Now, I know a lot of people prefer independent travelling but for some of us it’s not always convenient or possible in the time available so this is for those other T&L members who have expressed an interest in taking a tour, I hope this will be helpful to them, and to any others thinking of doing the same. I’m going to do a general overview of the tour first, with more details later, so those who just want the facts don’t have to trawl through a long review !  And it's not my intention here to comment on social or political issues of the country.

The 16 day trip covered the “Golden Triangle” – Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, as well as visiting the Ranthambore wildlife reserve, and we also spent a few days in Shimla in the foothills of the Himalayas.

The travel company were great: everything is very well organised, and the staff were very helpful. We had an English tour manager who made all the practical arrangements, liaising with the hotels, arranging site visits etc, and also an Indian tour guide with us, and during some of our coach journeys Raj was very informative telling us all about Indian customs, history, family life etc as well as commenting on some of the (to us westerners) strange happenings on the road, e.g. 3 or 4 people on a motorbike (including small children and babies), “home made” tractors, the many pilgrims, overloaded trucks and many more ! He also had a pretty comprehensive knowledge of all the sites we visited. We also had a “bus boy” with us who kept us supplied with bottled water (and cold beers on occasion) and helped out generally.

I went with a friend; our fellow travellers were (mostly) couples, and a few singletons and in their 50s, 60s and 70s – so maybe not a trip for the 30 somethings !

All the hotels we stayed in were of a high standard, usually 4 or 5 star, with very comfortable rooms, choice of restaurants etc. Security is high at these hotels: all vehicles are checked before entering the grounds, and body scanners and bag scanners are in use for everyone entering the hotel. The night we stayed at the Taj Palace Hotel in Delhi, Henry Kissinger and Salman Rushdie were also staying there, so I guess they would want / need all that security !

(The hotel at Ranthambore – the wildlife reserve - was less luxurious but quite adequate, although some people were not keen on the food there. I ate very little there as it was quite hot and I had no appetite!)

All breakfasts were at the hotels and included in the tour cost – usually buffet, with eggs etc cooked to order and most included everything you could want – fruit, juices, yoghurts, cereals, breads and pastries, cooked English and Indian food. We ate at the hotels most evenings as well, as after long days out it was convenient, although you are at liberty to eat out anywhere you wish. Food was generally of a very high standard, and there was usually a buffet and a set menu to choose from with both Indian and international food available, and prices what you would expect of hotels (say between £10 and £20 for a main course). We actually spent a lot less than we expected and came home with money. Alcohol in the hotels is expensive – 450 rupees (£6 approx) for a glass of wine, 375-700 rupees (£5-10) for a Gin and Tonic, perhaps a beer at usually 250 rupees (£3.30) is the better option ! Oh, and there’s various taxes added to all the food and drink so in the end it costs probably 20% more than the price you see on the menu/wine list ! If you do choose to eat and drink outside the hotels, prices are of course much cheaper.

Temples, mosques etc require you to remove your shoes before entering so take socks in your bag if you don’t like walking barefoot. Most of the places we visited charge a small fee for video camera use, and some for still cameras.

There is a lot of travelling on this tour, but with regular breaks (every couple of hours or so) and a variety of coach and train travel, it is manageable. Personally, I found the street life of India a fascinating insight into life there and loved viewing it.

We went in March and the temperature was fine – up to 30C on the plains and perhaps 20-25 in Shimla – still bliss to us sun starved Brits !

I love textiles and did buy some block printed cottons and several pashminas as gifts. If you don’t want to spend precious sightseeing time shopping, there are some good duty free shops at Delhi airport, selling pashminas, books, tea and coffee etc.

I was a little nervous before visiting India – I’ve never been to Asia before (apart from Hong Kong) and so it was just a little fear of the unknown, I think – would I get sick ? would I feel uncomfortable in such a different environment ?

Having now found out what a wonderful place it is, I would feel happy about visiting it as an independent traveller and making my own flight, travel and hotel arrangements, and indeed hope to do so when I have the time in the future. I felt safe at all times, and the Indian people we met and spoke to were all happy, friendly and helpful, although older people are more reserved with foreigners. I’d particularly like to see more of Rajasthan.

I avoided the dreaded Delhi Belly – although a number of my fellow travellers did succumb to it. I would say – drink plenty of bottled water (dehydration can cause problems), eat only fruit you have peeled yourself, such as satsumas or bananas, eat only freshly prepared food where possible, and if in doubt, eat vegetarian. A lot of people say to avoid buffets but this is sometimes the only option at hotels. Even being careful, it’s fairly common to get an upset tummy so do take a UK remedy with you, as although pharmacies are fairly widespread, there may not be one there when you really, really need it !

You will need a visa for India – apply at least a month in advance (all details easily obtained online). I think it cost about £40 plus special delivery postage. I had no problem obtaining mine, but my friend, who works in a hospital, had their initial application rejected and had to obtain a letter from the hospital stating that they would not be doing any charitable work whilst in India. So allow time for that sort of thing.

You will also need vaccinations – Tetanus/diphtheria/polio,
Hepatitis A and typhoid - given free of charge by my GP practice, and again I would recommend you have these a month or so in advance as I did not have a very good reaction to them ! Anti malarials are not required, but a good insect repellent is advised. 
 

So now for my own trip details … as brief as I can make it.

We flew into Delhi with Virgin, an overnight flight, and arrived mid morning. After checking in we took a tour of New Delhi, largely designed by Lutyens as the capital of British Imperial India in the early 20th Century. The wide avenues are home to government buildings, embassies and hotels, all within their own walled compounds, which makes it somewhere to drive through, rather than walk.

We then visited the Qutb Minar, the tallest stone structure in India (and at 73m we were almost glad it’s not open to the public to climb!), and part of an interesting complex built in the late 12th/early 13th century. As in so much Mughal architecture, the design and detail of the stonework is incredible. We also visited Humayun’s tomb, which is said to have been the inspiration for the Taj Mahal. I loved the warm red sandstone used in so many of these buildings, to me so evocative of the warmth and colour of India generally.

On our second day in Delhi we visited Gandhi’s memorial, the Raj Ghat, located at the site of his cremation. The eternal flame and the simplicity of the black marble plinth were a great contrast to the elaborate tombs built as memorials in earlier times. We then went on to old Delhi, where we visited the largest mosque in India, Jama Masjid, built in the time of Shah Jahan (he of the Taj Mahal) – ladies are given long robes to wear in the open air mosque - and took a tricycle rickshaw trip round some of the crowded streets, which was fun.

We then travelled to Agra (which, to be honest, is not somewhere you would go if it weren’t for the obvious attraction) and the next day had a very early start to visit the Taj Mahal, which was of course exquisite. The first view of it in the early morning mist with the sun rising is breathtaking, and it’s worth spending a few hours there to see it in different lights. It’s everything you hope it will be … I wasn’t disappointed. Security of course is very strict and you’re only allowed to take a very small bag in eg enough to carry water, a camera etc.

In the afternoon we went on to Agra Fort, one of the many amazing fort-palaces that India seems to excel in. The views along the Yamuna river to the Taj Mahal are superb, although probably not for poor Shah Jahan, who was imprisoned there by one of his sons.

(This memorable day was just perfect when we found the 6 Nations France v Wales match on TV that night and I could see my home team winning!)

We spent two nights in Agra and on one evening we all went and ate in the garden of a local restaurant, with entertainment provided – musicians and magicians !

Our journey then took us to Fatehpur Sikri – Emperor Akhbar’s imperial palace, only occupied for some 15 years and then abandoned. Now a UNESCO world heritage site, it’s very well preserved, and surprisingly uncrowded. We then took the train from Bharatpur to Ranthambore National Park, where we spent two nights.

The following day was another very early start, travelling in open top 4 wheel drive vehicles into the wildlife reserve, formerly a royal hunting ground. We saw many deer, antelope, crocodiles, wild boar, monkeys (of course), many species of bird including parakeets, egrets, herons, kingfishers, treepies (so tame – or greedy - that they will feed from your hand), and were lucky enough to see both a tigress and, late in the day, when we were just about to head home, a huge male tiger emerging from an old hunting lodge where he had been snoozing. It was a long, hot day but absolutely unforgettable.

After another evening’s entertainment of music and dancing – including audience participation – we headed off to Jaipur, the Pink City. Our day included a visit to the famous Palace of the Winds, the astronomical garden built in the 18th century but still fascinating today, and the City Palace where the Maharajah of Jaipur still lives. Jaipur’s much photographed old city contrasts with the large new developments of office blocks and shopping malls that are springing up around the city. In the evening four of us hired a car and the driver took us to the contemporary white marble Lakshmi Narayan Hindu temple, where we were able to mix with and chat to some of the locals, after which we drove us to a sort of Indian funfair, the Choki Dhani ethnic village fair, which aims to give a taste of traditional Rajasthani village culture, with old fashioned stalls like skittles as well as camel rides, wrestling, traditional dancing, a parrot that tells your fortune by picking a card, a very squeaky Big Wheel that probably wouldn’t pass Health & Safety regs in the UK and a vegetarian buffet meal, where you could see the food being prepared and with chapattis being cooked over an open fire. We had eaten earlier so I can’t vouch as to the quality of the food but the queues seemed to suggest it was popular.

Jaipur is often recommended as the place to do your shopping. As part of our tour we were taken to various marble, jewellery, carpet and textile places, where we were shown some traditional skills in action. A lot of our group did buy in these places, where prices are fixed, as bargaining in the shops may end up getting you a better bargain, but it is most definitely not for the faint hearted. Salesmen and hawkers can be extremely persistent from the moment you leave your coach or car, and their sales techniques can be very offputting if you’re not used to this way of trade !

Amber Fort in Jaipur was one of my favourite places – up high on a hill, overlooking a lake, light and airy, a blend of Hindu and Moghul architecture in red sandstone and white marble with beautiful painted and mirrored walls.  

Our next night was spent in the village of Mandawa in Rajasthan in one of the region’s heritage hotels. After a welcome by drummers, trumpets and turbaned staff on horses and camels in the courtyard, we spent a blissful afternoon by the pool – by this time everyone was really enjoying their little “time out” breaks ! In the early evening we took a walk to view the havelis – highly painted and decorated houses belonging to wealthy individuals, although most now rather dilapidated. Dinner that evening was in the beautiful walled garden at the hotel. Sadly not much sleep was had that night – due to the 9 day festival that was underway at the time, the religious singing started at about 10.30pm and continued until 4.30am – followed by the first call to prayer at 5.25 !

Perhaps it was lucky after that night that we had an uneventful day following, a long journey back to Delhi, on coach for most of day, but punctuated with the usual stops and we again stayed at the Taj Palace Hotel, where I was pleased to be presented with a mirror I had left in my room on the first night – that’s service for you !

We took the morning express from Delhi for a 4 hour journey north to Kalka, where we changed to a narrow gauge railway for 5 hour journey up into Himalayas through spectacular scenery and of course the famous 800 bridges and 102 tunnels.

Shimla is built up the hillsides at approx 7500 ft. It was the summer capital of the British and still feels very English in many places – the Scottish Baronial style Vice Regal Lodge, the Gaiety Theatre where Kipling and Baden Powell performed (personal tour for approx 30p each) and the mock Tudor post office. It’s much more laid back than the cities on the plains – you don’t get hassled by sellers and in the shops on The Mall, prices are generally fixed. There’s still a large military garrison there. We visited a few Hindu temples which seem to be open to the public all the time – how different to Christ Church, where we had to wait for the caretaker to return from his lunch at 2.30 before being allowed in ! Religion is an everyday part of life in India, rather than “Sundays only”

We stayed 3 nights at the Oberoi Cecil Hotel, another luxurious heritage hotel, centred around an atrium, with Burmese teak floors and period style furnishings. The impeccably trained staff were polite, friendly and helpful. It’s a great place to spend your last few days in India, exploring the town, browsing the shops for pashminas, walking in the forest or just relaxing.

We returned to Delhi by car and train for one last night before our flight home.

It was a great introduction to India. I know escorted tours won’t be to everyone’s taste and you could definitely organise your own trip and itinerary and spend more time doing it, but for those who enjoy  historical and cultural experiences or with limited time and those who don’t want to rough it, I would certainly recommend it.