India & Nepal Reviews

5 Rating 48 Reviews

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smarTours is a leading provider of direct-to-consumer, affordable travel experiences to exotic global destinations. The Company offers travelers curated, pre-packaged itineraries to over 50 destinations across the globe. By offering tours directly to consumers, the Company provides premium-quality experiences at value prices, and as a result, has cultivated a highly passionate and loyal community of repeat travelers. More than 200,000 travelers have taken a smarTours trip since the founding of the Company in 1996. smarTours is… the smarter way to see the world.

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“I was on the November 2016 tour with Susan and agree with everything she has shared. We had great weather to see the incredible sites and amazing guides who not only took us through the scenery but saw to every possible detail. Hotels were great. Food was great. But the chief tour guide, Bonita Backer, was the key to this amazing trip in the depth of her knowledge and her compassion and love for the people of India and Nepal. She got us through bad air, the rupee crisis, visa issues and more. I did my share of shopping but the souvenir I treasure most is the chance to know what kind, generous and caring people live in these two countries. Namaste.”

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Posted 8 years ago

“I recently traveled to India and Nepal with Smartours and wanted to say what an incredible trip it was. The accommodations were excellent, the transportation was great, although the roads travelled left much to be desired. We arrived just in time for the Indian demonetarization, which created havoc not only with the travelers but the locals as well. It was wonderful to see the Taj Majal and the plane ride over the Himalayas was amazing and not to be missed. But most of the credit for the successful tour resides with our tour guide Bonnie Backer, an expat who has lived and breathed India for several decades. She had such patience and calmness during the money crisis, and displayed such enthusiasm and passion for the country and its people that is was almost as if we were a part of it rather then spectators looking in. She truly has developed a sense of the country, the people, the traditions and customs , and was able to convey that sense of belonging to all of us on the trip. For 15 days she was with us, and while it is never long enough to get a real feel for the country- we got a taste and a very personal one at that. India and Nepal may not be for everyone, but it did come alive for me.”

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Posted 8 years ago

“I've always wanted to go to India, when I found out there was an India & Nepal trip I didn't doubt it for a minute. Our trip was in October 2016, it suppose to be better weather but it was very hot, so try to use cotton clothing, the tour provided bottled water on demand, to keep hydrated and we could purchased near by at a very cheap price. For me the highlight of the tour was the visit to the Ganges river ceremony, in Varanasi, it was magical!! We had the privilege to have a great guide, very educated and professional, with a lot of knowledge about culture and monuments, with him we could learn about religious, history and the life of the people; without him our trip to India and Nepal, wouldn't be as wonderful as it was, I definitely recommend to ask for Jasvir if you take this tour, he thinks in every detail to make your stay memorable and special, he even manage to book for us the elephant ride that was cancelled to the Red Fort, because of the religious practices; he made some calls and gave us the surprise, it was a priceless experience that we will never forget. Namaste!!”

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Posted 8 years ago

“It was a WONDERFUL experience. People, places, foods, religions, animals. Unbelivable!! Special thanks to our guide Jasvir who did a great job. It would never be as awesome as it was without him, he really made the difference. I totally recommend, If you decide to go to India and Nepal, please ask for Jasvir Saurana as a tour guide.”

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Posted 8 years ago

“Talk about incredible! We saw lot of sights - lots of beauty (Taj Mahal), lots of ceremony (sunset and sunrise ceremonies on the Ganges River), lots of people (16 million just in Delhi), lots of traffic (all cities we visited), lots of high mountains (the Himalayas & Mt Everest). We stayed in top hotels and ate lots of delicious Indian food. Everything ran smoothly from rickshaw/elephant rides to more traditional modes of transportation (planes and trains). We were treated regally everywhere we went. People were wonderful. My wife, Elana is in many selfies with girls and women of the country, who wanted a shot with a red headed American! Our tour guide Bonnie was fabulous! An American who has lived in India for 15 years. What an amazing woman. Her love of India and Nepal was infectious, her knowledge and insights invaluable. The local guides also added key observations and commentary. Our fellow passengers were a great group. Smartours, we will back for our fourth tour!!! Your tours can't be beat- best value for the money.”

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Posted 8 years ago

“Just returned from the Smart Tours India and Nepal trip (Mar 28-april 11). This was quite one beautiful and exiting trip. My favorite one from my 3 smart tours trips to the date. Everything was well organized: Logistic, Transportation, Hotels, and a highly recommended team selected by Tour Manager Miss Backer. Miss Backer was always very resourceful and always available to all of us. She took care of all our group and individual needs always with a big smile and good sense of humor. She is also very knowledgeable in everything related to Indian and Nepali Culture. I Highly recommend this trip to anyone that want to have a good introduction of India and Nepal. Thank you Bonita and Smart tours for making this trip a lifetime experience!!! Christian Saavedra, Puerto Rico”

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Posted 8 years ago

“We have just returned from the Smartours India & Nepal trip of Mar 28-Apr 11. India is a beautiful, but vast and complicated country. I do not believe we could have efficiently visited it without being on an organized tour. The selection of cities and sites provided a comprehensive look at Northern India. The hotels (with the exception of the Jaipur Sheraton Four Points) were excellent. The local city guides were all top notch, especially Krishna in Varanasi and Mali in Kathmandu. But by far, the biggest asset to this tour was the never-tiring leadership of our Tour Escort, Miss Bonita Backer. Of all the guides on my four Smartours trips, she was one of the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable. She spiced up the trip with details of Indians and everyday Indian life and did not just talk about temple and palace facts. Although it was a long, hot, and at times arduous journey, she never tired of enthusiastically sharing her obvious love of her adopted country, and she never lost her warm sense of humor. Having an American ex-pat as a guide was having the best of both worlds. She knows India intimately, but she can relate well to Americans and our interests. And, as a bonus, her American English accent was easy to follow. And, finally, her skills at facilitating our in country travels were amazing. She took care of not only our hotel check in/out procedures, but also our many bus, train, and multiple airline reservations.”

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Posted 8 years ago

“Our India/Nepal tour was quite memorable because of Ms Bonita Becker, our tour director. She was very good in anticipating/accommodating all our needs. The hotels, transportation, local guides and sites selected we're outstanding.”

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Posted 8 years ago