North India & Nepal Trip Comments
November 2003
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The SmarTours two-week tour provided brief exposures to India's most popular tourist
destinations.
Delhi, the capital of India, was certainly worth seeing, even if only through the windows of
the tour bus. "Old" Delhi with its narrow streets and alleys crowded with a great diversity
of pedestrians and every type of vehicle. New Delhi dominated by wide avenues, public
buildings and monuments built by the British in the early 1900's. And everywhere, ancient
and new, temples, mosques, churches, and shrines.
Next we came to the "pink city" of Jaipur with the great palace and astronomical
observatory of the Maharajahs and their majestic fortress/palace at nearby Amber. It was
good to be exposed to samples of the unique flamboyant state of Rajasthan.
Agra's unbelievably beautiful Taj Mahal is a highlight of any trip to India. Nearby is
Agra's impressive Red Fort and the palace it contains. Agra (with Delhi and Jaipur) is an
essential component of India's "golden triangle".
Khajuraho with its many well-preserved lovely ancient temples is hard to reach but well
worth the trip. Nowhere else have we seen such a profusion of cheerful light-hearted and
artistic religious statuary. Khajuraho is also a very pleasant walkable small town.
Varanasi on the mystic Ganges is generally India's holiest city, the principal destination for
India's most fervent Hindu pilgrims. It is impossible to observe them without being
impressed by their devotion. It would be a mistake to visit India without including Varanasi.
The last stop of our tour was Kathmandu, the capital of the Kingdom of Nepal, a magic place
in the Himalayas and its foothills. Sparsely populated by a mix of Hindus and Buddhists,
Kathmandu has a great profusion of picturesque multi-storied temples and pagodas, as well
as many people in colorful tribal attire.
On this trip we went with a group tour of about 40 tourists. A group tour is an easy way to
travel. The tour operator generally prepares the itinerary, arranges all transportation,
all hotels, all sightseeing, and most meals. Most of what you see of the country is through the
tour bus window. The only locals with whom you might be involved even slightly are clerks
behind the hotel desks, tour bus guides, and possibly souvenir sellers. However, you
probably will enjoy the company of fellow tourists from your own country, sometimes almost
making you forget you are away from home.
Fatehpur Sikri was a very worthwhile stop on our tour, especialy as it is on the direct route
between Jaipur and Agra.
Traveling independently requires more planning, more preparation, more decisions, and a
greater willingness to assume risks and endure possible trouble. Independent travel gives
you greater freedom and control of your trip, more flexibility, an increased feeling of
adventure, greater opportunity to experience your new surroundings and its people, and
more chances of serendipitous experiences --- all combining to provide a better
understanding of the country being visited.
Virginia and I chose two weeks with a tour group visiting North India and Nepal described
in this section of our website, followed by two additional weeks for our independent journey
described in the "Rajasthan" section.