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In Rajasthan, don't worry on accomodation, approach any of the RTDC hotels, but, since its season time, all the prices will be doubled + you may hardly get any accomodation at RTDC. With RTDC stay, you've a pure VFM because, when I stayed in a STD room, the cost was around 700-1000 (depending on the cities) & was provided with morning BFast (that too most of it was customized otherwise it were buffet )

Here's something, if you'd like to consider...

Day 1 - Mumbai-Mt Abu
Day 2 - Local site seeing & leave Mt Abu towards Jaisalmer
Day 3 - Jaisalmer + local site seeing
Day 4 - Jaisalmer-Jodhpur & stay overnight
Day 5 - Stay at Jodhpur + local site seeing
Day 6 - Jodhpur-Udaipur
Day 7 - Udaipur + Local site seeing
Day 8 - Udaipur to Vadodara (choose between Vadodara/Ankaleshwar/Surat depending upon how far you can ride)
Day 9 - Vadodara-Mumbai

Map - Mumbai, Maharashtra, India to Mumbai, Maharashtra, India - Google Maps

^^ Awesome route plan aargee!

Sorry to crap the thread but was looking for a Rajasthan trip plan hehehe

@hensil: How you going? I am planning something in the last week of October.

at mount abu

last month, i stayed at RTDC mount abu, and its decent hotel.
they charged 950/- (incl. all tax) AC room with complimentary breakfast in morning.

BTW will you be visiting Jaipur, now days its great to visit places around here..


satya

+1 to aargee's suggestion!!

Thanks argee for the break down. The reason I chose Ahmedabad stay while going is, my friend is reaching Mumbai airport at 8am in the morning and from there we will be driving straight on our trip. I may not make it to Mt. Abu till evening hence Ahmedabad stay. Knowing this do you still recommend your itinerary or stick with mine?
I cannot make booking of hotels because I am not sure of exact day I'll be reaching there. I can miss a day or 2.
By the way, is 1st week of November a season?
Henry

I am driving this time (Swift), hope to do a Ladakh on two wheels next year.
Henry

I have read all bad reviews on Jaipur, therefore not going there. Sorry.
Henry

With mild (aggressive; wrong word though) speeds Ahmedabad - Mt Abu should take about...
Ahmedabad-Mehsana-Palanpur - 2 hrs
Palanpur-Mt Abu - 2 hrs

I leave the choice to you whether you need to make to Mt Abu

Will that still hold good on 9 days or 9 + missing days

RJ season starts from Oct & goes all way upto Feb end; a good advantage with RTDC hotels is that, there's ample parking & no one bugs you & the ride is safe. I actually prefered safety over anything when I booked & I was glad I did that.

Tks JD I'm actually Thankful to you

@chicmagnet - Tks

Otherwise, what you could do is...

Day 1 - Mumbai-Ahmedabad
Day 2 - Ahmedabad - Mt Abu
Day 3 - Local site seeing & leave Mt Abu towards Jaisalmer
Day 4 - Jaisalmer + local site seeing
Day 5 - Jaisalmer-Jodhpur & stay overnight
Day 6 - Stay at Jodhpur + local site seeing
Day 7 - Jodhpur-Udaipur
Day 8 - Udaipur + Local site seeing
Day 9 - Udaipur to Mumbai (going to be tough & will take about 16-17 hours without break); otherwise extend one more day.

Jaipur isn't bad, but, after visiting places like Udaipur & Jaisalmer (calm & small cities), you'll not like because Jaipur is big city (nearly metro); traffic is horrendous (worse than South, sorry to say); otherwise, you can visit Jaipur for the forts & especially Bhangarh (that I missed). You cannot expect the same welcome & hospitality that you get at Udaipur & Jaisalmer at Jaipur!!!

or else, skip Jodhpur & visit Chittorgarh fort & Haldi gati; Udaipur & nearby places are worth to be seen for 3 days...atleast.

Thanks once again for your prompt reply.
I forgot to mention one important fact of our tour. THIS WILL BE AN PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR FOR BOTH OF US. Hence we may take longer breaks for shooting on route.
I like your second itinerary and will follow that. I would prefer to stay in RTDC hotels and make reservations. But this will tie us down to stick with our itinerary. I'll discus this with my friend. We can extend our trip to 10 days at most, as my friend has to return.
Henry

If this is priority, then take...
Udaipur-Nathdwara-Kumbalgarh-Pali route & you'll enjoy to core; see my trip log for some pics. You'll start with city, highway, village, unpaved, forest, hills & finally end up with desert roads. Roads are in good condition; may be some 20 odd kms in the entire stretch from Udaipur to Jodhpur, that's all.

Hope you know that you can make the reservations from Mumbai RTDC office & you'll need to go to their office NOW!!!

Great! I'll definitely take this route.
I am not in Mumbai right now but in Abu Dhabi. I'll be in Mumbai on 3rd November and my friend will follow on the 4th. Can I make online bookings?
Henry

When I was trying a few weeks ago, I was able to register & find if the accomodation is available on specific date. But when tried to book, I was unable to. On approaching RTDC Chennai, the concerned official said that, few people are able to book online but doesn't work for everyone. Not sure what that meant; when I asked her to clarify, she repeated exactly the same sentence, they're probably trained to speak the same words a million times probably

So my suggestion would be, ask any of your friends in Mumbai (or any city) to approach RTDC, pay the amount in FULL & make the bookings. Once booking is done, money is not refundable under any circumstance.

Ensure to triple or multi check the bookings because the people sitting over there do not know Mathematics & don't wear hearing aid

Your reworked itinerary - Mumbai, Maharashtra, India to Mumbai, Maharashtra, India - Google Maps

Remember when coming from Jaisalmer, start fast, cover Jaisalmer-Jodhpur as early as possible as there isn't much scenic, but once you cross Pali towards Udaipur, you'll enjoy the scenics; the route will be...
Pali-Gundoj (if you want more adventerous route, take Pali-Somesar)-Sadri-Kumbalgarh-Ranakpur-Kelwara & take right towards Udaipur at the road connecting the SH & NH8 (which will be Nathdwara).

Thank you very much argee. I'll do just has you suggested and take the route shown. It seems you know Rajasthan like back of your hand.
Henry