Make Your Next Trip Extraordinary

Bert Smyers with elephants at a refuge in India.

Bert Smyers enjoys a whirlwind post-business “adventure” including major landmarks and an elephant refuge.

Amazing trip put together on short notice! Thanks to the planners and Wendy Perrin for making my brief stay in India so wonderful.

I decided in mid-February 2025 that I needed to make a trip to India in mid-March for business. I was flying into Delhi, but the business destination was Pune. My business dealings required 2-3 days to complete. I had never been to India before, and wasn’t sure if I’d ever make it back, so I wanted to add a few personal days to see and experience the region around Delhi. This included especially the Taj Mahal but also what is known as the “Golden Triangle” —formed by Delhi, Agra (where the Taj is), and Jaipur. Unfortunately, I only had another 4 days in which to make this happen. I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to pull off the planning without expert guidance.

Fortunately, Wendy’s team connected me with a tour company led by Victoria (who’s based in the UK, I believe) and Diggy (who met me on the ground later in India). In short order, they put together a fabulous itinerary that met my core objectives. My guide, Harsh, met me at the Delhi airport when I returned from Pune. From there, we set off on an adventure that hit the “must-see” spots (like the Taj, the Jaipur City Palace, Amber Fort, Red Fort, and many others) and lots of wonderful and unique extras, such as jewelry-making, other handmade arts & crafts, trips to a few local markets, and even an afternoon with rescued Asian elephants.

The choices of lodging and dining were top-notch, as well. During the trip, Harsh shared much of his knowledge of Indian history and culture, for which I was very grateful. I ended the trip exhausted but quite satisfied and ready to return to experience more of this fascinating country.

India is a fabulous place: vibrant, diverse, warm, welcoming people and so much history, culture, food and more to see. We traveled from December 21-February 1 and if I could do it again, I’d travel in February to April when the weather is warmer and there’s less “smog” (aka air pollution). Our team was very helpful in planning our trip and is a good choice for travelers who like a high-end trip with lots of hand-holding.

Richard Mitchell posing with a monkey near a temple, in Jaipur, India.

“We have had several ‘trips of a lifetime,’ but the trip to India we went on with Victoria’s team tops them all.”

We have traveled all over the world and had several “trips of a lifetime,” but the trip to India we went on with Victoria’s team tops them all. The initial planning with with her was easy, and she quickly “got us” and set out a plan that was great. Once that was done, we dealt with Diggi and the in-country staff to finalize the details, again with ease.

From the moment we arrived until the time we left we were in great hands. Our guide Harsh was prompt, organized, friendly, incredibly knowledgeable, and willing to intelligently discuss any aspects of India from ancient history, Hindu rituals and beliefs, architecture, botany and wildlife to modern day politics. He expertly guided us through throngs in Delhi and Varanasi and through the countryside to places like the Jain temple in Ranakpur. We learned a LOT about chai and tasted it in various places and forms.

Highlights included sunset and sunrise visits to the Ganges in Varanasi for aarti, a block printing tour and class, an early morning visit to the Jaipur food markets, and a very up close and personal tiger encounter at Ranthambore. We had expressed interest in doing a bike tour at some point along the way, and the company arranged a great one in Udaipur. When there was an occasional hiccup that affected our plan (a dispute among the royal family in Udaipur making the palace inaccessible, for instance), Diggi and Harsh came up with a great alternative for an extra day in Jaipur which included one of our favorite temple visits. We always felt we were in great hands, especially with our driver Rishiraj who seamlessly negotiated the chaos that is traffic in India (including a brahma bull running down the highway). Harsh and Rishiraj were always attentive to our comfort and we felt very taken care of.

The team was just spot on, and we got to go places and see things we never would have even known about, let alone found, on our own. We cannot recommend them highly enough for your India adventure.

I gave very little advanced notice to this team of travel experts. And yet, they were incredibly responsive to my requests, called exactly when they said they would, and provided wonderful feedback that made my trip amazing. I even changed plan requests and they altered the itinerary accordingly. My trip to Mumbai was a delight thanks to this team.

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