Tour of the Golden Triangle
Having recently returned from a guided tour of the Golden Triangle in India, I wanted to share my experience and the benefits of travelling as part of a group.
It can be a bit daunting travelling to a country like India. Delhi is particularly crazy with its traffic and noise and even crossing the road is tricky!
Group tours are fantastic for solo travellers, and by solo I don't doesn't just mean single. It may be that your other half doesn't fancy going to a particular destination, but you do. Solo travel is becoming increasingly popular, especially amongst women. Generally, you have the choice of sharing with someone of the same gender or paying slightly more for your own room. Some tour companies offer no single suppliments or special offers whereby suppliments are waived.
Group tours are led by experienced guides who can provide invaluable insight and information about the local culture, religion, food and traditions. Not only do they ensure that the tour runs smoothly, they are on hand to help with all aspects of the trip, from advising on what's safe to eat if you have an allergy to helping your cross the road safely. You also have local guides throughout the tour who have expert knowledge of the area or attraction that you are visiting. Not only does this make the tour more interesting, but also gives back to the local communities. The tour guides also ensure that you have a safe trip. Our guide, Ankita, is one of a few women tour guides in India. She is an inspiration!
Tours often include visits to "bucket list" attractions (the Taj Mahal and Red Fort in Agra for instance) but also may include a trip to somewhere more off-the-beaten-track. We visited the small village of Lotwara where we stayed in an amazing heritage property and did a walking tour of the village. This was was of the highlights of the trip for me as we were able to see a different side to India, away from the hustle and bustle of the cities.
Group tours are a way of visiting a country in a sustainable way. Tour companies work with local organisations in a way that benefits the local people and economy. For example, on our tour we visited a factory that sold hand-knotted carpets made by women in the local villages and a cafe established and run by survivors of acid attacks.
Group tours are a great way of meeting like-minded people. There were 9 of us in our group - from the UK, Iran, Australia, USA, Singapore and Denmark - who all had some amazing travel stories and experiences to share.
There are different styles of tour, from basic to Premium - so you don't have to rough it if you don't want to!
You get to experience different styles of accomodation and modes of transport (we were experts in negotiating the Delhi Metro by the end of our trip!). Some tours have lots of inclusions and others have more free time where you can add things on that interest you as you go. The tours are also graded so you know what to expect in terms of activity levels.
I can highly recommend a group tour if you are nervous about travelling alone, or to a country that's out of your comfort zone.
Please get in touch if you would like to hear more about my trip to India or group touring in general. I work with lots of tour companies and can help find a tour to suit you.
