51 | 82.83 | 99.36 |
You will NOT get this Wholesale Rate … you will get one of the Actual Exchange Rates.
For simplicity, think of a 500rs note as being US$6 / EU€6 / GB£5.
PLEASE NOTE: Over time, these exchange rates will change. Please check the current rates.
ATMs
Be careful which ATM you use. I use SBI Bank ATMs WITHOUT CONVERSION.
WHEN TO GO
Rajasthan typically has a subtropical desert / low-latitude arid hot climate.
March through June is very hot … in 2024, on some days in some towns, temperatures exceeded 50 celcius! June through September is rainy season.
For the best experience, you are advised to go between (late) October and February. I toured Rajasthan in November … the weather was very pleasant and never too hot.
The nights were cool and I did not need aircon in my hotel room. In fact, sometimes I needed a warm blanket because I was cold.
INTERNET / WIFI
You may want the freedom of your own Smartphone Mobile package. Prepaid packages in India are cheap. Your Indian SIM Card comes free if you buy a package.
I bought a 28 day package: Airtel SIM card at Delhi Airport for 500rs / US$6. This included 1.5Gb per day, unlimited domestic phone calls, and 100 free SMSs per day.
Airtel are the biggest provider in India. Sometimes their signal disappears for a short while but, generally, I had no problem getting a good signal.
BIKANER
It took 8 hours to get from New Delhi to Bikaner.
My intention was to do a camel safari in Bikaner but my hotel manager advised me not to. He said that it was poor quality.
ACCOMMODATION
I booked a guesthouse located in an old part of town amongst the famous Havelis (see below).
I paid 3,655rs / US$44 for 4 nights including breakfast. Breakfast was a 2-egg omelette with 3 slices of toast and either tea or coffee.
The wifi was excellent and the manager was nice … the downside is that I had an ‘Indian Shower‘, it was 100s metres away from the nearest restaurant, and the janitor lived in-house with his young family (the 2 year old was particularly noisy).
SCOOTER RENTAL
UBER and OLA do not operate in Bikaner. You will have to use your negotiation skills and catch Cabs and Tuk Tuks. I prefer the freedom of renting a scooter.
There is only 1 place in Bikaner where you can rent a scooter: Santosh Paras 2 Wheeler Rent Service. You will find them up past Junagarh Fort / Sursagar Lake.
They offered 2 scooter rates:
- 200rs per day for a Honda Activa 4 limited to 40km per day;
- 400rs per day for a Honda Activa 6 limited to 100km per day.
Given my plans, I needed the second option. I booked the scooter for 2 days. The security deposit was 1,000rs which also covered the 800rs rental cost. The scooter was new and mechanically excellent.
I put in 200rs of petrol / gas. I added an extra 100rs of petrol / gas to get me to the Rat Temple and back.
… so what is the sightseeing like? …
THE HAVELIS
You can’t help but marvel at the craftsmanship of these buildings.
RAT TEMPLE / SHREE KASRNI MATA TEMPLE
Entry is free but you are charged 30rs if you want to take photos.
The place is holy. The rats are holy. You have to take off your shoes and walk around in rat shit.
DEVI KUND SAGAR
Royal tombs. Entry is free.
A solemn but beautiful place built with an amazing degree of symmetry.
JUNAGARH FORT
Entry 400rs.
The main courtyard is well kept but the majority of the grounds are in disrepair.
LALGARH PALACE
Entry is free.
A surprising find. Great craftsmanship. Well maintained.
AROUND TOWN
Not a lot to see other than the main tourist spots.
Getting out on a scooter on the open road was enjoyable.
EAT & DRINK
If you want to buy some alcohol, there is a English Wine Shop on KEM Road just south of Junagarh Fort roundabout.
SUM UP
I didn’t particularly want to go to Bikaner … I included it because I didn’t want to do a much longer (overnight 3rd Class sleeper) train journey all the way to Jodhpur.
Bikaner wasn’t that great. If you do find yourself here, 2 nights will be enough … you can sightsee everything worth seeing (including the Rat Temple) in 1 full day.
JODHPUR
It took 5 hours to get from Bikaner to Jodhpur.
My intention was to do a wildlife safari in Jodhpur but my hotel manager advised me not to. He said that the only one worth doing was in Osian which is 60km north west of Jodhpur.
ACCOMMODATION
I booked a backpacker hostel located 2km south of the railway station. I paid 4,160rs / US$50 for 4 nights including breakfast. Breakfast was a potato and onion paratha and either tea or coffee.
The wifi was excellent and the hostel had a great selection of common seating areas. The only downside is that it had no hot water shower … hot water was meant to be available after 6pm every night but this only happened once in the 4 nights that I was there … I did not have an ‘Indian Shower’ option.
SCOOTER RENTAL
If you don’t like the idea of renting a scooter … don’t worry … UBER operate in Jodhpur.
Unfortunately, many of the scooter rental places shown on Google Maps either don’t exist anymore or they are not where Google Maps says. I rented from Jodhpur Bikes. They are located a 2 minute walk from Jodhpur Junction Railway Station.
PLEASE NOTE: The area immediately around a town’s main railway station is always a good place to look for and find a scooter rental business.
I booked a Honda Activa 6G for 3 days. The price was 400rs per day. I paid the 1,200rs up front. A security deposit was not required. The scooter was new and mechanically excellent.
I put in 300rs of petrol / gas.
… so what is the sightseeing like? …
MEHRANGARH FORT
Entry 600rs which includes audio equipment.
Excellent all round … made better by the audio (which you get whether you want it or not).
JASWANT THADA
Entry 50rs.
A ‘cute’ little place. Well kept. Definitely worth a visit.
UMAID BHAWAN MUSEUM
Entry 200rs.
Another surprise find. The museum had lots of interesting stuff.
AROUND TOWN
There are lots of interesting things to discover around town.
SUM UP
I liked Jodhpur … it had some very good ‘sightseeing’.
I am glad that I chose to stay away from town centre in a quieter area of town. Jodhpur has plenty to see in 3 ‘lazy’ days. You can speed it up and do it in 2 if you want to … but why rush?
AJMER
It took 5 hours to get from Jodhpur to Ajmer.
ACCOMMODATION
I booked the Natraj Guesthouse which is located about 600 metres north of the railway station. I paid 3,024rs / US$37 for 4 nights. No breakfast.
The room was simple but adequate. The wifi was very good and I was surprised that I got a proper hot water shower at this price. The roadworks on the street spoilt the location which would, otherwise, have been OK. On the downside, the nearest restaurants were 400+ metres away (back at the Railway Station).
SCOOTER RENTAL
UBER operate in Ajmer.
Again, many of the scooter rental companies shown on Google Maps are not there. The ones that I found lacked communication skills or let me down. Many were asking high prices (perhaps because the annual Camel Fair was on).
The most helpful was KGN Bikes on Rent but, alas, because of the Camel Fair all of their scooters had been rented out.
I finally rented from PS Bikes on Rent who are located down Nala Bazaar Road … a busy narrow alleyway.
I booked a Honda Activa 6G for 2 days at 500rs per day. They required a 2,000rs security deposit. I put in 200rs of petrol / gas.
… so what is the sightseeing like? …
PUSHKAR
Located 13km north west of Ajmer.
Most people come to Ajmer to visit Pushkar.
WALK AROUND PUSHKAR LAKE
There is no single lakefront path.
You have to weave your way around the waterfront.
TARAGARH FORT
Entry Free.
It is a really nice trip up the winding roads. Great views. The fort and temples are definitely worth a visit.
AROUND AJMER
Ajmer is a lot busier than I expected. Many roads are narrow and crowded … and hard to drive down on a scooter.
Ajmer isn’t very picturesque. You come to Ajmer to see Pushkar.
SUM UP
I decided to avoid the touristic and over-crowded Pushkar and base myself in Ajmer. Thinking that I can easily do a day trip to Pushkar on a scooter.
If I come again, I will base myself in Pushkar and put up with the crowds. Pushkar is so much more ‘atmospheric’ than Ajmer. 3 days is too long in Ajmer / Pushkar … there isn’t enough to see. Base yourself for 2 nights / 1 full day in Pushkar … make it 3/2 if you want to relax and do a Camel Safari.
JAIPUR
It took less than 2 hours to get from Ajmer to Jaipur.
Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan and it has a cheap metro system.
As an example, it costs 12rs to get from the Railway Station to the Badi Chaupar terminus.
ACCOMMODATION
I booked the Friend India Guesthouse which is located about 100 metres from the Badi Chaupar metro station. I paid 2,740rs / US$33 for 4 nights. No breakfast.
The room was simple but adequate. The wifi was very good and I was surprised that I got a proper hot water shower at this price (although, the hot water only lasted until half way through the shower).
The location was good … being close to the City Palace and the Metro. On the downside, the nearest restaurants were 300-400 metres away.
SCOOTER RENTAL
UBER operate in Jaipur.
My hotel had no secure parking, so I needed to rent a scooter by the day and return it each night.
There are several rental places in Jaipur but, as usual, many of the ones shown on Google Maps aren’t there. Those that you can contact online will quote 500rs to 600rs per day.
I wanted to rent from ONN Bike On Rent (who were quoting a Honda Activa 6G at 288rs for same-day 10am to 7pm) but I found them impossible to deal with. Their online booking system would not accept my foreign credit card ... Their Railway Station office was impossible to find …. and, I phoned them but it all got too complicated.
I abandoned ONN and rented from Doorcars. They are located outside the Railway Metro Station Gate 2 (walk out, turn immediately right, and you will find them in the big scooter parking area). They quoted 350rs for same-day use of a new Honda Activa 6G. Contact +91 90019 99228 or +91 78782 45769. I rented for 2 days … returning the scooter overnight.
I put in 200rs of petrol / gas.
… so what is the sightseeing like? …
JAIPUR CENTRE
You don’t have to go far to find interesting sights.
You will see many just walking around town centre.
CITY PALACE AREA
As far as sightseeing goes, probably the most densely packed and most interesting area is around the City Palace.
You can get there by jumping on the Metro and getting off at the Badi Chaupar terminus.
JAIPUR NORTH
I toured northern Jaipur on a scooter.
But, you will see many of these sights if you catch a UBER or a tour to Nahargarh Fort and / or Amber Fort.
NARHARGARH FORT
Nahargarh Fort is definitely worth a visit.
If you are on your own scooter, the winding brick paved road (Nahargarh Road) is a particularly picturesque route to take.
AMBER FORT
Amber Fort is the ‘jewel in the crown’. Don’t miss it. Expect to be harassed by touts from the moment that you arrive.
You can easily spend 2-3 interesting hours here.
AMBER FORT TUNNEL / JAIGARH FORT
Why not get adventurous whilst you are there! Amber Fort has a secret tunnel that you can get into. This tunnel takes you under the fort walls and out into an open fortified path. This path takes you all the way up to Jaigarh Fort over 1km away.
You will need to be reasonably fit. You are walking up hill all of the way. When you get to Jaigarh Fort, you can pay another 500rs and have a look at that one too. You can even return to Amber Fort using the same route and continue your visit there.
ELEPHANT SANCTUARY
The Elephant Sanctuaries in the centre of Jaipur can be a bit ‘dodgy’ … see this video:
I suggest that you continue on past Amber Fort and visit one that is ‘out of town’.
JAI MAHAL
On the way back to Jaipur from Amber Fort you can pass by the iconic Jai Mahal.
This Palace is private property, so you can only ‘look but not touch’.
JAIPUR SOUTH
There is not as much to see around the southern side of town.
The highlight is, probably, a visit to the Leopard Sanctuary. I was going to Ranthambore National Park the next day anyway, so I decided not to pay the high cost of entry and to save myself for Ranthambore.
SUM UP
Jaipur was the best stop on my route so far. If you like history, great architecture, and exquisite craftsmanship … you have so much to see.
4 nights and 3 days in Jaipur was just right … you can do it in 3/2 if you want to … but, why rush?
SAWAI MADHOPUR
It took less than 2 hours to get from Jaipur to Sawai Madhopur.
ACCOMMODATION
I booked a Deluxe room at the Skyza Rooftop Lodge which is located in the centre of town about 600 metres from the Railway Station. I paid 4,598rs / US$56 for 4 nights. No breakfast.
The room itself should have been an upgrade on the ones that I had stayed at in Rajasthan so far. But, the wifi was very slow most of the time (everywhere in the hotel), at times the wifi was unusable, my room had no wardrobe, my private bathroom had an Indian Shower, it was on the 4th floor (sometimes the lift didn’t work), and the advertised Balcony / Terrace that my room was supposed to have did not exist. Also, if I left the hot water heater on for too long, I got electric shocks from the bathroom taps and electrical appliances in my room!
Skyza is a young backpacker hostel which blasts out Indian Pop music several times during the day and pretty much all evening until about 11pm.
Other than that, the hotel was fine 🙂
The location was good and everything that I needed was a short walking distance away.
SCOOTER RENTAL
UBER DOES NOT operate in Sawai Madhopur.
There are several scooter rental places shown on Google Maps … none of them exist … you CANNOT rent a scooter in Sawai Madhopur. If you want to go anywhere, you will have to negotiate with the tuk tuk drivers. That said, there aren’t many places to go to!
RANTHAMBORE NATIONAL PARK
I was here to do a Safari in the famous Ranthambore National Park. I checked online and found all sorts of crazy prices so I walked down Ranthambore Road and asked around in the local Travel Agents.
There are 2 basic options:
- Jeep (8 seater) – quoted at 4,000rs per person;
- Canter (20 seater) – quoted at 3,000rs per person.
If you are single or a couple, you are most likely to end up on a Canter Safari. Safari times are either 7am to 10:30am or 2:00pm to 5:30pm.
As normal in India, prices for ‘foreigners’ are higher than the prices for ‘Indians’. Prices for ‘foreigners’ started as high as 4,500rs for a Canter. After asking around and negotiating, I was able to secure a 3.5 hour evening safari for 2,700rs.
TIGER SAFARI
I made my way to the Travel Agent’s office by 1:30pm. I was picked up by my Canter at about 1:45pm.
This is a pleasant safari with long gaps between seeing anything of interest. Seeing tigers is the highlight … and worth the wait.
FOOD & DRINK
There are surprisingly few restaurants in central Sawai. You will find most of them on Ranthambore Road.
There are several Liquor Stores along and around Ranthambore Road. Avoid the one at the end of Ranthambore Road near Ranthambore Circle / Roundabout … they significantly over-charge tourists.
SUM UP
With no scooter to rent, my plans for Sawai Madhopur were significantly curtailed 🙁
It was nice, in a way, because it gave me a day off. Fortunately, it was the weekend so I could grab a couple of beers from the ‘English Wine Shop‘ and chill out watching some English Premier League (EPL) football … well, sort of, because of the poor wifi I had to stream it at the lowest 144 bit rate … which is very ‘blurred’ 🙂 … and, after 3x500ml cans of Kingfisher 8% (at 140rs each) it got more ‘blurred’ 🙂
2 nights / 1 full day in Sawai is enough. Organise your safari on day 1 when you arrive, do your safari on day 2, leave on day 3.
BUNDI / KOTA
UBER operates in Kota but not in Bundi.
It is possible to catch a train from Sawai to Bundi direct but this requires a trip in the middle of the night. I didn’t think that this was worth the hassle.
I chose to catch a day train to Kota and to sort things out from there.
Your choice is simple: either base yourself in Kota and do a day trip to Bundi or visa versa. Which one you choose depends on:
- Which direction you are going in; and
- The resultant time of the trains.
Personally, I am glad that I chose to base myself in Bundi (rather than Kota).
It took 1.5 hours to get from Sawai Madhopur to Kota railway station. At Kota railway station there is a Bus Stand. After seeking advice, I caught a minibus to the ‘nabra’ (which is not on Google Maps so I can only assume that it means something like ‘city centre’). It cost 20rs to go 6.5kms.
I was dropped off 150 metres from the central RSRTC Bus Stand. On my way to the RSRTC, a local convinced me that the RSRTC Bus Stand did not exist (not true) and I was persuaded to catch a jeep-sized minibus to Bundi instead.
In typical Indian style, this 8-seater minibus managed to take on about 14 (cramped) passengers. The 35km trip to Bundi took nearly 1 hour and cost 50rs. From central Bundi it cost me 50rs to take a Tuk Tuk the final 2km to my hotel.
Such a trip is fine for young backpackers but I would advise GRANDPAckers to use UBER to get to the Kota RSRTC Bus Stand and, then, catch a proper bus to Bundi:-)
ACCOMMODATION
I wanted to try a Haveli … a traditional Indian ‘rich merchant’s house’. I booked 4 nights at the Haveli Katkoun for a total of 4,350rs / US$52.
After my experience in Bikaner (above), I was a bit worried that I may end up in the middle of nowhere. Not true. The Katkoun had a lovely rooftop restaurant and it was surrounded by a selection of other restaurants with Fort and/or Lake views. Atmospheric.
I would definitely recommend a stay in a Haveli.
SCOOTER RENTAL
There are several places in Kota where you can rent a scooter. There are zero places listed on Google Maps in Bundi. HOWEVER, I did find some travel agents on the road from centre to Bundi Fort with ‘Bike on Rent’ notices in their windows. One offered me a 2016 Honda Activa 3G Scooter at 500rs per day.
I decided that I did not need a scooter in Bundi. I also decided that I wasn’t going to rent a rusty old Activa 3G to take me on a 70km+ round trip to Kota.
… so what is the sightseeing like? …
BUNDI FORT
You can’t miss Bundi Fort … it dominates the town.
Entry 600rs.
TARAGARH FORT
Taragarh Fort sits on the top of the hill over-seeing Bundi Fort.
The entry fee to Bundi Fort includes entry to Taragarh Fort.
OTHER
There are other interesting things to see around town.
The highlight is Nawal Sagar … or, simply, spending some time sitting in a restaurant next to it.
SUM UP
Bundi feels like what Pushkar used to be … imagine Pushkar without the commercialism and crowds (and, yes, without the desert and camel safaris) … BUT, Bundi is developing its own Nature Reserve and working on providing its own jungle safaris.
2 days and 3 nights in Bundi is enough for a pleasant experience.
CHITTAURGARH
I had to be at Bundi Railway Station at 5:15am. My Bundi hotel advised me not to take a chance at that time in the morning because there would be no tuk tuks on the streets.
My hotel booked a tuk tuk to pick me up from my hotel at 4:30am. The station was 6-7km away so we agreed a premium price of 200rs.
At 4:45am the tuk tuk had still not arrived … I couldn’t take any chances … so, I walked 2km to the Bus Stand (with my 30kg of luggage). I was there by 5:05am. There were 4 tuk tuk drivers talking and having a cup of tea. One was more than happy to get me to the station for 200rs. I got there just in time to catch my train.
It took about 2 hours to get from Bundi to Chittaurgarh.
ACCOMMODATION
I booked 4 nights in a Deluxe Double with Fan at the DC Hotel for 4,188rs / US$50. Excluding breakfast. I paid in advance. I caught a 70rs tuk tuk the 2.4kms from the train station to the DC Hotel. On arrival, they told me that they had no rooms. I showed them my confirmed booking and payment. They didn’t care.
I walked to the nearest restaurant and ordered breakfast. I got online (with my own Airtel SIM Card) and booked a Superior Room at Hotel Kumbha Retreat & Spa. I paid using my credit card.
The price was 4,563rs including breakfast. I checked in (early at 9am) and raised a Dispute against the DC Hotel with my Credit Card company.
SCOOTER RENTAL
UBER operate in Chittaurgarh but I tried them on 4 different occasions trying multiple times on each occasion without success. I could not rely on UBER in Chittaurgarh. The only time that I had success was the 5th time when I needed to get back to the Railway Station to head for Udaipur.
I found only one place advertising Scooter Rental in Chittaurgarh that still existed on Google Maps: JP Tours & Travel. But, the mobile numbers listed on Google Maps do not work. (Unable to order a UBER tuk tuk … and lacking the desire to haggle again for a tuk tuk on the street) 🙂 I walked the 2.4 km from my hotel to their office. I wanted to rent for 2 days. JP wanted 700rs per day plus 200rs more for keeping it overnight. I negotiated them down to 500rs per day, no overnight fee, and 100rs extra for them to deliver it to and pick it up from my hotel. No deposit was required. It was a new 125cc Suzuki Access with 1,800km on the clock.
I did not see any ‘casual’ scooter rentals being offered in Travel Agent windows.
My main target was to tour Chittaurgarh Fort which was only 2kms away. I put in 150rs of petrol / gas to last the 2 days.
… so what is the sightseeing like? …
CHITTAURGARH FORT
Chittaurgarh Fort is more of a ‘walled city’ than a fort. It dominates 30 hectares atop a hill. Inside you find a town, palaces, and strongholds separated by open spaces.
Many sights are free to enter but for anything being ‘maintained’ you pay an entry fee. The museum charges 102rs. A minor fort 100rs.
The main sights such as Jauhar Palace charge an entry fee but you have to scan a QR code and pay online. There is no ticket office. Unless you have come to India pre-prepared with a cashless option, you cannot get an entry ticket at the entrance.
At the top of Chittor Fort Road turn right towards Tulja Bhawani Temple. You will find the ticket office covering entry fees to all sights on the left.
AROUND TOWN
There isn’t much to see around town itself.
Town is dominated by the view of the Fort.
SUM UP
Chittaurgarh is the Fort. That’s it.
2 nights and 1 day is enough in Chittaurgarh. This gives you a full day to see everything within the fort walls … then, move on to the next town. Renting a scooter for the day is an excellent way to do it.
UDAIPUR
It took 2.5 hours to get from Chittaurgarh to Udaipur. Another 150rs got me the final 2.5kms from the Udaipur City railway station to my hotel.
ACCOMMODATION
I booked a Deluxe Queen room with balcony (and washing machine?) at Hotstel Udaipur. I paid 4,540rs for 4 nights excluding breakfast.
My ‘balcony’ was a seat beside a window. As for the ‘washing machine’ … ???
I really liked the area … it was natural and catered for tourists without being too ‘touristy’.
The area around Chand Pole bridge was particularly nice.
SCOOTER RENTAL
UBER operate in Udaipur … but, they don’t do tuk tuks.
There are many places where you can rent a scooter. It seems like on every corner there is someone else advertising a scooter ‘starting at’ 250rs (most are not for a full day).
I rented a Honda Activa 4G (with 21,000 kms on the clock) for 3 days at a total of 1,000rs plus a 1,000rs security deposit. I put in 200rs of petrol … I wasn’t planning on doing any long trips.
… so what is the sightseeing like? …
AROUND PICHOLA LAKE
A lovely lake that really makes this area of Udaipur special.
The highlight is definitely the City Palace.
Standard Adult Entry (without audio) is 450rs … but, I got in for 300rs because I am over 60.
AROUND FATEH SAGAR LAKE
On the north side of town you find Fateh Sagar Lake. This is more ‘rural’ and has less to see versus Pichola Lake.
The Badi Lake area has some nice hiking trails.
Sajjangarh Monsoon Palace is also worth a visit. Alas, I was unable to include it on this trip.
SUM UP
Udaipur was one of my favourites. It has much to see. You can do and see everything in 2 days / 3 nights … but, why rush?
GRANDPAcking COSTS
Read About – GRANDPAcking Costs if you don’t know how to interpret my figures.
In summary, costs are broken down into Cost Of Existence (COE) and Cost Of Living (COL):
- COE: Is the basic costs of just being there;
- COL: Is the additional costs that make being there fun.
MY GRANDPAcking COSTS
AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE / (BLUE) TOP SECTION
I lost an average of 1.75% on cash that I took out of ATMs. I used my Wise Debit Card whenever I could.
COST OF EXISTENCE (COE) / (ORANGE) MIDDLE SECTION
ACCOMMODATION
I always put a lot of work into booking the right hotels at the right price. As a result, I normally get good discounts.
This helped to bring my average hotel cost down to 1,000rs / US$12 per night. Sometimes, this included a simple breakfast.
FOOD & BEVERAGES
I eat to live … I do not live to eat. I don’t eat lunch. My Food & Beverages costs are always significantly lower than other people.
That said, when food is this cheap, I don’t eat the cheapest food … I choose something nice from the menu. I am particularly fond of a Vegetarian Thali which can cost anything between 80rs …
and 400rs … you get what you pay for.
The ones at 400rs are a banquet. I can’t eat that much, so I usually don’t order anything over 180rs / US$2.25!
My average daily cost was about 300rs / US$3.75 per day.
SIM CARD / MOBILE DATA
I topped up my Airtel SIM Card with a 56 day 838rs package that offered up to 3Gb per day, upto 100 SMSs per day, and unlimited domestic calls. The cost has been pro rata’d across my 32 days in Rajasthan.
VISA EXTENSION / NATIONAL PARK FEES
My 6 month eVisa cost of US$41 has been pro rata’d.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
My Backpacker Level Travel Insurance policy has been pro rata’d.
NECESSARY TRANSPORT
This is the transport that I had to have to get between my destinations. The costs are, basically, trains between cities and tuk tuks between train stations and hotels. My average cost was about 1,050rs / US$12.
COST OF LIVING (COL) / (BROWN) BOTTOM SECTION
LIVING COSTS
The main ‘tourism’ costs are Entry Fees to tourist sites, Tour Fees (e.g. safaris), and the costs of renting and running scooters.
Travel days are ignored, so I had a total of 25 ‘sightseeing days’. In most places I tried to have:
- One day walking around the city centre getting between sites on foot or by tuk tuk;
- One day on a scooter visiting sites further afield;
- One more day either on a scooter or on a booked tour (e.g. a safari).
On average I spent 580rs / US$7.00 per ‘sightseeing day’.
A couple of beers at night finish these costs off. These are ‘Beer Shop‘ prices fto drink back at my hotel. I am not a fan of the ‘night-clubby’ Indian bars nor drinking with the ‘types’ that hang around where you buy the beer.
Even with all of the scooters rented, all of the sights seen, and the relatively high price of beer in India … my ‘living costs’ easily averaged under 800rs / US$10 per day.
Please note, I did not enter some of the most expensive tourist sites. But, if I had, my average per day would still have been under 1,000rs / US$12.50.
IN / OUT COSTS
There are no in / out costs … I was already in New Delhi and I was already on my way to Goa.
OTHER COSTS
Other minor bits and pieces are mopped up in this section.
GRANDPAcking SUMMARY
My COE was 1,675 / US$20 per day (30% of my daily budget).
My COL was 700 / US$8 per day (13% of my daily budget).
My Grand Total cost was 2,375rs / US$29 per day (43% of my daily budget).
I was ‘living the dream’ … I could have done heaps more and still stayed within budget.
YOUR GRANDPAcking COSTS
For you, I suggest a different itinerary … one that starts and finishes in New Delhi and goes to the ‘best of’ places that I went to PLUS Agra / The Taj Mahal:
This would be your budget:
I have not actually been to Mathura but I have researched it. Given that the train from Sawai Madhopur to Agra goes via Mathura, it makes sense to stop in Mathura on the way … Mathura has lots of things to see including an interesting day trip to Vrindavan.
ORANGE COLUMNS / LEFT HAND SIDE
The left of the spreadsheet (orange columns) shows the costs for a GRANDPAcking Couple living to GRANDPAcking Standard using a Standard (Home) Bank Credit / Debit Card where possible and withdrawing cash from ATMs where cash is required.
COST OF EXISTENCE (COE)
ACCOMMODATION
Expect to pay 1,250rs / US$15 per night for accommodation.
FOOD & BEVERAGES
Expect to pay just over 1,060rs / US$13 per day eating in ‘local restaurants’ three times each day.
SIM CARD / MOBILE DATA
A 28 day Airtel 500rs new SIM Card & Package bought at the airport PLUS a 99rs 1 week extension.
VISA
Two US$26 one month Tourist eVisas.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
A typical Backpacker Level Travel Insurance policy has been pro rata’d.
NECESSARY TRANSPORT & SIGHTSEEING
The cost of catching a 2nd Class Aircon train between cities is included plus an allowance to catch a tuk tuk to / from the railway station and your hotel in each city. This comes to under 2,500rs / US$30 for 2 people to move between each of the 7 locations.
It is assumed that you will walk and use tuk tuks to visit sights in the centre of town.
Where you have time, a budget to rent a scooter to sightsee farther afield is included (you can trade this budget off for tuk tuks and walk more / see less if you want to).
A generous budget for Entry Fees is also included.
All up, you will average less than 1,500rs / US$18 per day over the 30 days.
SUMMARY
Your COE is about 4,100rs / US$49 per day. This is 73% of your daily budget.
This means that you still have 1,500rs / US$18 of your daily budget left to spend. More than enough to polish off the day with a couple of beers.
RIGHT HAND SIDE / PURPLE COLUMNS
Using your Wise Debit Card as much as possible helps … but, because using a Foreign Credit Card in India is difficult, it does not save enough to make a big difference.
GRANDPAcking SUMMARY
A GRANDPAcking couple can easily do this 1 month tour of Rajasthan on a State Pension Budget.
CONCLUSION:
Highly recommended.
Enjoy.
TTFN
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