Without the dust in Rajastan India is indeed a great destination not only for Westerners but anyone interested in East Indian cultures and traditions. Food was good but a little too salty for my tastebuds. In southern India food not as salty but also very good.
I plan at some later time to revisit India but be a little more prepared to deal with the dust and the northern weather in January.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
8-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
New Delhi, Kochi, Chennai, Keral
New Delhi, Kochi, Chennai, Kerala & Tamil Nadu, Agra, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Mandawa, Rajasthan, Mamallapuram, Pondicherry, Tanjore, Madurai, Periyar, Kumarakom, Jaipur, Pushkar, Jodhpur
We booked the Classic Ceylon Sri Lanka Tour for our honeymoon. The tour agent was Aitken Spence Travels. Day 1: Arriving at Colombo airport, we were greeted by our guide/driver named Rane (guide and driver are the same person throughout the tour). Our first stop was the Ramada Hotel in Columbo, where we checked in. You can take advantage of the afternoon to explore the city or relax at the hotel. We have reviewed each hotel separately in this thread if you want to learn more about each hotel review in detail. Our guide agrees on a time for you to be picked up the next morni g, which was ours at 8am. to start on time. Colombo is a busy city so traffic can be very busy. Day 2: Drive from Colombo to Dambulla, which is approximately a 4-hour drive away. Your guide will make a rest stop for a drink if you wish. Once we reach Dambulla we visit the Temple of the Rock. This fascinating temple is built on the side of a rock with some historical monuments of Buddhas and paintings. Once we had visited the temple, we stopped for lunch at one of the various Sri Lankan tourist restaurants. The food is in keeping with the country and there are usually rice, potatoes, various meats and salads on the menu. We were never disappointed. Lunch is not included in the tour price so it is extra, but at approx 600 rupees it is very reasonable in terms of cost. Some days we didn't fancy lunch and you can skip this if you want. Your driver will be very accommodating. We were then taken to our hotel which would be home for the next 3 nights: Amaara Forest Hotel (review available separately). The following days consisted of: Day 3 - Drive from Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa to visit the 2nd Heritage of the Capital City. This is an amazing experience that offers a fantastic insight into Sri Lankan history. After this we reached Minneriya to the national park. The opportunity to see elephants in the wild is something not to be missed. There are also wild buffaloes, monkeys, birds, and many more animals to witness. We also visited a silk shop where silk was made, and we were dressed in traditional Sri Lankan clothing, where you can take photos of each other. The ladies at this store were wonderful and we bought a few items. The woodcarving factory is also a good stop, where you can watch how they make traditional Raksha masks and other items. We really wanted to buy a pair of these and the factory store on site had plenty to choose from at reasonable prices. Day 4 - Sigiriya Rock Fortress (Lion Rock). This spectacular rock of approximately 200 m high has impressive views. The only way to achieve this is through lots of steep steps so you will need to wear some good trainers as flip flops will wreck your feet. It can get quite busy on the stairs for the first part as there are historical paintings to see a third of the way which causes the delay, but it picks up soon after. Don't let this delay put you off, I almost decided not to bother you, but the wife talked me into it and I'm glad I did. When you get to about 2/3 of this way, this is where the Lions entrance is. At one point this one had a huge rock lion face on it which is sadly gone. From this point you can reach the top and the view of Sri Lanka can be seen for miles. Word of advice to all of you, there are people who offer to "show" you the rock, they will expect payment for their services, so you politely say no or agree to a cost up front. Also when on the stairs there will be men offering to help him up (at one point taking my wife's hand and escorting her down the stairs which I soon said no to) in all fairness once I say no they will leave you alone, so don't do it. Don't let this discourage you, but be prepared. This day you also have a tour of a rural town in a carriage and a boat ride. You may be offered lunch here which is a great experience and at 600 rupees well worth it. A local lady prepares dinner in her cabin in the woods, and there is a good choice to have. You won't get a chance to experience this again so totally recommend it. Day 5 - Kandy. The journey from the hotel above to here is around 2.5 hours, but it breaks down to an intermediate stop at Spice Garden, where you can see how various spices grow and are shown how to make curry mixes from scratch. The day also included a visit to a gem museum. Generally these places have a room or two showing the history of the gems etc but then a shop at the end. We found the gem shop too expensive for what we wanted to get out of our souvenir shopping, so we didn't buy anything. Again, you don't have to buy anything if you just want to look around. After you transfer to another hotel, we stopped at Earls Regent in Kandy. Day 6 - We visit the Botanical Garden which is a lovely relaxing day where you can walk slowly and take in the surroundings. After this, you can have lunch or return to the hotel to relax. Day 7: We visit a tea plantation on this day where you can see the process from tea leaf picking to the final product. We were allowed to pick tea leaves in the hills as well as visit the shop on site to pick up some reasonably priced local tea/souvenirs. From this point, you can return to the final hotel of the tour to rest in Nuwara Eliya. You can, if you wish, take a walk in the area near the hotel. Day 8 _ This is the route back to the airport, which takes around 7 hours in total, but is broken down by the different sights offering opportunities for waterfalls and a few breaks at local cafes and restaurants. As a guide, we leave at 8:30 am and arrive at the airport at 3:30 pm. Overall the tour was amazing but very tiring. It's not a relaxing vacation, so if you can get a second week in a row somewhere, you can relax. We went to the Maldives which is a 1 hour flight to Male airport. Some final points:
We were advised to tip the driver between $5-10 per person per day as an example, but you can tip what you feel was worth. Your guide will offer to take you to other places that are not listed on the tour and will be charged. If you don't want to do this, just say no thanks and they won't accept you. We almost fell for this and arrived at a spa which we were told would cost 5,000 rupees each for an hour which works out to a total of �40 so not a huge cost but we really didn't want a spa visit So we politely said we weren't interested. On the last day you will also be asked if you want to go rafting, which we didn't do as the last thing we wanted was to get wet en route to the airport. Overall, a worthwhile trip to an amazing country.
I must say that we had a wonderful holiday. I would like to thank you and the whole team involved with this tour so much for everything you did to ensure we had the best vacation!!!
It was so nice to have contacts to pick us up and take us where we needed to go. The Guides and Driver were really very good. All the accommodations at Jaipur and Agra were perfect.
We will not hesitate to recommend your services to our friends and relatives.
Best regards.
Stanley Holmes
City sightseeing
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, Khajuraho, Jaipur, Agra, Orchha
Embark on an unforgettable journey through southern India, starting in the vibrant streets of Kochi and ending on the shores of Kovalam. Discover a thousand shades of green, indulge in some of the continent’s freshest food and share moments of connection with locals. Journey through tea plantations in Munnar and encounter wildlife in Periyar National Park. Cruise the serene backwaters of Kumarakom and see sunsets over Vembanad Lake. Delve into the region’s spice trade and Ayurvedic traditions in the Western Ghats mountains before unwinding on the beaches of Kovalam. This adventure introduces you to the natural beauty of an area less travelled from the comfort of a private vehicle.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Trip was amazing. We covered all the places as per the itinerary. Our guide is very humble and great person, explained about all the places in detail. Worth visiting the coutnry with Aitken & Spence.
This tremendous 14-day trip takes you through the immense area of Rajasthan to explore its great past. Discover the great times of the maharajas of the area and travel back in time, discovering its magnitude of strengths and impressive forts. You will visit important cities, the desert and the illustrious Taj Mahal. This trip combines contrasts and cultural riches with all the magic of Rajasthan.
Art and architecture
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
6-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
New Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Mandawa
New Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Mandawa, Rajasthan, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur
15% OFF TODAY
This deal is valid for limited time. Book now to reserve your seats.
We really enjoyed this trip, our driver and guide were very professional, very friendly and fun to travel with. They made sure all our requests were met, this was the best trip so far.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
1-79 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Jaipur, Varanasi, Agra, Delhi &
Jaipur, Varanasi, Agra, Delhi & Golden Triangle, New Delhi
Visit India and follow the famous Golden Triangle. Enjoy the perfect introduction to India's three most popular destinations - Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur - as we explore the icons and discover the secrets of this fascinating region. Experience the history of massive forts, the opulence of Rajasthan's palaces, and the traditions of a heritage homestay. Head north into the Himalayan foothills and be introduced to the Mountains and Mystics of this incredible country. These mystical lands look and feel very different from the rest of India - from the food and clothes to the crisp, clean mountain air and spiritual sway of the inhabitants. Discover the complex diversity of India and be enchanted by a land balanced between physical and spiritual worlds.
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, Home-stay
Age Range
15-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
New Delhi, Shimla, Mandi, Dharam
New Delhi, Shimla, Mandi, Dharamshala, Amritsar, Rishikesh, Jaipur, Karauli, Agra
Discover the richness of India and its glorious past during this 11-day tour. Starting from Delhi, where we will pick you up upon arrival, this tour takes you through Jaipur, Agra, Khajuraho and Varanasi, where it comes to an end.
See the majestic Mughal monuments of Delhi and Agra, including the Taj Mahal, during guided sightseeing tours. Discover the ornate temples of Khajuraho, known for their intricate sculptures, explore the holy city of Varanasi and learn more about the Rajput era in Jaipur.
In addition to the sightseeing tours, you will also get to enjoy three activities: a rickshaw ride in Chandani Chowk (Delhi), elephant ride at Amber Fort (Jaipur) and a boat ride in the River Ganges in Varanasi. This tour comes to an end in Varanasi, where we will drop you off at the airport on the last day. For more details, please go through the itinerary below.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
10-90 yrs
Operated in
english, french, german, italian, spanish
Destinations
New Delhi, Jaipur, Varanasi, Kha
New Delhi, Jaipur, Varanasi, Khajuraho, Agra
10% OFF TODAY
This deal is valid for limited time. Book now to reserve your seats.
I had the most amazing time on a trip to India with this travel operator. It was well thought out from start to finish. Our tour guide was really knowledgeable about the places we were visiting, he went above and beyond and kept things fun. The places we saw were overwhelmingly beautiful. The perfect mix of culture and a good time. I'd definitely travel with them again. Thank you!
Sightseeing ToursWalking tours
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
18-40 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
New Delhi, Ranthambore National
New Delhi, Ranthambore National Park, Agra, Udaipur, Pushkar, Jaipur
22% OFF TODAY
This deal is valid for limited time. Book now to reserve your seats.
Spend eight days discovering the cultural wonders of northern India, starting and ending in Delhi. From the bustling bazaars of Old Delhi to the majestic Taj Mahal in Agra, this tour is packed with iconic sights and rich history. Stay in heritage properties in Karauli or Dholpur, and explore Jaipur’s ornate palaces and the striking Amber Fort. Highlights include rickshaw rides, Mughal architecture, and the vibrant Pink City. With plenty of free time and optional experiences like hot-air ballooning and street food tours, this trip offers a colourful, well-rounded introduction to India’s Golden Triangle.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
18-80 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
New Delhi, Agra, Karauli, Jaipur
New Delhi, Agra, Karauli, Jaipur
25% OFF TODAY
This deal is valid for limited time. Book now to reserve your seats.
Blissful Sri Lanka with Exceptional service. Sri Lanka with its endless beaches, oodles of elephants and flavourful food makes this beautiful country irresistible. My husband and I were extremely fortunate to spend 7 days in Sri Lanka, made fabulous with all the tour guides and arrangements made by Aitkin Spence. The itinerary, service, and attention to detail was nothing but exceptional! All tour guides were extremely knowledgeable always willing to answer any questions we had on all sorts of topics and also pointing out interesting things to see and sharing their wealth of knowledge on Sri Lanka. Both my husband and I had a few last minute changes to the itinerary and Aitken Spence staff were always happy to ensure our trip was memorable, always going above and beyond. Hotel stays and choices of restaurants for food were breathtakingly beautiful and we could no way have found them ourselves. We were accommodated for as a couple and our tour ended with a private elephant ride in the sunset and a romantic private dinner at a beautiful hotel amongst the tropical beauty of Sri Lanka. A special commendation to Nihaal for greeting us at the airport and showing us the hustle and bustle of Colombo, Malikante for warmly meeting us at our hotel to run through the itinerary and making us feel very welcome to Sri Lanka, and Deepthi for giving us memorable experiences with elephants (our favourites), this really made the trip . A heartfelt thank you to Anil Sir for making this dream a reality for my Husband and I. We look forward to booking with you again very soon.
Art and architecture
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Bungalow, Resort
Age Range
6-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Colombo, Dambulla, Kandy, Nuwara
Colombo, Dambulla, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Unawatuna
15% OFF TODAY
This deal is valid for limited time. Book now to reserve your seats.
