How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Initially Pramod seemed a little reserved for a tour guide and as we were such a bijou group (just 3 including myself and my partner!) I was a little apprehensive, but as the days went by he showed much warmth, sharing personal stories of his life to entertain us and offering endless knowledge of Indian ways. He was organised and efficient on all counts, relaxed and flexible. His support team Kishor the bike mechanic and Hamid the driver were on hand offering anything we needed and were cheerful and fun even on the incredibly early morning rises! 

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

"There are a lot of bus transfers so take a book to read! 

The weather was beautiful (apart from a freak downpour one night in an outdoor restaurant, which was very funny!) but the air conditioned restaurants can feel very chilly in the evenings so take some long sleeves.

The heat was rarely an issue on the bike but the sun was harsh when sightseeing in the cities. Take a cloth to soak with water and hang around your neck. I used an old t-shirt, it was surprising cooling.

The accommodation swings from plush modern complexes to village basics, the contrast adding to the experience. With a sense of humour and a relaxed approach this is never an issue. Be sure to give your tour guide the chance to sort out any problems. "

Do you have anything else to add?

My partner and I had chosen a group tour for the social aspect and so discovering there was just one other person on the tour was very disappointing. Had we been informed that the quota of at least 4 had not been met we would have rescheduled our trip. Never the less we had a wonderful time and highly recommend it. 

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

"Pramod and Sanjay and the 'support team' worked very well together and their organisational skills, professionalism and experience contributed to making this a memorable holiday. They were keen to ensure the group had all the required information and showed patience and resilience when dealing with our many questions. They provided support both during the cycling and non-cycling activities in a way that enhanced our experience. Kishor (the 'bike doctor') ensured that any 'mechanicals' were dealt with very quickly.  Pramod's health advice was excellent and, as a result, none of the group experienced any gastric problems. "

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

"This tour is pretty 'full on' both in terms of cycling distance/terrain and non-cycling activities/experiences. If you accept this from the outset and go with it, you really get to experience the real intensity of India. The majority of hotels used on this tour were of a good standard; a couple of basic hotels are used in more rural areas with restricted hot water/electricity supply - patience and a sense of humour can sometimes be required.  January provided perfect weather conditions for this trip.
Warm clothes required for early morning rides and game drives at this time of year.  Useful to take hand gel and sanitizer; also throat lozenges as some of the roads in rural areas are quite dusty."

Do you have anything else to add?

"Occasionally, as the cycling group spread out, those in the middle of the group were left to negotiate busy village streets alone. We would suggest that tour leaders consider a 'regroup' before entering a village, so that the group can cycle through together.

Some of the longer cycling distances did mean that occasionally we arrived quite late at our hotels and didn't have time to take advantage of the facilities - the gardens and hammocks at Pushkar Resort looked very inviting, but we were only able to see them at dusk and dawn! A couple of minor issues with hotel facilities were experienced by our group, however these were dealt with as soon as they were raised.  Overall, an extremely enjoyable trip!"

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

So so. Too bullying and dogmatic. Didn't keep the group together when it was necessary for safety. Women should not cycle on their own in India. Need more advice on handling the traffic conditions (cars overtaking on the wrong side of the road force you into the ditch).

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

"Don't go at Christmas/New Year - it's too cold. Crazy time of year to run the tour. Take lots of warm clothes.
Take your own chain oil and maybe lights. "

Do you have anything else to add?

"The scheduling is bonkers.What is the point of visiting the Taj Mahal on a winter morning when it's often foggy. Arrived there on Friday when it's closed and too late to even get the view from across the river. Left Bundi without even a glimpse of the outside of the castle described by Kipling even though it was a short day.
Too much of the cycling is on bumpy or boring roads.
Too many of the hotels are below an acceptable standard. The one in Jaipur booked me between two parties of school children and weren't interested. That hotel is in a really grotty area. The one in Kumbalgarh is just grotty."

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

tour leader was okay. Could have made better use of our time in Delhi

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

"bring strong insect repellent
remember and bring baggy cycle overshorts
never cycle on your own"

Do you have anything else to add?

trip should include a city tour of Delhi. On arrival our hotel rooms were not ready and we were left to our own devices for a couple of hours. Better use could have been made of this time. Left without seeing any highlights of Delhi

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Very direct, always in time and took full control in any situation. On top of it he was a good cyclist,  had lots of knowledge of the history of  Rajasthan and its people. We could not have wished for better.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Just book

Do you have anything else to add?

Accommodation could be better. Hotels should improve their in house standards : no hot water, rooms not always clean, poor breakfast, lots of broken lights and noise of air conditioning. All these problems could easily be solved by explore via the local agent.