Sideline question on Tour operators
Aug 8th, 2006, 09:37 PM
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Sideline question on Tour operators
Now I know this isn't the right forum for this -
BUT
It is the RIGHT people to ask this of I know!!!
Are there reasonable-priced tour operators that do customized tours of India just like the ones that do Africa?
We have to put both Alaska AND Botswana on hold - a good friend's son, (my longest friend - we became penpals 45 years ago....) will be getting married in India next Dec. and our family, of course has to attend!
I would ask this on the Asia board but I bet many of you guys know the answer to this!
BUT
It is the RIGHT people to ask this of I know!!!
Are there reasonable-priced tour operators that do customized tours of India just like the ones that do Africa?
We have to put both Alaska AND Botswana on hold - a good friend's son, (my longest friend - we became penpals 45 years ago....) will be getting married in India next Dec. and our family, of course has to attend!
I would ask this on the Asia board but I bet many of you guys know the answer to this!
Aug 8th, 2006, 11:47 PM
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Hi Lynda,
I live here in India. pl email me if you wish at [email protected]
with specifics about your trip, i may be able to make recommendations. Just to let you know, i depart for Africa on Sunday and wont access my emails until early Sept.
Hari
I live here in India. pl email me if you wish at [email protected]
with specifics about your trip, i may be able to make recommendations. Just to let you know, i depart for Africa on Sunday and wont access my emails until early Sept.
Hari
Aug 9th, 2006, 12:24 AM
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Lynda
You're in exactly the same boat as us! We're off to India in October (though we were planning to go back to Africa originally) to attend my cousin's wedding. Unfortunately, we received news just a couple of days ago that we'll now miss the wedding which has had to be shifted because of his sister's exam dates - it's her final year so they are really important. Arrrrgh!
Anyway, the company we are using is a local operator in India and the owners Mr and Mrs Kalra are now friends of mine. I met Ravi Kalra in the Galapagos, the second Festival of Wildlife. The UK operator had invited him to attend it as a learning experience as he was to be the local operator in India for the third Festival (that I attended earlier this year). He's their regular Indian operator for all their clients' Indian trips. Having really enjoyed the India Festival of Wildlife AND the company of the Kalras who had invited me to stay with them for a couple of days before hand, I decided to book my upcoming trip through them - the safari bit anyways.
The company is called Travel Inn and they do have a website: http://www.travelinnonline.com/
Hope that's a help.
You're in exactly the same boat as us! We're off to India in October (though we were planning to go back to Africa originally) to attend my cousin's wedding. Unfortunately, we received news just a couple of days ago that we'll now miss the wedding which has had to be shifted because of his sister's exam dates - it's her final year so they are really important. Arrrrgh!
Anyway, the company we are using is a local operator in India and the owners Mr and Mrs Kalra are now friends of mine. I met Ravi Kalra in the Galapagos, the second Festival of Wildlife. The UK operator had invited him to attend it as a learning experience as he was to be the local operator in India for the third Festival (that I attended earlier this year). He's their regular Indian operator for all their clients' Indian trips. Having really enjoyed the India Festival of Wildlife AND the company of the Kalras who had invited me to stay with them for a couple of days before hand, I decided to book my upcoming trip through them - the safari bit anyways.
The company is called Travel Inn and they do have a website: http://www.travelinnonline.com/
Hope that's a help.
Aug 9th, 2006, 02:03 AM
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We can't cancel the India trip at this stage - non refundable international AND internal flights are booked and paid and so too is some of the accommodation. Even that accommodation which isn't yet paid fully is confirmed. The amount we'd lose would mean we couldn't afford to do a different trip anyway.
So we're still doing the India trip and settling for an engagement ceremony instead.
So we're still doing the India trip and settling for an engagement ceremony instead.
Aug 9th, 2006, 04:53 AM
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Hari, yeah unfortunately so but they didn't have a choice - his sister's exams (for her final year) were announced only a day or two ago and fell right on or a day or two after the wedding date. Since her presence is a lot more important and since an Indian wedding means not just one but several days of activity that would take her away from revision they decided to change it.
I have to admit, I AM confused about why they wouldn't have known roughly when the exams would be even before they were announced - surely the dates would be consistent from year to year.
But I know that my uncle (my mum's younger brother) would absolutely LOVE to have my mum (and all of us) there did not take the decision to change dates lightly.
Sigh!
I have to admit, I AM confused about why they wouldn't have known roughly when the exams would be even before they were announced - surely the dates would be consistent from year to year.
But I know that my uncle (my mum's younger brother) would absolutely LOVE to have my mum (and all of us) there did not take the decision to change dates lightly.
Sigh!
Aug 9th, 2006, 08:45 AM
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We went on a custom wildlife safari with Wild World India last December (www.wildworldindia.com), and I can highly recommend them if you're interested in visiting national parks and searching for tigers, elephants, etc. Our guide and driver were fantastic and all the arrangements were handled very well. They are based in Delhi.
Aug 9th, 2006, 10:16 PM
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I knew you guys would know stuff like this - thanks guys!!!
Hari, I will email you before Sunday, it's late at the moment & this is the first chance I have had to look at the board since I posted this - but yes, would love some info - I'll email tomorrow night or Fri night latest!
And Kavey, Mydogkyle and mkhonzo, I will look at those websites over the weekend.
Sorry to hear about the wedding plans Kavey, was this the trip that Pete was going to? Well, maybe you guys can spend some time hunting tigers after the engagement party! Tomboy, by the way still hasn't been lamenated - every morning I see it in my sewing room sitting on my desk and I think - I must take him in for lamenating as he belongs up on my wall! Work has kept me so busy I feel as though I will die of old age at this desk...
(for anyone else reading BTW Tomboy is a really fabulous photo print that I bought from Kavey - it is of a young cub hanging off a tree - a photo that Kavey took in the Mara - it's incredible! Hand delivered to me in London over dinner, nonetheless!)
I will definitely write a report Denis - it's not until Dec 2007 though. But we have to save up more than the average trip for this - which means no Africa before that... as I want to get four of us over there. My penpal's son - Rishad - moved to Seattle from India to go to university when he was 17 - he spent a lot of time here in Vancouver with us and him and my son - exact same age - became very good friends. So, I think our son and his girlfriend have to go too - it just wouldn't be the same without them!. And, since my son is a struggling pilot (they really do pay them BARE BONES minimun when they start out) I think that Jim and I will have to foot this bill. That's why I asked for 'reasonable price' 
Hari, I will email you before Sunday, it's late at the moment & this is the first chance I have had to look at the board since I posted this - but yes, would love some info - I'll email tomorrow night or Fri night latest!
And Kavey, Mydogkyle and mkhonzo, I will look at those websites over the weekend.
Sorry to hear about the wedding plans Kavey, was this the trip that Pete was going to? Well, maybe you guys can spend some time hunting tigers after the engagement party! Tomboy, by the way still hasn't been lamenated - every morning I see it in my sewing room sitting on my desk and I think - I must take him in for lamenating as he belongs up on my wall! Work has kept me so busy I feel as though I will die of old age at this desk...
(for anyone else reading BTW Tomboy is a really fabulous photo print that I bought from Kavey - it is of a young cub hanging off a tree - a photo that Kavey took in the Mara - it's incredible! Hand delivered to me in London over dinner, nonetheless!)
I will definitely write a report Denis - it's not until Dec 2007 though. But we have to save up more than the average trip for this - which means no Africa before that...
as I want to get four of us over there. My penpal's son - Rishad - moved to Seattle from India to go to university when he was 17 - he spent a lot of time here in Vancouver with us and him and my son - exact same age - became very good friends. So, I think our son and his girlfriend have to go too - it just wouldn't be the same without them!. And, since my son is a struggling pilot (they really do pay them BARE BONES minimun when they start out) I think that Jim and I will have to foot this bill. That's why I asked for 'reasonable price'
Aug 10th, 2006, 01:19 AM
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Lynda,
Although I have not yet been to India, I have planned a couple aborted trips and got to know a few operators.
When I do finally visit, I am confident that I will book with this company:
www.ercotravels.com
At least from their e-mail communications, they offered the best mix of service and pricing...not the very best pricing but the best combination of the two that left me feeling very comfortable.
I was working with a person named Ravi ([email protected])
India is definitely on my short list of non-Africa major holidays. For sure, it will either be India or Antarctica & Argentina next.
Although I have not yet been to India, I have planned a couple aborted trips and got to know a few operators.
When I do finally visit, I am confident that I will book with this company:
www.ercotravels.com
At least from their e-mail communications, they offered the best mix of service and pricing...not the very best pricing but the best combination of the two that left me feeling very comfortable.
I was working with a person named Ravi ([email protected])
India is definitely on my short list of non-Africa major holidays. For sure, it will either be India or Antarctica & Argentina next.
Aug 11th, 2006, 07:43 PM
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Thanks Rocco for the reccomend, I will make note of the company and your contact - I liked what I saw on their website!
Hari- with all of this stuff going on with your 'packing' dilema, I will email you when you are back from your trip - it's not until next Dec (2007) so we have plenty of time - you sure don't need me asking questions with the carry-on ruckus! I'll be in touch in Sept...
Hari- with all of this stuff going on with your 'packing' dilema, I will email you when you are back from your trip - it's not until next Dec (2007) so we have plenty of time - you sure don't need me asking questions with the carry-on ruckus! I'll be in touch in Sept...
