Wonderful & Well-Organized

Nov, 2016

I am still processing everything I did in India, and all I can say right now is WOW! We did the Golden Triangle with Udaipur. From airport pickup to checking in at hotels, to our in-country flight, to getting to our various places on schedule, everything was great - always on time, always arranged in advance, and no surprises. Mr. Ganpat did an excellent job for us and was very responsive to my dozens of questions. Although there are several Golden Triangle tours out there, it seems most of them are with bigger companies that put you on a bus. With this company, you have a car and a friendly, private driver! Much more comfortable, especially since some drives across expansive India can be about 4 hours. We got to ride a camel in the beautiful desert at sunset, ride an elephant up a fort (Jaipur), and see beautiful palaces and sacred temples. We also were fortunate enough to eat with Ganpat's family. The food was very good and we were warmly welcomed by his daughters.

Our driver was Mr. Vikram and he was always pleasant! He truly is a great driver - the traffic can be crazy.

Our tours kept us busy. Our best tour guides were Bobby in Agra and Nick in Delhi. They were aware of tourist crowd issues and prime minister visits to Delhi and worked on the spot to modify our schedule so that we could see things, including the Taj Mahal at sunrise(!!!) in the most enjoyable and least crowded way.

We did the 3 and 4 star hotel options, which does not mean the same as in the USA. Most were nice but not what we ever think of as 4 stars! Our Agra, Jaipur, and Delhi hotels were good. Our Pushkar hotel was a bit crowded, so we were ready to leave there when it was time. If I had it to do over and and more money, I would choose to stay in 5 star hotels, especially when in the city for more than one night, e.g. Delhi and Udaipur. Our Jaipur hotel Khandela Haveli was very good, definitely no need for upgrade there.

Some advice if you book:
- Be prepared to pay for entrance fees and tip each tour guide directly.
- Wear socks/Bring extra pair in your purse or backpack. Many monuments and temples require you to remove your shoes while you're walking outdoors.
- You will definitely see cows, monkeys and other animals in the parts of the country you'll be in, including the streets. Cows are sacred.
- The tour guides take you to quality souvenir shops, but you may feel pressured to buy something. Just say no if you're not ready to buy. Our first day in Delhi we went to a nice rug making shop but we didn't know what else we'd need money for, so we bought the least expensive thing under pressure. We could have bought something similar in Agra. I have heard that tour guides get a cut just for taking you to the shops, so you should go out of respect for them. Purchases can be your choice, though. Although the shop owners always encourage you to buy and it does feel like pressure sometimes, again, the quality is good, and shopping at these places is probably much easier than haggling in the streets where there are tons of vendors. The souvenirs at the art school in Udaipur are very high quality - figurines and wall hangings that make great gifts.
- People will say Namaste and slightly bow to you - do it back!
- Be prepared to pay for all your lunches at nice restaurants with servers. Ganpat, his drivers, and the company choose scenic, relaxing places that often have Continental menus, along with traditional Indian food. Prices vary and eating out adds up, especially if you get extra waters or alcohol.
- Jaipur Hotel Khandela Haveli is good place to do laundry.
- The holy town of Pushkar does not allow or serve alcohol anywhere. You will not be able to enjoy a beer, wine, or cocktail here.
- Throughout India, you may be expected to pay for napkins and towels when using the public toilets. Keep some lower denominations of currency with you at all times, and if you think you want extra tissue, keep some in your purse!