Golden Triangle Tour Experience

After a successful Kerala tour with Iris, we decided to book with them again for a Golden Triangle tour. Although we only gave our contact and planner, Akshay, a few days’ notice, he once again provided excellent service and arranged a tailored tour to fit our flight timings.
Our driver, Sanjay (from subcontractor Hindustan Best Travels), met us at the airport with yellow marigold garlands and bottles of water. The Golden Triangle tour involves a lot of driving (more than 900 km in five days!), but it’s a great way to get a feel for the region. Sanjay was always quick to open car doors and suggest rest breaks, and he was the epitome of politeness and punctuality.
If we had to mention one downside, it would be that he spent quite a bit of time on his phone arranging future business while driving—an impressive feat of concentration, given the often hectic traffic!
The three hotels that Akshay booked were good-quality four-star properties, and, surprisingly, each included an evening buffet meal. We recommend setting aside around $200 for monument entrance fees and tips for the guides. We had three compulsory guides: at the Taj Mahal and Jahangiri Mahal in Agra, and one for all the Jaipur attractions. The guides were knowledgeable, and Sanjay advised us that a tip of around $20 for each guide is expected.
Be aware that in each city, the driver (and guide) will take you to a shopping outlet. While there wasn’t too much pressure to buy, it was still a bit inconvenient as we were more interested in sightseeing—and they weren’t always keen to take no for an answer.
Once again, Iris impressed us. We wouldn’t hesitate to use them again or recommend them to friends. We had a great time—thank you, Iris!