r/indiatravel

Hello! We are planning a 2 week trip to North India for the first time. Any advice would be very welcome. Husband and wife, early 30s, looking for a real mix of culture, cities, rural, mix of relaxation and adventure.

Current itinerary thoughts
- fly into Delhi: 2 nights
- Agra 1 night
- Jaipur 3 nights
- Relaxing nice hotel somewhere rural between Jaipur/Udaipur, maybe near Jodhpur so we can visit for a day. 4 nights here
- Udaipur 4 nights
- fly back to Delhi for 1 night before leaving.

First week classic golden triangle, second week slower more relaxed. I’m worried though 4 nights in each hotel second half could be too many but we are wanting to slight limit how much we move around.

Other places we have considered would be Varanasi, Shimla, Jawai, Ranthambore, Jaisalmer, just feel like we don’t have the time!

Any glaring mistakes? What would you change? Happy for any comments!

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a 14-days trip to India and I’d love some help building the entire itinerary. I’m especially interested in cities that combine strong local atmosphere with impressive historical sites. My flights are from Delhi roundtrip.

A few preferences:

• I really enjoy exploring big cities on foot
• I like walking through typical neighborhoods, markets, old areas, and places where you can feel everyday local life
• I’m interested in using public transportation and trying local activities, not only visiting tourist attractions
• I love history, especially ancient or monumental places
• I’m especially interested in large temples, forts, mausoleums, palaces, ruins, or anything with a very strong historical/cultural feeling
• I’m coming from Europe, so I’m looking for places that feel culturally very different and immersive
• I like chilling. I would avoid too much commuting time.

Could you help me plan a full itinerary? I’d appreciate suggestions on:

• Which cities to include
• How many days to spend in each place
• The best route/order between cities
• What historical sites and neighborhoods to prioritize
• Good local experiences, markets, walks, public transport, or activities
• Any cities I should skip based on my preferences
• Practical advice about transport, safety, weather, and pacing

I’m open to different itinerary lengths, but ideally I’d like something realistic and not too rushed.

Thanks!

I’m planning my first trip to Parvati Valley, Himachal Pradesh, and I’d love some advice from people who’ve been there.

A few questions I have:

What is the best time of year to visit, considering weather, scenery, and overall vibe?

Which places are absolutely worth visiting? (Kasol, Tosh, Kalga, Pulga, Kheerganga, Malana, Grahan, etc.)

How many days would you recommend for a relaxed trip?

What are the best treks, cafés, viewpoints, and hidden gems that most tourists miss?

Are there any local customs or etiquette I should be aware of?

What are the biggest mistakes first-time visitors make?

How is the mobile network and internet connectivity in different villages?

Any safety tips, especially for a solo traveler?
Anything I should pack or prepare for that people often overlook?

Just someone who travels a lot and has ended up trying most of the self-drive options in India. Here’s my take-

Zoomcar:

The biggest selection in most cities. The marketplace model (individual car owners listing their vehicles) means you
get a lot of options but wildly inconsistent quality. Best experience: a Tata Nexon, great condition, the host was responsive.
Worst: a host who cancelled at 7 am on the day of pickup with zero warning. The support structure for problems is weak because Zoomcar can only really "escalate" the host ghosts, you're stuck if they don't own the car.

Mylescars:

More traditional. Pick-up from the lot in most cities rather than doorstep delivery. Fleet is consistent because they own it. Good for city use, patchy for outstation, depending on your city. Support has been reachable in my experience, but slow.

Revv:

Own the fleet like Mylescars, but with doorstep delivery. The All India Tourist Permit comes standard on their cars, which matters for interstate trips. The app is better than Mylescars. Support is reachable but not fast.

My personal tiebreaker for long outstation trips: I pick Revv over Zoomcar specifically because if something goes wrong, there's one accountable company, not a private host and a platform pointing at each other.

None of them is perfect. But the "which one for outstation" question - for me it's Revv or Mylescars.

Hi all,

I missed my flight a few days ago — it was an early 5 AM departure and I didn't complete online check-in in time, so the indigo airline marked it as a no-show. I wasn't denied boarding or anything like that; I just wasn't on time.

I booked the ticket using my HSBC Travel one card. A couple of questions for anyone who's been in a similar spot:

1. Has anyone successfully gotten any kind of refund or credit from Indigo after a no-show? Or is this fare basically gone for good?
2. Does HSBC Travel one include any travel protection or trip insurance that might cover this kind of situation? I know most policies exclude simple no-shows, but wanted to check if anyone has actually used this benefit.- The flight had been booked from Paytm Flights and card use as a payment.
3. Any tips on what to even ask the airline or HSBC when I call, in case there's a partial fare/tax refund possible?

Appreciate any real experiences ,trying to figure out if it's worth the time to pursue this or just chalk it up as a loss.

Hi everyone, so we (5 ppl) are planning a trip to the Club mahindra Amba ghat property next week.. I know it’s a relatively new addition/taken over recently, so I wanted to get some fresh feedback before booking.

For those who have visited recently:

• How is the property and the overall service?
• How is the restaurant food quality?
• We will be a group of 5 driving down from Mumbai.. so what's the best route to take? and how long does the drive take with breaks?

Any tips or advice is highly appreciated. Thanks.

Is it ooty coorg or darjeeling

hey guys. I need some help. basically I have booked a room at Sterling Orient Woods at khursapar. but unlike what they project on their website, real thing is terrible. it’s littered with garbage (actual garbage) and the rooms have lizard droppings that haven’t been cleaned. the ledges are dirty. there is cobweb on the night lamps. its been 30 minutes and the room service has not responded. what are my options now ? please help.

Hi,

Planning out an itinerary for our trip to India.

We plan to visit and stay near the Golden Temple for Diwali this year.

As the title suggests, I'm after recommendations for hotels near the Golden Temple with a good view of the temple. We want to be surrounded by the atmosphere but don't want to be down in the crowds.

Is it safe? How's the weather and what type of clothes should we pack?

Since monsoon is delayed in India, what's the situation in Manali? Is it too late to visit?

Would appreciate any and all the help we can get.