We spent a magical 2 weeks in southern India (Tamil Nadu and Kerala), and just wish we had more time to spend 2 nights in each location. The Hindu temples were majestic, and all of them are still active places of worship, which made them all the more fascinating. The cool highlands in Munnar were probably the most scenic part of the trip. We even harvested some tea! I found it fascinating to sit on our houseboat in the Kerala backwaters and watch people bathing and washing clothes in the canal. The rice fields are actually below sea level, so the canals are lined with walls to hold back the water. Ending the trip at a beach resort in Kovalam was a perfect way to end the trip. I tried a massage in which the masseur uses his feet, and it felt great!
Created a very nice tour to Bhutan for us.
Robyn took care of my specific request swiftly and reliably. Special requests along the way led to new experiences for both sides and a hearty welcome in Delhi.
I 100% recommend the team at Serene Journeys.
Serene Journeys organised two wonderful tours for me on a recent business trip to India. I had three spare days over two seperate weekends and I wanted to see as much as I could. This was my 5th visit to India but the first time I had free time to have a good look around.
The first tour was in Chennai. I was blown away by the Chennai Marina Beach looking out of over the Bay of Bengal and experienced some great Hindu temples along with the Bronze Museum – don’t let this fool you – it’s a fantastic museum to visit. My guide for the day was friendly, helpful and knowledgeable, he explained the history of the city and provided me a much better understanding of the workings of the temples we visited.
The lunch was superb!!
I could not have asked for more from my day in Chennai.
The following weekend I was in Delhi and Serene Journeys organised two fantastic days of sightseeing in Delhi and Agra. In Delhi the highlights were the Qutub Minar and the Spice Market among an array of sights I had never had the opportunity to see before.
Agra and the Taj Mahal was a brilliant experience. The accomodation organised by Serene Journeys was a cool little boutique hotel where the staff were helpful and friendly…and the food was great.
The guides on both days were terrific and like the guide in Chennai they were friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about providing me with and all information I wanted to know, patiently answering questions and ensuring I got to see as much as they could pack in for me.
India as a holiday destination has jumped to the top of my list because of my experiences, in no small way that is because Serene Journeys were amazing on every level. I can’t thank them enough for creating the fantastic “mini breaks” for me and looking after me for 3 days.
I was so impressed, now I am back in Australia and I’ve booked a proper holiday for March 2020 in India with Serene Journeys as my travel agent/guides. I cannot speak highly enough of the friendly service and genuine desire to ensure I had a wonderful experience.
Thanks, Serene Journeys – I had 3 amazing days.
I did a magical tour of Rajasthan in Nov 2016 with Serene Journeys. I was drawn back again with friends in March 2019, by Robin’s offering of authenticity, style and a touch of spice. He curates a bespoke experience for the individual with panache and care. We are having our own experiences, but the group is held together by Robin’s charm and care for each of us. I cannot recommend Robin and Serene Journeys more highly. I will return again, even if just for the experience of being on a journey with Robin.
Thank you, Serene Journeys and Robin, for giving me the most wonderful introduction to India. A 2-week trip through Rajasthan seeing all the archeological sites, palaces, fortresses and temples plus all the wonderful hotels and of course entertainment. I will be back on your next trip. so many photos to choose from but a highlife was the most exotic dinner for 8 at the stepwell lit by a thousand candles and my personal fear coming eye to eye with a cobra.
Wow! What a great way to explore new parts of India which can be overwhelming at times. Communication from the beginning with Robin was easy and professional and seamless. We did a five day/4 night tour of Rajasthan after we were there for a wedding and actually were able to meet up with Robin in Delhi to have a drink before we started our tour which was a great personal touch and experience. Felt like hanging out with a good friend which makes for an ideal trip!
Now to the trip itself, we felt taken care of upon arriving to Udaipur airport and transitioning to the hotel. One place which really shows Robin’s expertise is lodging selection – each place was beautiful and unique in its own way and we really appreciated the heritage hotels which we may have otherwise overlooked if trying to plan by ourselves (more on this below).
Robin finds local guides for each day (sometimes more than one) with a consistent driver throughout the trip. Only tip I would have is to bring plenty of water/sunscreen especially for the hot days – each local guide can vary in communication in terms of what we are doing for the day and what to expect! Also just be clear with the local guides what you want (we were less interested in the local commercial craftsman/artisan shops) as they will likely try to take you to some – even if there is some unique culture in each place, it can feel somewhat awkward to not purchase anything after.
The standout experiences for our trip were Shahpura Bagh and Dera Mandawa in terms of lodging – we were greeted with such hospitality by the hosts and it felt like we were staying at the home of a good family friend and introduced to new culture such as cooking classes and champi head massages which really in my mind makes an ideal trip. We were in contact throughout the trip with Robin and he was very responsive and even did a last minute day hotel reservation for us.
Overall, this would have been very challenging/impossible to have planned a similar trip by myself so I really appreciate Robin’s expertise, connections, and assistance. Cannot recommend enough and we would love to have more serene journeys!
What can I say,except for AMAZING. Robin and the team planned an itinerary with impeccable detail ,and made sure there was not a second of our 15 days wasted . Four weeks back and my senses still cannot quite comprehend the vastness and range of experiences we undertook. Serene Journeys take time to understand their clients and this shows in the quality of tour. We will all return ,again and again to India, and always with Serene
Being a retiree newbie, I had the good fortune to experience a Serene Journeys tour of Rajasthan, India in March 2019. This tour and tour company and in particular it’s tour director and founder, Robin, gave me a wonderful experience of India, it’s culture, cuisine, people and history which can only be described as magnificent and breathtaking. The mix of hotels both modern and heritage were fabulous and the selection of sightseeing destinations were awesome. The richness of Indian history and the sweet warmth of its people stood out for me. We were totally looked after by Robin and nothing was too much trouble. Navigating us through airports and airport security was handled very well. Local guides were provided and this gave finesse and expertise to the understanding of each location. If you are hesitant about visiting India, don’t be. Serene Journeys take the worry out of everything and provide a quality service and memorable experiences. You won’t regret it!
