Top India History Tours & Packages In 2025/2026

What travelers are saying

"First, let me say our tour guide Tomomi S. is hands down THE best tour guide I’ve ever had - knowledgeable, fun and made great efforts to ensure that we were comfortable and happy (MTSobek tour guides are independent contractors. Tomomi also works for other Adventure/Tour companies) Secondly, Japan is beautiful, clean and the Japanese people are very welcoming. The hiking in the national parks was amazing. It could have been a truly five-star experience if MtSobek had not cut corners so egregiously. The website said (at the time) group tours are 5-22 people. The tour gets canceled if the minimum is not met. When I paid there were TWO other people booked-a mother and daughter duo. Shortly before our departure date I called to see if the tour would be cancelled. I wanted my money back but Mt Sobek was “pleased to say that the trip would not be canceled”. In other words, I could not get a refund. At the last minute a guy named Matt signed up so there were four of us. Five days into the trip Matt left and took a train back to Tokyo. I said to him “You realize Mt Sobek is not going to refund you”. He said, “I don’t care, Mt Sobek scammed us.” With tax, the tour costs $11,645 for 13 nights. For that price there is an expectation that the accommodations Mt Sobek chooses would be decent and clean. We all fully expected a ‘traditional Japanese experience’ which often means no private bath and 8 out of the 13 nights we slept on futon mats on the floor. However, Mt Sobek consistently booked us in the cheapest Ryokans (hotels) in each area in which we travelled. Most of these hotels were unclean and very out-dated. One Ryokan they booked us in was listed on a hotel website for $40 USD/night when there were much nicer accommodations nearby for $100 USD/night. (The Japanese yen is way down, the luxury Park Hotel in Tokyo was $200 USD/night. A comparable hotel would have been about $800/night in Austin.). We were the only people staying in several hotels that accomadated many more people. The most egregious example of MtSobek’s booking the cheapest rooms is when we were booked at a large traditional ski lodge at the base of a spectacular mountain. It was beautiful on the website but had two very different wings. One wing was modern, clean and beautiful with simple beds. The other wing was very old (similar to a cheap Motel 6 that had not been updated since the 1970’s). The carpet and bathrooms were disgusting and like many of the Ryocans where we stayed the futon mats seemed as though they had not been cleaned In 30 years. Only after our tour guide checked us in did we realize we had been booked in the cheap rooms. I asked Tomo why. Immediately someone from MtSobek reached out to me and said, “gosh, I’m sorry you did not realize you were going to have a traditional Japanese experience”. Really? “Traditional” experience depends upon one’s budget. In the US, “traditional” to some people may be the Marriott, a Motel 6 or the Four Seasons Hotels. We were paying for a Marriott experience and received the one-star Motel 6 experience. Upon arrival in Tokyo I expected to be met at the airport by a driver (as many tour companies do). However, several days before our arrival dates in Tokyo, MtSobek sent an email telling us how to locate taking a city bus from the bustling Tokyo airport. That is interesting if you do not speak Japanese. MtSobek cleverly uses great photography and elaborate descriptions of the national parks and the hiking while using terms like “traditional Japanese experience with tatami-mat sleeping” to disguise sub-standard accommodations. At one point we were looking on-line at the very hotel where we were staying and did not even recognize it from the website pictures. The hiking was amazing. The group size was disappointing with just the three of us. I would absolutely recommend a hiking tour through Japan, just not with MtSobek."

What travelers are saying

"We were six women and came on this india tour from Sydney and did it private option and we are happy with all services that company provided"

What travelers are saying

"Chopta batch 22-26 Jan First of all I would like to say that I was forced to write the review because i saw that go hikes was not taking any responsiblity for the shortcomings of the trip and instead anyone who has spoken was removed from the whatsapp group. Some people in group had choosen harsh languages as their journey was far worse than mine, but still they should not threaten others to stop from giving the honest review. They even don't follow the written itineary. Please refer the following link for their itinieary. Https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oy8qu5-l9u5y9nc2pifuddda1seshtq1/view?usp=sharing 1. No trek guide provided for the trek to Tungnath as promissed. 2. Two trek leaders were provided but they were also first time in chopta( but go hikes team forcefully says that they were well aware of Chopta ) 3. Neither of the trek leader assisted us to peak of Chandrashilla. 4. Driver is flatly denying to go to trek starting point and trek leaders have to convince him. It is responsiblity of go hikes to explain everything in advance to the driver. 5. Vehicle was oversized to reach sari village(Deoritaal trek) and it was choosen by the experienced team of go hikes(they should have done two tempo travellers if there was such problem). Driver had valid reason to deny due to safety issue but we are glad that he took us there. But an unapologetic go hike teams reply is that they have done a favour to us by convincing the driver. 6. They promissed to show confluence of rivers in Devprayag and Rudraprayag but neither of them was covered even after complaining to trek leaders. 7. On complaining they are saying that you came down from trek late as if they had informed us earlier about some time limit. We did as per guidance by our trek leaders. I can share lots of new complains( like we got to eat dinner at 2.30 am and 6.30 am thanks to driver who chooses specific shiva dhaba only). 8. I travelled under the banner of go hikes so i am complaining to them .may be some other company had outsourced their trip to them.but while complaining they are asking to talk to personwith whom you have done the booking. No one takes ownership. Now a specific problem faced by a freind. We were to return on 26th jan 2021.he was expecting the kisaan agitation on that day. He was travelling with ladies so for safety he enquired wether it's ok to travel,in case of any problem will they assist and their response was affirmative. But he was left to face a situation where he has to deal with tear gas and stampede with a ladies on the road. I am not here to malign any company. Our overall experience was good.there were some shortcomings that i mentioned above. But the way these guys treated us after the trip is not acceptable. I have a right to complain and you need to apologize."

What travelers are saying

"I took the most amazing tour across Portugal and Spain through Bestway Tours last year. It was a 10 day tour visiting historic cities across the countries and was blown away by level of service and convenience the team provided. I've learned so much through the knowledgeable tour guides and enjoyed lots of delicious local food. I cannot wait to take another Bestway Tour in the future!"

What travelers are saying

"The hotels, which were actually mostly palaces, and the tour guides and driver -all were beyond our highest expectations! We were treated like royalty everywhere we went, people were kind and humble with us. The main tour sites, such as the Taj, the Amber Fort, and Ranthambore Safari attractions were all exquisite -we even had a close encounter with a tiger."

What travelers are saying

"As much as I was looking forward to this trip, I have issues with our tour. The biggest was the tour vans we spent a lot of our time in. We had trouble being able to see out of the windows as the vans seat sat so low one could not see well over seats in front of us. My friend is quite tall and had to recline just to be able to see out of the windows. There were very nice vans in all three countries that we saw, so it’s time for an upgrade. They were uncomfortable as well. Sadly, this was the case in all three countries we visited. The second was that our itinerary was changed and deleted some of the very tours we were excited to see. Out tour guide told us not to be mad at him, he was just following the guide he was given. I would say that accommodations were great, the guides were lovely people. I doubt we will use your company again as we did pay a lot of money and did not get what we paid for. :("

What travelers are saying

"This was their July 22 Cruise “Delights if the Danube” Absolutely awful company, great at taking your bookings and money but it then ends there. We paid a premium rate for what they listed as “Delights of The Danube” river cruise. They changed our ship, so we did not get what we paid for, and no pool as we originally specified. The drinks in the drinks package had very little choice. One draft beer is all that is available, and that is pretty poor as it is, you can’t even buy bottled beers or any other draught beer as that one is your only choice. Wines at meal times are either red, white or Rosa, no choice, just those three.The ship they put us on “boasted” a new wine bar, it didn’t serve any wines or beers at all the entire week, it wasn’t even stocked or manned, but it did have a kettle and tea or coffee !!!. The trips ashore are advertised to deceive you, this is appalling. Some of the trips are over two and a half hours each way on a coach, and the shorter ones are rushed, don’t be fooled by their misleading advertising. The train journeys are an absolute nightmare, even though we booked first class there and back. You have to rush between connecting trains while dragging your luggage with you, and the connecting times are tight, we felt so sorry for those less able who were severely stressed. On part of the journey we were told that 1st class was not available, we were put in filthy overcrowded carriages, with our luggage carriages away, and professional thieves operate on these trains. Some of our fellow passengers, on our cruise, were robbed on the way to the cruise and the way home. Great Rail offered us the paltry sum of £30 compensation for this. Once we got on the cruise we were excited, but that quickly changed, we spent the first two days moored up overlooking an industrial estate, yes an industrial estate, that’s what Great Rail advertise as a “Delight of the Danube”. When we complained and asked why are we on an industrial estate,we were told “because it’s cheaper than mooring up in a city or town”. We complained to the reps on the cruise, as did numerous others, only to be told that they don’t actually work for Great Rail, they are sub contracted free lancers, and that we would have to take it up with Great Rail upon our return. After numerous phone calls and e-mails we have been offered a derisory amount on one of their vouchers, which only benefits Great Rail, why would we want to go back with such an incompetent company? The communication with Great Rail is appalling once they have your money, be warned. Overall I have to say that Great Rail are appalling, amateurs playing in a market they simply don’t understand, their advertising is very misleading, that’s putting it politely!! The tone of their responses are arrogant, they simply ignore many of the points raised, and they honestly don’t seem to care, they are all image and no substance."

What travelers are saying

"We were six women and came on this india tour from Sydney and did it private option and we are happy with all services that company provided"