Client Diaries: India and Dubai

We love it when clients share their trip feedback with us and this time we are delighted to share Mark’s experience from his trip to India and Dubai.

1. Was this your first time visiting India and Dubai? What made you choose India and Dubai as your holiday destinations?

Taj Mahal

This was our first time to both of these destinations. We decided that we wanted a full on cultural trip and India’s Golden Triangle fitted the bill. Dubai was selected in order to have relaxation after or India holiday

2. How did you hear about Somak Luxury Travel?

We picked up a Somak brochure from Hays travel agents.

3. Where did you stay whilst on your trip and what was your favourite property?

We started off in Delhi (Vivanti Taj), then moved on the Jaipur (Dera Rawatsar), next was Ranthambore (Ranthambore Kothi) and ended up in Agra (Crystal Sarovar Premier). All the hotels were excellent for various reasons, our favourite was the Dera Rawatsar (Jaipur); it was an old style colonial type property which had all the original features. The hotel staff were extremely friendly and nothing was too much bother. The food was freshly prepared and was of a high culinary standard

We stayed at the Jumeriah Beach Hotel in Dubai – this lived up to its 5* billing, the staff were exceptionally polite and helpful, the food was first class, and plenty of it. Our room overlooked the Burj Al Arab which was superb.

4. What were your highlights from your trip?

India highlights – Without doubt the Taj Mahal, the pictures we had seen prior to the visit did not by any stretch of the imagination prepare you for just how spectacular it is.

Ranthambore game reserve was also a stand out highlight – we had 2 game drives (am/pm) and we saw a sloth bear (very rare) and also a tiger on each of the game drives. To actually see these magnificent animals up so close is something that will remain in our memories forever.

Tiger

The various forts and mosques we visited were also magnificent.

We had a dedicated guide & driver for the whole of the India trip. This made the whole visit very memorable as they were able to tell us not only about the places we visited but also gave us an invaluable insight into Indian culture.

5. Do you have any advice or tips for anyone thinking of going on a similar trip?

When visiting sacred sites there is generally a requirement to remove shoes and have head covered – to this end a light weight scarf and a pair of walking socks is a very good addition to your luggage.

Unless you are an extremely adventurous visitor, we would recommend that a local guide is essential for an enjoyable and unforgettable visit.

Tipping is a way of life for visiting tourists, to this end it is a good idea to get small change as soon as possible.ATM’s widely available, as of 2023 you are able to withdraw up to 10,000 rupees (£100 sterling) in a single transaction. You can however, do multiple transactions. We used our credit card for the majority of larger purchases.

We used 2 types of travel adaptor (Type M – same as for South Africa & Type D). Some of the hotels had USB connections.

Check out all our India itineraries here: https://www.somak.com/india