Self-Guided Tours in India

16 Day Rajasthan Tour with Fragrance of Taj and Sanjeev Paul. Oct 2025 This review is based on many similar trips in developing countries, but this was our first in Rajasthan. It is recommended but had several deficiencies ( explained below ) ARRANGING THE TOUR This went well, with about 40 Emails with Sanjeev, who usually responded promptly We added to their basic itinerary a few places we wanted to visit The price was competitive and very similar to another operator we considered We chose Fragrance of Taj as they had slightly better reviews SANJEEV AND THE DRIVING. Sanjeev is a careful driver, and his Suzuki is in good condition with a good AC. From researching what a Private Driver in Rajasthan usually does, Sanjeev did everything expected, including transportation and helping with Hotels, luggage and organizing tickets. He generally arrived promptly on time for departure. He was always easy to find at the end of a visit to an attraction, and sometimes accompanied us and the guide. The Local guides he selected (he is not a guide and they are required in most places) were generally good and interesting. There were a lot of long drives, about 2550 Km. in total Roads ranged from Excellent Expressways to atrocious in rural areas. Lots of honking and traffic congestion in towns Sometimes there were no breaks offered, and the first day we got no food all day until about 8 pm. A couple of times we stopped for lunch and had good meals Sanjeev is a man of few words. Drives were silent for long periods, and I eventually gave up asking questions as sometimes I got no acknowledgment at all. Sanjeev would tell us the days itinerary when asked, and later on volunteered that information. The reflection in the windshield of the toy helicopter glued to the dashboard was annoying. THE ITINERARY AND THE SIGHTS We especially appreciated : Seeing the immense often abandoned Havellis in Mandawa. The Camel ride and dance show in Jaiselmer, - good fun. The Junagarh fort in Bikiner with its marvelous rooms, the interesting City Palace at Udaipur. The amazing Jantar Mantar observatory at Jaipur The huge step well at Abhaneri. Seeing Tigers at Ranthambore. The Fort at Bundi. The huge Havelis and former rulers tombs near Jaiselmer. The Kings Shrine at Jodphur. The ruined Fort, towers and monkeys at Chittorgarh. The Jain temple at Ranakpur. However, 9 of the attractions on the itinerary were simply omitted with no mention or explanation. This was poor. The Locals were pleasant and sometimes very chatty. There were few beggars in the areas we visited and no really obnoxious touts. Only one visit to a "shop". THE 3 STAR HOTELS Several were very good. Many were as we expect in developing countries. One was not up to Sanjeev's standard, the nearby one he chose was very good. The large Sagar Hotel in Bikaner was the most unpleasant in years. The AC failed during the night, (the desk clerk insisted it was working ) the temp in the room was 29C, there were numerous power outages and lots of noise The included breakfasts ranged from passable to very good. There was always bottled water, and enough plugins in the rooms for recharging with an India adapter The staff in the hotels were generally friendly and helpful WHAT WAS NOT WORTHWHILE It seemed that several of the attractions were over hyped and not as interesting as promoted. The Rat Temple at Bikener was disgusting, unless you like walking around with bare feet in rat droppings. The Monsoon Tower at Udaipur was uninteresting and a waste of time and money. The sound and light show at the Amber Fort in Jodphur was pathetic. The kings Palace at Jodphur was uninteresting OVERALL We give this 4 stars due to a generally good tour but with several significant deficiencies. Rajasthan is certainly interesting but often not as amazing as promoted when compared with other countries. Recommended with reservations.

Wonderful trip. I loved how each destination had its own unique charm. Hotels were decent. The driver ensured a smooth trip and was very helpful. The Kerala backwaters were definitely the highlight for me.

The trip from New Delhi to Haridwar and Rishikesh was outstanding. Both locations are holy, peaceful lands and ancient cities in which the Ganga is a major presence. Haridwar is among the towns in where the Ganga exits the Himalayas and is incredibly beautiful. Rishikesh, a very spiritual town was also amazing with its various ashrams and is the yoga capital of the world. Ganga Aarti Rishikesh is definitely a sight to behold. My guide Sanjeev, was excellent and apart from learning a lot from him through his extensive knowledge of these places and in India in general, was very hospitable and kind and proved more like family and then as a guide. Bunty, also very kind and polite, proved to be a great driver, going from place to place with relative ease and the transportation used was roomy and comfortable. The scenic beauty and calmness that was felt all throughout these places is what I'll remember the most as well as Sanjeev and Bunty, who made this trip all the more an incredible experience.