Package Tours

For me, travel always meant planning, budgeting, last minute arrangements and a little bit of chilling out. Until I discovered the joys of package tours.
My earliest memory of a package tour was the Delhi-Agra tour which I went when I was about 6 years old. I remember we were horded around like programmed robots - "Get-down-at-Yamuna-and-have-a-dip", "30-mins-at-Qutb-Minar", "If-you-miss-the-bus-at-Taj-Mahal-then-catch-us-at-xyz-place" etc. Somehow I was under the impression that package tours don't give you enough freedom to explore things on your own and have your own privacy.
Well, I realised only in 2004 that common sense was not my sole birthright. People in the tourism business have given some thought to this over the years and the process has matured to a point where we now have "tour guide" as a career.
Take a look at Haggis Adventures
This is a tourism company started in Scotland by people with passion for tourism (and Scotland). During Easter 2004, being a desi bachelor in the UK with lot of desire for travel, but no company, I blindly booked a package for 269 pounds at Haggis Adventures. I had my own concerns about the kind of people who would travel with me and how I could gel with them.

I did not regret it. Not a bit.

Will write more about my Haggis Adventure (yes, I will explain what is Haggis too !) later.. But for now, I am convinced that package tours are the best.

So my next holidays did not involve "Planning, budgeting, last minute arrangements and a little bit of chilling out".
I now do only two things: 1. Research a little bit and identify a great tour operator 2. CHILL OUT !

The primary concern for many people is the costs involved in buying a package.. "Wouldn't it be cheaper to do-it-yourself ?", "Will I really be interested in all the places those guys show us?", "Will I get enough time for my leisure shopping ?"..

Believe me, all those are things of the past. You do get packages to suit every pocket. And the little premium you pay is WORTH it since you don't really have to haggle with taxis, you don't have to handle conmen or waste time in hunting for accomodation, food or directions.

If you don't want to see every single spot in the city, you could always opt out.

I've tried the group tour at Haggis Adventures and also a customised private 7-day tour which I bought from Orbit World for my honeymoon trip to Shimla-Kulu-Manali. It was pretty good.

Fun does come in packages.