Client Testimonials - Discover India's Magic with Insights 2 India®

This was our first Trip to India and a friend recommended Reju at Insights 2 India . Reju helped pan every detail of our trip which included 6 different locations, in the mountains, by the large wildlife reserve, on the river and by the sea …….He organised our very good driver, hotels, guides in various locations, treatments at the Hotels and everything went extremely smoothly. He kept in touch throughout our visit and we feel we received 5 star service from Reju and his company. We will definitely use them again!

I was introduce to Reju (Insights 2 India) by my friend in London, I have done two tours with him and both have been fantastic and exhilarating experience for me and my clients visiting INDIA for first time. Right from planning of itinerary to booking hotels and execution was perfect. On first tour in 2017 we went to Delhi & Agra, apart from most famous tourist attraction, I asked for few extra and unknown spots like Agrasen ki Baoli, Swaminarayan Temple Delhi, Gandhi house in Delhi. Reju fitted everything in our limited days of travel. In 2018, we went to Jodhpur very beautiful place with palaces and history, for us most interesting part was Morning drive to Bisnoi Village, we visited the Potters family, Weavers family and most important Bishnoi family tribes leaving harmoniously with wild life. It’s an old saying, if you want to see real INDIA see the village and meet people living there, you can see how satisfied, happy and helpful they are even with very little resources. We also visited Osian dessert camp and stayed overnight with sleeping in tents away from hustle and bustle of city was worth the experience. In both tours our guides and drivers were good, courteous and helpful spoke good English. Reju definitely is the best, he was in regular touch over the phone to ensure we were happy with tourist spots and facilities at the Hotel. Without a doubt I would recommend his company for first time traveller to INDIA. Infact many of my clients have already booked their family holidays with Reju. All the best Reju, look forward for 2019 tour..

My sister and I had the most wonderful tour of Delhi, Agra and the length and breadth of the historical state of Rajasthan. We were absolutely taken care off from the moment we landed in Delhi till my return flight to London. Although we travelled long distances by car we never felt tired as we had a comfortable car for the whole duration of 17 days. We also had the same obliging driver. The choice of hotels were very luxurious from to start to finish. This was the most hassle free holiday I've ever had and given we were in India, it's even more astounding! Reju Jacob was always at hand via WhatsApp to keep us informed of who our guide was going to be each day. Needless to say that we will not hesitate to explore India again with Insights 2 India.

This firm was a great find for us, travelling to India for the first time from the UK. Their prices were very competitive with the market leaders in the UK and I am certain that the customer service was superior. No detail was too small for Reju and his team to attend to, and any small problems were ironed out swiftly, efficiently and to our satisfaction. Our itinerary was detailed and varied and designed with our specific requirements in mind. Our various guides were friendly knowledgeable and interesting. Our driver was outstanding in sometimes hair-raising circumstances. Reju kept in touch with us regularly and was genuinely interested in our feedback. We were worried that the Taj Mahal might be an anti-climax- there was no need! We particularly enjoyed the “Mumbai by dawn tour” and the cookery lesson in someone’s home in Udaipur. If we return to see more of this amazing country we will certainly use this company again.

Personal recommendation is better rather than reading on-line comments and our trip to India arranged through this recommendation was exceptional. Reju seemed to be available at any time so communication before we even sorted out our 24 day trip was brilliant compared with other agencies. We initially started with the same itinerary as my friend, which was 2 weeks, then started to add extra places to explore with suggestions from Reju. Over the next few weeks we tweeked the journey, hotels and places to visit and all was set to go. All we had to do was to pay for it. The package was exceptional value as we were cutting out the UK middle men. The savings would give us sufficient funds for another holiday. From arrival at Delhi airport to our departure 3 weeks later from Mumbai we were in contact with representatives. Throughout the holiday we had excellent friendly knowledgeable guides and drivers. Reju made contact each evening to advise the name of the guide and driver for the following day. What more can one say. Everyone went out of their way to make the holiday one of a life time. Any glitches were quickly sorted out. We had a free last day in Mumbai and Reju suggested that we do the Dawn in Mumbai trip commencing at 5.15am!! It was well worth it as it was completely different to anything else we had done in India and a relaxing morning to end our holiday.

Our second trip with Insights 2 India was everything we expected and more. Wonderfully efficient organisation, excellent hotels, guides and drivers everywhere and the personal attention one associates from the company. The personalised trip they organised took us to off-the tourist-route places, but our security and comfort was always assured. Our first visit; to Darjeeling and Sikkim was an extraordinary and fascinating experience . Our most recent trip included eight stimulating destinations and three internal flights - each a great success. We are now planning another odessy to wonderful India and wouldn't consider going without Insights 2 India at our side.

We just completed (Jan 5, 2019) our third trip to India with Reju Jacob at Insights 2 India as our booking agent (and “chief-cook-and bottle-washer”.) Previous trips were in 2004 and 2012. Each of our trips were successively more complicated. On each trip Reju hit every mark and then some. I found the company Insights 2 India via an Internet search in 2004. After inquiring to several companies Reju came back to me, the quickest with the most reasonable pricing. The 2004 trip was amazing and worked like clockwork. We explored several of North India sights and antiquities. We stayed in TEN different heritage and boutique accommodations (note that because these properties have limited rooms, it often takes several requests at different properties to find accommodations.) We had two sets of internal flights, a round trip train ride and had a guide and driver every day. On our next trip in 2012, explored Southern India. I didn’t bother asking other companies for a bid. Trusting that Reju Jacob would design a great tour with a mix of nature parks and interesting destinations, I just gave him a time frame and told him “fill in the blanks”. He already knew my requirements for heritage and boutique hotels. Reju booked 12 accommodations for us and a driver and guide for every day! Additionally, we had more cultural experiences and even an overnight private cruise in Alleppey. Now on our third trip, exceedingly complicated, I wanted to dig deeper into modern life. Reju provided the framework Itinerary but he was VERY open to me adding to the details. Not only did Reju give me the tour that I wanted, specific to my interests, but also his contacts provided for me local guides who were mostly college graduates, with beautiful English. The tour included several world heritage sites, 20th century modern architecture, two textile museums, three “utilitarian tools” museums, visits to several villages, 4 wildlife safaris, horse and camel treks, a couple of walking treks and a bicycle tour. We saw how many industries distribute their goods and services in both Mumbai and Delhi. We visited the woolen market and wool manufacturing in Bikaner and the double Ikat weavers of Patan. We visited with a Pachedi Artist in Ahmedabad, and a narrative painter in Shimla and two miniature painters. We explored the thriving living fort of Jaisalmer and several bustling stepwells. Best of all: a second visit to NEK Chand’s Sculpture Garden in Chandigarh!!!!!!! There were SIXTEEN accommodations including three restored Havelis, a fort, a palace, a monastery and some luxury tents. Reju booked for us three train rides, three flights, and he was right there orchestrating us and our luggage transfers. Reju also coordinated for us to meet-up with some other friends, for the second half of our trip. Reju was in contact with me, multiple times a day! Talk about complicated! I am most spoiled when I am traveling under Reju’s eye. Thank you Reju for another dynamic and wonderful adventure!

Another great holiday organized and arranged by Insights 2 India and Reju Jacob. We (4 people) used Reju to arrange a 19 day tour of Aurangabad, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaislamer, Chhatra Sagar and Jaipur; mostly places we hadn’t visited previously in February 2017. This involved hotel bookings, flights, transport, drivers, guides, tours and liaison with local agents. Everything went as arranged. We had very good guides and drivers and the vehicles suited our requirements. Hotels, both selected by me or by Reju were generally excellent. Anytime we had a complaint, Reju would contact the hotel directly and the issue would be resolved amicably. While we did have some meals at our hotels, we often ate away from our hotels and the local guides provided excellent choices. The Laal Maas in Rajasthan is brilliant; no two restaurants produced the same dish, so we had a lovely variation in tastes and spices. The highlight of the visit was probably the 2 nights we had at Chhatra Sagar, a family run resort between Jodhpur and Jaipur. A lovely sojourn overlooking a large wetland that had a wide variety of local and migratory water birds. The hosts conducted a farm and village tour in the morning and followed up with a nature walk along the shore of the wetland in the late afternoon. We observed in excess of 50 bird species during the day. The walk ended with relaxing drinks and nibbles before we returned to the resort. A lovely was to end the day. After Jaipur the Stewarts returned to Australia, while Heather and I continued onto Goa for 5 nights to relax and then down to Trivandrum (Kerala) for another 3 nights to visit Kanyakumari (Cape Coromin) and Ponmudi. Both places are worth the visit if in southern Kerala or Tamil Nadu. This is the seventh tour Insights 2 India have arranged for me, my friends or family (India*6, Myanmar*1) and the service only improves. Reju had a tremendous capacity for attention to detail and extensive knowledge of tourist attractions and hotels of choice. All our experiences have been extremely positive and high recommend Insights 2 India.

We want to express our deepest gratitude to Reju Jacob and his team of Insights 2 India for organizing our latest trip to India. It was not our first tour in India that was organized by Insights 2 India, so this means we were and still are very happy clients. Our latest trip was fully tailor-made and met with all our requirements and wishes. It was no problem at all for Insights 2 India to organize this 3 week trip with visits in different parts of India. All hotels, local guides, local flights, local cars for transportation, etc.. were organized and scheduled in the smallest details. All went fluently, like every time before. We really appreciated the commitment of Reju Jacob, that he showed by texting us before reaching every new location the names of the guide and driver that would be waiting for us at the airports or at the railway station. If you’re looking for a tailor-made trip to India, don’t hesitate to contact Insights 2 India, to get the best price to quality ratio and meeting all your requirements about different parts of India, the type of cars you want to use, the quality level of hotels you desire, your need for local guides, etc. Keep up the good work Reju Jacob and team.

I was recommended to Reju from Insights 2 India by an Indian colleague. I asked him to plan a special holiday to celebrate both our Ruby wedding anniversary and my wife's birthday. He was extremely patient and helpful in the planning especially as we kept changing our mind. Eventually he came up with a very exciting and interesting itinerary. From the time we arrived in India it was perfect. We were met at the airport and taken to our hotel in Delhi. All the hotels were great, and in Agra for our wedding anniversary he arranged for an upgrade to a suite. He also arranged a chocolate cake and flowers. The organisation was perfect. Everything was done for us. The guides were terrific. Our driver who was with us for eight days was delightful and very kind. The itinerary was good if not a bit tiring. I would urge anybody thinking of going to India to use Reju. An exceptional travel agent!

Just a quick note to thank you for organizing our lovely trip this year. We thoroughly enjoyed every part of it and appreciate all the effort put in by yourself and staff. Everything at the hotels was as requested, rooms close to amenities and very kind and obliging staff everywhere. The only hotel that was a bit disappointing was the Taj West End in Bengaluru. Although located next to the foyer and coffee shop it had no window for light and the couch and floor were badly stained and quite grubby. Gavin asked for a better room and we were moved still on the ground floor to a much nicer room. They had golf buggys to take you up to the main part of the hotel so location wasn't a problem. All other hotels were very nice. The houseboat was lovely and spotlessly clean, food great and staff very nice. All went smoothly with cars and guides which made the sometimes arduous transfers work with comfort and ease. Thank you for all your work which allowed us to once again enjoy your beautiful country.

Thank you very much for an amazing holiday. Your planning and communications were impeccable throughout the different stages of our trip, from being an idea in our head through to completing the tour. You left no stone unturned in your efforts to give us a lovely holiday, going way beyond what you had to do, for example getting us room upgrades. The tour coordination and organisation were excellent and everything went to plan as detailed in your comprehensive itinerary. We had a brilliant driver for the whole trip, who was very careful and courteous, managing the normally tricky road conditions in Kerala with great skill, particularly the narrow, winding hills of Munnar. We enjoyed each of the three main experiences in our holiday. We are glad we listened to your advice and opted for the premium houseboat. What a treat that was, cruising in the gentle, peaceful and stunning backwaters of Kerala, watching life go by - the lush green paddy fields and coconut trees in the distance, the fishing eagles swooping down into the water for a kill, people getting on with their day-today chores by the banks of the canals , a boat full of young children being ferried home from school...In Thekkady, we had the amazing and unforgettable experience of seeing no less than 9 Asian elephants, which included at least two babies, drinking from the waters of the Periyar river. Wow! We also saw bison, wild boar, sambar deer, lion-tailed Macaques and Nilgiri Langurs as well as herons and storks It does help if you have binoculars like we did!). The spice plantations were a revelation into the world of exotic spices including cardamom plants, vanilla, coffee and cocoa plants, ginger, turmeric and pepper, to name a few. The drive from Thekkady to the tea-plantation town of Munnar was stunning. The rolling green hills carpeted with tea plants were beautiful, as were the misty mountains. Being able to walk through the tea estates felt magical, something we had hittherto seen only on TV or in magazines. Thank you, Insights 2 India, for enabling us to experience the beauty of Kerala and enjoy a wonderful and memorable holiday, through such a well-organised tour.

Reju and the Insights 2 India team provided us with a wonderful first visit to India. We received excellent service from the moment we arrived at Delhi airport until we left. Reju included important pre trip information about tipping, customs and service staff expectations and offers to take you to ‘special places to buy cheap goods’. In addition no question or request was too hard and my failure to apply for India visas in time was handled really empathetically regardless that the problem was completely my oversight. Make sure you ask about religious holidays and dry days if you like to have a beer after a hot day! I would recommend this company to anyone thinking of travelling to India as they provide excellent service at a great price.

Having got off to a poor start with another tour operator, I remembered that some years back I had seen a positive travel review written by an old friend. Insights 2 India certainly lived up to my friend's review. My travel companion sustained an injury two weeks prior to travel and Reju couldn’t have been more helpful in assisting her with her insurance claim and rearranging the details so that another person to take her place. The tour proved to be seamless and stress free so we were able to fully appreciate the wonders of India. Reju, the only person we dealt with directly throughout the trip, was in contact us throughout, ironing out any minor issues along the way. Overall, a very successful trip. I am going to recommend the company to a friend who is about to plan a trip to India.

My teenage daughter and I wanted to travel independently on a three week tour through India and a friend in the UK recommended I contact Reju to help plan and organise the visit. At the outset I told Reju more or less where we wanted to go, what we wanted to see and the sorts of hotels we wanted to stay in. He came back with a brilliant first draft itinerary, with lots of recommendations and good advice and was then happy to fine tune it so it became exactly the holiday we wanted. He then made all the plans and bookings and all we had to do was turn up and enjoy it! It was a pleasure to work with him and once we arrived in India we felt in very safe hands as he was always on the end of a phone if needed. Nothing was too much bother and I really can't recommend him highly enough. Thank you Reju and Insights 2 India.

I heard about Reju from a friend locally and on her recommendation asked him to arrange our rather complicated holiday. We wanted to do quite a bit of travelling in the first ten days and then slow down and relax for the last half. We travelled to Ajanta and Ellora and also visited the caves at Bhaja and Karla. We also visited Hyderabad and Ooty, Kumarakom and Kochi. Reju arranged the internal flights, the drivers and everything worked really well. His advice proved very sound and he was around to help 24/7. Even no panic when I mistakenly threw away one of the air tickets! So we saw all the marvellous sights we wanted to see, had excellent drivers with meet and greet and stayed in wonderful places. Certainly will recommend to friends and colleagues. Thank you Reju.

We cannot recommend Insights 2 India highly enough, on a 5 star scale it would be a 6. We have never experienced such superb professional trip organisation before, with appreciated emphasis on safety, comfort and expert help at airports. Nothing was too much trouble for Reju Jacob and he had a hard job organising our IPL cricket and major city tour because the matches we wanted to see kept changing venue through circumstances beyond either of our controls. Reju is also very friendly and approachable and he inspires confidence that all will go well for the traveller. And even if a mishap occurs he knows how to fix it. In short, for any trip to India, call Insights 2 India.

I just wanted to say thanks so much for the wonderful holiday you helped organise. Your friendly and relaxed approach was most welcome and appreciated. As we were travelling with friends and children (total party of 7) we were concerned about being able to coordinate the trip to suit all members. I have to say your patience and diligence helped relieve the anxiety, with some friendly and funny exchanges! Your vehicles were lovely and guides attentive. All in all we all had a really nice time, so much so we would not only come to you again but would and will certainly recommend your company to friends. Thanks again Reju.

Thank you to Reju and team for their hard work diligence and attention to detail that made our holiday the most memorable and enjoyable. We were a party of 7 from the UK and some of us for the first time in India. Our holiday was in mid-October 2016 and we spent nearly 2 weeks visiting Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur. We would like to especially thank our driver Ravin who was so kind gentle punctual polite and nothing was too hard. Our guides were very professional and knowledgeable and above all funny and jovial. The whole experience was magical. A marigold hotel experience. Thank you once again Reju and team. We are definitely coming back!!

We have recently returned from a three week trip to Northern India organised by Insights to India. It was a completely tailor made holiday, and Reju Jacob responded brilliantly to all my requests. The result was a truly unforgettable journey where we were looked after like we were royalty. The heritage hotels were charming and we will just have to return to Udaipur and the Jagat Niwas hotel. The train experiences to travel to Shimla were so interesting and the guide in Shimla was the best of all. Our driver spoke good English and was a really good driver. Reju Jacob was at our service 24 hours a day so we felt really confident on our travels. Than you all in the team that were involved.

Our group of seven had multi-day, multi-city trip planned of the golden triangle (Jaipur-Agra-New Delhi) in India. Reju helped us with the details of the travel, dates and places to visit in the time allowed. He did a great job of understanding our need and then executing on our inputs to arrange for everything in very fine detail. It worked out perfectly and we had one of the best planned vacations that I have ever had. I can unequivocally recommend Insights 2 India and Reju Jacob to anyone planning a trip to India. Even for an expatriate like me, India can be challenging in terms of organizing and arranging for a multi-day stay/multi-destination sightseeing in unfamiliar places. Reju's organization melted away all those concerns so that we could purposefully enjoy our vacation without worrying about logistics. India is a must see and Insights 2 India's services are key to seeing the country in the best way possible. Thank you.

Reju from Insights 2 India organised our trip to North India in December 2015. We were so impressed we returned for a second holiday - this time to the South. From the outset Reju was very responsive to our requests and organised a tailored 3 week visit to keys parts of South India. He provided us with a very detailed itineray and took care of everything, including domestic flights, experienced driver, quality accommodation, and visits to iconic sites including temples and palaces. Reju kept in contact with us throughout our trip and greeted us at the airport just before we left. He even helped my wife navigate the “lost property” system at Jet Airways. We cannot speak highly enough of Reju’s professionalism and his commitment to deliver the most pleasant and enjoyable holidays for his clients.

Thanks again Reju. The highlight for all of us was Taj Nadesar, Bandhavgarh (I saw 7 Tigers......exceptional on three separate occassions), and Kashmir for it's absolute spectacular beauty. The changes and improvements in Delhi were really impressive. The new airport, the roads etc...fantastic. Disappointments were: Darjeeling which we found grubby even though we loved the hotel and enjoyed the Everest Museum and Zoo. Even the Guides were not overly enthusiastic. Kathmandu....wow wad that polluted! The stay at Dwarika’s Resort was out of this world and we absolutely loved it. Paul and Gavin were the only ones that did the city tours....they enjoyed the old city but hated the main city for its traffic problems and atmosphere. None of the above detracted from our holiday and we had a wonderful time absolutely everywhere. The food and service was brilliant and on behalf of everyone - thanks you.

We booked a trip to India to celebrate my son's 30th birthday. There were four of us on this trip and except for the villa in Kerala, we once again booked the whole thing with "Insighs t2 India", including all domestic and international flights. Our itinerary began in Amritsar to see the beautiful Golden Temple and then to Jallianwala Bagh. Next day to the Wagah border to see the sensational closing of the border gates. We then flew to Kerala for the rest of our holiday. Our itinerary included a houseboat in the peaceful backwaters in Alleppey, staying one night on the boat. Insights 2 India arranged and provided all the excellent tour guides and all the transport. Once again an excellent and professional service.

In the beginning I was a little bit hesitating to visit India as a lady alone. However, together with Reju and my dearest Aunty we put together an amazing and memorable 7-day trip. Reju arranged everything, from hotels to jeep safari and from well educated guides to a coracle ride. During my trip I felt very safe and comfortable in the hotels and also with my personal driver Mr Keshavan. He became a little bit my bodyguard at the end. Furthermore, Reju was standby 24/7 and looked after me very well. The idea and feeling that there is someone ‘nearby’ in an unknown country was very important for me. Thanks again for the good care and fabulous trip. I can’t wait for the next trip.

I am sure I speak on behalf of everyone in our group when I say we thoroughly enjoyed the visit to India made even better by the support we received from you, your team and Tamarind. The arrivals, transfers, booking and sightseeing were blended with professionalism and made seamless by all the staff involved making our journey trouble free and so much more enjoyable. Everyone was easily contactable when we needed them including the guides, agents and drivers and we had experiences which we will carry with us for a long time to come. There is something very special when you are never let down and the staff handle all the processing for you at the destination point. The assistance in selecting the perfect itinerary is much appreciated so we never felt as though we were doing too much or too little and it created a wonderful balance letting us see as much as time permitted without feeling exhausted at the end of the day. I also commend the guides for their incredible knowledge and flexibility in allowing us to also choose what we wanted to see and getting us back to the hotels when we requested. The Taj hotels can come no more highly recommended than from our group and they should set a yard stick for all other international major chains. Thanks you Reju and team for making our third visit to India so remarkable and we look forward to your assistance again in the near future as we plan our next trip to India.

Thank you so much for organising such a wonderful trip to Udaipur – the Taj Palace on the Lake was amazing, the staff took care of the smallest detail to ensure we had the perfect stay – it was a very memorable and relaxing vacation. The tours you organised were also great with lots of different things to enjoy and experience, and on our part, no concerns or discomfort experienced. We really appreciated the care and attention you paid to our comfort, from airport pick up to well informed local tour guide – we wouldn’t hesitate to highly recommend Insights 2 India to other travellers or to use your services again.

I would like to let you know that my wife & I had a marvellous time in India. I must say that on arrival at Mumbai airport you Reju personally met us at the airport, put us at ease, explained all that we needed to know & gave us all the necessary information & documents necessary for our tour. You & all your representatives at all the different cities were waiting for us on time & helped us along with our baggage. The cars were neat & clean & the drivers & guides were very polite & obliging. The hotels chosen by you were also of a high standard. We were very satisfied. Our special thanks to the young Representative at Khajuraho, I don't remember his name. He would sometimes come twice a day to find out if everything was ok & if we had any complaints. Reju, due to your efforts we shall have very pleasant memories of our tour to India & we will certainly recommend other tourist to make their tour through you. Wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR to you & your fly.

I first travelled with Reju and the team for a month in January 2007 and had a fantastic time - nothing was too much trouble. I travelled again with Reju in February 2009 and April-May 2011 with challenging itineraries and again Reju and the team delivered. I returned in January - February 2014 to travel with Reju again with what was most varied itinerary to date - full of visits and sightseeing and a challenging schedule for the drivers. What impressed me was the commitment of everyone involved to deliver the itinerary even when a difficulty arose and also the speed and efficiency with which last minute changes were handled and implemented. A truly memorable trip at the end of which I knew that I would travel with Reju and the team again.

Thank you for another fabulous vacation to India, this time to the South! Because last time our trip to the north was such a perfect mix of classical India and nature I didn’t even discuss the itinerary with you this time and you were “Spot on.” Except that I left thinking I needed more days everywhere, especially Kochi. What I did discuss with you this time in almost daily emails were the hotels. I wanted boutique hotels, for a number of reasons, including safety, and amazingly you found them everywhere, even in the middle of nowhere. The boutique hotels in the cities were also remote, and a relaxing contrast to the bustle of India. Each hotel seemed more luxurious then the last one. Our favorites were the CGH Earth Chain, the Park Pod in Chennai, the Old Harbor Hotel in Kochi, the Gateway in Madurai and Orange County. The English competence of the guides was consistently higher than during our previous visit in 2004. Two guides in particular, in Chennai as well as Hassan, as well as the naturalists on the safaris shared their personal enthusiasm for what we were seeing. It rings louder when it comes from the heart. I also appreciated the periodic phone contact with your travel associates in the south and the visit half way along. Of course on any vacation there will be the occasional miss- connect; when that did happen your associates fixed the problem within the hour. Also kudos to our driver, Mr. Hussain. He put up with 20 days of my requests to stop to photograph everything in sight, as well as my whining to shop--all the while negotiating cliff-hanger mountain driving and the general driving chaos. The Indian people are some of the most welcoming in the world and we cherish all of the interactions. Now we are thinking about Ajunta and Ellora and Gautala national park sometime in the not too distant future! Reju, we would also like to offer our hospitality when you visit our beautiful Seattle, Washington. Again, a heartfelt thank you for arranging our trip to India!

A Fabulous Burma Experience:

We set off for 12 days discovering Burma (or is that Myanmar*) in November 2012 as a small private group of 6 friends. The unique beauty of Burma, the reported friendliness of the people, romanticised images from colonial tales and limited western influence over the last 50 years were attractions. Whilst hard to articulate before our trip, we had expectations of memorable experiences. Our expectations of food, accommodation and travel guides were modest based on our uninformed perceptions. In the event we enjoyed lots of highlights. The natural landscape, the instinctive open friendliness of the people, the old colonial architecture in Yangon, the temple ruins around Bagan, the numerous pagodas, and even more numerous Buddhas, life on water at Inle Lake and primitive techniques for farm very productive land were some of the highlights. Buddhism is integral to life in Burma and most people demonstrate humility and serenity not observed in western countries. However, the sectarian violence between Buddhist mobs and minority Rohingya Muslims seems so out of step with what we saw. The high standard accommodation, great food and well informed and friendly travel guides were a surprise and exceeded our expectations in most cases. Mandalay accommodation and tour guide were the disappointments that contrasted with the standards elsewhere. We would highly recommend Burma as a "must do" for the adventurous and even moderately adventurous traveller.

*Some locals and apparently "The Lady", Aung San Suu Kyi still prefer Burma until the people decided to change.

It was lovely to meet you and your family and as always you organised the trip fanatically. It ran like clockwork and our guides in Mumbai and Kerala were great. We were even asked to appear on a Tourist film whilst visiting the Buddhist caves in Mumbai. We're telling everybody that we were asked to appear in a Bollywood film. Just a slight exaggeration. Brian absolutely loved Delhi and in particular Humayun's tomb and the Qutub Minar. It was just a bit chilly though. Kerala didn't disappoint either. The hotels location was on the most amazing beach. We were invited to a wedding at the local temple, and then the next day we went to the temple festival. Going on a boat ride and feeding the Elephants at the Neyyar wildlife sanctuary, was also another highlight. As usual a fantastic holiday.

I was very lucky to be recommended to Insights 2 India and to Reju Jacob in particular. My friend and I were travelling out to a wedding in April this year and wanted to extend our trip to visit parts of Southern India and to end up in Kovolam where the wedding was taking place. Various friends had mentioned particular places of interest to visit. I gave all this information to Reju, indicating that we only wanted to stay in hotels that showed the flavour of India, nothing modern and international. He very quickly came up with a trip that fitted the bill to perfection. We visited all the places that our friends recommended - plus others that Reju suggested - travelling in a very comfortable air conditioned car with a superb driver. The driver was with us for the whole of our trip and was exceedingly nice and very informative. We had excellent guides whenever a guide was needed. The hotels that Reju chose were superb, all with the flavour of India, We especially liked the Kumarakom Lake Resort which has won the best hotel in India for the last 3 years. The meandering pool outside our villa was breathtaking. We ate in our hotels the whole time and ate extremely well. We enjoyed all the trips that Reju had arranged and our driver was very happy to stop endlessly so that we could take photos - impossible not to !!! Nothing was too much trouble. We had a great holiday and I have already asked Reju to prepare another trip for 2011.

Insights 2 India have again delivered the goods when it comes to arranging and organising a visit to India. This I already knew from a trip in Feb/Mar 2009 and my recommendations to the Carney's (see Testimonial for Nov 2009). Reju Jacob developed a program for 9 Australians for Nov. 2010. Five were on their first trip, two on their second, one on his third and this was my tenth trip. We started in Delhi before heading by train to Amritsar, the Golden Temple and the Wagah Border crossing; try the 'original' Crystal Restaurant; watch out as it has a clone right next door. Then flights to Mumbai via Delhi. Our first flight was cancelled, but Jet Airways allowed us to transfer directly at Delhi onto the Mumbai leg. Unfortunately Obama was in Mumbai and this curtailed our sight seeing a little. Next was Goa and the Alila Diwa resort, absolutely fabulous accommodation and services. Next on to Kochi, again a flight delay, but Kingfisher Air were ready for another direct transfer at Bangalore, baggage and all. We stayed at the Arches Hotel on old Kochi and enjoyed to sights and sounds of the old harbour area and the Kathakali dance drama. Nice old world hotel. The next stages were road trips to the Coconut Lagoon Resort at Kumarakom and then the Travancore Heritage Hotel at Chowara where we saw the local fishermen working the beach in the morning. Unfortunately the long road trip to Chowara didn't permit us to get a good look around Trivandrum this time. We then made the bottom of India at Cape Comorin or Kanyakumari to see the three oceans and get an appreciation of the extent of the 2006 tsunami before heading to Madurai and the Taj Gateway Hotel; 4 lane highway made travelling easy. The temples of Madurai are brilliant, but you do tend to get 'templed out' after the first six or ten as we got more at Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram, South of Chennai. From Chennai five of the party flew home and the remainder headed north via Kolkatta to stay at the Vedic Village resort, about an hour out of the city in rural India. This year we stayed at the Radison at Varanasi, which was an improvement on the Ramada where I stayed last year. Unfortunately all the major religions were having festivals on the full moon, so we didn't get a full appreciation of the temples and monuments in the area. Reju really chose a luxurious hotel for us in Agra; the Jaypee Palace. I used a local guide I have known for ten years to show around his city and it was much appreciated by the group. As was Reju's generous offer of dinner at the hotel. Driving to Jaipur, we visited Fatephur Sikri and a place I hadn't heard of, the Chand Baoli Step Well at Abhaneri, near Bandikui, about 90 km east of Jaipur. We toured Jaipur on the wettest Nov. day on record, 50 mm and that put pressure on the drainage systems and infrastructure. Here we stayed at my favourite hotel, the Alsisar Haveli; may not have all the stars as some other hotels we stayed at, but has old world character and great restaurant. Getting off the train back in Delhi showed the season had turned. The locals had their pullovers and jackets on as the daytime temperature was now a comfortable 20-25 deg. A couple of nights respite in the Le Meridien and we were off to Shimla and two nights in the quaint Clarkes Hotel, Oberoi's first hotel. Shimla still has some visible presence of the British era, especially the old Viceroy's Palace; nice to see that it now has a visitor centre and photographic museum, that some maintenance is occurring and that visitors can now take photographs inside the building. After 31 days in India we reluctantly flew back to Australia. The first timers had some reservations about visiting India, but because if Reju's great choices in accommodation, transport arrangements and guides, they all came away greatly appreciating the treasures and challenges of India. All expressed their appreciation to Reju's skills in programming. Some are already talking about returning again. Whether I make an 11th visit is problematic. Thanks again Reju, you are brilliant.

Firstly we would like to thank you for organising the perfect tour for us - it was exactly what we wanted and from the moment we arrived in Delhi until walking through immigration control at Mumbai everything went incredibly smoothly - almost like clockwork! I must also thank you for always responding promptly to our e-mail queries prior to our departure. All the hotels throughout our stay were very comfortable with excellent food and service, exactly what one would expect from such high class establishments Kathy in particular was very impressed with the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur - which certainly lived up to its reputation and I loved the Lake Palace Hotel in Udaipur and luckily in both hotels we were given up-graded rooms. We both enjoyed eating on their respective terrace restaurants admiring the view of the Jodhpur Meharangarh fort and the Udaipur City Palace. The Svelte Hotel in Delhi was very good and being next to the shopping centre meant that finding somewhere to eat on our first proper night was no problem. Unfortunately whilst in Jaipur and Agra it rained which meant we couldn't take full advantage of their outdoor swimming pools but the rooms and other facilities were excellent. The Pushkar Palace was also very comfortable and was our first taste of a heritage hotel and we were not disappointed. The linking in with the guides invariably worked well and we enjoyed their commentaries. In particular we were impressed with Sameer at Agra and the guide for Ajmer/Pushkar H Rathore who helped us negotiate the Friday crush at Ajmer on our way to Pushkar. Our week in Goa at the end of our stay was very relaxing and enjoyable and the Taj Village was a very good choice of hotel. Finally I must say a couple of words about our driver for the ten day tour of Rajasthan, Mr R.S. Rana. He was punctual and the vehicle was always clean both inside and out. He told us that to get around India you needed " a good horn, good brakes and good luck" but you also need a good driver and he was certainly good. Once again I must thank you and your colleagues for organising our dream holiday and I have no hesitation in recommending your services to others. We are thinking of returning to India to visit Kerala in a couple of years time and will no doubt be contacting you again! Once again many thanks.

We booked a two weeks holiday in Goa (17th January 09 to 1st February 09). Whilst there we booked a 3 night/4 day trip to Delhi, Agra, Mumbai and then back to Goa. The “internal” trip was booked through “Insights 2 India” before we left home. From the time we arrived at Delhi to the last day of the trip we were looked after marvellously by “Insights 2 India” at every step. The hotels, vehicles, drivers and guides provided at each sites were excellent and very professional. I would have no hesitation at all to recommend them to any prospective travellers to India.

I first travelled with Reju and the team for a month in January 2007 and had a fantastic time - nothing was too much trouble and what minor issues occured were dealt with efficiently and amicably. I returned to India to travel again with Reju and the team in February 2009 for another month with an itinerary which was, to say the least, challenging by anyone's standards. And Reju and the team delivered - having taken on an incredible challenge they ensured that I always ended up in the right place at the right time. So if you want to travel in India you should work with Reju and his team - a number of travel agents sought to to obtain my itinerary along the way!

On behalf of the Bren's and myself I would like to thank you very much for arranging our 3-4 week programs in India in February/March 2009. Your programming and arrangements went off without a hitch, a wonderful thing for India. The accommodation (4 & 5 star) and transport (car, train and plane) arrangements were well selected, on time and comfortable. As we chose not to have local guides we also found the English speaking drivers very helpful. The highlights for the Bren's were Varanasi, the Taj Mahal and the Alsisar Haveli Hotel (in Jaipur). As this was my 9th visit to India, my additional highlights were the Attari/Wagah Border closing ceremony and Mumbai. We would recommend Reju Jacob and Insights 2 India to anyone considering travel to India and wanting a tailor made tour. We simply listed the features and timing what we wanted and Jacob did the arranging and purchasing. His tolerance to our changes and additional requests was appreciated, especially as it was all done by email. Unfortunately we had 4 withdrawals in the weeks leading up to the tour, but refunds were readily processed and returned to Australia without hesitation.

It was via a friend we heard about Reju Jacob's business "Insights 2 India". We were having difficulties and were advised to contact Reju. We made contact asking him to address some of the issues that appeared to have been a problem previously. His reply was almost instant, his comprehension of what we required perfectly understood, and his English excellent. We had been on the verge of cancelling India altogether, however, our comfortable and competent dealings with Reju changed all that. We were there in October and early November 2009. From the moment we set foot in Mumbai - our place of landing as we were flying in from Europe, to again flying out of Mumbai to Australia, we were brilliantly looked after. Our driver and representative were there to meet us and without a hitch were guided to our airconditioned vehicle. Despite it being late they were most obliging to take us to Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) as we needed endian money. From there taken to our designated hotel - our representative organizing our overnight stay at the counter. Reju came to the hotel in the morning and met us which was greatly appreciated. Just a word of advice to all travellers. India requires passports everywhere and some hotels require you to leave them with Hotel admin until one leaves. Not something we expect in Australia. Next morning both representative and driver were right on time to take us back to airport for internal flight, taking us right through to the actual ticket counter, and even there transacted with the internal air company (bliss) . We had advised that we wouldn't require guides if our driver spoke English. We first went to Rajasthan. Upon arriving again met by Rep & driver. Our driver turned out to be a real gem. His English not brilliant but good enough for us to understand and comprehend one another. He had excellent general knowledge on nearly all aspects of what we asked from him e.g. Government - Regional information - History, Employment, etc. Our whole trip throughout Rajasthan was wonderful. Hotels chosen by Insights 2 India were excellent. We were very sad to say goodbye to our competent, obliging, warm and friendly driver. We had a total of three internal flights. All good, on time and again auspiced by varying representatives on behalf of Insights 2 India. Second State to visit was Kerala. Again met by representatives, drivers and airconditioned cars which we certainly needed. Kerala - green, hot and humid very different to the magic of hot and arid Rahjasthan. Could have been in two different countries. The diversity of the two States couldn't be more different, however, we loved both. Our regret was not having had more time in Kochi. Next time, because there will be a next time. We are a couple in our latter 60's and in previous times always travelled independently. That didn't appeal this time because the thought of struggling with the hordes is not something one wants at our age. Just the fact, that the type of service that Reju Jacob provides for, allowed us to enjoy aspects of India that otherwise we would not have done. We choose exactly what we wanted to see and do from the most informative DK Eyewitness travel guide India book plus information from one of our sons who has been to India 4 times. Reju facilitated that totally and organized everything accordingly. He contacted us on a continual basis per SMS on my mobile phone, to ensure that all was O.K. and we certainly appreciated this comforting attention to detail. My mobile worked everywhere - no matter how remote. When required we spoke on several occasions. Our hotels, Air travel, representatives and drivers were wonderful, made our travel in India easy, reassuring, and worry free. A big plus for us older folk, though I hate admitting I'm now in that category. All made possible for us by this thoughtful and obliging man Reju Jacob of whom I cannot speak highly enough, who runs the company of Insights 2 India with impeccable integrity and honesty. You may ask at what cost - compared to Europe, as cheap as chips.

Thank you for your great service on our December trip to India. Our last minute changes were handled efficiently and with grace. Our driver was the best! He deserves a medal for courage and calm in the face of India traffic. I will not forget your tour company and am planning to come back with friends and do an even longer tour. My daughters - both teenagers - rate this as the best travel experience they have ever had. India - without a guide - would not be nearly as enjoyable (or impossible?). Thank you again.

We travelled this time all over Kerala. It was a beautiful trip with so many different aspects to enjoy. We spent an unforgetable New Years Eve at Carmelia Haven where it was COLD!! All the hotels were lovely we couldn't decide which we liked best. We felt like royalty must feel on the night on the houseboat, however the final nights by the Arabian Sea did take the prize! The high standard of accomodation for the price we paid was amazing and the trip was completely tailor made with Reju showing the utmost patience with our needs and changes.

We had a great memorable trip and the itinerary you arranged was well planned and gave us good value. If more time was available, we would have stayed an extra day in Delhi, Jaipur, Chennai and Mumbai. Thanks for your help and concern. Overall we received excellent service from your people in terms of meeting us, arrangements at the hotels and getting us back to the airports. Some of the guides were hard to understand but all were very knowledgeable about their cities and about Indian history. The only annoyance was the dinner. In most places we had to discuss the arrangements and they generally allowed us to eat off of a limited menu or in an Indian restaurant where they had better food than in the buffet. I would recommend that you discourage tourist from taking this dinner option because of the hassle involved and because eating a dinner buffet and then a breakfast buffet the next morning is too much food.

We would very much like to thank you for your excellent organisation of our wonderful visit to India. Everything went according to the planned itinerary, which you had put together for us. The driver, Palak, was an excellent and very safe driver and all our guides were very good especially our guide, Rajeev, in Agra, who was just outstanding. Thanks to you, our guides and driver we had a wonderful holiday in your beautiful country with plenty of photographs of the experience. Sometime in the near future, we hope to go back to Agra via Delhi and then to fly down to Mumbai and also the southern parts of India. We would have no hesitation in contacting you when we are ready for your help in organising our future trip.

My wife and I have travelled the world extensively using many of the top well known (and expensive) travel agencies. We have no hesitation in stating to you, that your service to us on our three week visit to beautiful and fascinating southern India was perhaps the best we have every experienced. It seems a pity you cannot somehow get more of a positive foothold with some travel agents over here in Britain, so that your talents can be more readily appreciated? Have you tried to do this? There is surely a good number of people who would appreciate your high quality service over here, if they knew about it.

Greetings from the two lady travellers from Israel. We have now been back home for over three weeks, and this is about how long it has taken us to re-adjust to "regular" life after a most exciting two weeks in India. We wish to thank you for having made this experience possible. The planning of the trip, the hotels you chose for us as well as the drivers, guides and local representatives were generally excellent. However, when problems did arise, they were dealt with quickly and efficiently. I found your company on the Internet and though at first I was a bit apprehensive about booking a trip with an "unknown" travel agent in a far-away country we were soon convinced by the way you handled all our queries as well as our frequent changes in the programme that we were indeed dealing with a professional. I hope to be able to use your services again, perhaps on a trip to the south of India and I'll certainly recommend you to friends and colleagues.

I just wanted to write to you to thank you very much for the wonderful holiday we had in India, it was our first visit to your country and we enjoyed every moment, all the hotels staff and food were first class, the tour guides and car drivers were very smartly dressed very polite and informative, also they were always on time, nothing was too much trouble for them, our internal flights on Indian Airlines were also of a very high standard. We will be returning to India in the not too distant future, and when we do we shall be using Insights 2 India, a credit to you all.

From the first contact with Insights2India we were impressed by the professionalism of the organization. Our trip was specifically tailored for us over a few months culminating it the smoothest tour we have ever experienced. From the moment we cleared customs in Delhi to the moment we left India two weeks later we were wonderfully taken care of. Being met at every point along our journey of exploration we were made to feel as though we were the only visitors to India. Nothing was too much trouble and the tours were arranged in such a manner that we had both very interesting and exciting tours as well as time to rest and enjoy the wonderful hotels booked for us in between. Our next visit to will be booked through “Insights” and we will recommend them, without hesitation, to anyone we know who is planning a visit to India.

"Namaste! We arrived home safely after an easy but long trip via London. We were happy we checked into the Hyatt at the airport-not only is it beautiful but we were very pleased with their services. What can I say-the trip was beyond our expectations. The services you arranged were excellent at every level. The guides outstanding particularly in Mumbai, Chennai and Madurai. We loved being able to stop whenever something interesting caught our eye. Our driver for 6 days, Joseph was the best we've ever had and made those days most exciting-we always felt safe and he was flexible and knowledgable as to the area in Kerala-visited hospitals, orphanages etc. The Park Hyatt Goa was amazing-never had such service-food in all 4 restaurants tops. A great ending."

We have just returned to our home in Seattle Washington, USA, after our terrific twenty-two day journey through northern India. We are in the middle of our rainy season and I am missing the clear beautiful days of November in India. Actually our journey started last spring when I was doing Internet research to find out what was possible and whom to work with. I found that there were hundreds of tour companies providing services to India. However, your company rose to the top, first because of the kinds of group tours that you advertised, but more specifically through the efficient way that you responded to my inquiry about a private tour. You immediately designed a program that had a beautiful balance of city, village and nature, included a variety of antiquities and modern India. Also we were delighted that you scheduled just about every kind of transportation possible; plane, car, train, boat, even an elephant ride! And due to all of the efficiently, the support, the knowledge, and frankly the luxury, we could focus on the reason that we went to India in the first place; to experience first hand the unique land and culture that is India! We plan to return in the future to explore another region in India. Please pass my e-mail onto customers as a reference. Thank you!

I wanted to again thank you and your staff for organising a most wonderful tour of India for Angela & I. It was good of you to take the time to meet us which we both appreciated very much. Our travel was well organised and executed with excellent efficiency and care. We were well pleased with the hotels and guides. It is only just beginning to dawn upon us that we indeed did cover a fair bit of ground and such ambitious travel plans do, we realise, require careful planning. We both want to wish you and your family a merry Christmas and happy new year. We would be more than happy to serve as referees for your services.

Oscar and I are now back into our everyday routines after a fantastic break. We would like to thank you for arranging and planning such an amazing itinerary. India is an amazing place and we had the time of our life. The hotels were great, our driver was really friendly and always looking out for us. We will certainly be returning to other parts of India in the near future and I'll be in contact with you again. I'll certainly recommend Insights 2 India to any colleagues and friends that are planning to visit India.

First of all I must thank you for all the trouble you took to ensure our trip was such a success. I very much appreciated all the personal attention we received and the high standard of efficiency and courtesy extended to us by your local agents. The guides and the drivers of our car in the different places we visited were quite excellent. I also appreciated the efforts you made to ensure that the rooms we had in the various hotels were those I requested. As you know I have worked for different companies in India over thirty years and your company was exceptional. I very much look forward to using you again next year and to recommending you to my friends and clients.

I am writing to say thank you to you and your staff for providing my husband Ben and I with a wonderful honeymoon in India. The itinerary was excellent and the guides both pleasant and knowledgeable. Thanks to your high level of service our trip was well planned and competitively priced. The hotels you booked for us were all extremely comfortable and we were particularly impressed with both Amarvilas and Rajvilas. We already have plans to return to the latter to experience a level of service neither of us have had before. We are hoping to return to India next year and we will definitely be using your services again. I will be recommending your company to friends and family. Thanks again for the trip of a lifetime.

Donna and I could never have imagined that now, in our mid sixties, we would be given the opportunity to travel in Nepal and then in Rajasthan, completely secure and confident, not as part of a group as we had always done in our travel to other parts of the world, but this time alone, just the two of us. It was the most romantic, fascinating, life changing travel either of us has ever undertaken. The opportunity to stop the car when we saw something or someone we wanted to visit, the ability to linger at will at those temples or historical sites we found most interesting, the chance to communicate one on one, all gave us insights into the culture of that part of India (you picked a good name for your company) that we have never had in other countries, traveling as part of a group. You, your organization, and the network to which you connected us throughout our visit provided a level of service that surpassed all of our expectations.

We'd like to thank you for a wonderful holiday in Darjiling-Gangtok-Kalimpong. Everything was perfect and according to plan. Both our guide Mr Dipendra Thakuri and our driver Swadhin were excellent at their jobs. We had a different guide and driver, Nar Bahadur and Hari, for the day trip to Tsangu lake in Sikkim. They were both very good as well. No complaints about the hotels, food, flights and transfers either. The only hitch was that The Nor-Khill in Gangtok does not have any double rooms. They have twin rooms only. We did not have any problems in the other two hotels.

We all want you to know we could not be any more pleased and satisfied with the tour. We had great experiences only a private tour could have. Every driver was amazing, every guide informative We were exceptionally pleased with Mohan the driver who stayed with us for the first 12 days. The only issue we faced was with the train I was aware that the train system is unpredictable and we found that out We spent 18 hours on the train after leaving at midnight so we missed the day in Darjeeling. You chose a variety that was excellent from the tent to the palace each had its own experience. City to country. I am so glad we went to Darjeeling It was like going to another country and being so North gave us a new experience. My favorite of course is the experiences we had with the people.

We are missing the warmth of India already and we have not been home for a month yet! We have had rain and grey days for all that time with many people having their houses flooded. (not us I am pleased to say ) And tomorrow we are promised snow too. It just gets better and better! We thoroughly enjoyed our trip - although there is one place we never wish to see again!! Still the love affair with India continues and we expect to be back! An Indian man I know here said 'Oh my God ! You must love the place' when I said we had just completed our 8th visit. Thank you for all your advice with the planning of our trip and for your help. It made the journey so enjoyable and we will certainly be using you for our 9th India adventure! Thank you all once again!

We have both come back to London with wonderful memories of our trip to Rajasthan. It is a state of such amazing contrasts. We always assumed that Europe had the world's most beautiful palaces, but after visiting India, we'll have to think again! We both felt that your organisation was very professional. From the moment we arrived in Delhi until our driver dropped us both back at the airport, we were both treated very very well. Our driver Gunguram was friendly and experienced. His driving was safe, and he always explained where he would be taking us. He was also quick to point out landmarks en route. Every single guide was knowledgeable and attentive. They encouraged us to ask questions about the attractions, and were very proud to be showing us their towns. The hotels had their own individual character. I enjoyed the Castle Mandawa (very mysterious) and the Bikaner Hotel, but Layisha prefered the hotels in Ajmer and Jaipur. All of the hotels were very good. We were made to feel very welcome, and the majority of staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome. In short, We both had a very special holiday. I have already recommended your service to my friends, as well as some family members ...so I am expecting a 10% discount when we book with you to visit the South of India!!