hello,

to be comfortable you can hire a taxi for the route and see them in 5 days comfortably 2 days in agra and 2 in jaipur and rest of the time in delhi.from jaipur you could also go to pushkar for a day.a car can pick you up at the train station in delhi.book a taxi in advance

or the other option is to travel by very comfortable volvo buses from delhi to jaipur and then to agra.from delhi you can reach the bikaner house in central delhi bus station to catch a volvo bus to jaipur. or you could catch a early morning shatabdi air con train to jaipur from delhi.

some travel and stay options can be had from www.hostelworld.com

www.travel-library.com/india/agra

jaipurbedbreakfast.com

rajasthan is great in the monsoons so enjoy your trip.

It seems the best way to go to Agra is by hiring a private car and driver, as you are likely to encounter big hassles at the train station there, and most people will agree that you only need one night in Agra (especially when your travel time is limited).

From Agra, after seeing the Taj, you can visit other places of interest like Fatehpur Sikri with your driver, on your way to Jaipur.

(please read my recommendation for a driver in response to Fluffy1971 on this same forum - you need have no hesitation in trusting this lovely man, who made our trip stress-free and very enjoyable

Dara Singh, email: darasinghin@yahoo.com )

Without knowing your budget, it's hard to advise on accommodation, but we stayed in mid-range places which were clean and pleasant. The Lonely Planet Guide is very useful but if you get a good driver like ours, he will also help you find the right hotel (if you're not travelling in high season and therefore don't need to book ahead) We found quite a good hotel in New Delhi, recommended by the airport tourist info. desk, called Hotel Madonna, in Old Rajinder Nagar, email: hotelmadonna@hotmail.com (the restaurant is not great, but the rooms are clean and comfortable) - cost about AU$60 a night.

Private message me if you have any further questions - would love to help! ( just another way to re-live our wonderful time in India!)

Cheers

Better to use a reputed travel company services, incase if there is any breakdown on the way the you will be on the street in case if you are traveling with single car owner.

What is your budget for hotels?

Raju India.

Dear Fab -

If you have 5 days, then there are multiple itineraries, but here is one popular way of doing it:

Day 1 - Delhi to Agra; see Sikandra, Agra Fort, overnight in Agra

Day 2 - Taj at dawn, breakfast, checkout, drive to Jaipur via Fatehpur Sikri, overnight in Jaipur

Day 3 - Jaipur sightseeing

Day 4 - Jaipur sightseeing, Jaipur to Delhi

Day 5 - Delhi sightseeing

Many people just hire a car and driver in Delhi, and it goes with them for all the 5 days. Delhi-Agra is 4 hours, and Agra-Jaipur is 6 hours with a stop at Fatehpur Sikri. Going with a car and driver has the following advantages:

1) maximum flexibility, allows you to change plans and go at your own pace

2) saves you the bother of hiring transport in each location

3) saves you the headache of handling agents and touts in railway stations

4) you have a local with you to help with small things like buying water or other necessities

5) if you take a train from Agra to Jaipur, you will not be able to cover Fatehpur Sikri which is enroute

If you are not on a budget, hire a good Toyota Innova and you'll have a comfortable trip. If your daughter is already in Delhi, perhaps she has a car with her? Or her company can arrange one for you. Please post again if you want help with car rates.

Train is significantly cheaper than a private car, so it is a good method if you are on a budget. If you go by train, then the travel time between Delhi and Agra is shorter than by road (two and a half hours). However, most of the time advantage is lost because you need to factor in the time to get to the station, find the train, get your luggage in, etc (at least 1 more hour). And similarly, at Agra, you'll need to hire transport, get out of the station, and get to your hotel. In my view, this is simply not worth it, unless you are looking to save money. A car will take you from the comfort of your home, directly to your hotel in Agra, or directly to the monuments, depending on what you want to do.

For a list of recommended hotels, please post your budget per night. I should be able to give you some names of hotels.

"NorthIndia" please don't keep posting recommendations for safevoyages.

Alain Couret. Nice shiny new name, same old spammer.