2nd time using Asia Highlights - AMAZING EXPERIENCE IN INDIA/NEPAL!
We used Asia Highlights back in 2019 for a China trip and it was an outstanding experience so we wanted to use them again since they had expanded their destinations to India. We just came back from a 2 week trip through India and Nepal through them and it was the trip of a lifetime! Albee Ning was prompt with communication and helped us to completely customize our itinerary. The trip went extremely smoothly and all of the guides and hotels were absolutely outstanding. The tour guides were very knowledgeable about each of their cities, flexible to change plans if we wanted, and all spoke excellent English. Our guide in New Delhi, Prerak, was the best tour guide we’ve ever had. He went above and beyond to teach us about the true culture and had impressive knowledge about the history and was a joy to spend the day with. We wish we could’ve done the whole trip with him! He also made us feel comfortable and safe immediately as he was our first guide after arriving in India for the first time. Our private driver in India, Badal, was an excellent driver and made us feel extremely safe and taken care of. His services were truly above and beyond as he was friendly, punctual, flexible when we would decide to change the meeting time, and respectful, always opening our doors for us and helping load our luggage. His car was clean and had A/C, wifi, snacks and cold drinks. His driving ability was impressive on the busy streets of India and he stayed calm so we never felt unsafe on the roads. He checked in with us on the long rides and stopped for bathroom breaks and clean lunch spots as frequently as we needed. He truly made our time in India significantly more pleasant. The hotels (most being converted palaces) were nothing like we’ve ever experienced. The food was high quality and still authentic. The service was impressive. The activities in each palace like traditional Indian dances and croquet truly added to the immersive experience. The historical hotel palaces themselves were amazing attractions to explore each night. All of the sights we toured each day surpassed all of our expectations from the grandest sights like the Taj Mahal (which certainly did not disappoint in the least) and the many forts, palaces, temples, and mosques, to the smaller moments of walking through the busy streets of each town. Some of the most memorable moments for us included seeing the Taj Mahal at sunrise (which had less crowds at that time and changed colors in the morning light), riding a camel in the Thar desert of Jaisalmer, watching an open air cremation ceremony at Pashupati Aryaghat Kathmandu, and flying over the Himalayas at sunrise and seeing Mt. Everest (we had to take a plane ride to see the mountains as there was too much smog in Kathmandu and even up high in Nagarkot to see anything). Overall, just an absolutely incredible experience with no issues whatsoever and incredible people, sights, and experiences all along the way. Would DEFINITELY recommend Asia Highlights 10/10. We hope to take a 3rd trip with them someday (perhaps to South East Asia next time) as they do not disappoint!!