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Planning first India trip accompanied part of the time by teenage daughter.

Planning first India trip accompanied part of the time by teenage daughter.

Old Aug 10th, 2022, 12:59 PM
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Planning first India trip accompanied part of the time by teenage daughter.

Hello,
I have been lurking on this site for a few weeks. I’ve spent a lot of time reading and have gotten a lot of great information. It’s almost too much information. I’m having difficulty narrowing things down.
The plane tickets have been purchased. We are traveling to India by way of Turkey and arrive in Delhi December 27. My daughter will be with me in India until January 7 and I will be traveling solo from the 7-24 of January. After she returns home and I’m on my own, I’d like to visit Rishikesh and Kerela and slow the travel tempo waaay down.
Traveling with a teenager will present a variety of challenges. She and I have spoken about safety issues and I will not be letting her out of my sight. I plan to have a driver and guide the entire time that she is with me. I know that she will have a limited attention span for a lot of “old buildings”. The Taj Mahal and Varanasi are must sees.
I would like input on what places and or experiences you all feel would hold the interest of a teenager. She loves making jewelry and clothes. She loves to shop! She is interested in animals, perhaps a safari and or camel ride? Is there a place to see where elephants are cared for? Are there animal sanctuaries to see? She would love to go river rafting or zip lining. She definitely wants henna. Is an overnight train ride workable?
Thanks in advance!
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Old Aug 10th, 2022, 02:08 PM
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Moved to Asia Forum and tagged for India
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Old Aug 10th, 2022, 03:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Petalstorm
Hello,
I have been lurking on this site for a few weeks. I’ve spent a lot of time reading and have gotten a lot of great information. It’s almost too much information. I’m having difficulty narrowing things down.
The plane tickets have been purchased. We are traveling to India by way of Turkey and arrive in Delhi December 27. My daughter will be with me in India until January 7 and I will be traveling solo from the 7-24 of January. After she returns home and I’m on my own, I’d like to visit Rishikesh and Kerela and slow the travel tempo waaay down.
Traveling with a teenager will present a variety of challenges. She and I have spoken about safety issues and I will not be letting her out of my sight. I plan to have a driver and guide the entire time that she is with me. I know that she will have a limited attention span for a lot of “old buildings”. The Taj Mahal and Varanasi are must sees.
I would like input on what places and or experiences you all feel would hold the interest of a teenager. She loves making jewelry and clothes. She loves to shop! She is interested in animals, perhaps a safari and or camel ride? Is there a place to see where elephants are cared for? Are there animal sanctuaries to see? She would love to go river rafting or zip lining. She definitely wants henna. Is an overnight train ride workable?
Thanks in advance!
Tons to see in Delhi.
Lotus Temple.
India Gate.
The new and revitalized Chandi Chowk for food and shopping and Connaught Place for same.
A fav of mine is the home of Indira Gandhi which is a shrine to her.
Delhi haat for arts and crafts shopping.
Beside the Taj consider Agra Fort and Fatepur Sikri in Agra.
Consider a leisurely houseboat ride in Kerala.
Consider going to Amritsar to see the Golden Temple especially at night if possible and Jalianwala Bagh.
If you get a chance go to the Wagah border from Amritsar to see the Indo-Pak changing of the guard. Never have I seen such strutting and high stepping in my life. You can google it to see if this appeals to you but it’s quite a show!
Enjoy!


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Old Aug 11th, 2022, 05:16 AM
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We’ve been to India twice; first to Delhi, Varanasi and Rajasthan, and then to Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Mumbai. We loved the first trip a lot and we’re blown away. We enjoyed, but weren’t as excited by the second.

There is much in Rajasthan to see and do, and though I can’t tell you whether a teenager would love it, we absolutely loved almost everything we saw and did there. I’d say shopping is relatively easy in most of the cities in Rajasthan, with Jaipur (a larger city) having an especially wonderful market. I loved Udaipur - beautifully sited on the water.

I did a search for India for teenagers and found this website, which I thought might be helpful:
https://www.ottsworld.com/blogs/indi...l-experiences/

Here is the trip report from our first trip; perhaps it will give you some ideas:
Just returned from an amazing trip to India!

By the way, I’m sure you realize it, but Kerala and Rishikesh are in entirely different parts of the country.

Are you working with an agent? It is so much easier to deal with the chaos of India when an agent is coordinating a driver and other needs. I’ve worked with different ones and each were good. In one case, I chose to book my own hotels and in the other, it was all arranged for us. It was wonderful having an agent to speak with on a regular, usually daily, basis. It’s not an easy country to travel and this smoothed out all the kinks.



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Old Aug 11th, 2022, 07:13 AM
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Originally Posted by progol
We’ve been to India twice; first to Delhi, Varanasi and Rajasthan, and then to Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Mumbai. We loved the first trip a lot and we’re blown away. We enjoyed, but weren’t as excited by the second.

There is much in Rajasthan to see and do, and though I can’t tell you whether a teenager would love it, we absolutely loved almost everything we saw and did there. I’d say shopping is relatively easy in most of the cities in Rajasthan, with Jaipur (a larger city) having an especially wonderful market. I loved Udaipur - beautifully sited on the water.

I did a search for India for teenagers and found this website, which I thought might be helpful:
https://www.ottsworld.com/blogs/indi...l-experiences/

Here is the trip report from our first trip; perhaps it will give you some ideas:
Just returned from an amazing trip to India!

By the way, I’m sure you realize it, but Kerala and Rishikesh are in entirely different parts of the country.

Are you working with an agent? It is so much easier to deal with the chaos of India when an agent is coordinating a driver and other needs. I’ve worked with different ones and each were good. In one case, I chose to book my own hotels and in the other, it was all arranged for us. It was wonderful having an agent to speak with on a regular, usually daily, basis. It’s not an easy country to travel and this smoothed out all the kinks.
Great idea I think especially for a first timer to use an agent.
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Old Aug 11th, 2022, 01:18 PM
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I (older female) have done two trips to India, ten weeks in 2001 and six weeks in 2010, traveling mostly by train with a car and driver on occasion. I was traveling solo, but I would not do that now because I consider that the safety situation has deteriorated.

Lots of info on train travel in India here: https://www.seat61.com/India.htm You might consider night trains from Delhi to Varanasi and/or Jaisalmer (I recommend AC2 class). In Jaisalmer you should be able to arrange a camel ride.

I have not done a safari or visited a wildlife park in India (aside from the bird park near Agra), but from what I have read the experience is hit or miss and mostly miss. I would be very careful about anything involving elephants in India (or elsewhere in Asia for that matter), try to make sure that the animals are handled humanely. It is not a country where I would look for river rafting or zip lining.

I think Kerala is a great idea, although from what I hear the backwaters have become overcrowded with boats, but perhaps it isn't so bad right now.

For my trips see: Travels Round Asia 2001 -- Wilhelm's Words and https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...20/into-india/
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Old Aug 11th, 2022, 03:21 PM
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I would also recommend using an agent for your first trip to India.
Indian Panorama is one we’ve used and were absolutely invaluable when flights from Kerala to Varanasi were cancelled or delayed. They also had wranglers to help with catching trains, there is nothing like a busy Indian train station.

We had a desert experience in Rajasthan riding camels into the sunset, really magical. The details are in my first Indian TR if you search my name.

I would carefully research any animal refuges. The one place I have been (Sunderban Tiger reserve) was poorly managed and in 3 days we only saw a footprint.

Pack light, it is easy and fun to buy clothes and shoes in India.
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Old Aug 11th, 2022, 03:28 PM
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Curious that the OP does not mention their home country or their ethnicity, nor does the OP tell us if mother or father. Curious.
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Old Aug 11th, 2022, 05:38 PM
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Hello, I am the OP. I am an American woman. My daughter and I live in Maryland.
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Old Aug 12th, 2022, 07:18 AM
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Originally Posted by Petalstorm
Hello, I am the OP. I am an American woman. My daughter and I live in Maryland.
Thank you. That’s more than generous. There is no need to post your ethnicity really IMO . Hardly anyone who posts here does that. It’s not required.
She asked for trip ideas and got them. That’s it.
Good luck with your planning!
Larry

Last edited by jacketwatch; Aug 12th, 2022 at 08:12 AM.
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Old Aug 21st, 2022, 11:17 PM
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Between your arrival, and departure of your dear daughter from India, keep the architectural - heritage visits to the minimal. Of course, Taj Mahal and a couple of good Forts like Amber in Jaipur or Mehrangarh at Jodhpur are a must visit. Keep Varanasi on your agenda. Teenagers love outdoor activities, like going to a safari for a tryst with tigers, camel ride in the desert, cycling in the countryside etc. There are several destinations where such activities are available. The Chambal Safari lodge will afford a delightful river cruise in the morning; Manvar luxury camps have both camel & Jeep rides; Dera Amer will allow you to bathe and paint elephants; Hotel Khas Bagh & Rohet Garh have horse riding but be careful the local Marwari horses can sense a non-rider from trained rider and do behave oddly; A sun downer on an ancient fort is an experience...best at Shahpura Bagh; a stay in a fort-palace like Chanoudgarh will add to the pleasure of a holiday and of course a mid-week visit to Tadoba will allow you a tryst with wild tigers...
Happy travels!
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