Friday 4 July 2014

Kenya Trip Advice

Hi, looking for a 6-7 days plan/itinerary for a budget trip to Kenya. 
Looking for suggestions on best time to visit, expected cost from India, places to visit and good and cost-effective travel companies aprt from  antilog vacations
Any help in this regard would be appreciated.

Regards,
RamKishan

Hi,

Nairobi - 2 days
Masai Mara - 2 days
Naivasha/Nakuru - 1 day
August is a good time to go to Masai mara when you can see the migration of wildebeest.
Staying inside game parks in Masai Mara is quite expensive (although good!) so you can choose to stay in one of the lodges just outside the park. Book well in advance as Masai mara is packed during august. Also post booking double check by calling the lodge for confirmation. I have seen people getting online bookings and then not being entertained by lodges because they didnt receive the confirmation.

Better to take a full package for african nations as mere online hotel  booking is a tricky situation.Other good companies are thomas cook ,abercrombie & Kent

Cheers



Wednesday 2 July 2014

Ladakh Trip - 8/10 Hotel- 7/10 . A good trip - don't go for group tours ever

Hi ,

We (me and my wife) returned from a trip to Ladakh last week. We made our air travel and hotel bookings through the Antilog Vacations famous fr d region and got a budget package based on our requirements. One word to note is that we dint travelled in group package despite it ws costed lower .It ws a good decision as we were able to enjoy stuff at our own pace..standing in queues fr buses and car hs never been my idea of a vacation.Booking on the spot is mostly costly due to heavy rush in May season & even hotel keeps a margin..so ur call
Located at an altitude of over 3500 metres or almost 12,000 ft the first glimpse of Leh from the aircraft was truly magnificent and all the passengers aboard took some fantastic snaps of the snow capped peaks bordering the Himalyan kingdom. The Ladakh sarai was booked as our abode for our stay for 5 days and 4 nights. It was near to the airport and we reached the resort through the cab arranged by agent
While travelling we noticed that the main town was still subjugated by the now ruined Leh Palace and the earlier mansion of the royal family of Ladakh. The style of the palace resembled that of the Potala Palace which we had seen in pictures. As we approached the Ladakh Sarai, we found that its location was very good and in close proximity to the market.
Our room was on the second floor and the lift in the hotel was helpful as we had some heavy luggage. Another impressive thing was the presence of a 24* 7 generator which ensured the existence of power throughout, as power cuts were highly frequent in Leh. The room was around 400 sqft and had essential amenities and was backed by top grade service by the house keeping staff and crew.
The food was also excellent and the owner ( some nepali guy)and the other waiters served it piping hot making our experience all the more worthwhile. Thus overall based on our experience, the Ladakh Sarai provided a homely stay at Leh and ranks high but its just a decent abode tht fulfills ur needs.

Food ,yes ,is momos,thupka,azunomoto ka soup majorly nd thts wht u expect.In future i would suggest that a trip is planned for antilogians for ladakh ..season ends in sept so sooner the better.

Regards,

Sriram Saiganesh


Friday 27 June 2014

UK & London trip reviews ( email)

Hi 

I'm looking for tips/itineraries for a 8-9 days trip to England, Scotland and Wales via Antilog Vacations after a decent tour to Asian destinations

Am planning to travel in early Aug.

Any help/pointers would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Kshitij'


Hi ,

2 days in London enough to strike off all the Touristy things to do ...rest of England ka no clue ! Heard Scotland trip esp. drive through is a much better thing to do than spend time in London !
Also in/around London there are lots of touristy places one can skip ...esp if you are patriotic types... lots of places where your blood will boil looking at the armory, jewels which the Brits looted from the erstwhile divided India... war memorials in the memory of Indian soldiers killed in the wars where they were forced to fight in alien countries to project Her Majesty's pride ...statues in the memory of Legends who successfully colonized us etc.


Varun Bhateja from Antilog-Mumbai chapter had been to london. He can answer any queries about london and UK

Phuket v/s Krabi v/s Koh Samu (Email) Reviews

Hi All,

Don't mean to spam, but I am planning a vacation with Antilog to Thailand in the first week of October. Please suggest, which of the 3 places Phuket/ KohSamui/ Krabi will be ideal, given that October is an off season month...
Ideally I would like to spend 3-4 days on whichever of the 3 places has some nightlife, but is not super crowded, and has natural beauty as well..clean beaches..water sports and the likes..

Regards,
Supriya

 

Hi ,

Phuket - Biggest island of Thailand and also the most commercial one. Good nightlife as well as option of visiting nearby islands on day trips - you'll find lots of desi janta there. Go if you have not been to thailand before.
Koh Samui - 2nd biggest island - spectacular natural beauty - less commercial than phuket - wont find much desi janta - go if you're looking for a chilliing out. nightlife options are full moon party in near by islands - apart from that not much night life (as in not after 11 pm) - otherwise a very beautiful place to go.
 Krabi - best beaches among the three... Railay is spectacular....less nightlife compared to the other two but enough to keep you busy... rock climbing options... similar to phuket you can make day trips to other islands..

In Krabi, if you guys don't mind splurging a bit, try the Rayavadee resort there, it's on Railay beach itself. Absolutely spectacular location with great water sports, lovely food, lots of Other amenities in the resort. Even the cottages are probably the best you would ever see in a beach resort. You can also watch Thai Kickboxing nearby which happens 2-3 days a week, moderate quality but for a first time watch with friends is fun, especially with noisy crowd, lots of betting and beer.

Only problem is that Krabi does not have too much nightlife outside the resort barring few places to go for dinner.

Had gone for a Antilog Group Tour in March and everyone fell in love with the resort.
bangkok - absolutely worth going there! shop a lot - esp if you wanna buy a BIG TV. amazing city - super night life (rooftop bars/clubs etc) 

pattaya - mainly for going in a 'boys gang' - wont recommend for a family trip




Vietnam Tips

Hi.. Need some travel tips for vietnam for trip of approx 8 days in december
In specific:
1. How good is vietnam airlines for internal transit?
2. Does it make more sense to take separate packages for north and south vietnam?
3. Any must-do/ recommended things?

Thanks
Prerna 


Hi,
Hope this helps

1. How good is vietnam airlines for internal transit?
Its decent enough. I took three flights and each one of them was on time. The aircrafts were also well maintained and its unlikely that they will start coming apart mid-air.


2. Does it make more sense to take separate packages for north and south vietnam?
Don't know what you mean by this. Please clarify


3. Any must-do/ recommended things?
I would recommend a trip to Hoi-An. Its recognized as a world heritage site by UNESCO. The town comes alive in the evenings with traditional chinese lanterns everywhere and almost no traffic. Good for walking around the streets and some excellent gourmet restaurants which are quite affordable.
The other activity of course is a halong bay cruise in a traditonal vietnamese junk....
Makes sense to take package tours focusing on the mekong delta...though river is dirty, diesel fumes everywhere and the guides will spend an inordinate amount of time at local handicraft shops which you can get dime-a-dozen in india :)

Vietnam Airlines is good for internal travel. There are many good places in Vietnam and N to S, it is a big country. Do not miss Halong Bay, which in itself may need 1-2 days.
Shopping for lacquer items in Hanoi is worthwhile and anything else you may like. while driving from Hanoi to Halong bay, there is a kind of good arts craft emporium, where you can get good stuff. 
Food wise: be careful on where you eat. Veg food may sometimes be a challenge, but if you are ok with fried rice, tofu, veg soup, etc, it can be manageable.
cheers

Kerala & Himanchal Reviews/dos and don'ts from parikshit (email)

Hi

Here are a few tips for kerala & himanchal pradesh & considering that Antilog arranges a lot of tours to these places

KERALA
My experience: Stayed in kerala as part of a role for 3 months.
The trouble with Kerala is that there are only a few months when the weather is really tolerable. This would be Oct to Feb, as the rest of the year is too humid for any kind of relaxation.
Kerala being a very small state (you can go from the northernmost tip to the southernmost in less than 12 hours), travel time is hardly an issue. And there are certain things here you'll see nowhere else! 

Places you must absolutely see:
Kumarakom in Kottayam district: For the backwaters. "God of Small Things" is based in this town!
Allepey/Allapuzha: Again for the backwaters, people use ferries and boats to go from one part of the town to another.
Kovalam beach: Near Trivandrum, one of the most sought after beach locations in the world. You'll see a large number of firangs here during the Dec-Jan season.
Varkala beach: 40kms from Trivandrum, but quieter, more serene and more beautiful (my perception!) than Kovalam. Also home to a 2000 yr old temple with a very interesting legend. 
Munnar: The guided tour in the Tata Tea Estates is something you shouldn't miss.

Then there are the art forms - Kalaripayattu, Theyyam, etc. You can ask the hotel you might stay in to arrange some of these for you, or they'd atleast know where these events occur.

Places you can avoid: 
Fort Kochi: purane zamane ke Dutch settlements and palaces blah blah etc
North Kerala: I found the northern parts extremely drab, boring and depressing at times.

HIMACHAL PRADESH:
My experience: Backpacked across the state solo, last summer
This is my favourite place in the country. Its amazingly beautiful with great, hospitable people. One of the best ways to stay here is to book with HTDC hotels, which are pocket friendly as well as clean and hygienic. 

Places you absolutely must see:
McLeodganj: Don't think I have to elaborate on this. Great place. B-E-A-Utiful people. Fantastic vibe. Interesting culture. (Shamelessly plugging an answer on Quora - http://qr.ae/242Vr)
Spiti: One of the most pristine places in the country, alongside Sikkim and Ladakh. Some would argue its better than Ladakh!
Toy Train from Kalka to Shimla: One of the best train journeys you will ever take, ever!
Old Manali: Lot quieter than Manali, a couple of ancient temples with interesting legends, some really good cafes, and a small trail that leads you to the banks of the Beas, with no human around for atleast 8-10 kms - Bliss!

Paragliding at McGanj is amazing, you'll be hovering over the Dh'Sala cricket ground. There are a number of ancient, beautiful temples spread across the state, as there are equally enchanting monasteries. 

In case you have any specific queries, just lemme know. Would love to help AV commuters from the experiences

Pratikshit.

Srinagar Trip Experience ( Email)

Hi Abhishek
Jst been to Srinagar, so sharing experience..Did few stuff myself and few from AV
1) Hotels: Depending on the places u want to visit in/around Srinagar, u can choose the hotels... Ideally ppl make Srinagar as their base andtravel to places from Srinagar everyday, which is wastage of time.... some hotels cud be Habitat, etc near Dal Lake (having basis amenties like wifi,TV but not lavish)
2) Houseboat: Even if you book the a particular houseboat, u might not get the same due to non-availability (peak season) or if the person dupes you
3) Travelling- The drivers/locals wont help you and they would tell you the most expensive options (connecting cabs, boots, pony rides, etc). It purely depends on ur ability/knowledge abt the things which can save you.... (eg. boots were frented to ppl for 5 times the actual rates)..the driver was a svaer nd treated us well
Pahalgam - dont take pony rides (dangerous and costs ranges from rs.300-1500 depending on bargaining ability); there is a beautiful way for trekking or a broad road available for walking also (not known to ppl)
Gulmarg- Avoid pony rides, go for cable car rides to both levels....
Sonmarg- Ferrys would charge you exorbitant Rs. 4000 for a 2 km ride for visiting a glacier (which is not there) whereas it can be done within Rs.1000. Walking option also available..
Other places u must visit: Aharbal, betaab valley

Let me know in case u want more details on places to visit/ best options for readers benefit

Best source of gathering local information: Talk to the police/traffic police personnel at various places

Regards
Karan

Antilog Vacations Group Tour

Group Trekking - 12-18 Aug - Leh ,Nubra,Valley of flowers with Everest Returned junta !

Some people have  booked the group  trip through Antilog Vacations for a Himanchal Campsite & Leh.It looks that few of them are mountaineers as well and have taken the trekking package

The advantage of this group is that they have their own campsite (and tents is the best way to stay there) at the Ghangaria and at least that year they were the only campsite which had attached toilets in the tents. Other campsites has common toilet blocks. If you are travelling with family (wife) this is a big advantage. 

Interested folks can message at group's email id for details .Only Antilog Vacations community members are welcome.Medical exam mandatory before travel.All gear included

( pls check spam folder for details as few members arent getting emails in the desired format)

Friday 24 January 2014

Good News

Our community is now 2000 + People strong . Sorry i am not able to pen down all the experiences of people for the lack of time.

I would urge members to sendd their feedback good or bad in a proper form mentioning ratings for both places & services on a scale of 10..it is not possible to separate wheat from chaff everytime as some articles need a heavy edit for grammar & language.

Also the email group has been deactivated coz of large spams & emails from some overenthusiastic members

India Down Under


HotelRydges Tradewinds. - 8/10
Antilog  Vacations– 8/10

From Alok Mehta - Mumbai

Great hotel Rydges Tradewinds. I stayed here last month with my wife and had a  great time. Special thanks to Antilog Vacationswho gave us a fabulous tour at easy prices from IndiaThe services are all very nice and the customercare  is friendly and polite. The management works to satisfy every guest with the facilities and services.I got to know about this community & have been in touch with the guys who got me an invitation to this group tour to Australia.
The hotel is located amongst tropical landscaped gardens and overlooks the coral sea. The view from the windows is breathtakingly beautiful and charming. The reception area is well decorated and looks quite elegant. We booked an ocean front double room. Check in took hardly a few minutes and it was good.
The room was very spacious and immaculate. The ambience was brilliant. 

The bed was huge and the mattress was squishy. The bedsheets were washed and smelled fresh. There was an LCD screen TV with many movie channels available on the cable network provided. The air conditioner worked fine.  There was a minibar too. Rest, there was an in-room safe to keep the valuables.

The food in the hotel was simply mind blowing! Each of the cuisines was remarkable and there were nice options of wines. There was an a la carte restaurant, a buffet restaurant and a snack bar too. So there were quite a lot of options to choose from within the vicinity itself.

There are shopping centers and restaurants located nearby. One can leave for the Great Barrier Reef from the departure points there itself. The airport shuttle can also be accessed around the area.

The hotel has an outdoor pool but it is gorgeous and the maintenance is done up to the mark. The spa center is nice and the masseurs are skilled at their job. The Caurns Lagoon Precinct is also 5 mins. Wlak away.


We had an extremely wonderful time and collected a lot of hapy memories. I guess we will soon be here again!