Highlights of Northern India Discovery Holiday

Our Clients’ Reviews

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Average Review Rating: from 113 reviews.

Menna Harris

HIGHLIGHTS OF NORTHERN INDIA

Written April 2013
A whirlwind of sights, sounds and local colour. The towns and villages of India are chaotic, pulsating and mesmerising, the people loud, vibrant, flamboyant yet charming. We met warmth and good humour wherever we went. I've never felt so challenged yet engaged with a country and its people.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
We didn't see a tiger in Ranthambore but we did experience a thunder storm with sheet lightening and threatening drops of rain. The park felt electric and other worldly. I wouldn't have missed the wild boar, jackal, crocodiles, monkeys, deer or displaying peacock for the world or the five minute stops where we listened for warning crys and potential sightings.
Floating a candle on the Ganges at dusk and making a wish couldn't have been more beautiful or loaded with emotion. In the morning we were gripped by Raj's tales when he casually told us to look over our shoulders - the sun was just appearing above the horizon, magical.

What did you think of your group leader?
Gajrajsingh Bhati is a legend, as one of the party said when he negotiated us through the chaos of Varanasi, if he told us to walk off a cliff we would have followed - inspirational.
He seemed to be possessed of magic powers, organising the trip seamlessly, coming up with endless options and knowing who to call to sort out any request or solve any problem. We were positioned at exactly the right place to get on the train from Varanasi to Delhi to within an in inch of the right door.
The man has endless patience, great charm and organisation. We were greatly impressed.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Get fit before hand as this trip is full on. Raj planned a 4.45 start to get us to the Taj Mahal - we were at the front of the queue and we have perfect shots of the Taj minus other tourists. This followed several full on journeys with early starts and late finishes. I would get plenty of sleep the week before and stock up on vitamins.
Neither I nor my husband got sick on the trip and we put this down to eating hot vegetarian curries, hot breads rather than rice and drinking copious amounts of Kingfisher beer. I would avoid cocktails and cold food. Tropical strength insect repellant and sun tan lotion with insect repellant is a good thing and at the Taj Mahal queue there were drifts of mosquitos so remember to put the spray on early that morning. You need small denomination notes to tip at the toilets and at the temples to guard your shoes and avoid changing money at the airport in case you get tatty notes. Shopkeepers were doubtful about the quality of some of my larger notes.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The place is mad but brilliant, go for it!
Amy McKenzie

HIGHLIGHTS OF NORTHERN INDIA

Written April 2013
Northern India is a beautiful area with lots to see. The trip focuses on the main historic monuments of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and the contrast of the two days in Ranthambore National Park in the middle of the trip breaks up the history niceley with a great opportunity to see the widlife of India. This trip is great for people who have done little independent travel or are nervous about travelling by themselves, as you are looked after well in the group and everything is organised for you. However, I wouldn't refer to this as an adventure holiday and if you are a more confident traveller who wants to have time to wander through villages and interact with local people then this may not be the trip for you. A lot of time is spent on the coach.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Having some free time to wander through the streets of Varanasi, explore the ghats and watch a cremation ceremony. Real local colour!
What did you think of your group leader?
Gajraj was very helpful and effective in managing the group and getting us all around the sights. He made sure that everyone felt happy with what we were doing that day and looked after people when they were ill. He organised tuk-tuks for us when we wanted to break away from the group to do something different. However, he was more of a facilitator than a guide as we didn't get that much information about India during the trip unless we asked specific questions.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
I wasn't ill at all on this trip, but others were, so I would advise sticking to all the usual precautions: drink only bottled water, beer or tea, don't touch salads or cocktails, steer clear of milk products. You'll definitely need to bring hand santiser. The hotels were clean enough and the bedding was fine, but take a sleeping bag liner, inflatable pillow or pillowcase to use on the train. Bring your own toilet roll. Definitely take a hat if you are going in the warmer months as some of the sights have little shelter and you can be out in the strong sunlight for a long time.
Linda Wild

HIGHLIGHTS OF NORTHERN INDIA

Written April 2013
All I wanted to see plus plus - India old and new, the colour, the noise, smells and lovely food! A tiring trip in parts but packed with delights , spirituality and I cannot wait to get back to India again and see more!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The evening prayer ceremony at Varanasi, closely followed by the sunrise drift down the Ganges. Taj Mahal breathtaking and and and... so much
What did you think of your group leader?
Yaddu was fairly quiet but he was always working to make our trip work out, suggesting trips and organising extras that really fitted our needs. I was the oldest of the group and there were times when he recognised I wasn't as agile or lively as the others and made adjustments that didn't get in the way of anyone else's enjoyment. Much of India's tourism , as anywhere really, runs on personal connections and deals and it was clear that Yaddu knew just about everyone he needed to know!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Be aware that you may not sleep much, or at all, on the overnight train and be prepared for some long journeys in the minibus. Don't take risks with cleanliness but try not to obsess about it either. Travel as light as possible: you can get a days clothes washed and ironed for £1, and leave space in your luggage for shopping, including buying cotton clothes there to wear. Above all, be open to new experiences, whether it's a Bollywood movie, a mad tuk tuk drive or accepting the extreme dirt, disability and poverty that you will inevitably see.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
If you can manage it, book an extra day in Delhi before or after the tour to help you settle in/out of it all. If the overnight train bothers you, book a flight from Varanasi to Delhi, but be aware that you might be waiting at the Delhi hotel for the others if their train is late (ours was!)
Joan Ratcliffe

HIGHLIGHTS OF NORTHERN INDIA

Written March 2013
A very hectic holiday not for the faint hearted but worth every minute. To visit so many wonderful sights in such a short space of time was remarkable.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Of course number one experience had to be the Taj Mahal at sunrise. Absolutely brilliant, better even than I expected. Instead of the normal 2 dimensional view that is so well known it became a 3 dimensional wonder.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the evening ceremony at Varanasi. It was truly astonishing to see hundreds of boats on the Ganges and what must have been thousands of people on the shore all experiencing the ceremony together. Floating the candles on the Ganges was really nice and it was lovely to see them all floating there in the night.
What did you think of your group leader?
Raj was absolutely brilliant, couldn't have been better. The fact that he was local to the area was such an advantage to us as a group. He knew all the best places to go to, and when to go, eg Taj Mahal at sunrise to get the best photos. He even managed to provide tigers!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Be prepared to travel a lot in a short time, with some really early mornings. Take cool clothes but be prepared to cover shoulders and knees occasionally. Take immodium with you just in case!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Relax, pace yourself and look around you all the time. India is a wonderful country, full of colour, an experience not to be missed.
Elaine Allan

HIGHLIGHTS OF NORTHERN INDIA

Written March 2013
A fantastic trip, full on and tiring but totally worth it! Very good value for money.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The Taj Mahal was better than I had imagined - it really is wonderful. We were also lucky enough to see tigers in Rathambore and that was also a thrill.
What did you think of your group leader?
Our tour leader, Raj was superb. He was friendly, energetic and extremely knowledgeable. I really don't think we could have done better.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
If you go with the right attitude, prepared for early starts and sometimes long and tiring days, you will be rewarded with a wonderful introduction to a wonderful country. Try to travel light if you can as you may have to lug your luggage around at the railway stations. Relax, go with the flow and soak up all the wonderful sights, sounds and smells of this wonderful country.
Claire Oates

HIGHLIGHTS OF NORTHERN INDIA

Written February 2013
Before booking this trip I was quite nervous about going to India, I was worried about getting sick and didn't quite know what to expect. If you have never been to India before this is a great introduction to an amazing country. I travelled on a solo departure and I think most of the group were a little apprehensive so don't let that feeling put you off booking. My group were great we all got on well, nobody got sick and we were well looked after by our guide. This is a great trio to do as a solo traveller as you don't really get any free time!!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Our leader got us to the front of the queue at the Taj Mahal at dawn and me and some of my fellow travellers ran to get the best photos before any other tourists got in the shot. On the last day our leader took us around Delhi we ate samosas cooked by a street vendor and explored back alleys where we saw amazing sights.
What did you think of your group leader?
Our group leader was excellent. Our leader was always available, he sorted out our tips, got everyone to where they needed to be and frequently went out of his way for example to organise locks for the train that some had forgotten, find batteries minutes before the Taj Mahal opened when I discovered mine didn't work!! When we had some free time he was happy to organise sightseeing options.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
This is a busy trip you will get up before dawn repeatedly!! This trip fits a lot into 10 days and makes the most of your time away. The bus journeys are long but look out of the window and you can guarantee you will see something unexpected within minutes. We stopped at a village one day and it would have been good to have taken some pens and pencils etc. Take alcohol gel and use it religiously. Take a chain and padlock or something similar so that you can secure your bag on the train. A sleeping bag liner is useful on the train to keep your valuables safe.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
India is unpredictable the train will probably get in late, the service in the restaurant will probably be slow, you may see the odd cockroach or rat but its all part of the experience. Go with an open mind relax and see what happens. This trip doesn't allow much time in Delhi so if you can, book an extra day in Delhi at the end.
I would have given this a 5 out of 5 but one of our train journeys had not been confirmed until just before we travelled which meant we were in 3AC and not 2AC as advertised. I personally found the middle bed on 3AC quite claustrophobic and there was a noticeable difference between our first train journey and our second where we were in the correct class and had much more space.
Rachel Wheeler

Brilliant & busy tour

Written February 2013
We had a brilliant time exploring the north. So much to see and lots of early starts but it is all worth it.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Tiger/Taj/Ganges were all utterly amazing. We saw a tiger from about 3 metres away which was just brilliant. It gave us all an opportunity to take great photos too. It's something I'll remember forever. The Taj Mahal was breath taking. Badam (tour leader) got us there early so we were first in the queue. Experiencing Varanasi was amazing too. Such a busy place which is in contrast to the peace by the river banks and then the hustle & bustle when it is prayer time. Lighting a candle and letting it go on the Ganges was memorable.
What did you think of your group leader?
Our group leader Badam was just lovely. Always smiling and so helpful. He always kept an eye on us and was great at his job. When there was a problem with the booking on one of the train journeys he sorted it all out so thankfully we all had a bed. He is truly a great guy and I cannot praise him enough.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Take ear plugs for the sleeper trains. I was very nervous about the journeys but they were fine. Was a good experience. It is noisy though and the ear plugs helped. Do all the optional trips. See as much as you can. There are lots of early starts but it is worth it. We extended the trip and stayed an extra 2 nights at the beginning & the end of the tour. This helped a lot. We were shattered by the end and having 2 days relaxing before heading home was ideal. It was also lovely to just to spend some time us two. Don't expect much of the hotels. The Bissau palace (Jaipur) and the Raj Palace (rathambore) were both lovely but the others were very simple & plain. All food served however was tasty.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Enjoy it all & snap away.