Going the Extra Kilometre with Shine Gold Tours

“When we were in Agra with you last month my wife saw a pair of earrings. She now wishes that she had bought them. Do you think that you could get them for us?” When a customer makes an unusual request the immediate response of Shine Gold Tours India is to do everything possible to make it happen. After a little more clarification and an e-mailed diagram the shop was located and next time Asif was in Agra he called in. Unfortunately the earrings were one-off hand crafted items but the craftsman agreed to make another pair as near as possible to the originals and let Shine Gold Tours India know when they were ready. This he did and now the earrings are on their way to the customer in time to be a surprise August birthday present.

Shine Gold Tours India is big enough to ensure that customer tours are organized and delivered with maximum efficiency but also small and flexible enough to go that extra kilometer in making the unexpected request exceed the customers’ expectations. Like the solo traveller who wanted to enjoy a game of cricket on his Golden Triangle tour. Asif rounded up some locals and the game was on!

Currently Shine Gold Tours India is working with a group of customers from the USA to arrange for a Buddhist wedding blessing to be arranged for 2 of their group when they are in Bodh Gaya later in the year. This will involve 11 monks at a wedding ceremony in Sujata where one of their party will help with the proceedings and a later blessing in Mahabodi Temple in Bodh Gaya. 

 Shine Gold Tours India offers tours in Rajasthan, Golden Triangle, Delhi sightseeing, Agra and Goa all of which can be tailored to the time available and the special interests of the customers requesting the tour. In addition Shine Gold Tours India organizes individual Wildlife and Bird watching tours in Northern India and Goa. Like all the tours these are exclusive to the party booking so that maximum flexibility can be assured – and, if any of the party has a particular request whether it is a pair of earrings, a game of cricket or getting married Shine Gold Tours India will do its very best to ensure that it happens.

Steps Taken by Indian Government in Budget 2014 to Boost Tourism in India

Finally there is a Government in India who is taking steps to boost tour and travel industry like no other Government did in the past. In the union budget 2014, various initiatives have been announced by the Finance Minister for the welfare of tourism industry.

The facility of issuing electronic visa will be introduced in next six months at 9 major airports of India for countries like United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Russia. The e-visa facility will be extended to other Indian airports in a phased manner. The government sources say India could receive an additional more than one million tourists with $2.5 billion extra income. Union tourism minister Shripad Naik also wants to reduce visa fees significantly (to $25 from current fees of $100). Details of countries being offered e-Tourist Visa, eligibility and application process.

 The new Indian government is also looking to lower the air fares to encourage foreign tourists visiting India and to stop the travelers getting diverted to countries like Maldives, Sri Lanka and Malaysia which offer cheaper air fares than India.

 Another major step announced by the Finance Minister is to spend Rs 500 Crores to develop five tourism circuits based on specific themes. There is also a special scheme called National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive to promote heritage tourism with a total fund of Rs 100 Crores. A total sum of Rs 200 Crores has been allocated for the conservation of pilgrimage cities like Gaya, Mathura, Amritsar, Kanchipuram, Ajmer and Vellankani under the National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana.

The famous Buddhist circuit that includes Sarnath, Gaya and Varanasi cities will be developed with world class tourist amenities. Efforts will be made to preserve these archaeological sites with a fund of Rs 100 Crore. If interested see details of 13 nights/ 14 days Buddhist Tour in India offered by Shine Gold Tours.

Spiritual Tourism in India

All these steps must improve India's global ranking in tourism competitiveness, India's current ranking is 65 out of 140 countries according to a survey conducted by World Economic Forum.

3 Days Delhi Sightseeing Tour

“What are the top 3 tourist sites in Delhi?” a question that has been frequently asked by travelers planning to visit the capital of India. “Why limit yourself to just 3?” is probably the best reply! Shine Gold Tours India offers 3 days Delhi tour so that we can show you all the sites that are worth a visit.

So here is a suggested itinerary for the day 1 of sightseeing in Delhi city:

Day 1: Today you will be met at Indira Gandhi International Airport from your flight – or from your Delhi hotel if you are already here for your first sightseeing day in Delhi. On the first day we suggest the Red Fort which is probably the most famous and widely visited of all Delhi sites. It is built of red sandstone – hence its name – and was completed in 1648 for the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Inside the Fort (closed on Mondays) are many palaces, halls and gardens.

Red Fort, Delhi

Chandni Chowk and the Spice Market run westward from the Red Fort, best seen by cycle rickshaw riding the full length of Chandni Chowk to the spice market itself to view of the wholesale selling of spices. Just off Chandni Chowk you will be shown the jewellery and wedding bazaars.

Chandni Chowk Market, Old Delhi

Cycle Rickshaw Ride in Chandni Chowk

 Raj Ghat, to the south east of Red Fort is the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, his daughter Indira Gandhi and his 2 grandsons, Sanjay and Rajiv.

Rajghat

 Gandhi Smitri – continuing the Mahatma Gandhi theme, this is the house where he was assassinated in 1948. It houses many of his personal effects and movingly shows his last footsteps on his way to evening prayers where he was shot.

Gandhi Smriti

 Nearby is the Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum. Mrs Gandhi was shot by her Sikh bodyguards in 1984 after the storming of their sacred Golden Temple in Amritsar. The museum houses her sari plus many of her personal belongings.

5 sites so far and that’s just the first day of Delhi sightseeing tour. Time now to relax and contemplate on what you have seen of bustling Delhi and its history by spending some quiet time over a drink in Connaught Place before heading off to see the President’s House, the Government Secretariat Building, both designed by Lutyens at the end of the British colonial period, then India Gate by night before deciding on which of the hundreds of splendid restaurants to have your evening meal.

Shine Gold Tours India will happily book your hotel, pick you up from the airport and show you the sights and sounds of Delhi in air conditioned comfort with your own personal guide.

If you are short on time, here is our one day Delhi sightseeing tour you should choose to visit places of your choice.

Golden Triangle India Tour to Agra, Delhi and Jaipur

Delhi, Jaipur and Agra – the Golden Triangle of India is probably the most famous tourist destination in India and with good reason. With the weather beginning to cool down in Delhi (Due to start of monsoon season) and with the Rupee going low against the US$, GB£, Euro and a basket of major currencies now is the perfect time to make this tour of a lifetime.

Golden Triangle India

The national capital Delhi is the first destination of Golden Triangle India tour, It is the city of contrasts between the geometric elegance of the British Raj-inspired architecture of the area around India Gate and the President’s House in New Delhi to the bustling street life, restaurants, mosques, and markets of Old Delhi. New and Old Delhi are separated by just a few kilometers. Major sights in the city include the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk, Raj Ghat, Lodi Gardens, Humayan’s Tomb………the list is almost endless, not to mention Connaught Place and Khan Market for shopping and eating at Karim’s amongst hundreds of other Mughal and International restaurants. Your guide will happily suggest restaurants that fit your dietary requirements and budget.

Delhi Tourist Places

Jaipur – city of brightly colored buildings, turbans, saris and  the prevalence of camel carts, rickshaws, motor bikes, honking cars and buses and death-defying pedestrians. Visit the City Palace, the iconic Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) and the Amber Fort with an entrance on elephant back if you wish provided you get there by 11.30 in the morning when the elephants knock off for the day.

Jaipur Tourist Places

Then to Agra by way of Fatephur Sikri, Akbar’s abandoned capital, on to Agra Fort where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son and then of course the Taj Mahal built in remembrance of Mumtaz, Shah Jahan’s favorite wife. A visit to the Taj Mahal at sunset – and perhaps again at sunrise - gives a spectacular view of this most romantic site. Major tourist sites in Agra you may want to visit.

Agra Tourist Sites

If you have time and are interested in birds and wildlife, the internationally renowned bird sanctuary of Keoladeo National Park is just off the Jaipur to Agra highway. Calling in here can be rewarded by seeing many species of migrating and domestic birds either by walking the park trails or from a rickshaw pedaled by a knowledgeable guide. For those with a little more time a visit to Ranthambore Tiger Reserve may result in the sighting of a tiger.

Extend Golden Triangle Tour to the holy city of ‘Varanasi’ and the city of lord Krishna ‘Mathura’ to have some wonderful spiritual experiences and to explore Hindu religion. Varanasi is considered as the spiritual capital of India and it is a major Hindu pilgrimage. The holy city attracts large number of tourists from all over the world. Now it is the constituency of India’s Prime Minister and he has big plans to improve the infrastructure and cleaning of river Gangs.

Shine Gold Tours India will put together an India Golden Triangle itinerary exclusively for you and your traveling companion(s) including an a/c car sized to accommodate you in comfort, your own personal driver/guide and hotels in Standard, Superior or Luxury category depending upon your choice.

Tourism in India in 2014 | Expectations from Narendra Modi Government

At last some tourist-friendly decisions, and hopefully actions, from the Indian Government to revive tourism in India. Mr Narendra Modi who recently swept to power has declared that he wants tourism to be a significant growth area for India. The sub-continent is blessed with iconic monuments, rich cultural traditions, mountains, beaches, wildlife, birding and culinary delights but also infuriating bureaucracy that seems to conspire to hinder ease of access to this most beautiful and varied holiday destination.

Incredible India Tourism

 The first example of this bureaucracy that tourists meet is the visa system. It is complicated, time consuming and expensive. Just this week Shine Gold Tours India lost a booking as one of the group of travelers was refused a visa because of – why? No-one really knows but probably he put something on his visa application to suggest to a London-based bureaucrat that he may have intended to work in India even though he was only going for 7 nights, had a Golden Triangle tour arranged and a return flight on the 8^th day. Just saying that you work as a “consultant” seems to be enough to bring down the wrath of the issuing authorities and woe betide you if you work in a laboratory. Bureaucracy is big hurdle in the growth in Indian travel industry.

From the 1^st of October 2014 it has been agreed that visas can be picked up on arrival. We are not sure at this stage if the price will be more reasonable or if the time period for staying in the country, shorter or longer than the current 6 months, will be more flexible. But it is a step in the right direction to promote tourism in India.

 Mr Modi has appointed a minister for tourism and has said that tourism enhances the economic development of the poor. Too true it does from hotel workers, taxi and rickshaw drivers, tourist guides, to food production - all offering jobs and opportunities for the innate Indian talent for entrepreneurship.

Added to this, one of Mr Modi’s “early wins” will be a huge programme of revival for the sacred city of Varanasi which is a major visitor site for both tourists and pilgrims. Situated on the banks of the Ganges, this is one of the major Hindu religious sites with its burning ghats one of the iconic sights of India.

Varanasi happens to be Mr Modi’s parliamentary seat so there may be a connection – but to be fair it is also an important part of Shine Gold Tours India programme, featured in our “Spiritual Tours” section under “Buddhist Tours”.

Ghats at the Holy City of Varanasi

Mr. Narendra Modi is considered to be a visionary and a great leader, and Shine Gold Tours India hopes that under his leadership tourism sector in India will grow by leaps and bound.

Traveling to Goa | Best Places to Visit in Goa

Situated in the tropics, Goa is the smallest State in India but offers a wide range of exciting possibilities from beach holidays to wildlife, birding, jungle trekking in the Western Ghats plus landscape, city, and historical sightseeing - and shopping. And all of this can be carried out in only a few hours drive from the International Airport or train station.

Beaches in Goa

Goa boasts superb sandy beaches all along its coast - Baga in the north, Colva in the middle and Palolem, the original hippy beach, in the south. Water-sports, fishing and paragliding are all well developed along many of the beaches, as are the beach-hut restaurants and bars. The night life can be extremely lively especially in resorts such as Calungate. However it is still possible to find deserted beaches for that “get away from it all” feeling. Add to this the availability of Yoga classes and Ayurvedic massage and therapies and it can truly be claimed that there is something for everyone in Goa. Find more about beaches in Goa.

Palolem Beach

Arambol Beach Goa

Birding in Goa

If birding is your thing then Naresh, who has some 15 years experience, will meet you at your hotel and take you on a morning, evening or all day excursion when you will be able to visit the varying habitats. Even from around hotel there is a chance to see over 100 species – and be back in time for breakfast! If you would prefer a longer birding experience, Backwoods Camp, run by Leio and Lovel, in the Ghats and just a 2 hour drive from the coast may be for you. Accommodation is in very comfortable lodges with morning and afternoon birding trips with lunch and dinner in a communal open-air thatched shelter where birding photographs and experiences can be shared.

Religious Places in Goa

Goa has a rich Portuguese colonial tradition with many fine buildings such as Braganza House to visit along with many fine churches – Goa is predominantly Christian – but also Hindu Temples and Muslim Mosques.

Basilica of Bom Jesus, Goa

Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Goa

Scenic Places to Visit in Goa

Dudhsagar is the second highest waterfall in India and is well worth a visit. It takes about 1 hour by road and then 30 minutes or so by off-road jeep to get there but the spectacle of the falls and the possibility to swim in the falls pool (life-jackets are provide) make the journey worth while and the photo opportunities bring lasting memories.

Dudhsagar Waterfalls Goa

Goa has something for everyone. Here is the list of most visited places in Goa India.