Is This a good trip plan?

yami_frank

yami_frank

New Member
Hi I want to backpack by myself around the south of India My main goals on this journey are to jungle treck, see some temples and go to an ashram.
Money for the journey (flights apart) : 900£ Planning to stay 1 month.
Arrive: 10th jan airport kochi.
Leave: 10th feb airport Goa Stop by:
-Munar, Kerala for jungle trecking.
- Coimbatore to stay at a ashram for a few days.
- Mysore. for city seeing, temples, markets etc.
- Hampi, for bouldering, monkey temple, lake.
- Palolem, touristy easy going to party bit, chill and then fly home.
Any traveller that could give me any tips, tell me whether this is not enough time, the journey too long, too little money, better places to see..... ANYTHING HELPS! thank you.

Here is the route on the map:

https://goo.gl/maps/qjCLiUqsPNQ2
 
G

Gurusathy

The Rambler
hi Frank,

Welcome to India and hope you enjoy the places. I can suggest following things for you based on your little plan:

1. From cochin - visit padnamabha swamy temple. visit poovar (there is a beach you can access only through back waters.) local auto guys can help.
2. Munnar - try to visit silent valley one day.. worth a night to spend.
3. Mysore - visit coorg for tea plantations. also, Thala Cauvery is a must.
4. Hampi - before reaching hampi, try to visit Sringeri mutt. its a very very old temple that will give you immense peace.

Good luck to your journey and do update your trip...

Guru raj
yami_frank said:
Hi I want to backpack by myself around the south of India My main goals on this journey are to jungle treck, see some temples and go to an ashram.

Here is the route on the map:

https://goo.gl/maps/qjCLiUqsPNQ2
Click to expand...
 
anupmathur

anupmathur

Super Moderator
Staff member
Frank, welcome to BCMTouring! :)
India is in a bit of turmoil these days. There has been a very heavy demonetization that has rendered 86% of the country's currency worthless (in a country where almost all transactions are done in cash). The new banknotes (to replace the demonetized ones) are coming in very very slowly. There are absurdly small limits on how much money can be changed or withdrawn per week. Banks are overburdened with irate customers crowding them.

While credit card payments will work at some places, they won't at others. You could get by using your UK credit card (with whatever extra they charge for cross currency transactions), but at least it would be possible to transact.

Yes, all this prevailing chaos will take a bit of the fun out of your holiday but you'd be able to handle it.
 
anupmathur

anupmathur

Super Moderator
Staff member
Any tourist visiting India is allowed to carry a maximum of Rs. 25000/- in cash. Any more and you should declare it to Customs.
The problem is likely to be the severe scarcity of the new Indian banknotes. If you can obtain those in UK, it would be a good idea to carry a few thousand Indian Rupees in cash, preferably in denominations of Rs.500 and Rs.100.

A glance through this would be useful: http://www.immihelp.com/travel-to-india/carrying-currency-to-from-india.html
 
O

omega

Active Member
yami_frank said:
oh damn.... so what about exchanging money from pounds in the uk?
Click to expand...
You could, my hunch is you'll get a very bad rate.

That apart, 900 pounds is a comfortable budget to back pack. Keep in mind most national parks in India do not have unrestricted entry. You definitely cannot trek in them, if that's what you had in mind. Of course other areas' are open to all :)

Not sure if Coimbatore is the best place for Ashrams. Down south, my suggestion would be auroville in pondicherry.
 
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