The Best of India Reviews

4.8 Rating 34 Reviews

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“This was a quick, but very full and informative tour. Our guide, Arvind Chadha, was knowledgeable and friendly, answering all questions with statistics and personal experience to back them up. He managed the group smoothly, even the more difficult travelers who tried to monopolize his time. We had plenty of time to see everything on the itinerary and a bit of free time to peruse on our own. I guess my only kind of complaint about the tour is that it was very touristy, and we spend A LOT of time on the bus. I am more of an active traveler, wanting to explore more by foot, so this was a bit annoying for me. However, as I learned, India is not the easiest place to do this kind of travel, especially as a female and obvious-looking foreigner. Overall, I would recommend this tour and Arvind as a guide to anyone who doesn't mind seeing India quickly and through a tourist bus lens.”

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Posted 8 years ago

“The Incredible India trip is a fantastic value for an 8 day trip. The sites to include the Taj Mahal and Amber Fort are sensational to see. The insight into the Hindu religion and Indian culture is spectacular. The tour guide, Arvind Chandha is one of the best I have seen in my international travels.”

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Posted 8 years ago

“When we booked this trip to India we fully anticipated the our visit to the Taj Mahal would be the highlight, but it was really our incredible tour guide Arvind! Not only did he make all the arrangements expertly and efficiently, he shared his vast knowledge freely and with patience and good humour. He paid individual attention to the needs of each tour member, and was most gracious in answering innumerable questions. He made our trip not only educational, but also uplifting as he showed us the "soul" of his country and it's peoples. He has an obvious passion for his country and his work. Because he helped us to experience and see India through his eyes, we saw more than we had ever anticipated . If you are planning to visit India, be sure to request him as your guide. Well done Arvind, you are the Guru.”

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Posted 9 years ago

“I just returned from seeing the Taj Mahal in all of its early morning glory. I was hopeful that I would not be disappointed because of smog or litter or crowds. Due to Arvind's expertise and experience, we had a phenomenal experience. I fully enjoyed all of his comments on the history and current events of this amazing country. Arvind is truly a thoughtful, experienced, educated and gifted guide. He made this tour memorable.”

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Posted 9 years ago

“ARVIND...... best tour guide EVER!!!!! so knowledgable & patient.”

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Posted 9 years ago

“Arvind was the best tour guide,so humble and patience...”

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Posted 9 years ago

“I had an amazing trip to India and Nepal with Smart Tours and our wonderful guide Arvind Choud. My girlfriend Carol and I are newly retired teachers who plan to see as much of the world as we possibly can. In the last 6 months we've been to Ireland, Italy, Spain and Iceland. We used a different tour company for Iceland and although it was a fine trip, it really didn't compare to the hassle free experience we had with Arvind. As a 30 plus year veteran teacher, I understand all of the underlying preparation it takes to make a large group of people with varied experiences work well together. Arvind did everything he could to make sure each one of us had the real India and Nepal experience. He was exceptionally well informed and showed such a love of his country that it was infectious. He spoke about the culture, religion, food and history, flavoring it with his own personal anecdotes, which we all requested more of. Our trip consisted of many hotels, many bus rides, many flights and many transfers. Throughout it all, there was a feeling of well being which rarely happens when your luggage is out of your hands. Arvind was extremely well prepared, even carrying extra locks for us in case we did not have one, (or if one broke, as it did for one of our fellow travelers). We traveled through airports where we were whisked through customs, benefitting from his excellent relations with the people he often works with. When we were late for a breakfast, because of an optional flight that we took, he was able to ensure that we had a hot breakfast on our return, unlike the people from the other tour who had a bagged breakfast! Also, our tour was one of the few tours to Everest whose plane was not cancelled because Arvind made the arrangements to get us on the earliest possible flight. . It was evident that after years with Smart Tours, Arvind enjoyed his relationships with the people he worked so hard to help as well as the people in the villages, whom he seemed a part of. There was one particular experience that meant so much to me. In all the places we visited, people really seemed to look forward to seeing Arvind and meeting all of us. He spoke to us about a group of deaf brothers who were in Veranasi and seemed to enjoy helping guests down the stairs to the water or just providing a smile. My fellow traveling buddy and I were particularly keen to speak with them, as we were teachers of the deaf in the United States. These brothers were as excited to speak with us as we were with them, telling us about their wives and children, as well as family members who recently died. Arvind confirmed everything they said (as sign language is not universal!!!) They walked with us to the bus and it really was one of the highlights of our trip. I am sure we will have many more wonderful trips with Smartours. We just hope that Arvind could be our guide for all of them.”