Classic Taj Tours created a wonderful Indian experience for us. We found them online and sent them our extensive “wish list.” We like customizing our travels to explore our particular interests on our schedule. Using email, our trip coordinator Mr. Saad promptly advised us on the best possible itinerary for our month-long trip in March. He helped us pare down our ambitions; suggested the interesting Elephant Festival in Jaipur; and complied with our unusual request to see horse racing in Mumbai. We set off on our trip with a clear, detailed itinerary combining air, rail, and road travel and included a cell phone for our use. Mr. Saad was available day or night if we needed him and frequently checked in with our drivers and guides. He met us at airports and train stations, made sure luggage found us, and calmly handled some logistical challenges that developed. The guides in each city were well-spoken, informative, and always prepared to assist. Our drivers were generally good even though stops for directions were common. We chose to stay in home stays (similar to bed and breakfasts), which gave us great contact with the people of India. These private quarters in family homes were clean and charming and the food was wonderful. The families were smart and interesting, warm and caring. We highly recommend this form of lodging in India, particularly if you want to get a sense of the “real” India. The sights were impressive and the multiple layers of history are ever-present. The people were kind and always smiling. Be prepared for the traffic, smog, and long rides, but India is so vast and interesting that these become minor details.
India was a great pleasure and we thank Mr. Saad and Classic Taj Tours for their help. When we return to India, we will be using their services again.