It was amazing and we had an amazing tour director

Well organised, mostly good hotels and good transfers. Tour was well paced with sufficient free time built in.

We were kept busy and fascinated every day. See the Tigers and visiting the Ganges was extremely memorable

I went on this trip of a lifetime alone as my wife stayed home with our nine year old son so I really didn't know what to expect going solo- but the entire group was friendly and felt like family after a few days. I will definitely use Collette for future trips and I want to repeat the same trip when my son is a teenager and hopefully with Vikas. Mysteries of India is definitely an active trip from morning until evening but once you return home and realize what you just experienced it can be life changing.

1. Dinner with an Indian family. 2. Lunch at Sheroes Hangout 3. Tigress in Ranthambore National Park

The Taj Mahal, watching the cremation on the Ganges River, the great group of people we had. The culture explained to us by our tour manager. The accommodations some were excellent And some were average. We wish it was easier to get our visa. The tipping for the bus driver and helper was a headache because not having the right change. I think it should be included in the price of the ticket. Lufthansa airline went on strike and we felt we were left stranded at the lemon tree hotel in Delhi. We wished we had someone there to get us tickets to get home instead of fending for ourselves to get seats to get home. It was very stressful.

Varanasi was a wonderful, educational experience.

The itinerary was well thought out, the schedule full on at times but we weren't there to sit round a pool sipping cocktails, and saw and did so many wonderful things. There were many highlights, obviously the Taj Mahal which was one of the main reasons for making the trip, but we also loved the Temples at Khajuraho. Udaipur was wonderful too, Varanassi was fascinating and thought provoking, we'll never forget it.

The tour was very enjoyable, visiting many famous and interesting sights in India. Our tour manager was excellent, very knowledgeable and helpful. However, the pace of the tour was too much, there being no rest days in the 14 day itinerary, which for senior citizens I found was extremely tiring. So much so that towards the end of the tour we were too tired to enjoy all the activities. My memorable moment was when the sun came out at the Taj Mahal after a thunderstorm. Magnificent!

To many to pick just one

Varanasi - needs to be experienced both early in the morning and in the evening. Taj Mahal complex is spectacular and would like another hour more time to explore. Agra Fort is interesting.

I enjoyed learning about life in India and especially the contrast between the south and north. I would select the south anytime over the north. I have not yet put the 2600 pictures on the computer. So sorry no pictures at this time. Tour manager in the north was fantastic and very caring. Perhaps one of the best I had in all my travel. in the south, she was ok.

I would highly recommend to a first time India traveler.

The tour was really good. I would rate it 4 1/2 stars,

My highlights were observing up close tigers in Rathambore National Park, visit of a local school, visit of the Taj Mahal at sunrise, driving in rural India and walking with our tour director to visit local homes and talk with the people to understand their ay of life, the unexpected beauty of the Temple Complex in Khanjuraho and visit of the Ganges ghats in Varanasi. Most of the hotels were exceptional and some had very unique features to them.

Life & death on the Ganges River will forever remain a top travel experience

The tour was of a good standard and gave a good insight of the culture.

Pace of the tour was excellent, tour manager was wonderful. Many memorable moments, but my favorite was probably the Taj Mahal.

It was brilliant, very well organised tour, hotels were 5 star, tour manager Ashish was the best, I couldn't find fault with anything. memorable moment was spur of the moment stopping the bus at a small village and walking through the market and Ashish showing us and buying us local produce to try and chatting with the local people who were very friendly. Of course the best was seeing the Taj Mahal of course - magical.

never-ending buffet of chicken, lentils and mutton Luggage handling on arrival and departure to/from Delhi is non-existent. extremely uncomfortable “TATA” bus, with one-inch seat padding, no toilet and broken/worn-out suspension “airport hotel” Radisson is miles away and it took two hours drive to get there 4 hours of roller coaster ride in extremely uncomfortable vehicle on a bumpy road with enormous amount of trash scattered all along roadsides and NO TIGER IN SIGHT!

Thirty-two buffet meals of chicken and mutton …. Sightseeing was superb, but the never-ending buffet of chicken, lentils and mutton which started on Air Canada plane (the same bone-dry-chicken in a box was offered TWICE during the flight!?) and continued twice a day (every and each day!!) throughout the trip, made the trip almost unbearable. Even three Collette’s “special” dinners “welcome dinner”, “home-hosted dinner” and “farewell à la carte dinner “were ALL buffet of chicken, lentils and mutton! However, when we got fed up with Collette offerings and opened our own valets, there were delectable choices of Australian succulent rack of lamb, lobster, prawns, fettuccini, even Japanese sushi in the same hotel/restaurant! Luggage handling on arrival and departure to/from Delhi is non-existent. We had to schlep/push our luggage four times half a mile from the terminal, across parking lot, to bus parked in boonies, even when Collette advertises luggage handling included in cost of trip! We travelled ten days in a bone-jarring, extremely uncomfortable “TATA” bus, with one-inch seat padding, no toilet and broken/worn-out suspension. Then we transferred for five days into “VOLVO” bus. What a difference! What a comfortable ride that was… Hotels ranged from opulent palaces to simple cheap hole-in-a-wall “budget inns”. However, even in the most opulent Lalit Palace Udaipur hotel with breathtaking, magnificent views, Collette booked the cheapest rooms, facing inner yards, kitchen, hills, dumps, etc. Also, the so-called “airport hotel” Radisson is miles away and it took two hours drive to get there and one-hour drive to get back! There are at least seven “airport hotels” opposite of Delhi airport!? Go figure… As I said before, sightseeing was amazing! Except for the Ranthambore safari sham. Safari consisted of 4 hours of teeth jarring roller coaster ride in extremely uncomfortable vehicle driven “Indian-way” by drivers constantly honking when passing each other on bumpy road with enormous amount of trash scattered all along roadsides and in the waterways. There are no washrooms, no facilities for the duration of this 4-hour trip! There are plenty of deer, monkeys and peacocks, but no tigers! The only tiger we have seen during this four-hour ordeal was the one painted on dilapidated building wall! I believe the deer have ate all tigers, as there are so many of deer! After our “safari” we had drinks and chatted with the bartender about seeing the “tiger footprints” and no tiger, he erupted into uncontrollable laughter, then he apologised, hid behind the bar and chuckled again… After a lot of prodding and poking he awkwardly explained that it was his cousin’s job to stencil tiger footprints into the dirt-road each morning. We ordered another dry martini, assuring each other that we were not that stupid, gullible and naïve to believe in them tiger footprints to be real …. My greatest irritation throughout the entire trip was the daily reminder and tutoring about tips. I always tip, when I perceive that I received more/better and in addition to what I already have paid for. And to show my appreciation I ALWAYS TIP IN PERSON. Our guide had a habit to collect tips (after ordering us all how much to tip) and then present the tips himself to the service provider. In my book that money were not tips, it was an extortion! One day was wasted on visiting the local school. I wonder how many people visit school at home and travel many miles (spending more than $500/day) to present local children with pencils.

We were very happy with our tour/India Experience. All hotels were very good and our tour guide was brlliant

See summary xxxxxxxx bbbbb

The Taj Mahal was the center piece of India.

Tour was good, but few minor issues came about. Hotel in Delhi out of place. Hotel provided in Delhi, for the extension overnight read = airport hotel, how can airport hotel be 45 to an hour away from the airport?

Khajuraho! an amazing and so well preserved. The local guide there was just wonderful.

The Taj Mahal, a tiger, evening on the Ganges, Mt Everest. The small group (12) was the perfect size and the travel mates were wonderful with some lasting friendships made.

The palace "hotel" (Lalit Laxmi Vilas), Dev Vilas in Ranthambhore, The Gateway Hotel Ganges. The Pink City. The daily sights and sounds of life in India.

Taj Majhal visit, Japee hotel in Agra

Our tour was made by the company of like minded fellow travellers and our excellent tour manager, *Personal details removed by Feefo, who I cannot praise highly enough

Bananas I, udaypur and Agra

Taj Mahal, on the ganges at night for cremations.

Mysteries of India was an unforgettable experience. Every place we visited was fascinatingly different from anywhere else I have been. The Taj Mahal was, of course, a highlight. But so was the safari in Ranthambhore where we saw animals I have only seen in pictures and Varanasi where we walked the streets and saw life as it really is. The boat ride on the Ganges was awesome. Many of the hotels were converted palaces so were beautiful. The Lalit Laxmi Vilas hotel in Udaipur was a highlight. The staff was friendly and honest, we did yoga in the morning and had girls dancing at night. This was the trip of a lifetime.

This was a great tour and our tour manager was outstanding.

Taj mahal sunset and sunrise

The northern India trip was delightful--much learning and not so much shopping as some are... we loved the reserve and saw three tigers in the wild. Liked that there were a couple of days in each location--makes the pace easier to deal with

India is a very unique experience, loved the history and culture. Hard to see all the poverty and needs of some of thre people.

Sanjay our Tour Manager is excellent, approachable, knowledgeable, very organized and with a great sense of humor!

This tour was an amazing immersion in a culture that is so different from ours, and the tour director was key in making this happen. At the time we went there had to be last minute changes due to the festival, and traffic proved interesting. But we saw amazing events!

What a wonderful adventure and experience. Out tour guide Ashish was magnificent and always cared about our wellbeing and happiness. The Taj Mahal and Ganges river were both moving moments in my life. I have no words for the emotions I felt seeing the bengal tiger in the wild. The people were warm and friendly and the food most enjoyable. Hotels and busses were clean and comfortable. I do have one suggestion… include ALL tips in the price except the tour guide. This makes it so much easier for everyone. (this is how another tour company I travel with does it-they took our suggestion) As this is not an adventure for everyone, it has been a lifelong dream of mine to visit India . I am still on in awe reliving the journey in my mind and heart!

The tour was excellent as a whole, so was the tour manager Anshuman Tripathi (Indie). He single-handedly made the tour much more enjoyable with his caring personalilty, always working extra to make sure our welfare was well taken care of. 3 suggestions to improve the tour are 1) add another day in Delhi so we can visit more attractions (Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, India Gate, Agrasen Ki Baoli, Lotus Temple, Qutub Minar), 2) optional night tour of Jaipur (Royal Gaitor Tumbas, Nahargarh Fort, Hawa Mahal, Birla Temple, Albert Hall Museum), and 3) the optional Nepal tour should end in Kathmandu, i.e., not requiring travellers to fly back to Delhi. Finally, I hope Collete will organize tours to the southern part of India and Sri Lanka.

Excellent LIFE changing tour!!! Most memorable experience was to see the way of life of the locals. SO VERY different than our own here. Wow! Unbelievable!! Tour manager, Indie, phenomenal ♥️ Just please sign and go! You WILL NOT regret it.

It was a tough tour. There is so much to see. The customs of the people are built on 1000s of years of traditions. There was a lot of walking and driving from city to city and flights to some of the key cities. Our guide was very good and tried to educate us in the traditions and the religious customs. We visited temples that were thousands of years old , some of the greatest religious sites in the world. The highlight was the Taj Mahal. I think that if you are going to make this trip, you need to remember that you are in India with its 1.4 billion people. Where white lines on the roads are only a suggestion to the Indian drivers and nobody stays in them. Collette had an excellent team of bus drivers that got us where we needed to be safely. Also you need to like the sound of horns, car horns, bus horns, motorcycle horns. Everybody is blowing horns. There were some downsides like the food. We did stay in nice hotels, but they were more geared for the the local Indian travelers. Rooms were nice, not 5 star quality but probably the best in the area. We happen to travel during wedding season, which meant that all nice hotels were booked with wedding parties. Thats OK but when they started to shoot off rockets at 2 am in the morning it did not allow for much sleep. However they were great to watch. Our trip also included Nepal. We were 25 miles from the tallest mountain in the world. We did not take the optional plane ride around the mountain because we had been in Tibet and was actually able to get to the foot of the mountain. It was another great tour mostly of religious sites. Once again the infrastructure of the country needs work. There were many times that bumps and road conditions threw you off your seat. Once again great bus drivers. I do believe that the Nepal trip was probably a day to long. There was to much down time and to much time to shop for all the junk you ever thought you would need at great prices. In both places it was fun to bargain. But then you would say to yourself why did I buy this? Because it was a great price, but what is it? I would not do this trip again. I would use Collette again if they were going somewhere that I wanted to visit. The one thing I did not like was the tipping. You had to tip everyone. We spent more money on tips than junk and treasures. I think you need to be aware of the extra costs. Let me end by saying if you are interested in seeing and learning about a real culture change, and you like learning about the great religions of the world, then this is the trip for you. Just make sure you take a few power bars with you.

My most memorable thing was the experience of being in India and learning about the culture and traditions of the people. It was very interesting to see how the people travelled around on mopeds with multiple people on very crowded roads, and how they respected the cows and all of the animals that walked around freely on the streets and highways. The country was full of colorful clothing and jewelry. There were all types of transportation mopeds, motorcycles, tuk tuk, camels, cars and plenty of horns blowing nonstop. The food was good and included a variety of different dishes. I’m glad I had the opportunity to experience the India.

Seeing Bengale Tiger Accommodations were poor for money paid. Dirty, moldy smelling, vents not cleaned in a million years! Poor food selections for breakfast Too much pollution, trash, people, cows:, traffic, lack of privacy. Even for an experienced traveler India is hard to enjoy,

The trip was a memorable experience. We seen the old and the new of India. The people and how they live. Our tour manager was great got to meet his family.

My tour manager was very experienced and provided additional inclusions which were wonderful. We had a great time and all did go very good.

Taj Mahal and Mt. Everest

Ashish was the person who made the whole trip !

Tour and Nepal extension were great, the tour guides were awesome. What prevents me from giving an excellent rating was the poor support and incorrect information provided by Collette in RI and the awful visit to Ranthambore, three of 15 days spent with little to see or do and four hours in a park where there was a 30 percent chance of seeing a tiger. There is so much to see in India...this was a wasted three days.

It was amazing and we had an amazing tour director

Well organised, mostly good hotels and good transfers. Tour was well paced with sufficient free time built in.

We were kept busy and fascinated every day. See the Tigers and visiting the Ganges was extremely memorable

I went on this trip of a lifetime alone as my wife stayed home with our nine year old son so I really didn't know what to expect going solo- but the entire group was friendly and felt like family after a few days. I will definitely use Collette for future trips and I want to repeat the same trip when my son is a teenager and hopefully with Vikas. Mysteries of India is definitely an active trip from morning until evening but once you return home and realize what you just experienced it can be life changing.

1. Dinner with an Indian family. 2. Lunch at Sheroes Hangout 3. Tigress in Ranthambore National Park

The Taj Mahal, watching the cremation on the Ganges River, the great group of people we had. The culture explained to us by our tour manager. The accommodations some were excellent And some were average. We wish it was easier to get our visa. The tipping for the bus driver and helper was a headache because not having the right change. I think it should be included in the price of the ticket. Lufthansa airline went on strike and we felt we were left stranded at the lemon tree hotel in Delhi. We wished we had someone there to get us tickets to get home instead of fending for ourselves to get seats to get home. It was very stressful.

Varanasi was a wonderful, educational experience.

The itinerary was well thought out, the schedule full on at times but we weren't there to sit round a pool sipping cocktails, and saw and did so many wonderful things. There were many highlights, obviously the Taj Mahal which was one of the main reasons for making the trip, but we also loved the Temples at Khajuraho. Udaipur was wonderful too, Varanassi was fascinating and thought provoking, we'll never forget it.

The tour was very enjoyable, visiting many famous and interesting sights in India. Our tour manager was excellent, very knowledgeable and helpful. However, the pace of the tour was too much, there being no rest days in the 14 day itinerary, which for senior citizens I found was extremely tiring. So much so that towards the end of the tour we were too tired to enjoy all the activities. My memorable moment was when the sun came out at the Taj Mahal after a thunderstorm. Magnificent!

To many to pick just one

Varanasi - needs to be experienced both early in the morning and in the evening. Taj Mahal complex is spectacular and would like another hour more time to explore. Agra Fort is interesting.

I enjoyed learning about life in India and especially the contrast between the south and north. I would select the south anytime over the north. I have not yet put the 2600 pictures on the computer. So sorry no pictures at this time. Tour manager in the north was fantastic and very caring. Perhaps one of the best I had in all my travel. in the south, she was ok.

I would highly recommend to a first time India traveler.

The tour was really good. I would rate it 4 1/2 stars,

My highlights were observing up close tigers in Rathambore National Park, visit of a local school, visit of the Taj Mahal at sunrise, driving in rural India and walking with our tour director to visit local homes and talk with the people to understand their ay of life, the unexpected beauty of the Temple Complex in Khanjuraho and visit of the Ganges ghats in Varanasi. Most of the hotels were exceptional and some had very unique features to them.

Life & death on the Ganges River will forever remain a top travel experience

The tour was of a good standard and gave a good insight of the culture.

Pace of the tour was excellent, tour manager was wonderful. Many memorable moments, but my favorite was probably the Taj Mahal.

It was brilliant, very well organised tour, hotels were 5 star, tour manager Ashish was the best, I couldn't find fault with anything. memorable moment was spur of the moment stopping the bus at a small village and walking through the market and Ashish showing us and buying us local produce to try and chatting with the local people who were very friendly. Of course the best was seeing the Taj Mahal of course - magical.

never-ending buffet of chicken, lentils and mutton Luggage handling on arrival and departure to/from Delhi is non-existent. extremely uncomfortable “TATA” bus, with one-inch seat padding, no toilet and broken/worn-out suspension “airport hotel” Radisson is miles away and it took two hours drive to get there 4 hours of roller coaster ride in extremely uncomfortable vehicle on a bumpy road with enormous amount of trash scattered all along roadsides and NO TIGER IN SIGHT!

Thirty-two buffet meals of chicken and mutton …. Sightseeing was superb, but the never-ending buffet of chicken, lentils and mutton which started on Air Canada plane (the same bone-dry-chicken in a box was offered TWICE during the flight!?) and continued twice a day (every and each day!!) throughout the trip, made the trip almost unbearable. Even three Collette’s “special” dinners “welcome dinner”, “home-hosted dinner” and “farewell à la carte dinner “were ALL buffet of chicken, lentils and mutton! However, when we got fed up with Collette offerings and opened our own valets, there were delectable choices of Australian succulent rack of lamb, lobster, prawns, fettuccini, even Japanese sushi in the same hotel/restaurant! Luggage handling on arrival and departure to/from Delhi is non-existent. We had to schlep/push our luggage four times half a mile from the terminal, across parking lot, to bus parked in boonies, even when Collette advertises luggage handling included in cost of trip! We travelled ten days in a bone-jarring, extremely uncomfortable “TATA” bus, with one-inch seat padding, no toilet and broken/worn-out suspension. Then we transferred for five days into “VOLVO” bus. What a difference! What a comfortable ride that was… Hotels ranged from opulent palaces to simple cheap hole-in-a-wall “budget inns”. However, even in the most opulent Lalit Palace Udaipur hotel with breathtaking, magnificent views, Collette booked the cheapest rooms, facing inner yards, kitchen, hills, dumps, etc. Also, the so-called “airport hotel” Radisson is miles away and it took two hours drive to get there and one-hour drive to get back! There are at least seven “airport hotels” opposite of Delhi airport!? Go figure… As I said before, sightseeing was amazing! Except for the Ranthambore safari sham. Safari consisted of 4 hours of teeth jarring roller coaster ride in extremely uncomfortable vehicle driven “Indian-way” by drivers constantly honking when passing each other on bumpy road with enormous amount of trash scattered all along roadsides and in the waterways. There are no washrooms, no facilities for the duration of this 4-hour trip! There are plenty of deer, monkeys and peacocks, but no tigers! The only tiger we have seen during this four-hour ordeal was the one painted on dilapidated building wall! I believe the deer have ate all tigers, as there are so many of deer! After our “safari” we had drinks and chatted with the bartender about seeing the “tiger footprints” and no tiger, he erupted into uncontrollable laughter, then he apologised, hid behind the bar and chuckled again… After a lot of prodding and poking he awkwardly explained that it was his cousin’s job to stencil tiger footprints into the dirt-road each morning. We ordered another dry martini, assuring each other that we were not that stupid, gullible and naïve to believe in them tiger footprints to be real …. My greatest irritation throughout the entire trip was the daily reminder and tutoring about tips. I always tip, when I perceive that I received more/better and in addition to what I already have paid for. And to show my appreciation I ALWAYS TIP IN PERSON. Our guide had a habit to collect tips (after ordering us all how much to tip) and then present the tips himself to the service provider. In my book that money were not tips, it was an extortion! One day was wasted on visiting the local school. I wonder how many people visit school at home and travel many miles (spending more than $500/day) to present local children with pencils.

We were very happy with our tour/India Experience. All hotels were very good and our tour guide was brlliant

See summary xxxxxxxx bbbbb

The Taj Mahal was the center piece of India.

Tour was good, but few minor issues came about. Hotel in Delhi out of place. Hotel provided in Delhi, for the extension overnight read = airport hotel, how can airport hotel be 45 to an hour away from the airport?

Khajuraho! an amazing and so well preserved. The local guide there was just wonderful.

The Taj Mahal, a tiger, evening on the Ganges, Mt Everest. The small group (12) was the perfect size and the travel mates were wonderful with some lasting friendships made.

Our tour was made by the company of like minded fellow travellers and our excellent tour manager, *Personal details removed by Feefo, who I cannot praise highly enough

The palace "hotel" (Lalit Laxmi Vilas), Dev Vilas in Ranthambhore, The Gateway Hotel Ganges. The Pink City. The daily sights and sounds of life in India.

Taj Majhal visit, Japee hotel in Agra

Mysteries of India was an unforgettable experience. Every place we visited was fascinatingly different from anywhere else I have been. The Taj Mahal was, of course, a highlight. But so was the safari in Ranthambhore where we saw animals I have only seen in pictures and Varanasi where we walked the streets and saw life as it really is. The boat ride on the Ganges was awesome. Many of the hotels were converted palaces so were beautiful. The Lalit Laxmi Vilas hotel in Udaipur was a highlight. The staff was friendly and honest, we did yoga in the morning and had girls dancing at night. This was the trip of a lifetime.

Bananas I, udaypur and Agra

Taj Mahal, on the ganges at night for cremations.

This was a great tour and our tour manager was outstanding.

Taj mahal sunset and sunrise

The northern India trip was delightful--much learning and not so much shopping as some are... we loved the reserve and saw three tigers in the wild. Liked that there were a couple of days in each location--makes the pace easier to deal with

India is a very unique experience, loved the history and culture. Hard to see all the poverty and needs of some of thre people.