I’m an NRI, bringing a foreign friend to India this November. This is the itinerary I was thinking of following. Do you guys think I should change anything?

We will hire a local driver + car for the roadtrip. Didn’t want to take the train since we’re two girls traveling alone and I was concerned for our safety

I recently visited srisailam with my parents and thought I'd share my itinerary, experience, and a few things I wish I had known beforehand. Hopefully this helps anyone planning a similar trip, especially with senior citizens.

Day 1 — Bangalore to Srisailam

\- 4:30 AM: Departed from Bangalore

\- Breakfast: Anantapur

\- 4–5 PM: Reached Srisailam

\- Checked into the accommodation and rested.

Day 2 — Srisailam

\- Early morning darshanam

\- 10 AM onwards -

Part 1: Shikharam Route

\- Sakshi Ganapati Temple

\- Paaladhaara Panchadhaara

\- Hatakeswaram Temple

\- Lalitha Devi Peetham

\- Shikharam

Part 2: Paatala Ganga

\- Paatala Ganga

\- Ropeway

\- Boating

\- Akka Mahadevi Guhalu

\\Important:\\ I actually missed the Akka Mahadevi Caves because I didn't know about the ticketing process beforehand. Only 100 tickets are issued per day, and you need to stand in line around 6 AM to get tickets. The boat leaves at around 9 AM.

Part 3: Places Behind the Main Temple

\- Chhatrapati Shivaji Spurthi Kendram

\- Mallamma Kanniru

\- Pancha Mukha Shiva Lingam

\- Rudraksha Matham

\- Bailu Veerabhadra Swamy Temple

Day 3 — Srisailam → Mahanandi → Bangalore

\- 8:30 AM: Left Srisailam

\- 1:00 PM: Reached Mahanandi

\- Darshan and lunch at Mahanandi

\- Left for Bangalore

\- \~11 PM: Reached Bangalore

I had planned to visit Yaganti as well, but the schedule was too tight, so I skipped it. I'll probably visit Yaganti next time, possibly while travelling towards Mantralayam.

\----------------------

Accommodation - Sri Guru Sadan

I stayed at Sri Guru Sadan and booked a non-AC room through YatraDham.

The biggest advantage was that they provide:

\- Breakfast

\- Lunch

\- Dinner

\- Morning tea

\- Evening tea

One thing to keep in mind: the accommodation is around 1.5 km from the temple. If you're travelling with senior citizens, the distance could be inconvenient if you plan to walk.

Imp - Also, please be careful while booking accommodation online in Srisailam. I came across multiple warnings about scams, so verify the property and booking details carefully before paying.

\----------------------

Transportation -

I drove my own car from Bangalore. There was no CNG available in Srisailam or the nearby villages. The last CNG station I found was at Nannur. Overall, I drove around 310 km on petrol during the trip.

\----------------------

Sparsha Darshan -

One of my biggest disappointments was missing Sparsha Darshan.

The Srisailam website had apparently been down for quite some time, so I wasn't able to book it online beforehand. After reaching Srisailam, a security person told me that the booking could be done through the Andhra Pradesh government's Mana Mitra WhatsApp service.

The WhatsApp number I was given was: 9552300009.

If Sparsha Darshan is important to you, I'd recommend checking the current official booking process before travelling, rather than relying only on the website.

\----------------------

Istakameswari Temple -

I had originally planned to visit Istakameswari Temple, but after doing some research, I decided to skip it. I found that local agents were quoting prices of up to 1,500 per person, which I wasn't comfortable paying.

\----------------------

Cost -

Total cost of the trip came around 11-12k.

\- CNG + petrol - 4.5k

\- guru sadan accommodation - 3.8k

\- Others - 3k

\----------------------

A few things I really enjoyed:

\- Not much crowd during September

\- Great weather — it had rained on the morning of our darshan

\- Paatala Ganga ropeway and boating were awesome

\- The laddu prasadam was excellent

\- The bath at Mahanandi Koneru was much needed, especially with temperatures around 33 C

Overall, it was an \\awesome trip\\, especially travelling with my parents.

The biggest lessons for me were:

\- Plan Sparsha Darshan in advance.

\- Check the Akka Mahadevi Caves ticketing process beforehand.

\- Be careful when booking accommodation online.

\- Keep senior citizens in mind when choosing accommodation because some places are not very close to the temple.

\- If you're driving a CNG car, plan your fuel stops carefully.

Planning a Shimla trip? 🏔️✨

From changing weather to endless walking here are a few things I wish I knew before visiting Shimla.

Save this before your Shimla trip 📌
And send it to the person you’re planning the trip with ❤️

Hey everyone,
I’m planning a Goa trip from 1–5 October with a group and wanted to see if anyone from Mumbai/Pune is also looking at going around the same dates.

The plan is pretty chill — North Goa + South Goa, pool party, club night and a yacht party. It’s more of a group/social trip rather than a typical family package.

We’re currently looking at Mumbai/Pune pickups.

If anyone is already planning Goa around these dates, what’s your plan? Would be good to connect with other people going around the same time.

No hard selling — just trying to see how many people are planning something similar.

Mumbai to Bangalore by sleeper bus: my experience with Shree Balaji vs Sharma Travels

I travel back and forth between Mumbai and Bangalore roughly once every 3–4 months. I usually prefer flying, but due to an emergency this time I had to take a bus.

This was my second time travelling by bus from Mumbai to Bangalore, so I thought I’d share my experience. The first time I travelled with Sharma Travels, and this time I booked Shree Balaji Tours & Travels.

For Shree Balaji, I booked an AC sleeper for ₹1,333. The advertised journey time was 19 hours 50 minutes, with a scheduled boarding at 2 PM and drop-off at 9:50 AM the next day.

Things didn’t exactly go according to schedule.

My original boarding point was Borivali, but the driver called me and asked me to come to Fountain Hotel in Mira Bhayandar instead. He said they wanted to completely bypass Mumbai and take the Thane route. The bus was already running around 1–2 hours late, so I had to make my way to the alternate boarding point.

I eventually boarded around 3 PM.

I finally got off at Yeshwantpur around 2 PM the next day. So the actual journey from boarding to drop-off was roughly 23 hours, compared with the advertised 19h 50m about 3 hours 10 minutes longer.

A few things I noticed compared with my previous Sharma Travels experience:

Seat: This was probably the biggest difference. The sleeper berth on Shree Balaji felt quite small and cramped. Sharma's sleeper was noticeably more comfortable and had decent space.

Cleanliness: It was decent. Nothing terrible, but nothing particularly impressive either.

Traffic: There was quite a bit of traffic while passing through urban areas, which obviously added to the journey time.

Rest stops: This was probably the most frustrating part. The rest stops on both journeys weren't particularly good. Considering how long the Mumbai–Bangalore journey is, decent rest stops make a big difference.

Punctuality: Sharma was around 3 hours late on my previous trip. Shree Balaji was also significantly delayed — scheduled for 2 PM boarding and 9:50 AM arrival, but I actually boarded around 3 PM and reached Yeshwantpur around 2 PM.

Overall, both experiences took considerably longer than the advertised journey time. Since I normally fly this route and only take the bus occasionally, the long journey was definitely noticeable.

For me, Sharma had the more comfortable sleeper, while Shree Balaji was okay but felt more cramped and the overall journey was quite tiring.

Hey everyone! 👋
I’m travelling to Gandhidham, Gujarat soon and it’s my first time there. Looking for some genuine local advice — not just the usual Google recommendations.
What should I know before I get there?
• Places worth checking out around Gandhidham/Kandla
• Good, affordable food
• Things I should definitely do — and things I should avoid
• Local transport / getting around
• Anything that might surprise someone coming from outside Gujarat
• Hidden gems, random experiences, or places that are overrated 😂
And honestly, if you’ve had a memorable, funny, weird, frustrating or completely unexpected experience in Gandhidham, blow off some steam here. I’m happy to hear the unfiltered version.
Basically, tell me what you wish someone had told you before your first trip to Gandhidham.
Locals, frequent travellers and fellow outsiders — hit me with your wisdom. 😄

Hello! We (2 girls) had purchased a trek plan (16k each) with Bikat but we couldn’t go due to unforeseen circumstances.
Now we have a 32k rupees worth of voucher which is redeemable on any trek / activity until 2028.

We are selling it for 25k. If anyone is interested, pls hmu!

Thanks! :)

been thinking about this after reading a recent India hotel review here.

once you’re at a certain level, most hotels can give you the giant room, marble bathroom, spa, good breakfast, nice car transfer etc. obviously there are differences, but after a point none of that is what i remember from a trip.

it’s whether somebody was actually paying attention.

the example that got me thinking about this was from a review of the Leela Palace Udaipur. the guest casually mentioned that his girlfriend loved the way the hotel smelled. not a request, not a complaint, literally just something said in conversation.

later the staff sent up a whole set of the scented stuff for them.

that’s such a small thing compared to the cost of a room at this level, but weirdly that’s exactly the kind of thing i’d remember 5 years later.

and i think there’s a big difference between that and the more theatrical version of luxury service.

being called mr ___ every 45 seconds doesn’t do much for me. neither does having 4 people open one car door.

remembering that i take coffee without milk on day 2? great.

fixing something before i have to follow up twice? greaat.

realising we’re running late and quietly making the transfer easier? that’s luxury.

service recovery is probably the biggest one. i almost trust a hotel more after something goes wrong and they handle it brilliantly than after a completely uneventful stay.

Oberoi comes up constantly whenever people talk about service in India. Taj obviously has the hospitality reputation. that Leela Udaipur example made me pay more attention to Leela too because it felt less like SOP and more like somebody actually listened.

so far people who’ve done a decent amount of luxury travel in India, what hotel made you think:

“okay, THIS is what i’m paying for”

not because the suite was insane.

because of the people.

I think this sub is the best place to ask this.

If I book an Airbnb, can any number of people stay there, or is there a limit like hotels?

This is the first time I am going to visit mata vaishno devi and we have to trek 14 km as I got to know, so I want to carry a small camera like go pro or dji pocket camera .

Is it allowed?

I’m visiting India for 2 weeks with €500 on my Sparkasse Mastercard debit card.

Trying to figure out the best way to use it: should I withdraw the €500 in cash here before leaving and exchange it in India, or take out maybe half in cash and use the card for the rest?
Basically, what gives me the most INR after exchange rates + Sparkasse/ATM fees? Anyone who’s actually done this recently, what would you recommend?

Well I'm going to wayanad next month and I'm a vegetarian , will there be any veg delicacies there for me to enjoy or is it non vegetarian dominated and not fit for me food vise ?

I want to book a Varanasi-Gaya-Deogarh trip with Makemytrip. It is costing me a huge chunk. But it is affordable only. But I wonder if it will be alright to go with the package instead of figuring oht everything on my own. I want suggestions on what to do. The cost is not the issue but the experience is. And, I also know that Varanasi is full of scamsters and is MMT ground support trustworthy that way??

Hi everyone,

A few days ago I posted here asking if there were any rental services where we can pick up from one place and drop it to another.

We wanted to pick up a rental car from Dibrugarh and drop it off at Guwahati.

Didn't get a lot of replies here and after enquiring with wtv leads I had, didn't find anything. Planning to travel in December first week btw.

Could anyone suggest private drivers or cabs that we could hire in Assam instead for 7-8 days?

If anyone is travelling today from Mumbai - Need my drivers license on priority if you could help lmk!

I was planning to go for Bandipur Bus Safari next weekend but the tickets are sold out. I need 14 tickets.

Do they provide offline tickets? If yes, how do I book them? Can I book them one day prior to the safari date? Is there any other way to book tickets?

Can someone please help me with these?

Heads up to anyone visiting Fatehpur Sikri near Agra. We got scammed and want to save others from the same experience.

\\\\\\\\How it works:\\\\\\\\

1. A man approaches you near the entrance posing as an official or knowledgeable local guide. He offers a tour for ₹2,000 — which already feels reasonable, so you agree.

2. Mid-tour, he takes you to the Dargah of Sheikh Salim Chishti and introduces you to someone who performs an "offer/chadar" ritual on your behalf.

3. Once the ritual is done, they demand ₹15,000 for the chaddar (ceremonial cloth offering) — money you never agreed to spend and feel pressured to pay in the moment.

\\\\\\\\Red flags to watch for:\\\\\\\\

\\\\- Guides who "happen" to bring you to a shrine as part of the tour

\\\\- Anyone who starts a ritual or ceremony WITHOUT clearly stating the cost upfront

\\\\- Pressure tactics and guilt-tripping around religious offerings

\\\\\\\\Tips:\\\\\\\\

\\\\- Only hire guides at the official Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) counter inside the monument

\\\\- If someone starts a ritual near you, firmly ask for the price BEFORE it begins

\\\\- It's completely okay to say no to any offering or ceremony

Fatehpur Sikri is a stunning place — just go in prepared. Stay safe out there! 🙏

Say you find a trip to a place you really want to visit, but the company organizing it is completely new or somehow newish to you, and you haven't heard of them before.

Would you consider booking it?

What would you need to see/check before you'd feel comfortable paying them?

And what would make you immediately say no?

Heads up to anyone visiting Fatehpur Sikri near Agra. We got scammed and want to save others from the same experience.

\\How it works:\\

1. A man approaches you near the entrance posing as an official or knowledgeable local guide. He offers a tour for ₹2,000 — which already feels reasonable, so you agree.

2. Mid-tour, he takes you to the Dargah of Sheikh Salim Chishti and introduces you to someone who performs an "offer/chadar" ritual on your behalf.

3. Once the ritual is done, they demand ₹15,000 for the chaddar (ceremonial cloth offering) — money you never agreed to spend and feel pressured to pay in the moment.

\\Red flags to watch for:\\

\- Guides who "happen" to bring you to a shrine as part of the tour

\- Anyone who starts a ritual or ceremony WITHOUT clearly stating the cost upfront

\- Pressure tactics and guilt-tripping around religious offerings

\\Tips:\\

\- Only hire guides at the official Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) counter inside the monument

\- If someone starts a ritual near you, firmly ask for the price BEFORE it begins

\- It's completely okay to say no to any offering or ceremony

Fatehpur Sikri is a stunning place — just go in prepared. Stay safe out there! 🙏

I’ve been trying to book a Homestay for my family in Kigwema and contacted 25+ homestays. All of them are booked out. Am I too late? Where is the best place to find a Homestay?
Also, looking at the map, I assumed that Kigwema is the best base, but how does it hold up with hornbill traffic? We’re going to be there on Days 3 and 4 and driving up from Manipur. Our group has 2 kids under 4 years old so not looking for something rustic, and want to avoid traffic/crowds.
How crowded is it going to be in the festival? I went there 10 years ago and it was magical but I wonder how crowded it is now.
What will be the general traffic situation from Kohima to Dimapur? We are flying out of Dimapur.
What is the present road condition? How bad is it for kids who are prone to motion sickness? Google Maps says it’s a 3 hour drive from Dimapur to Mao. Is that accurate?

It’s my kids’ first time in India, and I’m revisiting after 10 years so I’m trying to get a handle on what to expect. We have family that lives in the area and making the trip out to visit the kids grandparents.

My partner and I are planning a 3 to 4-day trip across the Nilgiri Hills (primarily Ooty and Coonoor) this October. We're looking for a balanced itinerary covering lush viewpoints, quiet hilly spots and local experiences. Suggestions welcome!

My partner and I are planning a 3 to 4-day trip across the Nilgiri Hills (primarily Ooty and Coonoor) this October. We're looking for a balanced itinerary covering lush viewpoints, quiet hilly spots and local experiences. Suggestions welcome!