Trip Report - 12/20 departure Part 1
I’ve received very helpful insight in this forum before departure, and want to pay it forward with this trip report. Among our Tauck and non-Tauck travels, we rank this tour right up there. Our TD was very capable Anna Sbordoni, long associated with Tauck’s India tours, as well as some European tours. We had 11 travelers, plus a student TD preparing to be a guide on this itinerary in the future. We felt we would be led well when our TD wrote us in advance, with helpful hints and suggestions. This also allowed us to ask currency preference for the TD gratuity, since we were connecting in Paris and we could pick up Euros if needed.
Let’s get the important thing out of the way - Yes, we did see the Bengal Tiger in India on our first morning drive, and we also saw rhinos and elephants not to mention monkeys and other wildlife. And that was on safari. On our drives between cities in India, we saw lots of cows, dogs, goats, monkeys, etc… there too. A very different experience. A note regarding the safari in Bandhavgarh Nat’l Park – two days before our departure authorities announced that mobile phones were not permitted in the park. So if you want photos, bring a real camera. I will say there is something to be said for just experiencing the moment and not futzing with a camera. Just like taking in nature with everyone in the vehicle remaining quiet as requested.
We arrived very early on the 18th at the Imperial after a very nice Air France business class experience. That allowed us the 18th as a recovery day, and the 19th and morning of the 20 as opportunities to explore Delhi on our own. For the full day we arranged in advance with The Imperial for an SUV from their fleet, which came with a hotel employee driver, as well as a tour guide. It was incredibly in expensive, and we customized the tour by showing our guide what as the Tauck Delhi segment itinerary. The hotel was a true grand dame, and the service was wonderful throughout (this was generally a them the whole tour). During our stay the WHO was having a conference on traditional medicine at the Imperial, and we saw the President of the organization. Lots of security surrounded us.
In Delhi we had 3 great meals, the first at Spice Route in the hotel. It did not disappoint. Before dinner we ventured out to visit a very small synagogue, to participate in Hanukkah menorah lighting. It was an interesting experience among visitors from various countries. The next evening we went to Bukhara, high on many a list, particularly enjoying their famous leg of lamb dish, dal, and handkerchief bread. It was well worth the visit and reserving in advance. On the full day of touring dinner was on our own, and we preplanned and enjoyed Indian Accent, well known in dining circles. For both Bukhara and Indian Accent, the concierge arranged for a car(cab) to take us there, wait while we ate, and then bring us back. The cost was between $10USD and $12USD (plus tip) which was billed to our room. Can’t beat that. So don’t be afraid to head out to other parts of town. Just remember to take a card from the driver so you have his number at pickup time.
The tour started with a midday orientation briefing in the business center, including a BBC documentary similar to those Tauck uses on other tours. We then did a drive around the city and made a stop at Gandhi’s residence. In the evening we had a cocktails in the bar, followed by dinner in the restaurant. Unlike most welcome dinners, there was not the usual generic offerings not tied to the visited country, but rather we had Indian themed items in small portions, brought out almost like serving a Thali plate item by item. Much better than usual. That would portend good things to come. I’d say that we had much more by way of local cuisine than on typical tours, with plenty of variety. At all stops dietary and allergy requirements were attended to for the several who had such needs. Vegans will find this an extremely easy trip to navigate. Nobody went hungry, and to my knowledge there we no Delhi belly issues. Myself I took but 1 Imodium and never felt in need of antibiotics or other items in the RX pouch. We did have a guest with a respiratory illness who was discourteous and would not use a mask, nor isolate themselves. Breakfast each day was a mix of Indian and Western items. I’d encourage you to try traditional Indian breakfast items, of which dosas are such an item. We eat Indian often, and did feel that often the food was spiced down to accommodate Westerners. But if you order things prepared as Indians do, as I learned to do, you can have a different experience.
The weather for this tour was pretty comfortable and warmer overall than we had expected at the time of booking, though on par with pre trip research. Night time lows were the mid 40’s, and in the day we reached the low 70’s, but for Bombay, where we hit 90. If you are willing to dress in layers, and don’t mind rewearing clothes, avoid the temptation to overpack as we did. The weather issue we did have was fog, as it was the foggy season. That resulted in some flights having delays, and in the case of one flight within Nepal, we had to take an impromptu 8 hour bus ride instead over very terrible roads. On the flip side, you see off the beaten path Nepal, which was interesting. The TD and Tauck did a good job making alternate arrangements. And nobody complained since it came with the territory in this part of the world. You will have a complimentary laundry opportunity, once in Nepal at the safari lodge, and also in India at the safari lodge. Also, don’t go crazy with power adapters – most of the hotels had some multi/international plugs that could take US style plugs. Some also had direct UBS-A charging ports.
Comments
Really excellent summary & thanks!