Everything was as promised

Dec, 2022

My husband and I took a two-week tour of India as a fourth wedding anniversary gift to ourselves. We did the Golden Triangle (Delhi/Agra/Jaipur) and then a week in the hills (Manali & Shimla). Ultimately, I decided to book with Ganpat because the cost was reasonable for what was provided.

Ganpat was always prompt with his replies, and the drivers he hired were excellent. Everything promised in the contract was provided. Someone was waiting for us as soon as we cleared immigration in Delhi, and we had a driver as promised until we were dropped off at Chandigarh airport to begin our journey back to New York. If you're a worrier like me, rest easy. This is no scam operation. We also had guides in Delhi/Agra/Jaipur, which is a must given how much Westerners are harassed in many places. Vikram, our driver for the Golden Triangle, was always calm, cool, and collected, even in the craziest traffic! I appreciated the extreme care he took in all of his driving. I never felt unsafe with him. One last thing, he also was on time for a 3:30 am pickup to get us to Delhi airport for our flight north to Kullu. He was a true champ in that case. I know that couldn't have been easy, but we really appreciated it.

We also got to spend an evening with Ganpat at his home. His wife cooked a meal for us. I'm glad we got that experience. It was enlightening to see how an 'average' family lives and to get away from the usual touristy things for a bit. Ganpat himself is a good conversationalist, and his English is quite good.

Our driver in Manali/Shimla, in particular, however, was fantastic. He expertly navigated the winding mountain roads and got us everywhere we needed to be safely. We made it to the Rohtang Pass and back (HIGHLY recommend) with no issues, and at times those roads are narrow with no guard rails and a sheer drop off one side. He was also incredibly honest, even refusing a large tip and only accepting a smaller one. We were more than happy to give the amount originally offered, but he wouldn't take it. I have a friend in Delhi, and when I explained the situation to her, she told me that our driver was being honest by only taking the smaller amount. I wish I had his name, but sadly I don't. He was awesome though.

Manali was easily our favorite city, and we were grateful that Ganpat booked us four nights there (go to Chopsticks if you end up there). Anyone reading this: VISIT THE INDIAN HIMALAYAS! They are amazing. It was the best part of our trip. We flew from Delhi to Kullu and when we alighted from the plane, I had the biggest, stupidest grin on my face. Escaping the Delhi smog into the crisp, clean(er) mountain air was like heaven. There isn't as much Western tourism in Himachal Pradesh, though, so it was interesting.

Regarding payment, we were able to pay 20% down with the option to pay the remaining 80% in-country. I ended up sending the 80% as a bank transfer just before we left the US, since I didn't want to carry a wad of cash with me and risk getting robbed. It worked out nicely.

All of the frustrations we experienced (demonetization of the 500 and 1000 Rs notes being one, unruly children and unfriendly staff at the hotel in Manali, communication barriers despite most people speaking and understanding some English) were not Ganpat's fault. If we were to return to India, we wouldn't hesitate to contact Ganpat to organize our next tour.