07 Aug 2019
This tour is a really relaxed and comfortable way of seeing the major highlights of each of the cities included. I am a single, white female in my 20s and had a couple of weeks between jobs to kill. I really wanted to visit India in a convenient way where i didn’t need to organise anything (save for compatible international flights) and would be safe, accompanied by professionals. Usually you are out of the hotel from 9am until 4/5pm and the guide (a different one in each city) will meet you at the lobby on each day.
The tour company went above and beyond on various occasions. In Jaipur, I really wanted to get some Henna (not on the itinerary) and we stopped near a little hidden temple near at the side of the road and a local lady did a great job. Also, I didn’t want to take the elephant ride for personal reasons/ beliefs and the guide was absolutely fine with that and let me take the elevator/ stairs at the amber fort. Because it meant we went a bit quicker, I managed to also see the royal cemetery of various Mughals with beautiful burial monuments.
Emirates (usually amazing but this time horrific) smashed a beautiful hand painting I purchased in Udaipur. In order to make my claim, I had to show a receipt that had lost. Azhar, company director, liaised with the local merchant in Udaipur to send me a photo of his merchant copy so I could pursue Emirates for the damage.
Azhar went to school in Agra and new all of the little nooks and crannies at the Taj Mahal (where to sit at sunset, how to deal with locals in a polite and kind way who wanted photos, taking great shots and helping me take great pictures of the Taj from specific places).
All of the guides answered my various questions about Indian culture past and present and spoke from their own experiences. The lunch places were all excellent with a variety of dishes. These were a lot cheaper than the five star hotel dinner menus but also equally as delicious.
On the travel days between cities there is usually no sight seeing but I really appreciated this. The weather is HOT and travel on Indian roads does not lend itself well to sleeping. I am well above average on the active scale and was grateful of peace and quiet after 6 hours of boinging around. You WILL need to rest and will be grateful to sit by the pool/ have lazy dinner/ go to the spa (the one at the ITC in Agra is the best).