A perfect trip from beginning to end. Our driver, Vishan, was excellent behind the wheel in the often-dicey driving that is Indian traffic. He was calm and in control in the craziest of situations, and we felt extremely safe in his care--all while feeling glad we were not doing the driving ourselves! Seriously, the driving is nuts! Vishan was always on time, extremely polite, and ready to help in any way.
The itinerary for each day was well-planned and executed. We received prompt and timely information from Shakul (via What's App), who coordinated the entire trip. In each new location, there was a local guide to meet us and lead us through the sites, navigating the entrances/tickets and informing us of interesting facts and stories. For a first-time visit to India, this was perfect! It was all done for us. We loved the range of activities and attractions on this 6-day trip. There is a good deal of driving involved in between the 4 major cities (Delhi to Agra, on to Ranthambhore, then on to Jaipur and back to Delhi), so it was nice to have a good book for the longer stretches where there is little to see except the amusing habit of the cows who liked hanging out in the middle of the road.
For hotels, we opted for the 5-star option and we were very pleased with the quality of service and comfort in each hotel, as well as the food. Breakfast was included each day. but dinner was often not included. I wondered how that would play out, but it turned out that each of the hotels had a reasonably-priced buffet dinner option which allowed us to try a broad range of new dishes. The food was great!
Of all the stops on this tour (and they are all awesome!), I think our personal favorite was Agra and the Taj Mahal. Vijay, our guide in Agra deserves a particular shout out for going above and beyond. He was super friendly and fun, willing to joke around with us, take a lot of silly pictures, and help us find a specific souvenir we were looking for at the end of the day, even though we started before dawn and he must have been tired and ready to go home. I was impressed with his patience and good humor. He was flexible, gracious, and had the magical ability to convey how much he enjoyed being a guide. All of our guides in each city were helpful, attentive, knowledgeable, and very good at their jobs. But he was the most fun!
Overall, we absolutely loved this trip. It was a perfect first visit to India and made me want to return!
