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I loved this tour. It was definitely full on with some long travel days, but in between we saw some magical sites, the Taj Mahal at sunrise in the soft early morning light was breathtaking. The heritage hotels we stayed in were amazing too, several former palaces and a hunting lodge, beautiful buildings, stunning settings. Our guide was brilliant too, everything ran very smoothly and nothing was too much trouble, with ocassionally members of our group doing separate things which he happilly accomodated.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Tent
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
New Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Ajmer
New Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Ajmer, Udaipur, Jojawar, Bikaner
A really very well organized and planned trip. From arrival at the Delhi airport to the last minute - we felt very comfortable! Everyone was very friendly, courteous and helpful to us. We would travel through this tour company at any time. Our special thanks to the Delhi airport representative, our guides in Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, our very good driver and all the people who made this holiday unforgettable for us.
We enjoyed this varied train journey visiting major sights of India. I particularly enjoyed Kolkata, Bodh Gayá, Shimla and Amritsar since I had never visited these places before. I found Varanasi overcrowded (due to religious festival) and found my visit in 2014 much more enjoyable. Indian train journeys are always exciting and give an insight into how a lot of locals travel.
My favourite place was Amritsar beautiful city.
Our tour leader Gajendra Singh Rathore was excellent and made our tour run very smoothly.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Sleeper Train, Lodge
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Amritsar, Kolkata, Shimla, Bodh
Amritsar, Kolkata, Shimla, Bodh Gaya, Varanasi, Agra, New Delhi
Walking around the bustling Thamel, the noise immediately disappeared when entering the garden as if it were a dreams area
Dinner here feels very peaceful, even though it was raining it added to the romantic impression .
This trip was excellent but undoubtedly needs some modifications. The upgraded hotels were good but there was often inadequate time to spend in them and enjoy and relax which was a pity. There should be fewer destinations to reduce travelling time. The visits that should be eliminated are the Beypore boatyard at Calicut (literally a couple of hulks in half construction) and the mosque, the Wildlife safari on arrival at Wayanad was a waste of time as it took an hours travelling in each direction in the afternoon and a one hour trip in a not very comfortable bus to see five elephants in total. The afternoon could have been spent enjoying the lovely hotel at Wayanad. This was an eco hotel based up in the forest and had some activities such as a night safari led by naturalists. Otherwise highlights were undoubtedly included hindu temples, churches, a synagogue, a mosque and the Tibetan monastery. The houseboat cruise and overnight stay in the backwaters of Kerala at Allepey was excellent and memorable. The one hour traditional theatre trip and following meal in Kochi was great. The two train trips were really interesting along with the visits to the tea and coffee plantations. The hotel at Goa was excellent and we had the time to make full use of it and relax. We had booked an extra day. The trip was made all the more memorable by our excellent guide, Shevi, who could not have been more polite, friendly and helpful. The bus we travelled in was air conditioned and very comfortable and the crew extremely pleasant.
Overall I would definitely recommend this trip but hope that Explore may modify it taking into account the comments about travelling times and some of the visits.
City sightseeingBeachCruise
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
"This tour company organized my 10-day trip in India, which included visits through Delhi, Agra with the Taj Mahal, Ranthambore for a safari, Jaipur, and Varanasi. Overall, this felt like a perfect introduction to India, with each city offering completely different experiences in a concise manner. In addition, the tour operator offered additional options in each city that further tailored the experience based on individual preferences. Just a great, organized set-up where it felt that you were able to enjoy the cultural experience - while at the same time having the appropriate amount of time to refresh/reset for a holiday. The value/cost of the tour - from service, experience, hotels, etc - was great.
The entire tour was very well set-up from start to finish, and could not have been more happy with the entire experience. In every instance, there are experienced individuals to assist you in every aspect of the visit to avoid any confusion or lost time - from pick-up at the airport to private drivers to reputable tour guides. The private driver throughout the tour was a great, kind individual and felt very safe throughout the trip. Further, the tour guides selected by the tour operator were great. You could tell that this company had developed a very good niche in the market over time with hiring/selecting these individuals, given their vast experience and knowledge; in addition to their desire to answer all questions and hold good dialogue and conversation throughout the tour (everyone spoke very good English for Westerners).
Finally, the main contact points organizing and managing the trip were exceptional. They always available for any further assistance (even calling my upon arrival) - which all added to the personal touch of the experience. Also, in my case, I actually forgot some personal items on my trip back to India and they assisted with shipping back to me. You can very much tell that these individuals made huge efforts throughout to make the most out of this unbelievable experience. To both Mr. Azhar and Ms. Anu - thanks again for all the assistance throughout the entirety of the trip! Very much appreciated!"
City sightseeingNational parks
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
1-80 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
New Delhi, The Golden Triangle
New Delhi, The Golden Triangle, Varanasi, Ranthambore National Park, Agra, Jaipur
Sujan organize all the trip in this beautiful country. He is serious, available at any moment if you are in trouble during the trip and care of you every day. He's very quick to resolve any problem, also outside Nepal. All was perfect. I'll recommend 👌. Hanni
Local tour specialists organised a fantastic private tour for our group in August/September 2019. We chose the Golden Triangle with Mumbai itinerary and were able to get the best value.
Having liaised with them via email in the months and weeks ahead of the tour to ensure all our queries were answered, we were greeted at Delhi airport by a representative and our driver without issue. From there we were transferred to our first hotel. We opted for 4 star hotels and overall were happy with the accommodation, although once there we would have liked to be a little more central to restaurants/shops etc outside of the hotel for evenings and free time. Our itinerary overall was pretty busy so not too much bother.
We had different guides in each city who were all welcoming and knowledgeable. The particular highlight was our driver for the golden triangle portion, Mangeram, who went out of his way to keep us happy and share his knowledge and expertise with us. His English was great which also enhanced our experienced since we spent a large amount of time in his company traveling. We felt safe with him and that he was trustworthy - especially important as an all female group.
It would have been good to spend a few more days in Mumbai and to stay somewhere central there.
Overall, I would recommend local guides and drivers, who made us feel welcome at each stage.
