India

India holiday - March 2010

Dear Shawn, 

I have just returned from my extended holiday in India and Kenya, and want to thank you very much indeed for a really excellent holiday. 

The planning was just right,and we all enjoyed the tour of Southern India enormously - what a contrast to the sights of Northern India ?! 

My stay at the House of Mahabs was just what I needed to get my broken leg mended.I gather that I caused some concern during my stay, but this was due to a lack of communication - the steward who was looking after me didn't speak any English, and was unable to comprehend the discomfort which can be caused by a bout of 'Delhibelly' !Anyway all righted itself and I made a swift recovery. 

I cannot speak too highly of Marvel Tours, who did a wonderful job in providing the services required,and keeping everything on track. I did an additional tour with them - to Kanchi,Vellore,Thiruvannamelai,and Gingee which was excellent. ( You might consider adding some of these places to your Regular 'Spendours' Tour). 

I hope that you were able to send the message to Marvel Tours in Chennai re the Wheelchair and the Left Luggage tag number which would enable them to reclaim it ?There was a mix up during my departure,and when I returned to the gate to find my Driver - he had gone away,so the only course of action which I had was to deposit it at the Left Luggage Office outside the terminal building. 

Please copy this message to Marvel Tours, as I wish them to know how much we appreciated their efforts to make this a truly memorable holiday. 

Could you please let me have a copy of your latest brochure. I will certainly hope to return to India in the future, and I am also interested in your Tour of Libya. ? 

Again, Many Thanks 

With Kind Regards 

Antony Perkins

India holiday - February 2010

Dear Yasin,

We had a most enjoyable holiday in southern India - thank you so much fororganizing it for us.We would highly recommend the itinerary to anyone contemplating a tour ofsouthern India - from the beautiful Hoysala temple and rural scenes of Mysoreto the peaceful backwaters of Kerala, from the decaying grand mansions ofChettinad to the superb 7th century temples of the Tanjore area.

There were somany highlights but also plenty of time for rest and relaxation to enjoy manyexcellent hotels and to just wander in the villages with my camera.The whole area of southern India is a wonderul kaleidoscope of lushvegetation, vibrant colours and friendly, welcoming people.

With best wishes,

Valerie Hickman

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India holiday- January 2010

Hi Yasin

You asked me to report on our holiday and, in particular, on our success in finding my mother's grave in Mumbai.

The holiday was great and very well organised.  The drivers and guides, particularly Ramesh who was with us from from Agra to Delhi via Jaipur, Shahpura and Udaipur, were helpful and efficient.  And the hotels exceeded our expectations. 

We would never have found my mother's grave without your help.  BACSA, the charity you advised us to contact, pointed us to Sewree cemetery and there, indeed, we found her grave.  The burial was recorded with a plot number and we were taken through a well maintained cemetery to the exact spot where she was buried 68 years ago.  Some of the other graves in the immediate vicinity of my mother's had been overlain by later burials as they were more than 50 years old; but my mother's had a tree growing from it..

I'll be writing to BACSA and sending them photos as they are in the process of recording ex-pat graves around the world and have not yet done Sewree.

Thanks again for a great holiday.  

David and Kathryn

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India Holiday - January 2010

Dear Rajeev,

My wife and I are now back from another excellent holiday with Indus, a holiday that met and sometimes exceeded our expectations. I thought that feedback by e-mail might be helpful in addition to the form we have received on the basis that it will be more comprehensive.

Of the hotels our only reservation was with the Alsisar Havelli in Jaipur – a charming building, the ambience and accommodation of which was not matched by the uninspiring cuisine and the “Gala Dinner”. It was not, of course, Indus’ first choice.

We enjoyed all the other hotels and the tented camp in Gir. In particular Rohetgarh was an inspired choice for a relaxing break in the journey to Udaipur.

All the excursions were interesting and the guides informative, efficient, friendly and patient (I tend to take a lot of photos). We feel that we received very good introductions to the places we visited and were well looked after. The itinerary was really good. The drivers were punctual and clearly knew their routes. The vehicles were always clean. We would mention in particular the driver who was with us from Delhi to Udaipur – a young man cheerful, well turned out and who drove well. We consider him a credit to Indus and would hope that our opinion would be passed on to your Delhi office.

We expected to see lions at Gir but could not be sure about the tigers at Ranthambore. Leopards were simply a distant hope. In the event we saw all three – tigers at Ranthambore and lions and a magnificent leopard at Gir. We could not have asked for more.

All in all another memorable holiday and we hope that our association with Indus will continue.

Yours sincerely,

Miles and Barbara Barker

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India Holiday - January 2010

India Holiday - December 2009

Dear Yasin and Shawn

So we now find ourselves back in Mumbai, having to come back to London, snow, darkness etc.

But the important thing to say is: Neeleshwar Hermitage was stupendous. We loved every minute, and it was painful to leave yesterday. We were there for a week, and most of the time there were only two other guests - and it has a staff of 65! So we were quite well looked after! The food was stunning and the staff were unbelievably nice. Most of them are local, which is a deliberate policy. All the food is cooked fresh; it is predominantly vegetarian, with some local fish.

Prasad Nair is the general manager, and he had dinner with us on Sunday evening. They market mainly through the likes of Indus. We will certainly want to go back.

Best wishes

Richard

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holiday in Aranachel Pradesh - November 2009

Dear Rajeev

We had a really marvellous holiday in India and are really pleased with your excellent services. The trekking and camping in Namdafa national park probably was the highlight of the holiday. Just to see the jungle vegetation, the gibbons and the hornbills was very exciting. We took two cooks, 10 bearers two chickens and two guides with us – just so we could experience it.  There were so many different trees, fruits, birds and butterflies.

We  particularly enjoyed seeing  Mishmi  and Kumti villages and we were able to talk to people and go into several of their bamboo houses on stilts. We were impressed that so many of these isolated places had electricity and schools. The huge Bhramaputra river with its many ferry crossings were memorable – especially after three days of rain!

The visit to Majuli Island with its monasteries, wetlands with so many birds, and villages along the raised dykes as well as all the temples and historic sites of the Ahom dynasty were all really interesting. It was such an experience to go so much off the beaten track – which we certainly could not have done on our own. At Kaziranga national park we were more on the tourist route. We saw a lot of rhinos, very close, masses of birds and were incredibly lucky to see a tiger and watch it for 20 minutes. The hotels and the heritage houses were very welcome after the camping - especially the tranquil  Chang bungalow in the middle of its tea gardens.

We enjoyed our two stays in Kolkata. The Kenilworth Hotel was a good choice with excellent food and a good position close to, but far enough away from the centre. Just to walk along the streets was an experience for us and it was something one felt comfortable doing there - crossing the road was a very different matter!Above all we would like to praise the services of our guide from Purvi Discovery, Uday Swargiary. He was knowledgeable about social issues, local culture, history, birds and plants as well as being very sensitive to our needs. For example he was very good when we were ill and patient with our waning physical abilities!  He went out of his way to co-ordinate what was not always an easy itinerary and, at the same time, to tailor the trip to our particular interests. For example, when he saw that Sue was interested in textiles, he found us women weavers to talk to in the villages and took us to weaving workshops in different places. He was always efficient and also a pleasure to be with.

We would also like to commend our driver, Bobby. Together, they made a good team and ands that was really important to our enjoyment of the trip. In Kolkata, Amit  from the local agency was always there to meet us and take us to the airport. He also was very helpful and pleasant and provided a good guide and driver to show us around Kolkata.

We possibly should have had a car and driver on our ‘free’ day in Kolkata as it was quite an adventure getting to and from the Botanic Gardens by taxi- but then we would have missed out on the challenge!The format of car, driver and general guide with speciaist guides taken on for specific sites worked very well. The mix of camping, staying in reconstructed local houses on ‘camp’ sites, heritage guest houses  and modern hotels was also good. We did not quite know what to expect in terms of having a car, driver, guide etc., but it all worked really well and we would not hesitate to recommend Indus Tours to our friends. You have enabled us to have what is probably the best holiday of our lives.

Yours,

John and Susan Hutson

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Karnataka-Kerala-Tamil Nadu - November 2009

Dear Yasin

My wife and I have just returned from a fascinating tour of Southern India organised through Indus. I am writing to say that all the arrangements worked very smoothly and your associates, were excellent. We were met promptly, courteously and efficiently at all destinations and departures where appropriate.

Once again, many thanks for your help.

Yours sincerely

Kerr Fraser

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India Holiday - November 2009

India Holiday - November 2009

Just a few short lines to express my appreciation and thank for my recent trip to India from UK on 9 November 2009.

My itinerary was well planned, and executed with the utmost efficiency and courtesy by your tour guide (Puran Chand Upadhyay), in Agra, who was extremely helpful, punctual and courteous in taking me to see the Taj Mahal (the prime purpose of my visit to India) and also my visit to the historic Agra Fort, etc.

My driver, in Agra, was also very efficient and drove me (accident-free) through densely crowded traffic, with great skill and confidence. In Delhi, the tour guide (whose name I have forgotten) was also very helpful and efficient in taking me to the train station from my hotel and even taking me to my reserved seat on the train to Agra, on the Shatabdi Express from Delhi. (The service & breakfast on the train was wonderful)

The hotel accommodation was superb… particularly the Leela Airport Hotel in Delhi, and in my opinion, the most luxurious hotel that I have stayed in, anywhere in the world.

Once again, my grateful thanks for a most memorable visit to India and I would have no hesitation in recommending your company to anyone who plans to visit India.

Sincerely

Mr Kevin Erickson

Holiday in Kashmir – September 2009

Dear Yasin

Thank you for making it possible to visit Kashmir when so few tour companies are prepared to arrange visits there. It is a truly magical place and I am so glad to have been able to go there.

I managed to visit most of the places in Srinagar I wanted to including Nedous Hotel which was full of security forces. I did however meet one of the Nedous family in Gulmarg who said that the hotel will be restored and if I had been there longer would have taken me to see the inside of the hotel.

Regards, Jenny Marley

Panting Tour in Kashmir – September 2009

Dear Yasin,

Thank you for one of the best trips ever. Packed with contrasts of; location, hotels, activities, ethnicities and excellent service.

It is said that everyone has a home where the soul belongs, I found this in Kashmir.

Thank you Indus for such a special experience, and for taking all the problems of travelling away.

Frida Moores

Undiscovered India. August 2009

Yasin - You were absolutely right about Kashmir - I have never felt so peaceful as when I was floating in a shikara amongst the lotus flowers on Dal Lake! I can't recommend it enough.

Kind regards,

Emma

Kashmir Holiday 29 April - 04 May 2009

Dear Yasin

Thank you so very much for arranging a most wonderful stay for us in Kashmir. We have been meaning to email you before this but there has been a lot to catch up on. The house boat was superb, and Gulam the houseboy and Gulam the owner couldn’t have looked after us better or been more helpful. We enjoyed our meals. We never actually met the cook, but we think he cooked us specially mildly spiced meals once he learned how “hot” we could cope with, and we very much appreciated that thoughtfulness.

The houseboat was in a blissfully peaceful position as you know, with fabulous views across the lake with the Himalayan foothills in the distance. Relaxing on the veranda, looking over the lake with the odd Shikara passing silently by, listening to the birds and the chattering of distant voices of people going about their business across the water, was perfect heaven. Talking with a group of Canadians in Srinagar airport on the way home we realised just how lucky we were, as their houseboat was not in anything like such a good location!

We appreciated being among Indian fellow guests in a house-party situation and we have kept in touch with one of the families from Delhi who were charming.

We very much enjoyed our days out, to the gardens and sights around Srinangar, to Gulmarg and our tour around Wular lake. We could well understand how our relatives fell in love with Kashmir and the lakes and mountains all those years ago. We strongly recommend a stay on a houseboat in Kashmir to relax and unwind as part of any tour of Rajasthan or Northern India.

We never felt at all threatened by the security “situation”; it was amusing that our colleagues who went to “safe” Kathmandu felt a lot more at risk than we did! Though the Indian army was present in huge numbers, the atmosphere felt totally different from that we experienced in Tibet a couple of years ago. There the Chinese army definitely felt like an oppressive force, whereas the Indian army in Kashmir felt to us as though it was comfortable with and protective towards Kashmir and the Kashmiri people.

Just one thing we very much regret is that we did not sufficiently reward our local guide in Gulmarg. We were confused at first as to whether we were paying him in full or just tipping him, and realise that in the confusion we did not give him as much as we should have, to cover his day rate and a tip. Is there any way we can get another £5 to him?

We would very much like to come back to Kashmir one day. Meanwhile we are intending to write to the Daily Telegraph about our experiences and to thank them for publishing the earlier letter from the Brigadier which led us to follow his tracks.

Thank you again for arranging such a memorable holiday for us. We are very happy for you to share our comments with others; it may help them to consider our Foreign Office advice from a wider perspective, and experience as enjoyable time in Kashmir as we have had.

Best wishes

Liz and John Thring

Dear Ayesha,

We have just returned from our holiday with the Blounts to Rajastan. It was a huge success and we all had a truly memorable time. We met some charming and efficient people and there were so many highlights including seeing tigers and staying in some beautiful old palaces. I feel we saw the real India travelling in the minibus and our driver was excellent. The family at Shapura were so welcoming and one of the Aunts cried at our departure saying we were their favourite quests ever! The Amber fort and the City Palace Museum in Udaipur were beautiful. The last time I went to the Taj 15 years ago, we had more freadom to explore inside and there was not the smell of feet then!

Thank you so much for organising such a fantastic holiday so well. You and Jane Blount make quite a team.

We will be recommending your company to our friends.

Yours,

N.S

Dear Yasin:

I want you to know that Mrs. Henry and I were just delighted with the arrangements you made for us for our trip to India. Everything worked out beautifully for us, and we learned a great deal about your magnificent country.

In particular, I want to commend Mr. Rawat, our driver, who made our transportation throughout India so effortless. He is a great driver...always there waiting for us precisely on time...and weaving though the incredible traffic with confidence and expertise.

The guides all were excellent. In particular I would commend Dilip who was our guide in Jaipur. There never was a question we asked that our guide could not answer. Their English was excellent.

The hotels were wonderful. I particularly liked the Fatah Prakesh Palace, the Samode Palace, and the Oberoi (in Agra).

Once again, Yasin, let me thank you for preparing such a superb itinerary for us. With great pleasure, I will recommend Indus to my friends who wish to travel to India.

Warmest personal regards.

Always sincerely,

Les

Dear Ayesha,

Gordon and I returned late last night from a most wonderful trip to India.  We would like to thank you very much for arranging it all for us. On every occasion we were met, collected, guided and driven, just as you had prescribed, by excellent staff.  The hotels were of a very high standard and the staff were all first class.  We particularly enjoyed the Maidens in Delhi, the Taj in Jophpur, the Rohet Garh (a wonderful little piece of heaven) and of course the Fateh Prakash in Udaipur.  Our first hotel in Amritsar was perhaps a little 'tired' but we understand that it was the best that was on offer and we could not fault the staff.

My father, who continues on his travels, also asked me to get in touch to express his thanks and appreciation for all that you have done.

We very much look forward to seeing more of India and also returning to parts that we have seen again.  We will be in touch and certainly recommend your services to other friends.

With best regards,

Kate and Gordon

Dear Rajeev

We are back from Kerala and had a wonderful time.  This is just to thank you for making it so special.  The walk in Perriyar was terrific.  We saw tiger prints (fresh) and elephant droppings (ditto) and lots of monkeys, birds and magnificent scenery.  Our driver, Mr. Sabu, was truly great.  He was a good guide when he was on his own, but didn't say a thing when we had another guide.  Our guide in Munar, Raj, was also outstanding.

The hotels were well chosen, although next time we'd rather be in either Fort Cochin or the new town, than on Willingden Island, which is a bit dead.  Not a problem, as we took the ferry across.

I know you specialise in Kerala, but do you also do Rajestan?  We are thinking of doing that next time, although I don't know when we will be able to afford it again, with the economic slump that is upon us all.

Anyway, thank you again.

Yours sincerely

Bruce Hunter

Dear Yasin

What an amazing holiday.

Thank you so much for the careful planning that went into this trip we had a fantastic time. Our driver and guides were superb. We appreciated the care that all of your representatives gave and that nothing was too much trouble. The hotels were brilliant except for the Grand Imperial in Agra.  I would really recommend that you do not send anybody there for the time being.  They are lovely people but the plumbing was awful and the restaurant left a lot to be desired.  Despite that we still had a good time and enjoyed New Years Eve there. We enjoyed India so much we are thinking of going to the area around Chennai next year. What do you think? Have you any recommendations for that area?

Regards

Jo Goatman

Folk Degree Secretary

Very grateful to Yasin and Ayesha for an excellent holiday.

India Holiday - December 2008

Dear Yasin,

I enclose your questionnaire relating to our recent magnificent holiday in northern India. We’d both like to thank you and all Indus staff for facilitating this memorable adventure to a land of true riches.

Our expectations were constantly exceeded: the natural beauty, fascinating history, engaging, friendly people and too many photo opportunities (1700 in fact!). We did both succumb to stomach problems but although quite debilitating they were short hired. The precision and reliability of your arrangements was impressive. All travellers are different and you have to cater for all types and inclinations so our highlights and personal observations must be interpreted as just that personal. Simply as customer feedback we’d like to convey the following, which must be seen in the context of a highly successful holiday:

Favourite accommodation & Cuisine : wilderness camp – exceptional service and meals.

Outstanding guides : Satindar (Delhi), Rattan (Agra) and Dilip (Jaipur).

All drivers were great; special mention to Umrao Rawat who put up with us for many days over many dusty miles. Competent, discrete and informative. We particularly like his physical demonstration of how to operate a water wheel in the middle of a wheat field in the absence of the usual twin cattle! Many drivers could make perfectly able guides.

For what its worth, a couple of not so hots:

Lunch stop on Amritsar – shimla run

Boat house at Ropar was truly awful : dirty and staff not interested. The only bad eating experience. The days drive was 10 hours so a happy break was important; we realise this is probably an unusual route for Indus.

Grand Imperial Hotel – Agra

Our request to reschedule the itinerary probably unsettled your first choice of hotel in Agra – the grand Imperial may have been grand in the past but no longer. The only accommodation we didn’t care for; poor dinning.

We mention these items only because we want Indus to thrive and feel our observations may help. We found the whole tipping philosophy hard to adjust to but just the way it is, although some tourists probably over tip and that raises expectations unrealistically and spoils it, particularly with porters who are accustomed to receiving the average wage for a day for 2 minutes portering. The figures suggested in your travel advice for tipping we feel are now slightly too low, but certainly there has been inflation in tipping in recent years by all accounts.

Please return the enclosed Taj Mahal ticket to Rattan who was agitated that we couldn’t find it for him after our visit. He requires it to redeem the value in his office & I know he appreciates it!

We’ve had a special 3 weeks trip and wouldn’t hesitate to travel with Indus again or recommend the company to friends. We’d be happy to answer any further queries, in spite of the Mumbai atrocities we shall be back : India and her tourist industry deserve the ongoing support of travellers. A lovely country with enchanting people.

With thanks and very good wishes,

Douglas & Kirsty Rolland

India Holiday - November 2008

Dear Ayesha

I would like to thank both yourself and Rageev along with all the staff at Indus for once again putting our planned holiday to southern India into a more than excellent experienced. Your agents in India made us feel relaxed, they catered for our every need. The driver they chose to accompany us for our 3 week trip was so knowledgeable polite and presented the car every morning after an over night valet . He drove in a safe manor on very difficult roads stopping along the way to show us birds, bees nests, fruit bats, rubber, tea, cotton plants to name just a small amount of the interesting things he new about, he backing it up with almost a mobile library in the car.The timings for the English speaking guides to join us at places of interest was like clockwork and there knowledge was interesting without being overwhelming. The tiger at Nagahole and Perriyar proved elusive once again, maybe an excuse to return. The Hotels were of a very good standard at every stop and we were able to relax and energize ourselves for what was to happen on the next day. We found Southern India so different from our previous trip to the north. It was like visiting a totally different country. The people we met were kind and always friendly towards us as they were in the north. I thank you once again for all your help along with the speedy and professional way you put together out trip right from our first enquiry standing out from your competitors.I would willingly recommend Indus to other travelers in the future.

I would like to wish everyone at Indus along with your families A Happy Christmas Break and A healthy Happy Prosperous New Year.

Kind regards and Thank you

Graham Bedford.

Classic India Holiday - October 2008

Dear Yasin,

Well you said "enjoy India" and we certainly did. Thank you so very much for organising such a wonderful trip. Everything ran like clockwork, the hotels, drivers and guides were all first class and we have just had an amazing holiday. Our very special thanks go to Devender Kumar who was such an excellent driver and was with us for almost all the holiday. He looked after us so well, was always punctual and nothing was ever too much trouble, and we would be grateful if you would please let his employers know what an asset he is.

Thank you once again for giving us such a wonderful experience. It was quite a long time in the planning but well worth the wait. We will certainly be in touch again in a couple of years' time for you to organise another trip taking in some different areas. We have certainly been smitten and can't wait to visit India again. What a fabulous country!

Our sincere thanks.

Diane Mold

Dear Rajeev

We have just returned from our tour to India today and I wanted to make sure that I contacted you to thank you for your help in making our visit to India so special.

The tour was absolutely perfect from start to finish. The itinerary was well put together and the hotels you booked for us were all marvellous. The local company representatives were all very efficient, well mannered and helpful. They were always ready and waiting for us when arrived or made a departure and were particularly helpful when we used the airports. The local guides were each and every one interesting, entertaining and full of knowledge and passion for their country and its heritage. Our driver was of the highest standard and we felt safe in his hands at all times - under some very interesting driving conditions! I would really appreciate it if it is possible to pass our comments on to the local staff as they really made the journey run so smoothly.

There were so many highlights to our tour that it's difficult to single any out. I would, however, recommend Manvar Desert Camp to your clients. The experience was quite magical and so well organised. To have the chance to see both sunset and sunrise over the desert was magnificant!

Again my husband and I would like to thank you for all the help you gave us in putting together what was an excellent 30th Wedding Anniversary holiday. Your advice throughout the whole booking process was invaluable and your attention to detail first class.

I hope that we may travel to India again and we will have no hesitation in using Indus or recommending the company to family and friends.

Yours sincerely

Isobel Duff

Holiday to Kashmir August 2008

Dear Yasin

You have been organising our trips to India for absolutely ages now - is it 12 years?!! We've enjoyed them all - or we wouldn't keep going back!

We have just come back from Kashmir. We went with a certain amount of fear and trembling - both as a result of troubles having flared up and the Foreign Office's advice.

We very much enjoyed our stay there in spite of all the problems that blew up just as we went and a 24-hour curfew that was issued a day after our arrival.

Yasin had organized an excellent trip. It was a disappointment that we were unable to have a trip on the River Jhelum, a visit to Dachigam National Park and to visit Gulmarg. However, there were benefits, we went to walks meeting the extremely friendly and pleasant villagers; my husband learned to paddle a shikara. We were extremely well looked after, felt completely safe and it was paradise there - an excellent place for a relaxing holiday.

We were in an excellently appointed house boat on the Dal Lake, away from Shrinagar, with a beautiful vista - ever-changing mountains, a hill topped with the Fort and in front of us lotus 'fields' with wonderful bird life - and the sun shone.

Let us hope for the sake of the suffering Kashmiri people that their problems will be over soon and they will be able to work, earn their living and enjoy leisure time and Indus will be able to organize more holidays in this paradise.

Thanks for this glimpse of Kashmir. - Mavis

India Holiday March 2008

Dear Ayesha,

My wife and I recently returned from our three-week tour of Rajasthan.

I would like to thank you and everybody at Indus Travel for making our holiday such a wonderful experience. Your professionalism and knowledge from the outset were the things that made me select Indus from the other tour operators I spoke to. The service we received was exceptional, right from the professionally prepared information pack, prior to departure, through to the guide and driver that put us on the aeroplane to come home.

The guides we met in India were all courteous, knowledgeable, patient, professional, concerned for our safety and very helpful. Even though we had both read about India before we travelled, the guides helped us to appreciate the places we went to and always had interesting and useful information for us. Our driver, Yogash, was also a great help to us. His patience and experienced driving made the sometimes-trying experience of travelling on Indian roads an exciting adventure.

Each new place we went to was an exciting revelation. We never stopped being overawed by the sights and sounds of India. Your choice of itinery was just great. We particularly enjoyed the less touristy places like Shahpura and Dungapur. They had the feel of real India, not the India centred on the tourist. Starting in Amritsar with the Golden Temple was my personal highlight. My wife's was the Taj Mahal. We both thought the Jain Temple at Ranakpur was just incredible. Every fort and palace we visited had something new and unique to offer, we never got bored.

As for the hotels, they were all (with one exception) sensational. We particularly like Garh Jaisal Haveli in Jaisalmer, for its position and the quiet kindness of the Nepalese staff. The Shahpura Bagh, for its peacefulness, its friendly owners and wonderful food. The Ajit Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur was also a really nice hotel and we were sorry we could only stay for one night. The only hotel we were disappointed in was the Bissau Palace in Jaipur.

If you would like more feedback on each of the hotels we stayed in, just give me a ring. I have made notes on all of them. Once again, thank you for ail your hard work and please pass on our thanks and appreciation to all of your colleagues in India that were so helpful to us during our stay.

Yours truly,

David Watson

India Holiday March 2008

Good afternoon Rajeev.

I thought to send you a quick email to let you know that the tour you organised was a resounding success.

In particular I thought that your Delhi representative 'Amritesh Singh' was most helfpful and must, from my point of view, be regarded as very valuable to your Company.

Also, the guide in Jaipur, 'Dilip Singh', was very informative and most helpful in all aspects with regard to the time spent there. Also the driver was excellent and gave both myself and my wife confidence in his abilities.

All round, all your people were top quality and should be commended.

I am sorry I could not send this earlier due to Computer problems and also a small illness which has now been cured.

Once again, thank you very much and I think that we shall book another tour with you later on.

Sincerely

Michael Bullen

India Holiday February 2008

Hi Rajeev

Sorry it has taken over a week to thank you for organising our holiday in India.

We enjoyed the whole experience and it was a perfect mix of sight-seeing, wildlife and beach.

Would you please pass on our thanks to everyone in India who made the trip so memorable and stress-free.

We were really impressed with all the Indus staff, guides, drivers and hotel staff who we met.

Although not as impressive as the Taj Exotica in Goa we would recommend the Qutab in New Delhi and would stay there again. As you have not used it much for your clients before we felt you may like to know that it is very comfortable, clean and the food was excellent as were the staff.

Once again thanks for making our first trip to India such a memorable experience. We hope to return, maybe in 2010 and will definitely use Indus.

Yours

Dave and Gwen Link

India Holiday February 2008

Dear Rajeev Manral,

Thank you very much for putting together our holiday to India. Everything fitted together beautifully; the drivers, the transport and the guides were excellent. Very helpful, smoothing our way and helping us find what we wanted. Nothing was too much trouble.

My sister, Judy Moore, my daughter Mrs Helen Sopphitt and myself thank you very much indeed.

Yours Truly,

Joan A Richardson

India Holiday January 2008

Dear Ayesha

Just to let you know we are back & our trip went very well, thank you for your help in organising.

The driver we had, Mono, was super, very safe, considerate & helpful...even to the extent of helping us climb up to forts etc.

One thing worth recommending is a boat trip down the Chambal river..starts in the local park ..We saw crocodiles, eagles, vultures & lots of other birds. The boatman was very well informed & equipped with binoculars & a book re birds of India.

Two places we stayed were outstanding: Narlai was a splendid location, comfortable with good food & Shapura was wonderful. A lovely family, very urbane & interesting, super location, excellent food, it would be a lovely, relaxing 4/5 day break.

Our first impression of the hotel in Delhi was an Indian equivalent of Fawlty Towers!!! However, on our way home Justin needed medical treatment & the hotel staff could not have been more helpful or efficient.

As always,Indus came up trumps & more than met our expectations. Many, many thanks

Maggi

Holiday - 28 November 2007

Dear Yasin,

I wanted to write to you to express my sincere thanks. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our two weeks in India and were very impressed with the Itinery you kindly put together for us.

We needed to use the services of a specialist having never visited India before and Indus certainlv did not let us down. It was comforting to receive your initial pack through the post, clearly demonstrating our Itinery, the tickets, advice about weather, tipping, local customs and all of the contact details we might have needed whilst out there. Each transfer was seamless and I have to admit that we were glad of a professional driver and guide to enable us not only to navigate but also to bring India to life.

Mr Rawat - our driver was exceptionally polite and very understanding when we were in Agra. My husband was quite unwell, (having decided to eat in a restaurant rather than in the hotel,) and Mr. Rawat was kept waiting before our drive down to the Samode Palace. It was worth it however as The Samode Palace was the highlight of the entire holiday - a beautiful, memorable, wonderful, historic hotel - with fabulous food and service.

All of our guides were helpful and interesting, however the one we'd like to draw special attention to was Dellip, (whom looked after us for a day in Jaipur.) Dellip was careful to take the time to talk to us about modern culture in India as well as the historical information and his easy manor and excellent English made his company a real pleasure.

Our lunch at the Rambagh Palace was delicious and a real treat - thank you for this gesture.

I have already been recommending the services of Indus to my friends and family so I hope they will follow our lead and make India their next holiday, for us it really was the trip of a lifetime.

Thank you once again for your help. We look forward to our next holiday with Indus.

Yours Sincerely,

Kirsty Cocker

Advertising Director

Condé Nast Traveller

Holiday - December 2007

We have now been back from our trip to India for a week and we feel it only proper to write and say 'thank you' for organising such a splendid holiday for us. We could not fault it, everything went exactly as planned, and your Indian colleagues could not do enough for us.

How they managed to arrange for us to see seven tigers and leopards we'll never know!

We have only one point to make that may be of use to you. The bird sanctuary at Bharatpur is no longer what it once was. Evidently, due to lack of rain during the last four monsoons, it now has only around one tenth of its original water. Thus, the vast majority of water birds, that it is famous for, no longer visit. However, we did manage to see some interesting birds and animals there.

One person we feel we must mention, that is our driver for the last ten days, namely, Umrao S. Rawat. He is exceptional and gave us excellent service in the most friendly of ways.

Again many thanks.

Yours sincerely

Brian and Jean Herron

Comments - November 2007

Dear Shawn Hendricks

Certainly a very beautifully illustrated travel itinerary you sent to us. Thank you so much. Great pleasure to see such lovely and exciting itinerary for frway destinations. Thank you so much, really loved your mail & will keep it.

Janice & Frank Dakin

India Holiday - November 2007

Dear Sirs

My wife and I would like to thank you for a very professional serivce you provided us on our recnet journey through Rajasthan. We really enjoyed it. Our drive was excellent in all aspects and the agents were efficient and the guides extremely competent. It was a pity about our stay on the last night at the Maidens in Delhi, which no doubt you will hear about from your helpful Delhi staff Vibhuti Sant.

We will recommend your organisation to others who may wish to travel to India.

Yours Sincerely - Harold Potter.

India Holiday - November 2007

Dear Ayesha

Thank you so much for all your help in organizing our trip to India in November. We had a wonderful time and were so glad that Indus helped us with all our arrangements. Everything went very smoothly and all the people who assisted/guided us were very professional. We were also really grateful for the additional recommendations that you made for our trip. We would not have visited Neemrana or Sher Bagh in Ranthambore had it not been for your suggestions and they were both fantastic hotels. I will definitely recommend Indus to anyone I know who plans to travel to India.

Thanks to all of the team at Indus.

Best regards

Joanne and Tanvir

India Holiday - November 2007

"Excellent Service"

Dr and Ms Chouksey

India Holiday - November 2007

"We think Indus is Terrific!"

Mr and Mrs Richmond

India Holiday - November 2007

Hello

Just a very quick email to say thank you very much for organising a lovely tour in India for us. We enjoyed all of it, including the hotel that I was so apprehensive about. Amritesh was very very helpful and it felt good to know that there was a 24/7 number I could ring if things went wrong. The only problem we had was the quality of guide in Delhi but otherwise no great complaints really.

How soon can I start planning my next trip to India with you in January for three weeks?

Look forward to hearing back

Monisha

India Holiday - November 2007

Dear Yasin,

We returned to London last night and I just had to speak to you first thing today so tell you what an amazing holiday we had - it was perfect!

A letter is on its way to you with more detail of our trip and the places, hotels and tours we enjoyed the most.

Thank you so much, it was a holiday of a lifetime.

Best Wishes,

Mr. Mrs. Andrew and Kirsty Cocker

29.10.07 - Kashmir

Dear Yasin

My wife and I travelled to Ladakh to visit our daughter in Leh. We wanted to visit Srinagar and particularly the houseboats on Lake Dal. I looked up the area on to Foreign Office website which gave a certain amount of unhelpful warnings. Believing them always to be overcautious - I have found this to be the case in several countries. I decided none the less to visit Kashmir.

Our experience was altogether outstanding. We had a most wonderful week on a most comfortable houseboat.

It was tranquil and relaxing and we were looked after by very kind people. As for security - we never once felt in any sort of danger. Yes, there were lots of soldiers but travelling in border regions in that part of the world is perfectly normal.

I would recommend a visit to Kashmir to anyone. All you need to do is to keep away from large centres of population and that still leaves lots of scope. It is a beautiful place kept far so long behind a curtain of insecurity.

It is time to visit and catch up on these hidden jewels.

Evelyn

India Holiday October 2007

Excellent Holiday - need a few hick-ups for the adventure.

8-25 Oct 2007 - Nepal Holiday

Dear Mr Manral

We wanted to write to say how much we enjoyed the Spirit of Nepal trip. It was everything we expected and more with awesome views of the Mountains, a trekking experience never to forget and some excellent wildlife viewing.

In particular we would like to praise Basanta Bhatta from Yeti Travels who organised everything perfectly and oiled wheels where necessary and our Trek guide Lambabu Sherpa and his team who carefully got us through 3 days of hard walking and couldn't do enough to help.

I am sorry but we couldn't find the Service Voucher when asked on the last day of the trip so Yeti may come back to you for a copy.

I think it would have been helpful to know that the internal flights are in small 19 seater planes that can't take big suitcases. Luckily we had a smaller bag which we were able to transfer enough stuff just for each trip and Yeti held our main cases at the hotel.

Once again thanks for a wonderful holiday.

Best regards

Mervyn & Christine Mead

September 2007 - Kirk/Taffinder Trip To Nepal & Bhutan

Dear Rajeev,

My wife and I and our two friends arrived back in the UK yesterday morning, after a superb trip to Bhutan and Kathmandu, and I'd like to thank you for all the arrangements you made on our behalf. Everything worked perfectly - transport, accommodation and guides - and we had an extremely interesting and stimulating experience. It surpassed expectations in many ways. So thank you for working on the details, making the arrangements, and adjusting the schedule to suit our particular requirements. We're all very grateful.

Kindest regards,

Rob