The NYC Traveler in India: Tips for Agra & Jaipur
Updated: Mar 30
Disclaimer:
Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 if the copyright act of 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
This article is my personal opinion. I am a travel agent. I am an Amazon Associate.
MC Photo & Travel YouTube Channel
Contact Us: Travel and Itinerary Plans
All text and photos copyright Marcia Crayton All Rights Reserved 2023
ALWAYS CHECK CDC ADVISORIES FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL CHECK THE US DEPARTMENT OF STATE FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
Tips for Your Trip:
Seeing Some Sights in Agra and Jaipur
Note: this article is solely for the first time traveler to India from the perspective of a first-timer (me!). Also, take precautions when you are traveling to another country. Check with the state department for any travel warnings and be very much aware of international news. Use common sense and be flexible. You might actually have to change your destination.
1. If you normally wing it on your own, you may decide to go with a guide: arranged transportation throughout the trip, guided tours in all cities and upscale hotels. For certain trips or portions of a trip, being chauffeured and guided can actually be a safer way to go. It takes an extremely experienced travel very familiar with India to get around. The streets of Agra and Jaipur were extremely crowded, almost in a maze, making it not only difficult to get around but unsafe. It was not uncommon to be grabbed and touched as you walked by.
We hired a van and guide for each city. We were picked up each morning and dropped off directly at the door of the hotels. One hotel required us to have our day bags scanned each time we returned and we passed through security scanners. The guide not only arranged the admissions to each site, but also had tours for local artisans and businesses. We were given a tour of the shop and then presented with items to buy to support the local tourism. Only in Delhi did we wander the streets like we would normally do in European cities.
2. To get a good view of the country on the ground, fly into Delhi and travel by van or train to other cities. If you've flown straight from the USA, you may want to stay over in Delhi and get a fresh start the next day. Have this arranged either at the tourist desk in the airport, or prior to your arrival to India.
Agra 3. In Agra, the top sights for us were: the Taj Mahal, of course; the Tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah, also known as the Baby Taj; Fort Agra; various artisan shops and one of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity.
Jaipur
4. A journey by train to Jaipur, in the recommended first class, is almost 150 miles further east. The top sights were Amer (Amber) Fort; Jaigarh (Victory) Fort, home to Jaivan Cannon; Jantar Mantar, a fascinating collection of astronomical instruments completed in 1734 that is still accurate in telling time within 2 seconds; City Palace, residence of the current Maharaja of Jaipur, the Hawa Mahal, known as the Pink Palace, and more local artisans. In Jaipur, we rode elephants, arranged by our guide.
5. We took almost all of our meals at the hotel, which was almost a problem because the kitchen almost closed on us twice before we returned from the day. One lunch was arranged at a local restaurant since we would be out all day.
When you're ready to head back to Delhi from Jaipur, there are a few options: plane, train and van. The domestic flights were inexpensive in 2017, but there was a concern with baggage (since we spent slightly more than a week, we had between 40-50 pounds each). The train was another option, but the timing was a problem for us to get to the airport in time. We opted for the van is recommended for the 166 mile trip from Jaipur to Delhi. We had to leave extremely early in the morning, but we got to Delhi early enough to do a walking tour of part of the city and then the van took us to the airport.
Our thoughts: your safety and health is the most important consideration when traveling away from your home country. Investing in a private van and tour guide was not as expensive as you may think and it takes the guesswork out of everything.
Follow us on
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube
Purchase our fine art, decor or stock photos:
Shutterstock, ImageKind, iStock by Getty Images, Etsy, Zenfolio and Dreamstime.
Disclaimer: Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 if the copyright act of 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. This article is my personal opinion. I am a travel agent. I am an Amazon Associate. The NYC Traveler Blog MC Photo MC Photo & Travel YouTube Channel Specializing in Disney Travel MC Photo & Travel Store Contact Us: Travel and Itinerary Plans All text and photos copyright Marcia Crayton All Rights Reserved 2023