A perfect intro to Rajasthan! The trip was so varied, and we were constantly enthralled at each stop. You made the Taj trip simple and efficient, without any queueing, and that continued on to all our stops along the way. Pushkar town itself was lovely, and we saw a spectacular sunset, and Orchard Tents was a beautiful stay. Only trouble here was a funeral celebration that went on until 5am with very loud music – we didn’t sleep too well. In the middle of the desert you don’t expect that! Food here was very good. Manvar desert camp was close to perfect. Great accommodation and enough activities to keep you busy. The food wasnt great, but definitely acceptable. Jodhpur fort was pretty spectacular – we ate on the rooftop restaurant with a view of the fort at night. We also did the flying fox zip line – different again from the rest of the trip and great views back to the fort. Final day in Delhi was just the right amount of time. We went to Khan market (good shopping and drinks) and ate near Haus Kaas – Italian called Artiso – I recommend if you have guests who fancy a change of cuisine.
The traveller is the ONLY way to do this! highly recommend this – we had enough space to relax and not get in each other’s hair. Minor tweak – ensure it’s not overloaded with a lot of time at forts and temples – we had guides arranged at each, and it tended to be a little too long (2 hrs) vs an hour of wandering around, tempered with a little history on the place.
Last but not least, Monu was a fantastic concierge all the way through! Always available, early or late at night, and always on time to collect us – we felt like VIPs being collected in the Traveller and not having to lift a finger. I think his personality and local knowledge is ideal for travellers of our age or younger as he did know what we’d enjoy and what we might not. Jaipur for example, was our favourite part of the trip as we could zoom around in rickshaws, see some funky tea places, and visit great restaurants. He even took the girls to get a blow dry which they raved about! It was great to have Monu to guide us on the areas, and stay out of trouble.
We were keen to try street foods and Monu came into his own there – he took us to places he’s been and tested, and knew what would be safe for the foreign belly vs what to stay away from – he kept us all well the whole trip, not an upset tummy amongst us! He was flexible when we needed food at different times, and even got a friend to deliver Samosas to the Jaipur fort! Now that is going over and above!
Overall he should definitely get 5 stars!