26 May 2024
If you want to get away from the city and experience the history and culture of India then book this tour. Yes, 6:30 is an early morning pickup, but the reward is to have the chance to spend the day with Praveen, who loves to share his extraordinary historical knowledge with you.
The tour takes you out of the city and into the country in order to give you a truly off the beaten track experience. Praveen’s in depth commentary during the visit at the Lepakshi Temple made it easy for me to imagine what a pilgrimage to the temple would have been like for those who made the pilgrimage hundreds of years ago. In his quest to make certain his guests had the correct information, Praveen stopped to have a quick conversation with a temple priest to confirm that he had a piece of history right.
Another part of the tour that I thought was valuable was the easy conversations that we had while travelling in the car. Praveen was happy to discuss any topic that I thought would give me a better understanding of his country. Among other things, we talked about economic development generally, the opportunities available to the youth of India, the electoral process, and engagement/marriage customs
The Nandi Hills are beautiful, the views are breathtaking, the lunch was relaxing and the food was delicious. It was very hot during my visit in April, so we took the bus to the top of the hills. I was happy that Praveen knew about this option so that I experience the views without the stress of hiking in the heat. It’s easy for you to read the description of what you will see during the tour, but what you really need to know is that you will be cared for like a friend during your Hidden Gems Tour