A holiday with us ensures you have time to explore and enjoy the real India, while all arrangements are taken care of. From meticulous initial planning to detailed implementation, we are with you every step of the way, offering a variety of thoroughly researched tours.
Our holidays normally include visiting all of the major sites, but also the less well known attractions on offer. Typically, there is time to journey to some of India’s great cities, as well as villages that are the backbone of the country, bringing out the soul of each that gives them their uniqueness. It’s not just cities or villages you’ll discover! There may be a visit to a wildlife sanctuary, perhaps some much needed relaxation on a pristine beach, or even staying in a cool mountain resort. Regardless of your itinerary, the whole experience is enhanced by using a variety of accommodation and modes of transport; both of which encourage interaction with local people, whilst also caring for preservation of their culture and the surrounding area.
You may stay in one of the legendary grand palaces, possibly in royal hunting lodges, perhaps a boutique hotel, a merchant mansion in an ancient quarter, or even a colonial bungalow in a remote location; many retaining the feel of times gone by. We also inevitably feature modern hotels, from modest to luxurious. The selection is based on facilities, comfort, service, atmosphere, location and, most importantly, feedback from clients over the years.
Our speciality is tailoring the holiday to your needs, whilst bearing in mind the practicalities of operating it, yet still delivering exceptional quality. We believe our clients should feel comfortable when travelling with us, in the firm assurance that they are in secure, capable hands, and most importantly - getting value for money.
The carriers operating direct flights to India from London Heathrow are British Airways, Air India, Virgin Atlantic and Vistara. Air India has recently been privatised and the new owners are the Tata Group (owners of Jaguar Motors as well as the Taj Group of hotels). They all connect Delhi as well as Mumbai. British Airways also covers Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore direct. There are several indirect carriers, some fly via Europe, some via the middle-east.
Flying time to Delhi or Mumbai, from London, on a direct non-stop flight is about 8 hours. The direct flights to Chennai, Hyderabad or Bangalore take about 10 hours. The return flights take about an hour longer because of headwinds.
Internal air travel is normally on a scheduled domestic airline. All internal flights used in our tours are in economy unless you specifically seek a higher class.
Transfers for arrivals and departures by flights or trains are assisted by an English-speaking rep, and are by private car or coach.
We recommend travelling by road. You see the countryside, pass through villages and bazaars and can stop if you find something interesting. Our drivers are familiar with local conditions and are trained to drive safely.
Road travel is by coach or car. We use the Toyota Innova Cresta, a multi premium vehicle, ideal for Indian conditions, or a saloon car like the Tata Indigo. For larger parties a Tempo Traveller is used. For groups comfortable coaches are used. We try to keep some empty seats in a coach to allow mobility and give you some sense of space. The vintage Ambassador, an old time favourite of many, has been more or less phased out. We have kept a couple, for those who want to sample the romance of yore.
This is a fascinating way of seeing the "real" India. The railway platforms are like mini bazaars, teeming with people, the appearances and attires change as you cross from one state to another.
While train travel is exciting some may find the upkeep below expectations. All things considered we feel at least one journey is worth the experience. There are remote places where train may be the most convenient mode of connecting. Trains usually have sleepers for overnight journeys and chair cars for day travel. The coaches are air-conditioned.
Most trains have a kitchen car and serve food, soft drinks, tea and coffee. For long journeys it may be advisable, however, to carry packed food from your previous hotel.
The luxury trains are in a category of their own, exceeding the comfort and facilities found in better-known counterparts in Europe.
The sightseeing is with a private guide, in a private car or coach, and includes entrance fee for monuments. A sightseeing session is typically four hours for half a day and eight hours for a full day, with a break for lunch.
Most treks arranged by us are private and an accompanying team, generally a cook and a guide with porters, as required, assists you. We carry tents and provisions, unless using fixed camps or lodges. The treks are easy to moderate in difficulty.
We offer cruises on the Ganges and Brahmaputra on luxury boats, varying in length from a few days to a couple of weeks. The backwaters cruise in Kerala, generally over one or two days, is on converted rice boats, modest in comparison but comfortable, offering a unique experience.
These are in shared jeeps, with a driver and a naturalist. Private jeeps cost more and can be requested. In some parks elephant safaris are available. A larger vehicle called Canter may be used for groups or when jeeps are in limited supply. Jeep safaris get booked up several months in advance; elephant safaris are subject to availability of elephants on the day and cannot be guaranteed. It is advisable to book well in advance when planning a visit to a wildlife park.
Hotels in India offer a wide range of accommodation. Some match the very best in the world, while some are quite modest.
We use comfortable hotels opting for character and ambience with personalised service, good management and housekeeping. They are selected to enhance your holiday experience as well as offer value for money. Typically, we use 5 star and 4 star hotels in our tours with some character. Some luxury hotels form part of our normal selection but some, especially the very expensive ones, are offered at a supplementary charge as optional choices.
We have personally inspected almost all the hotels featured. The choice further benefits from the feedback and opinion of thousands of clients. As standards can change over time we continually review our selection and welcome your comments. In some places the choice of accommodation is limited and we may be constrained to use a hotel that we may otherwise avoid.
This is now easy with an online application that costs US$40 for a one-year and $80 for a five-year multiple-entry visa. Normally an online approval is received within a few days and visa is stamped on your passport on arrival in India. This is your own arrangement, we are happy to advise.
It is a requirement of travelling with us that you have adequate travel insurance. This is an independent arrangement of yours but we are happy to connect you with our own ABTA approved insurance provider, should you need one.
Your tour typically includes assisted transfers, accommodation in listed hotels or similar, food as specified, sightseeing with a private guide and vehicle, entrance fee at monuments in the schedule, safaris and treks, internal transportation by road, train, air or boat. In private tours individual variations can be there. International flights are included in some tours. We do not sell individual hotel rooms, flights, transportation, etc., on their own but operate complete or near complete tours, assuming full responsibility for their satisfactory delivery and completion.
International flights (included in some tours), travel insurance, visa, meals other than those specified, personal expenses, gratuities.
