Darjeeling in the Himalayan Foothills

My wife and I attended Explore India’s Journey of the Senses Tour from Feb. 11 to 25, 2014 organized by Nazir Karnai. This tour included Dehli (New and Old), Varanasi, Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Mumbai. I am writing this to express how this tour exceeded all of our expectations. A rating of 10 out of 10 does not adequately reflect the level of the experience and value of this Tour of India especially for those of us who were first time visitors. Every element of this tour was impeccably organized and carried out. That organization included limiting the number pf participants (30), selection of excellent historically significant places to visit and some very extraordinary places to eat with some very special unique venues. Those venues included a Maharaja Palace courtyard in Jodhpur, a grassy knoll overlooking the Taj Mahal, a desert campfire with Indian dancers and musicians, a gourmet dinner overlooking an Elephant polo pitch after playing a few games of Elephant polo. The hotel accommodations were all top notch with full breakfast facilities. I have said to many of my friend about this trip, I did not have a bad cup of coffee on the entire tour. The food on every day was excellent with most dinners and many lunches being at a gourmet level. The transportation within India was well organized especially the bus that was utilized – the bus was comfortable and had facilities on board. The various sites chosen to be visited were not only well selected but represented must see places at the locations we visited. They included both historic sites (e.g. Taj Mahal and Amber Fort) as well as interesting sites(e.g. various Ghandi related sites, boat ride in the lake at Udaipur where James Bond movie Octapussy was filmed). An extremely well organized and respectful (no camera) tour of India’s largest slum was included with a knowledgeable local person from the area leading the way in which the group was divided into small groups for viewing inside the slum. In addition to visiting extraordinary sites special arrangements were made by Nazir for us to visit the working kitchen of the second largest Sikh temple in India. Many other events were organized by Nazir for us such as a camel ride in the late afternoon of a day so we could see the sun set atop a camel followed by a campfire with dancer and musicians. Nazir not only did all of this cheerfully but with class Lastly, at all of these events we were accompanied by a staff headed by Nazir who looked after every detail and answered any question or need we had. .We were not only accompanied on tour events but also if we chose to take a brief outing during a break between events we were accompanied by Nazir’s assistant Rouf who made us feel safe and secure at all times especially where having someone who spoke the local language came in handy. Explore India’s Journey of the Senses Tour was a truly extraordinary tour. If anyone wants an amazing India experience this is the tour to take.

I really enjoyed the holiday, There were so many good things about it and I have some wonderful memories. We were most impressed with Rajeev and all he did. The coach drivers in both places were excellent and never made us feel nervous.

Dear Nazir, I wanted to express what a wonderful trip I experienced with Explore India.  The tour far exceeded my expectations in every way:  from the administration help from Mandira Gauba, the incredible tours, the fabulous accommodations which were all complimented by our extraordinary tour escort, Sandeep Singh whose enthusiasm and knowledge made the trip.   A special shout out to our bus driver and assistant (sorry I do not remember their names) who throughout the trip went the extra mile (no pun intended) and who moved heaven and earth to get us to the airport on time for our departure despite unbelievable traffic.    I would highly recommend your tour company to anyone looking to explore the beauty of India.   Thank you so much and I look forward to returning to India in the future.

At last I sending you some feedback re our trip. As I said on the phone we were very pleased with experience. We were very impressed with our 2 drivers, Balvinder and Kool, as well as the 3 men at the houseboats. all were very pleasant, helpful and knowledgeable. My personal feeling is that 1 day long drive in kashmir was enough as the roads do not make for a relaxing experience, however we really enjoyed the day trip to Sonamarg. The vegetable market was wonderful. The guide we had in Varanasi was good with the information he gave us, however, The stop at the Bird Sanctuary was really nice and I wish we had been able to have more time there - I know it was an added stop at our request but I think it was very worthwhile to include it in the tour. All the hotels were very good, the Jaipur Marriott was outstanding. Would certainly recommend your company to others.

17 JAN, 2018: We had a wonderful and memorable trip and saw a different India than our previous trip. The variety of places we visited; the spectacular scenery especially in the Western Ghats; the warm and friendly people; the many modes of transport from bullock carts, boats, rickshaws and tuk tuk; the colourful and vibrant temples; the unique and luxurious lodgings; all guided by Jishoy a knowledgeable and organized tour leader who was outstanding and flexible to individual needs. I look forward to recapturing the memories when I have edited my photos. Once again, the Explore India team gave us an incredible experience of indelible quality at an affordable price. Regards, Ros and David

Hi Nazir, Greg and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to India.  We were impressed with the excellent service from all Explore India personnel.  Your choice of hotels, points of interest and breakfasts were excellent.  Our driver and bus helper were especially good. Thank you for a wonderful trip.  Ram, ram

Hi Nazir We have JUST arrived home after a great trip.  We all agreed that Explore India was very impressive.  We were met promptly at each airport arrival and delivered and assisted for each departure.  We had wonderful guides.  Hari, who was our guide for the golden Triangle and Varanasi is outstanding.  He is spontaneous, adventuresome and extremely knowledgeable.  He has an amazing amount of energy!  We enjoyed several events that were not a part of the tour:  stopped at an encampment of nomadic people; stopped when we saw a wedding procession; visited two schools; visited a village where the residents welcomed us; had a lot of fun riding in a jugaad  (home-made vehicle that seems common in some rural areas).  He was also with us in Varanasi and among other things while we were in the city, he took us to the railway station to see life there.  Kerala was also very good in terms of accommodation, sightseeing, and excellent guides.  Our driver, Asar, was excellent.  He has limited English, but he had enough that he pointed out many interesting sights along the way.  Generally, all of the guides were excellent.  We loved Kerala and the rest at Turtle on the Beach Resort was a perfect ending to the trip. Thank you so much for great organization! Best wishes

Dear Nazir,  I took your 13 day Imperial Rajasthan Tour with my sister on September 18, 2016.   I meant to email earlier to tell you how highly we think of your Explore India organization.  We had the BEST time.   We wanted you to know that we appreciated all your assistance in arranging the trip.  We were impressed by the service we received prior to our departure and during our trip. Your assistant Mandira was very helpful with advice and the material your company provides was invaluable in helping us with our planning. Once we got to India, we were well taken care of from the moment we arrived in Delhi.  Our tour guide, Sundeep Singh, was excellent.  We were a small group but he took the time to accommodate requests and ensure that everyone was happy.  He was extremely knowledgeable about India.  The history that he was able to provide at the different sites was great.  He also ensured that we had the best "photo" moments, made recommendations for food (the chai tea at the market and the samosas at the rest stop were delicious!), taught us a few Hindi words and gave us (primarily the ladies on our tour) sufficient time to shop.  There are some truly spectacular places to visit in India and this tour was definitely able to showcase them.  We loved the extras that were included and that made this trip truly special.  The accommodations were all 5 star but I loved that we stayed in some unique places like the tents in the Green Resort in Pushkar.   Thank you again for everything.

First of all, we want to thank Nazir for planning this wonderful trip. We really appreciated the effort he made in meeting us on our first day of our arrival to Delhi, which I did not expect it at all. He came to our hotel and greeted us and even gave us a welcome dinner that night. When we were at the Kashmir airport, our guide gave me his cell phone, saying that someone wanted to talk to me. To my surprise, it was Nazir. My worried husband could not contact us while we were in Kashmir (for there is no internet access), but Nazir was able to locate us. He asked us how we were in order to report back to my husband. We really appreciate his hard work. In this trip, the best thing that happened to us was that we had a kind, responsible driver, Harpal. He met us in Delhi (after Kashmir) and drove us to Jaipur and Agra. He was such a careful driver, even though most drivers in India drive very recklessly. He was always patient and drove in a courteous manner. He was punctual when picking us up every time, and he took us to good restaurants. On our last day, arriving from Kathmandu to Delhi, he came back to be our guide, even though he had already gone back home (which was one hour away from Delhi!) He helped us a lot and we became good friends. Harpal is a highly recommended driver and guide. He deserves a raise and good appraisal. We had five different hotels on this trip; the best was Trident in Jaipur. Besides great breakfast, the staff was very friendly, helpful, and sincere. One of Trident’s policies is no tipping for all staff. It was such a relief because I did not need to carry small notes for tipping everywhere. Trident also had great security, swimming pool, good rate exchanges, and free internet in the business centre. Trident surpassed The Park in Delhi, Jaypee in Agra, and Ramada in Varanasi. We recommend that the best hotel should put to the last so that we won’t be comparing with the best. In this trip, I learned a lot. I felt sorry for the people in India in many situations – corruption, poverty, sanitation, and children and women status. I do think India needs another revolution in order to move forward again. To Nazir, I hope someone like you, young and has a good education, can form a team to help the people in India improve the living conditions in order for them to have a better world tomorrow.

Incredible India really lived up to its name!  There were many hilites: Our first time riding a camel (and probably the last!)  Helen got thrown off part way up but only a bruised bum.  A couple rides in a camel cart was interesting and much safer.  Seeing a leopard quite close after it had recently killed a cow, and later seeing it in the rocks washing its face (just like a cat).  Of course, the Taj Mahal at about 8.30 AM in a good light after the early fog had disappeared. Visits to a craft village and a farm family.  The many forts and palaces from the past.   Our hotels were very good; we were upgraded a couple times so that they could give us twin beds.   Our guide was competent and dealt with the challenges of India quite well.  The money problem didn't affect us as we used our 500 rupee notes with vendors.  One day I hope to get back to India, perhaps in the northeast with Bhutan, Sikkim and Nepal.  Thanks for giving us the opportunity to see this fascinating country.