Cultural Tours in India

This has been an amazing trip, can't recommend it enough, especially if this is your first trip to India, it's a great introduction to get your bearings. Our trip was nine days and we covered a large geographical area in a relatively short space of time to see the sights in Delhi, Jaipur, Ranthamborne, Agra and Varanasi. To do this we travelled in a private minibus which was really comfortable and also took the public train to Varanasi and Delhi, the train was also really comfortable, spacious and clean , we also had a couple of small boat trips along the Ganges which were really special, so there was a good mix of transport it wasn't all minibus. The sights you see on this trip are stunning, and there are just so many to see. This is a busy trip but that's the beauty of it, you will get to see so much. The hotels we stayed in were of varying standards but mostly very good: Jaipur, Agra, Ranthamborne and Varanasi Hotels were all great and the breakfasts and evening meals in those hotels were really very good indeed. We were taken to some fabulous restaurants to eat in the evenings and the food everywhere we went was delicious and we didn't worry about what we were eating as every place we ate at had been vetted by our excellent tour guide leader. The group we travelled with were so much fun, we all became good friends by the end.

We loved this trip. Yes, some of the hotels were pretty average, yes a few didn't have hot water, and yes some had extremely inefficient staff, but that's not what you are going for. We got to visit the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati which should be on the itinerary. Each place we visited throughout the trip was very much worth the time and effort to get there. Even on the long drive days the stops didn't feel like just fillers that you might get somewhere else. Kaziranga National Park was a lovely day and we saw a lot of elephant and dozens of rhino. So much more than we thought we might, and at a lot closer quarter too. The trek down to the root bridges at Cherrapunjee was another highlight. It is a big effort as described in the notes and in other reviews, but worth every step. They are remarkable. We walk a lot, but never previously used walking poles, however, we did on this day and I'd highly using them. The hotel there is lovely with great views over the Sylhet plains into Bangladesh. Hornbill Festival was incredible and a massive highlight. Our guide, Pema, got us to the festival nice and early and we were able to experience all the tribal groups entering the arena to take their places, all singing, chanting, drumming. Absolutely wonderful and an experience we will remember for a long time. And a second day to fully absorb it. Amazing, loved it! The Majuli Island stay was another totally different environment. The ferry to and from is a great experience. The temple visits were beautiful and a contrast to the full on craziness of Hornbill Festival. It was also really lovely to be able to walk through small villages and meet local people. The day at Longwa village was another extraordinary time. Meeting the ex headhunters, a wander through the hilltop border village, a great lunch in a longhouse. So different from anywhere else we've been. And the last night in a lovely old colonial tea bungalow and time meeting the ladies picking leaves on the plantation was a lovely treat. Things don't work in this part of the world as you may be accustomed to, but just go with it and this trip will reward you with some extraordinary experiences.

Fantastic itinerary covering the major sights, incredible palaces, spectacular forts, and beautiful temples of the ‘Golden Triangle’ Rajasthan. Luxurious beautiful hotels, all diverse in size and style and even one where we arrived and departed by private boat! Upon arrival we were greeted by friendly staff in traditional dress. Some of the hotels performed a traditional scarf ceremony or beautiful flower necklaces with traditional music. A few of the hotels surprised us with rose petals which were sprinkled from high above onto us as we entered! Yes there was the opposite end of the spectrum where in the big cities horns were blowing and scooters were everywhere zigzagging and livestock sometimes laying in the middle of the road. I must say it was all fascinating creating a lot of laughs and part of the experience of India. The itinerary included experiences were great! The places we visited were incredibly beautiful, such diverse architecture, decoration and history. The Taj Mahal sends shivers when you first see it and seems surreal. The sunrise casting a beautiful golden light onto the buildings was sublime. Our Tuk Tuk tour through New Delhi, and our jeep journey through the dunes at sunset with our evening dinner (with entertainment) in the middle of the dunes was fantastic! The mix of the big city, villages, countryside, hilltop fortresses, lakes, forests and sand dunes really gave a great diversity of experiences. We even had monkeys in the trees above us during lunch one day! Our coach was very comfortable and spacious and appreciated the endless bottled water on board. Enjoyed the commentary and care given by our Travelling Concierge who was very helpful with every request. India for me was a country filled with a rainbow of bright color and very lovely and beautiful people who were so polite and friendly with gorgeous smiles! That is one of my big takeaways from this trip. Well done Luxury Gold it was a great holiday and would not hesitate to travel with you again!

We saw some amazing sites throughout Rajasthan. The Taj Mahal (Agra not Rajasthan) was all we expected it to be. There is more time on the bus than anticipated, however, the bus was extremely comfortable and we had adequate breaks. The hotels ranged from very good, to 3 that are exceptional. Our guide was knowledgeable and took very good care of us. The Indian food was toned down to our tastes and was plentiful. Most of it was buffets, so my only disappointment is that I really do not know any more about Indian food than when I began my trip. But I enjoyed what I ate. We very much enjoyed the Indian people and culture. The people are so very friendly and happy. One of the surprises was the door-to-door service. It started us off feelling pampered to have a private car service to the airport; but it really paid off at the end of the trip after we had been traveling for 48 hours. What a lovely touch.

This tour was a wonderful combination of culture, nature, and calming moments on the water. The regional cuisine was excellent. Our trip advisor was attentive and conversational, entertaining all questions with knowledge and patience. It was my first solo tour as an elder tourist and the value and length was a good experience to get my feet wet. The region and people were great and the facilities and transportation were excellent.

The tour was perfectly organised, in a fairly short time you can see a very large number of sights. It was a surprise to me that this was actually an individual tour. For that price, this format is miracle, at the same time, all the guides are russian speaking, which was also pleasent.