Jay Kajaria

AMAZING!!! We knew when our daughter said she wanted to take her senior trip to India that it was going to be a trip of a lifetime... but we never imagined it would be as amazing as it was! This was in HUGE part to Jay!!! Jay was incredible during the entire booking process. He listened to feedback, gave wonderful recommendations and everything he booked was perfect. During the trip he was equally as responsive when we added excursions. I would recommend Jay and Bespoke India Holidays... read more

AMAZING!!! We knew when our daughter said she wanted to take her senior trip to India that it was going to be a trip of a lifetime... but we never imagined it would be as amazing as it was! This was in HUGE part to Jay!!! Jay was incredible during the entire booking process. He listened to feedback, gave wonderful recommendations and everything he booked was perfect. During the trip he was equally as responsive when we added excursions. I would recommend Jay and Bespoke India Holidays to everyone!!!

In Delhi, our guide, Raj, was very knowledgable and it felt like we were walking the streets, riding tuk tuks, and visiting temples/sites with a friend. He was easy to talk to and answered all our questions. He took us to an absolutely delicious lunch and we even convinced him to eat with us! We loved all the sites in Delhi, and our favorite was the incredible Qutb Minar. Our teenage daughter was also very grateful to Raj for making her feel safe at this monument while several other Indian tourists were wanting to take photos with her and following her. We also loved immediately getting to see an Islamic Mosque and Hindu Temple in the same day. The trip would have been incomplete without our walking tour of Chandni Chowk - a must for any visitor to Delhi. Our hotel was wonderful in Delhi also.

We also were very glad to have our driver, Raj, with us from Delhi through Jaipur. Raj was very knowledgable on the drives about the different cities, crops and interesting things we didn't know. He made sure to stop for us at very nice restrooms and eateries. We felt like we were leaving a friend behind when we said goodbye to him in Jaipur.

In Agra, our guide, Kumar, was also very knowledgable about everything we saw. We loved having guides that were local to the area and knew and loved their rich history. Kumar took us to Agra Fort - which blew our minds. We were so excited to see the Taj Mahal, that seeing this was just awe inspiring. We loved learning all the history of Agra and it's incredible sites. Agra Fort was followed by "baby Taj" which was so stunning that we kept wondering how everything could get better and better... but it did! Kumar took us to see the Taj Mahal during sunset and then sunrise the next morning. I would tell everyone to do the same. Seeing and walking around the Taj Mahal is a breathtaking experience on it's own - but having Kumar there to talk about the history and take the perfect photos for us was perfect!! I could have stayed at the Taj Mahal all day... for days. It was almost a spiritual experience to learn the history all day... and then to see it and touch it and go inside. It was a top experience in India for me. After seeing the Taj at sunrise (which was the best time), Kumar took us to Fatehpur Sikri, which we hadn't given much thought to... but it blew our minds again! We loved all the history of the wives' palaces and the view of the village too. It was an amazing addition in Agra! Our hotel in Agra was great!

We next went to Ranthambore for the night. We felt like royalty when we arrived at our hotel (palace)!! The hotel was literally one of the most incredible places we have ever stayed! It was nice to relax that afternoon/evening also. We went for an early morning safari - and while we didn't see a tiger... there is no way we could complain about the spectacular views and animals we did see. The guide and driver were great.

We drove to Jaipur after the safari. In Jaipur, which was so different than Delhi and Agra, we went for a wonderful night tour of the bazaar with our guide, Hitesh. Hitesh was a wonderful guide and provided interesting cultural insights! He took us to see many unique places in the bazaar and bought us a delicious Jaipur treat!! The next day he took us to the Amber Fort, Panna Meena ka Kund and Jaigarh Fort. We really liked how he would explain all the history and then let us explore before the next location. He also took wonderful photos of us. Amber Fort was also an incredible gem in Jaipur - it blew us away, especially the painting that has survived. We went to Jantar Mantar which was very unique and cool. The City Palace tour was also wonderful. We wish we would have spent more time in the bazaar's in Jaipur. It was so different from Delhi and was very pleasant to walk around in. The hotel was great in Jaipur.

We flew to Udaipur the next day - and I must say that we took four flights domestically in India on IndiGo, and they were spectacular. What a great airline!! All of our flights were on time and all IndiGo employees were professional and kind. They handled and diffused difficult situations with grace and made all the flights relaxing.

In Udaipur, we were again blown away by our hotel! It was right on Lake Pichola!! Our driver, Umesh, and guide, Mukesh, were both great in Udaipur. Mukesh took us through Udaipur to see Jagdish Temple, a beautiful garden and City Palace. City Palace was amazing as well as the temple. The boat ride was so relaxing and wonderful too. We were treated to a great show in Udaipur where we saw traditional Indian dances and music. It was thrilling. The special part of our hotel was the AMAZING view of the nightly flight of thousands of fruit bats close enough to see their fangs!!! It was also in a great part of the city that we felt very safe walking around and shopping in. We added a tour the next day to a Ranakpur Jain temple... and that was literally one of the other mind blowing sites on the trip! I would tell anyone going to India that it's a must see!!! The drive was beautiful and totally worth it. Mukesh made sure to stop at great restrooms and a delicious restaurant for lunch afterwards. The temple was absolutely amazing for so many reasons and we couldn't believe it's rich and long history.

We flew to Madurai next - and just like in America, the south is different. Not better or worse, just different - and wonderful!! I am so glad our daughter wanted to see the Meenakshi Temple - it was her favorite site! Our guide, Vasand, took us on an epic trip the first night. We rode tuk tuks into the temple (that was a real thrill) and were able to witness a very special religious Aarti ceremony inside the temple. We felt honored to be able to witness that and have time before the ceremony to learn from Vasand about the different statues and rituals. Vasand was another guide that we felt like we were walking around town with a friend. He was comfortable and knowledgable and very easy to talk to.

In the morning, we met our driver, Sujidh, who would drive us for the remainder of our trip. He was a wonderful driver, knowledgable and kind as well. He went above and beyond even trying to make me aware of a sporting event he knew I wanted to see since we connected as fans of the same EPL club team!

Vasand took us through a flower market and banana market in the morning, going slow enough to let us interact with the vendors and even buying us flowers and bananas!! He went at our pace (which was slowing down by this time in the trip) and took us for a walk around the Meenakshi Temple in the daytime so we could see all the incredible workmanship. We drove by the biggest water tank in Tamil Nadu and then visited a temple and the Gandhi Museum. The hotel in Madurai was another marvel to us! We felt like we were in a jungle, yet just off the road!

The next day we drove into the mountains to Thekkady. What a little piece of paradise!! The drive in and out of the mountains was absolutely gorgeous and our driver, Sujidh, knew so much about all the crops and cities along the way. We went to a wonderful spice plantation with our guide, Cedu, who knew everything about all the spices. We went on an unforgettable boat ride inside the Periyar National Park and saw many elephants, water buffalo, deer, wild boar, and birds. It was perfect!

The next day we drove through the clouds on our way to Alleppey in the backwaters of Kerala. This was another experience that blew our minds. We needed the day to relax, but the beauty was just awe inspiring. We saw a new lifestyle and we just loved to see a part of their lives on this totally unique journey. The boat and its crew were just all amazing and we wish we could have stayed another day there too! This was a really nice relaxing point in the trip and provided a break from the rest of the tour. The cooking was especially delicious on the boat.

We went to Cochin the next day, and this was definitely the most humid of all the locations! We were shocked actually, as we were driving down from Thekkady, we could already see some Christian influence, but Cochin was full of Christian influence. It was fun to see the Jewish area and then all the different buildings with influence from China, Holland, Portugal and England. The Chinese Fishing Nets were a highlight for me. I loved the history and watching them work today. We also loved the old dance form of Kathakali and martial art form of Kalarippayattu.

We very much appreciated and loved each guide/driver talking to us about their religion, families, and the history of their individual states in India. Our daughter wanted to come to India because she loves Indian food and wanted to learn about their history, religions and culture. We all fell deeply in love with the people we met, the culture and even more of the food! We hope we make it back to India again and when we do, we will absolutely be connecting with Jay and Bespoke India Holidays!

Incredible, once in a lifetime trip for
start to finish! Loved being able to customize our itinerary to eliminate tourist traps and see a little bit of the real
India and Nepal. The best part of our trip was our guides and drivers.

We started with Raj and Ravi in New Dehli. Ravi was such a safe and courteous driver. Especially given how chaotic the roads can be, his skills were extremely impressive!

In Kathmandu, Mugtha was an incredible guide. He knew the country in and out. He... read more

Incredible, once in a lifetime trip for
start to finish! Loved being able to customize our itinerary to eliminate tourist traps and see a little bit of the real
India and Nepal. The best part of our trip was our guides and drivers.

We started with Raj and Ravi in New Dehli. Ravi was such a safe and courteous driver. Especially given how chaotic the roads can be, his skills were extremely impressive!

In Kathmandu, Mugtha was an incredible guide. He knew the country in and out. He truly made each site come alive and was extremely flexible to make sure we had the best time possible. Our driver was also great!

When we returned to New Delhi, our driver Pintar drove us to Agra. He was with us the remaining days of the trip and he was so kind! He made the long drive as painless as possible and whenever we returned from touring had cold water at the ready.

Nishant in Agra and Hitesh in Jaipur were incredible guides. Both great ambassadors for their cities. They were extremely knowledgeable and made sure our needs were being met. We added an extra tour in Jaipur on our last day and insisted Hitesh be our guide. Our Mughal village tour guide in Agra was also fantastic!

Just back from a wonderful Golden Triangle Tour of India with Bespoke India Holidays. We have begun referring to this trip as "India for Beginners" because we have realized that we have barely scratched the surface of this vast nation, and that's with a very full 8 days of it under our belts! Jay, who organized our trip, placed us in terrific hotels with great breakfasts and wonderful service -- shoutout to Taj Palace in Delhi, and Trident Agra in Agra. (We self-booked at the Hyatt Regency... read more

Just back from a wonderful Golden Triangle Tour of India with Bespoke India Holidays. We have begun referring to this trip as "India for Beginners" because we have realized that we have barely scratched the surface of this vast nation, and that's with a very full 8 days of it under our belts! Jay, who organized our trip, placed us in terrific hotels with great breakfasts and wonderful service -- shoutout to Taj Palace in Delhi, and Trident Agra in Agra. (We self-booked at the Hyatt Regency Mansarovar in Jaipur, which was also excellent though a bit out of the way.) Our local guides in Delhi, Agra and Jaipur (Mr. Kumar, Mr. Vishal) were amazing historians and great storytellers, inviting us into the region's rich history of Moghul leaders through visits to incredible sites and monuments, while answering our endless questions as we traveled along. This was a family trip with our two daughters (13 and 17), so we were glad to have some built-in "down time" for hotel pools and relaxation around some very full days. Girls especially enjoyed the shopping in Jaipur and the rickshaw ride through Delhi, and a family highlight was the Heritage Walk through the small village overlooking the Taj Mahal in Agra -- it granted a unique and unexpected perspective on our time in India. WE LOVED OUR DRIVER MR. VINOD. Seriously, he's a total rockstar of navigation and steering clear of cows in traffic, people, rickshaws, Tuk-Tuks and the constant honking of horns. A note on timing: Our trip was the week before Easter and at the very end of the tourist season for these areas because it gets HOT. Pack your hats and sunglasses and sunscreen, and wear loose linens for these hot days if you are planning for the same time frame. TIP your guides and driver generously - they work hard to make the trip amazing for you - service in India is unparalleled and we travel a lot!

Activity Reviews

Mughal Heritage Kachhpura Village walk with high tea

Agra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Agra Sightseeing

Agra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Agra – Jaipur (via Fatehpur Sikri)- (240 km- 5 to 6 hours by car)

India

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaipur Sightseeing tour

Jaipur

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Galtaji Temple visit

Jaipur

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Sightseeing Tour of Delhi

New Delhi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nahargarh fort visit

Jaipur

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our family of five had the most incredible time in India. Jay crafted the perfect itinerary for us, and was always professional and highly responsive when we asked questions or made specific requests (particularly for our daughter's birthday). All three of our guides along the Golden Triangle (Raj in Delhi, Brijesh in Agra, and Hatesh in Jaipur) were so warm, engaging, and knowledgeable. And our driver for the week, Jasvinder, was always on time, waiting for us with a smile and cold bottles... read more

Our family of five had the most incredible time in India. Jay crafted the perfect itinerary for us, and was always professional and highly responsive when we asked questions or made specific requests (particularly for our daughter's birthday). All three of our guides along the Golden Triangle (Raj in Delhi, Brijesh in Agra, and Hatesh in Jaipur) were so warm, engaging, and knowledgeable. And our driver for the week, Jasvinder, was always on time, waiting for us with a smile and cold bottles of water. We felt so welcomed and so well taken care of our our 10 days in India. We highly recommend the team at kimkim!

Had an incredible trip to India! Jay was very attentive and listened to my needs to build an incredible itinerary for me. He was even able to include a celebration on Holi for me to attend (when people would normally not be working) which was much appreciated and a once in a lifetime experience! My trip overall was the perfect balance of activity highlights and downtime. As a solo traveler I felt safe at all times. Had great tour guides and drivers and attentive staff greeting me and making... read more

Had an incredible trip to India! Jay was very attentive and listened to my needs to build an incredible itinerary for me. He was even able to include a celebration on Holi for me to attend (when people would normally not be working) which was much appreciated and a once in a lifetime experience! My trip overall was the perfect balance of activity highlights and downtime. As a solo traveler I felt safe at all times. Had great tour guides and drivers and attentive staff greeting me and making sure I had everything I needed at each new destination. Absolutely an effortless and seamless experience! Can’t wait to book another Kim Kim adventure soon :)

Let's start from the beginning :)

I use KimKim for a while and had no doubt that I will use it again for India and Nepal trip.
Then I found Bespoke India Holidays and Jay :)
I can describe in a few words the service - fast , trustworthy, safe, exceeded my expectations as an agent.
The holiday was organised for may parents-in-low. They travel a lot and have high expectations.
Their opinion after the trip is:
- amazing planning
- exceptional guides. Especially in Nepal.
- great... read more

Let's start from the beginning :)

I use KimKim for a while and had no doubt that I will use it again for India and Nepal trip.
Then I found Bespoke India Holidays and Jay :)
I can describe in a few words the service - fast , trustworthy, safe, exceeded my expectations as an agent.
The holiday was organised for may parents-in-low. They travel a lot and have high expectations.
Their opinion after the trip is:
- amazing planning
- exceptional guides. Especially in Nepal.
- great hotels
- great service
- secure / safe and worth every second of the trip

Thank you, Jay for you help and support :)

Warm Regards,
Zhenya

Activity Reviews

Free time in New Delhi

New Delhi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Sightseeing Tour of Delhi

New Delhi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

New Delhi – Kathmandu (Flight departs at 12:25 and arrives at 14:25)

Nepal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kathmandu Sightseeing - Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Bhaktapur Durbar Square

Kathmandu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kathmandu Sightseeing - Patan, Swayambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar Square

Kathmandu

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Agra Sightseeing

Agra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mughal Heritage Kachhpura Village walk with high tea

Agra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Old Agra City Tour

Agra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Agra – Jaipur (via Fatehpur Sikri)- (240 km- 5 to 6 hours by car)

India

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaipur Sightseeing tour

Jaipur

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaipur to New Delhi - 5 to 6 Hours by car

India

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour of Akshardham and Lotus Temples

India

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great trip, unforgettable experiences and perfect organization by Jay and Bespoke Team.

Spent a whole day in Delhi . The highlight were Chandni Chowk, or ‘the Moonlight Square', with the amazing rikshaw ride and visit to Qutub Minar.
Spent two days in Varanasi. Our guide Mr Singh did a fantastic job showing us all temples and finding the best seats for us during the Aarti.
Agra - our guide Brijesh Joshi did a phenomenal job introducing us to Taj Mahal and everything that Agra has to... read more

Great trip, unforgettable experiences and perfect organization by Jay and Bespoke Team.

Spent a whole day in Delhi . The highlight were Chandni Chowk, or ‘the Moonlight Square', with the amazing rikshaw ride and visit to Qutub Minar.
Spent two days in Varanasi. Our guide Mr Singh did a fantastic job showing us all temples and finding the best seats for us during the Aarti.
Agra - our guide Brijesh Joshi did a phenomenal job introducing us to Taj Mahal and everything that Agra has to offer. The best thing was visiting a local village, not far from Taj Mahal. What an experience!
Ranthambore National Park - this was something that I had been waiting my whole life. Seeing a tiger in the nature, just couple feets away from you is a once in a lifetime event. This is the MUST see if you are visiting Golden Triangle.
Finally Jaipur - the purple city. Fantastic guide Mr. Ajit Singh. We really enjoyed seeing sites in this city.

I have to say one thing. We had the best driver ever. Mr. Balbir Singh Rana was an absolute dream of a driver and we could not thank him enough for making this trip perfect. He was always smiling, so peaceful, pleasant and calm while navigating the insanity of Indian driving/traffic/animals and all forms of transportation found on the roads. He kept the car clean and guided up to wonderful rest stops while en route to all the sights.

Overall FANTASTIC trip!

Jay and the Bespoke Team exceeded our expectations from the moment we landed in India. Simply magical from start to finish and one of the best/if not the best trip we have ever been on!
I am of Indian origin and have traveled several times to Southern India. This was our first trip to the North and my husband/daughter's first trip to India. Jay helped us plan a trip to the Golden Triangle (New Delhi, Agra, Jaipur) + Varanasi and Ranthambore. He was very easy to... read more

Overall FANTASTIC trip!

Jay and the Bespoke Team exceeded our expectations from the moment we landed in India. Simply magical from start to finish and one of the best/if not the best trip we have ever been on!
I am of Indian origin and have traveled several times to Southern India. This was our first trip to the North and my husband/daughter's first trip to India. Jay helped us plan a trip to the Golden Triangle (New Delhi, Agra, Jaipur) + Varanasi and Ranthambore. He was very easy to work with and considered all our requests and concerns. We were met at every location by the company representative who helped us check in, reviewed the itinerary plan and start time. Guides were always early and greeted us each morning.

Driver---BEST DRIVER EVER!! Mr. Balbir Singh Rana was an absolute dream of a driver and we could not thank him enough for making this trip perfect. He was always smiling, so peaceful, pleasant and calm while navigating the insanity of Indian driving/traffic/animals and all forms of transportation found on the roads. He kept the car clean and guided up to wonderful rest stops while en route to all the sights. 

New Delhi--saw the Red Fort, Raj Ghat (Gandhi cremation site), Jama Masjid, Chandi Chowk, Humayun's Tomb and Qutub Minar. Our favorite was the rickshaw cycle ride through the streets of Chandi Chowk. Lunch was excellent at Kwality restaurant.

Varanasi--excellent guide Mr. Singh who took us for a boat ride to see the Ganga Aarti and funeral ghat to experience the cremations. Saw the Aarti from rooftop seating which gave us a great vantage point thanks to Mr. Singh. Really enjoyed the morning boat ride to see life on the Ganges, Lord Shiva temple and walk thru the old streets of Varanasi, Bharat Mata temple, Durga temple, Tulsi Manas temple and especially Sarnath temple/museum and the gorgeous Lion Capital of Ashoka located. 

Agra--excellent guide Mr. Briijesh Joshi. Great trip to the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, "Baby Taj" and fantastic Mughal Heritage Kachhpura Village walk. Lunch was in a beautiful garden with great food per suggestion of Mr. Joshi. Village walk and view of the Taj from a roof top across the river was a highlight!

Ranthambore--beautiful Sawaii Villas was a stunning hotel we loved staying at. Did 2 safari's (am and evening) and saw the male tiger "Rocky" on our evening safari in zone 4. Hotel gave blankets for the morning safari which was so important as it was freezing. Being in the wild and seeing a bengal tiger was a once in a lifetime experience!

Jaipur--fantastic guide Mr. Ajit Singh! BIG thanks to Ajit for taking us to the Hawa Mahal in the morning with less crowds and the sun shining onto the building facade--got great pics! Saw Amer Fort, Panna Meena ka Kund (stepwell), Jaigarh Fort, Jantar Mantar, City Palace and Nahargarh Fort. Highlight was Dera Amer -- spending time with rescued elephants and lovely organic home cooked dinner. 

Jay was very knowledgeable and patient. He did everything very well. I recommend him.

My India trip was everything I hoped it would be and more! So grateful to the KimKim team, especially Jay and my driver Kierin; Kierin was so much fun and taught me the most as we drove from location to location exploring beautiful exotic places in South India like Munnar, Alleppy, and Kochi. My guides were all knowledgeable, friendly, and professional: special thanks to Glen (Kochi), Junis (Munnar) and Shreedevi (incredible hostess at hotel UDS in Trivandrum) - these wonderful people, among... read more

My India trip was everything I hoped it would be and more! So grateful to the KimKim team, especially Jay and my driver Kierin; Kierin was so much fun and taught me the most as we drove from location to location exploring beautiful exotic places in South India like Munnar, Alleppy, and Kochi. My guides were all knowledgeable, friendly, and professional: special thanks to Glen (Kochi), Junis (Munnar) and Shreedevi (incredible hostess at hotel UDS in Trivandrum) - these wonderful people, among others, made my experience extra special. My goal in India was to really immerse myself in the culture, try new foods, see wildlife, and interact with local people - coming from a large metro city in California, I also wanted to get off the beaten path a bit and unplug - KimKim made the whole thing seamless and fulfilled my desire to go a bit beyond regular “tourist” type experiences - the most memorable moment, perhaps, was waking up at The Leaf in Munnar and listening to the birds while I drank my coffee and talked to a family visiting from Saudi Arabia. I will also never forget the seeing the tea plantations and the mountains in Munnar; the best smelling place in the world! Alleppy houseboating was also incredible; I had a meal I’ll probably never top! When it was time to say goodbye to Kierin, I realized I had truly made a friend, and will always remember our conversations and the laughs we shared - so thank you AGAIN KimKim for finding me the perfect road companion and for setting up my dream travel in India! I will be back and I will use KimKim again, no doubt.

The trip was amazing, more than I could have hoped for. I was able to meet with winemakers and winery owners. The guide assigned to my trip was extremely knowledgeable and was able to answer all of my questions.

Everyone showed up on time, and schedules were flexible enough to meet our needs. No problems, no "hitches", no hassle.

Very well done!

Our Driver Manoj,
The guide in Coimbetore Prkash,
City foods guide Sounder,
Sundar in Trichy,
They were great and courteous, knowledgable and eager to show us things around.
Prakash in coimbatore specially was a superb fine young man.
Hats off to the whole team!

A few attempts needed to convey that we did not want city/corporate style hotels. The stand out accommodation was Ahilya By the Sea, which we sourced ourselves.

Guides were good (other than Elephanta) - drivers were excellent. Trips were broadly ok but nothing we could not have organised ourselves. However, more thought needs to be put into making a tour special. The itinerary pretty standard, was disjointed and needed rearranging. Whilst we were able to do this, on one occasion it required... read more

A few attempts needed to convey that we did not want city/corporate style hotels. The stand out accommodation was Ahilya By the Sea, which we sourced ourselves.

Guides were good (other than Elephanta) - drivers were excellent. Trips were broadly ok but nothing we could not have organised ourselves. However, more thought needs to be put into making a tour special. The itinerary pretty standard, was disjointed and needed rearranging. Whilst we were able to do this, on one occasion it required a guide to travel by road overnight from Mumbai to Nasik (!). Otherwise, we would have been having a wine tasting straight after breakfast (!). Not sure why a local guide would not be available.

Major issue on our last day in that a dolphin tour was substituted with a fishing trip and an afternoon on a beach without any communication. In fact, in was only when we were on the beach (not to our taste at all) that we were told that we were not on a dolphin trip. Whilst I understand the reasons for the John's Tours trip being cancelled, alternative dolphin spotting trips are promoted via Trip Advisor, including one at Coco Beach (where we were staying!). What a waste of a day....

The offer of dinner hardly compensated and to add insult to injury, Kim Kim refused to pay the drinks bill (just INR 1550!). In context, we paid over $9,000 for this trip.

Going over old ground again, shortly after we paid the balance for the trip, our preferred hotel was changed for the first 3 nights in Mumbai. We remonstrated at the time without success but Kim Kim somehow construed that we were happy with the replacement hotel option and decided to change our final night in Mumbai (2 weeks later) to that hotel also. Whilst the replacement hotel was good, it was not our choice (which was Abode - a 'must visit' in a number of guide books).

All this is of course covered in your T&C's but it does not lead me to conclude that Kim Kim is a quality operation and I would not recommend. Quite the reverse in fact.

The whole trip throughout South India was very well organised and executed by the Kim Kim team.
Unfortunately, one incident near the end of the trip ruined my final memories and has caused me to cancel future plans to visit North India.
On the last day in Kerala, the driver (Tency) who had been with me constantly since Chennai stopped the vehicle in a deserted industrial area and demanded, in a most threatening way, that I give him the tip (gratuity) immediately.
This behaviour was so 'out... read more

The whole trip throughout South India was very well organised and executed by the Kim Kim team.
Unfortunately, one incident near the end of the trip ruined my final memories and has caused me to cancel future plans to visit North India.
On the last day in Kerala, the driver (Tency) who had been with me constantly since Chennai stopped the vehicle in a deserted industrial area and demanded, in a most threatening way, that I give him the tip (gratuity) immediately.
This behaviour was so 'out of character', that I was most disturbed and, in fact, frightened for my life.
This incident has caused me to review (cancel) my intended trip to North India with Kim Kim.
Ralph Watkins