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Packing
How strict is Tauck on using the Tauck issued bags? Or main suitcases (Briggs and Riley) are pretty much the same size as the Tauck bags which will be a real pain to have to pack in our suitcases which we always carry on planes. We could even just use on of our suitcases for the Nepal portion if it's a problem. In other words, we'd like to just use our own suitcases and forego the Tauck issued ones. Possible?
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No not possible. It’s all about the bags being the exact same size.
BJMKLMAZ Agree with **British **. I was on this tour last year. I also use the B&R International carry-on luggage; however, the duffle bags allow easy uniformed transport of the luggage. There are many moving parts to this tour.
When we arrived, the TD also provided a larger duffle bag - the same size we received for the Portrait of India tour. You are allowed to bring a small carry-on bag that will fit in the over-head airline bin--however, I would caution not to try to use your B&R as it will not fit. The planes are small and the overhead bins are smaller.
The beauty is you can leave the duffle bags at your final destination in Mumbai, or you can use it to carry souvenirs or dirty laundry and ditch it when you get home...1st world problems
Thanks to you both. PureLuxury, I'm not sure what you mean by "the TD also provided a larger duffle bag ..." Does that mean we could just not bring the duffles Tauck sent and that there would be one available when we arrived? That would be perfect but I'm not sure that's what you mean.
Sorry, you have to use the ones that Tauck sent you, You can not count on the TD to have extra ones.
BJMKLMAZ
Fortunately for our tour it was a pleasant surprise the TD also brought along larger duffle bags--this allowed us more clothing options. At the end of the tour I left the larger duffle behind (already had one from the previous POI tour).
Unfortunately as **gladysorlando984 **stated...you cannot count on the TD bringing the larger duffle and therefore, you will need to pack the one that is mailed to you. For the Portrait of India tour, the TD provided the duffles and presented them during the initial meet & greet. I wonder why that's not the standard procedure--perhaps logistics, hotel storage capacity, etc.
Hello everyone! We will be traveling first time with Tauck to Northern India and Nepal. Can you, please, clarify luggage situation? Based on your comments, Tauck sends duffle bag that we must use. Is this correct? Can i have a backpack or carry-on? Is there suggested packing list for this tour? We don't pack heavy usually, but with how diverse this trip is...i don't know if everything will fit into one duffle bag:-). TIA!
Victoria, we were on this trip in February of 2025, our third trip to India. The duffel is for days 3 to 10 only, during the visit to Nepal. During that time the rest of your "normal" luggage is transported by truck to meet up with you in Agra. The duffel is only for temporary use in Nepal because of the size of the aircraft used, to ensure all luggage fits on the plane. So you can have more luggage besides the duffel for use on the rest of the trip, but only a duffel goes to Nepal. We didn't have an issue the "restriction". If necessary if I remember correctly you can do laundry at the lodge at Chitwan. I do not know what time of the year you are going, but largely took Safari type clothing for Nepal and added standard American summer clothing for the balance. You will get all of this info formally from Tauck 60 days out from your trip when you personalised travel docs are issued to you. Here is an extract from ours on clothing etc.
Clothing and Packing Suggestions In India, plain cotton or cotton/synthetic blends are the most practical travel clothing in the warmer months. It is best to avoid synthetic fabrics that do not "breathe." For protection from the harsh sun, a hat with a wide brim is recommended. When traveling during the fall season, a collapsible umbrella comes in handy. The temperature in the national parks we visit can go down to 32 degrees F (0 Celsius) at any time of year, be sure to pack sweaters and a jacket or other layers that can be combined to provide extra warmth. The jeep rides you'll experience in the parks can get very chilly and guests will need to bring two or three layers and a windbreaker. Most Indians dress modestly. To respect Indian sensitivities (particularly in rural areas or tradition-bound urban areas) and to avoid unwanted and undesirable attention, it is recommended that women and teenage girls wear loose slacks or skirts below the knees or longer when in public. Sleeveless blouses, tight pants, and shorts should be avoided. Men should avoid going shirtless, and trousers are preferable to shorts. Also, please note that long pants may provide valuable protection against mosquitoes. For the welcome reception and dinner, we recommend "smart casual" to suit a tropical climate. To enter a holy shrine, women should wear a long skirt, dress, or slacks. Beyond your normal wardrobe and personal grooming items, we suggest you also bring along: Comfortable closed-toed walking shoes (VERY IMPORTANT) Socks for the visits to the temples and monastery where shoes are removed Rainwear, such as a raincoat and rain hat, plus a collapsible umbrella Short and long-sleeved shirts/tee shirts (for the warmer, summer months extra tee shirts are always a good idea) Pants for casual daytime wear collared shirt for men, casual dress for women for the welcome reception and dinner Sweater; lightweight for summer, and medium weight/coat or jacket for Nepal Camera, lenses, batteries, chargers and extra memory cards (PLEASE NOTE: Cell phones and tablet computers such as iPads are allowed inside Bandhavgarh National Park for taking pictures only. These devices must be in airplane mode. An actual camera is best to have in the park.) Swimwear Sunglasses Sunscreen and hat Small flashlight Insect repellent Travel alarm clock (many hotels do not have clocks in the rooms) binoculars.
This is a mind altering intensive trip that stay with you for yerars to come. PM me if you need more specific info.
Robert
We did this trip in Mar 2017. To show how small the planes are in the Nepal portion, John took a picture of his negative legroom. Luckily it is not a long flight.
SueMS - I feel for John in the plane's seat. It could be a picture of me in almost every economy flight I've taken (6'6" tall). 😁
Hopefully the person in front of him didn't recline the seat. If so, I'm sure the person was about 5'2" tall. 😁
I am doing this trip late this December. I know there are all kinds of transportation involved. With respect to flights, I think it ranges from small propeller aircraft (hence need for duffel's) to A320's, correct? Scheduled flights or charters, and what airlines are used? Since this is a late December departure, and considering weather at that time, what clothing experiences do any of you have if you did this trip that type of year? Thank you.
The bags have to all be the same and easily identifiable to the porters. In Namibia, a couple of the guests, ahead of time, asked to pick up their duffle from the tour guide at the meet and greet dinner, instead of trying to carry it. You do HAVE to use it on these kinds of trips or your bag would be left behind by accident at some point.