This tour gave me a complete taste of India, from the bustling streets of Delhi to the serene backwaters of Kerala. Every destination was thoughtfully planned and the local experiences were exceptional.
My partner and I thoroughly enjoyed our time on this tour! The scenery throughout was incredible, and it was a great contrast to time spent in India’s North visiting the Golden Triangle. Walking in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, a tour of a spice farm, and time on the houseboat in the backwaters were particular highlights. Pacing of the trip was good, with multiple nights in some of the towns, in between longer drives.
Our driver, Noufel, had a good grasp of English, and was very helpful. The tour company and their staff were also very communicative via WhatsApp, and checked in throughout to ensure everything was going well. Our hotels were comfortable and served good food. Most had AC (though it wasn’t really needed in Munnar due to the altitude).
Visiting in Summer, there wasn’t so much wildlife, but the scenery everywhere was still amazing!
What an amazing team! We explored the most beautiful part of India, filled with incredible places and unforgettable experiences. The guides Pooja were excellent and very knowledgeable. Everyone was helpful, and supportive, and went above and beyond to ensure we had an enjoyable trip.
Hi Ritu,
I'm sorry for my delay in responding.
Our experience was fabulous! Your company did a truly wonderful job in making sure that all parts of the trip went smoothly. We appreciated how staff checked in on us and saw us to our next destination. Karan our driver was incredibly kind and professional. We really enjoyed spending time with him. The guides were good as well; we had exceptional guides in Agra and Jaipur.
Thank you for a great trip.
Best,
Jodi Marcus
Uncover the delights of India’s famed Golden Triangle - Delhi, Jaipur and Agra, then head south to tropical Kerala. From Kochi visit the picturesque hill station of Munnar with its verdant tea plantations, spot elephants in Periyar Wildlife Sancutary, relax in sleepy Kumarakom and spend a night aboard a house-boat, gliding along the palm fringed backwaters.
This was my first trip as a single person and I had a fabulous time. The group of 12 (four couples and four singles) really gelled and were very friendly, supportive and fun. The itinerary was very good, with at least one specific thing to do, see or visit each day. The high points were the tea plantation, the spice farm, the cookery evening, the wonderful scenery and the houseboat . The accommodation was generally very good, but the homestay was too basic to be an enjoyable experience. It didn't feel as though we were guests in someone's home, it felt more like a commercial exercise (eg the host talked of building a hotel next year to accommodate more guests). The food was excellent in most places with some well-chosen restaurants/snack bars, and plenty of choice for vegetarians, but I was a little disappointment at the street food experience, which was just selecting one cold, precooked snack (such as samosa, vada or fritter.) I was anticipating some freshly cooked food (while we looked on) such as rice and dahl or pani puri. Also, I thought that the purpose of visiting the market was to select spices and vegetables to use later in our cookery evening, but there wasn't an obvious link. Our guide, Sree, was flexible, knowledgeable and very accommodating of all our needs.
Overall a really great experience with a great group of people. Will definitely use Explore again for another adventurous trip.
