India Cultural, religious historic sites Trips

I really enjoyed this tour. Wonderful itinerary taking in so many interesting and memorable sights, not only historic but also of life in one part of this extraordinary kaleidoscope of a country. An excellent taster, particularly if you haven’t been to India before and are a bit hesitant. Arrangements were spot on, with a brilliant guide (Satish), driver and driver’s assistant, warm welcomes everywhere - and the group of 12 was a very nice mix. Quite full on and we were glad we had the time to arrive in Delhi a day early (and visit the excellent textile museum and Gandhi’s house), and also to stay on afterwards for some slower paced days in Kerala.

A magical two weeks, tracing the old camel caravan routes through Rajasthan. Every day there were highlights, whether that be temples, forts, palaces to look at or stay in, and a wonderful array of colours, ladies in elegant saris, noisy markets, beautiful gardens. I particularly loved Jaipur, Udaipur, Bikaner ( the majestic Gajner Palace, have the massage), getting to travel on an Indian train ( left on time, arrived on time), and friendly locals wherever we went. Our outstanding guide Satish was very knowledgeable on sites, history and culture and good fun to be with, along with a nice group. A big shout out to our driver Ram Naresh and his assistant Sita Ram. Faultless driving and big smiles for us every morning as we got on the bus. Do read the trip notes! When Explore says this trip is full on, they really mean it. We had a couple of very long days, but overall I thought it was well balanced with breaks and some optional activities. With highlights popping up every day, I personally wouldn’t have wanted to miss anything. We also knew in late Jan/early Feb. it would be nice and sunny in the day but cold at night, so come prepared. All in all a special trip, highly recommended!

The accommodation was generally very good but let down slightly by the final hotel in Delhi where the bathroom clearly needed attention with mould in the shower of which I have photographs. The itinerary was very good and the guide was very professional and knowledgeable and considerably assisted our understanding and was very patient.

The tour was excellent as was our guide Ashish. We toured New Delhi ahead of the January 26th Independence Day and saw grand boulevards and temples. We traveled to Jaipur by bus to see the ancient city and rode an elephant to the entrance. Later we visited a jewelry maker to learn about the gems from India and see examples of jewelry for sale. Next we went to Agra to see the Taj Mahal which was stunning. From there we went to Ranthambhore National Park to see tigers in the wild. I would suggest this trip for seasoned travelers as the winter air can cause irritation and the crowds of enthusiast street venders can be a bit much.

This was a good way to get a flavor of India in the north/northwest. It would be impossible to see "everything" given that "India isn't a country...it's a CONTINENT!" (per our guide). But this trip allows one to see several cities and towns, has a mix of city and countryside of the area, many forts, the Taj, and plenty of good food. Recommended.

It was a fabulous group of people. The leader of the group was amazing. Unfortunately, we had to leave the trip early because my mother passed away while we were in India. I hope to finish the trip someday.