India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [48]
Tip: Always have your concierge (or yourself to be sure) reconfirm your flight at least 72 hours before departure to save yourself the frustration of arriving at the airport only to find that your name has been deleted from the computer.
By Car
India’s roads are statistically the most dangerous in the world—according to The Times of India, August 2009, India reported the highest road fatalities in the world with 13 people dying every hour. Self-driven rental cars are simply not available (with the exception of unauthorized operators in Goa) and if they were, renting your own car and attempting to traverse the chaos that passes for traffic is simply suicidal. That said, having your own vehicle—and a driver who knows the roads, can read road signs when they’re present, and can communicate with locals—is in many ways the best way to get around. You can set your own pace, without having to worry about making public-transport connections (a major headache taken care of), and you can see the sights and experience many of the attractions without feeling anxious (your driver will be a huge help in providing advice on customs and pricing—not to mention helping with mundane everyday needs such as topping up your local airtime), as well as experience off-the-beaten-track towns and rural scenes that give you the only sense of real India. And by American and European standards, the luxury of being chauffeured around the country—not necessarily in a high-end luxury vehicle, keep in mind—is ridiculously cheap. Certainly this is the way to go to concentrate on certain parts of India, such as Rajasthan, but it’s not advisable as a way to cover long-distance journeys—aim to spend no more than 3 to 4 hours a day in the car (there will be, of course, exceptions). Note: Whatever you do, make sure your plan does not include traveling at night.
If you plan to tour North India by car, setting off from Delhi, contact Khaver Ali Khan (khaver@kamalan-travels.com) who will put you in touch with one of his travel experts at Kamalan Travels , and you can create a custom tour within any budget ( 011-257-30256, -33652, or 97-1100-8521; www.kamalan-travels.com). In South India, we wouldn’t travel with anyone other than Kerala Adventures (www.keralaadventure.com) where Babu John in Kochi ( 0484/231-3744 or 0484/324-2021; comvoyge@vsnl.net) and his brother John Thomas in Trivandrum ( 0471/243-3398 or 0471/231-9548; touch@keralaadventure.com) provide excellent drivers, interesting itineraries, and a formidable understanding of what it is that a foreign traveler wants to get out of their time in India.
What kind of car? Standard cars are sometimes antique-looking and very romantic Ambassadors, tough cars despite their appearance, but sometimes unpredictable; don’t rely on them for long out-of-town journeys—better perhaps to opt for a modern vehicle like the compact Indica. A vehicle with off-road capabilities is essential in some of the more remote and hilly regions, including eastern Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Sikkim, and parts of Uttarakhand; it is also recommended for some of the awful road conditions in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, for example, where there may be more potholes than patches of tarmac. Air-conditioned vehicles cost more but are always recommended because you may want to keep windows closed in order to shut out the endless traffic noise and pollution.
How much will it cost? Charges for this sort of car hire vary considerably; see our guidelines below. If you use a hotel rental service, you usually have to fork out exorbitant fees—although the vehicle and quality of service will generally be top-notch. At the other end of the scale, you can walk up to a driver in the street, negotiate an excellent deal, and spend the rest of your vacation watching the tires being changed. It’s often a good idea to start by contacting the Tourist Development Corporation