Amber Fort in Jaipur

mel0849

Hello, good morning everyone..
I do have one question.. what option does Tauck offers to those passengers who cannot ride up to the palace on the elephant?
My mother refuses to do so....:))
Please advise. Thanks

British

Jeeps. In fact, our tour director discouraged the elephant rides because they are not well treated, so everyone road the jeeps. But we could watch all the people arriving on the elephants.

mel0849

Thank you British.

Ken from Vegas

When we took the tour, the elephants weren't really an option. Jeeps were arranged for everyone. I asked about doing the elephants and was told if I really wanted to do it I could. However, I was told that if I rode the elephants, I would miss the tour of the fort. So I opted for the jeeps.

Peggyp

We were in India in November and many of us rode the elephants in Fort Amber. It was amazing. You see so much more from an elephant than from a jeep. We had plenty of time to see Amber Fort and loved the whole experience. The elephants do not take you back down so a Jeep is obligatory.

mel0849

hello, good morning
Yes, I knew about driving the jeeps on the way down and it's ok, I'll see how it goes... because, I would prefer having xtra time for pictures.
Thanks everyone. )

joycesw

Just got back...the tour of the fort did not begin until everyone had gathered, but those on the elephants (about half of the group) were the last to arrive, so those of us in the jeeps did get some extra time for photos. Beware as the hawkers here were the most aggressive we encountered during the entire trip ( did "Portrait" so that includes the south as well). All it takes is one person in the group to buy something and everyone becomes fair game (and, we had a number of "shoppers" in our group). I actually resorted to leaving the group, waving my arms saying, "Give me some space!" It was quite effective as I am sure they thought I had slipped a cog! It is a stunningly beautiful site with a beautiful location and gorgeous architecture.

mel0849

Thank you Joycesw.
Yes, I figured that by using the jeeps I would get more time up @ the Fort.for pictures.... I have already ride elephants, camels, flippers, kangaroos )) etc... so no big deal.
Now, tell me something did you felt rushed out during visits to move on.. with no time to take pictures,( of course being on a tour ) is not like traveling solo but some tour guides are more sensitive than others..:)
and also like in the Jaipur hotel being so open did you walked from lobby to the rooms or do they provide mini golf cars to move around? I have no problem walking but just wanted to know and some curiosity... if I was going to go to the room @ night.(after a good Whiskey break ) )
and last, did you like the tour? do you have any suggestions? any recommendation? did anyone used or had time to go to the Spas? I'm going next Oct. traveling on my own.
Thanks again for the info. hope to hear from you soon.
Have a lovely day.

British

Had excellent spa treatments at two of the hotels. No golf carts.
Don't drink too much whiskey, there are some very early starts on this tour that ensures you do not feel 'rushed' at any of the sites.

joycesw

To answer your questions...My comments are based on the "Portrait of India" tour rather than the "Spotlight..." tour. I am so pleased we were able to do the longer tour. While the southern part did not have as many historical sites, the difference between the two areas gave us a better perspective of India as a whole. For many of us, the day we walked through a village at Kumarakom interacting with children going off to school in their well-pressed uniforms with their backpacks and smiles from ear to ear was a highlight of the trip.
I really did not feel rushed anywhere. Our TD and local guides were very sensitive about the places that interested people and when it would be best to linger and when it would be best to move on. These local guides were the very best we have had anywhere (with the exception of one guide, but that guide will not be part of your trip). Our guide in Agra was very sensitive to photo ops and took us to some areas to the side of the Taj Mahal that gave us some wonderful photos. Also, he took my camera, had me face a certain way, and took a phenomenal photo of the Taj reflected in my sunglasses!
I was most looking forward to going to Varanasi, and it did not disappoint. Ironically, many people who came because of the Taj Mahal found Varanasi to be the best part of the trip. I won't spoil it for you, but it was very moving and quite meaningful.
Yes, at the Oberai in Jaipur, there are golf carts to take you to your room, if you wish. The property is very spread out, and for some this was a good option. Ffor me, I needed to walk off all of that wonderful food I ate!
We did not do any spa treatments in the Northern part of the trip, but a couple did a session at one of the Oberai's (Jaipur or Agra) and were very happy with it. We waited until we got to Kumarakom where we got an ayurvedic rejuvenation treatment which was, bar none, the best spa experience I have ever had!
I sense you like to explore a bit, so here is what we did in Delhi...I am not sure where you will be staying as I believe the Oberai is closing for renovations this Spring which is too bad as that particular Oberai staff was more customer oriented that any other place we have ever stayed. Since we didn't get to our rooms until 4:30 AM, the first day was sort of kicked back, although, we did take a cooking lesson from two chefs at the hotel which was wonderful. The next day the concierge helped us arrange a day by actually walking us out to a cab, getting in, speaking with the driver telling him what we wanted to do and negotiating the price for us! We drove to the Chandni Chowk area and then got into rickshaws for a two hour ride through the area. It was quite an experience! When the traffic got too bad, our cab driver in another rickshaw, had us get out and walk around to be sure we saw all the areas. We visited Jama Masjid (the Friday Mosque) that is in the area. We also visited Akshardham Temple before we returned to the hotel. This temple is new and some of it could border on a Disneylandish experiences (those who did it likened it to" It's a Small World"). We did not do any of the rides and just walked through the temple and the gardens and found it quite spiritual. I guess less is more here. We also had dinner one night at "The Spice Route" in the Imperial Hotel, which was a very nice experience, although, not for the feint of wallet! The Imperial is a possible substitute when the Oberai shuts down.
We really enjoyed three nights in Udaipur. Because of a conflict with a large wedding we stayed at the Taj Lake Palace instead of the Oberai . On the afternoon after our morning balloon ride about 8 of us went to Nagda Temple with one of our local guides. It was a wonderful site, and the guide was so good. If you get the opportunity to go there, take it.
We found this tour to be very fast paced and exhausting and we loved every minute of it!...you will need that whiskey at the end of a day!!

mel0849

Dear Joycesw.
Good morning and thank you SO!! much for all your help, thank you for taking the time to answer all my quest. many I should say..... I woke up this morning and rushed to my off. to check for your reply
So Exciting!
Yes, you are right I'm pretty active and love to explore as much as I can when traveling. I have pre booked some days prior to the tour and also some after.. with Delhi Magic a local company run by women that has great reviews and do a lot for women rights & safety in India. I hire a car with driver and guide, these are the sight I'll visit.

The Akshardham Temple
- Gurudwara Bangla Sahib Temple
- Baha'i Temple Delhi
- Jama Masjid mosque, some Stepwells and finale the Lodi Gardens.
- The Nagda temple & Eklingji in Udaipur.- with Udaipur Magic same comp. as the Delhi.

Also, I have booked Spa treatments in Delhi, Udaipur and @ the end again @ the Urgaon hotel.
But there is always a moment for a good Whiskey.

Thank you so much for the tip about the Oberoi , I hope they go for the Leela Palace-Kempinski , it is Amazing!!
Now Varanasi, OMG! yes I heard is very moving, and I'll be crying all along..... )) I saw a couple of videos in Youtube and cannot stop soubbing, I cannot wait to be there...

Thank you again and Thanks also to British.
Have a lovely day.
Cheers!

Richardb

When we did the Portrait tour in 2014 we were not allowed to ride the elephants for safety reasons.
You will really enjoy that tour, and maybe like me, you will find some experiences profound, but so glad you experienced them. Tauck just has that way of fulfilling the guests with every experience and emotion so you will forget any films you have seen about the area. That is so valuable.
Treasure your trip.

mel0849

Hi, Richardb.
Yes, Tauck does an amazing job, that's why we love them. ) and Yes!, I'm pretty sure this trip will be unforgettable.
Have a lovely day.