Taj Mahal and Agra Fort Day Trip from Delhi By Car

Target Tours India - Experience

Our trip to India was a mix of highs and lows, while some experiences were excellent, others were disappointing. Upon arrival in Delhi, we were warmly greeted and treated like royalty at our first hotel, New Delhi “The Oberoi”. The staff and service were exceptional-truly deserving of a 5-star rating. It was our expectation and belief as our package with “Target Tours-India” had confirmed 5-star service throughout and this set a high standard. But unfortunately, as we went along, we felt most subsequent hotels and service did not meet the 5-star service/rating. Our tour guide at the start of the trip was knowledgeable, professional, personable, and passionate like a family friend, to the point where we did everything with him and bought gifts, lunches, and dinners also requested he accompany us for the remainder of our time in India. His guidance throughout much of the trip enhanced our experience greatly… Then suddenly we woke up!! Unfortunately, "Target Tours - India" did not meet our expectations… in numerous parts. The hotel in Agra "ITC Mughal" required significant renovation, hotel-tired looking and the food was subpar. The hotel in Ranthambhore "The Kipling Lodgee" was terrible, not 5-star standards,.. more 3-star as rooms lacked hot water, heat, WiFi, and reliable power. Staff were often unwelcoming, and management interactions left us feeling uncomfortable. Food quality was poor, and logistics such as safari pick-ups required extra coordination due to location issues far from town. Several other hotels, including in Jaipur "ITC Rajputana" and Jodhpur "Hotel RAAS", were much better. Others, like in Udaipur “Shiv Niwas Palace” and Mumbai “The Taj Mahal Palace”, felt outdated and to mention being very sick all of us and music pumping all night until 5am. We also experienced issues with items left in Jaipur hotel, as hotel not contacting us and internal flight arrangements, including baggage limits, and connecting flights, which created unnecessary stress despite partial reimbursement. Our time in Goa improved once we relocated to a different hotel closer to "Baga beach". The new hotel manager went above and beyond to accommodate us, even refusing tips as we were no longer under the package of “Target Tours-India”. However, there were uncomfortable interactions with our tour guide during this period, including instances where he did not accompany us when required but arrived on the last day where his services were not needed. His behavior at the end of our trip felt inappropriate and focused on financial gain, which we discovered was a professional "Scam" rather than guest experience. Overall, while some aspects of the trip—especially the first hotel, certain city hotels, and parts of Goa—were enjoyable, the combination of poorly managed hotels, logistical errors, and questionable tour guide behavior negatively impacted our experience. We would caution future travelers to thoroughly research hotels and guides, and to remain vigilant about emotional and tipping expectations and personal boundaries.

Response from the operator: Dear Ivana, Thank you for sharing your feedback. While we respect every guest’s right to express their experience, we feel it is important to clarify several factual points for transparency and accuracy. Firstly, we would like to note that during and immediately after the completion of the tour, we received written feedback from you confirming that the trip was very good and that services were delivered satisfactorily. The concerns now raised were not communicated in this manner during the journey or at its conclusion. We have you hand written review with very good services. Throughout the tour, we proactively extended multiple complimentary upgrades and enhancements purely as goodwill gestures to elevate your experience: Delhi: Hotel upgraded to The Oberoi, New Delhi instead of the originally confirmed The Claridges Guiding Services: An accompanying tour guide was provided from Delhi through Udaipur, instead of only local city guides as originally planned Transport (Delhi–Udaipur): Vehicle upgraded to a Maharaja Seat Force Urbania instead of a Tempo Traveller Jodhpur: Room upgrade at Hotel RAAS Varanasi: Two air-conditioned Toyota Innova Crysta vehicles provided instead of a Tempo Traveller for enhanced comfort All of the above were provided at no additional cost and were not part of the original contractual inclusions. Hotels & Service Standards The itinerary included a mix of heritage luxury hotels, wildlife lodges, and premium city properties, all clearly communicated and approved in advance. Properties such as ITC Mughal (Agra), ITC Rajputana (Jaipur), RAAS (Jodhpur), Shiv Niwas Palace (Udaipur – a heritage palace), and The Taj Mahal Palace (Mumbai) are well-established and reputed. Heritage and wildlife properties are intentionally different from modern city hotels and should not be compared on identical parameters. Ranthambhore (Kipling Lodge) Wildlife lodges operate under different infrastructure limitations due to their location. Despite this, all services—including safaris—were delivered as scheduled, and no operational failure requiring immediate rectification was reported during the stay. Tour Guide Services Your booking was for individual guides at each city, just to elevate your experience we booked an accompanying guide till Udaipur. At your multiple and persistent request, we extended his services across Varanasi, Mumbai, Goa incurring last-minute operational costs. This whole review so contradictory to your various whats app and email where you were so persistent to have Suryaveer as your guide for next 3 stops as well. Additionally, licensed local guides are mandatory in certain cities under Indian regulations, which explains the presence of city guides alongside the tour escort. Any suggestion of misconduct or “scam” is both incorrect and unfair. Tipping in India is entirely optional, never demanded, and always at the guest’s discretion. Flights & Logistics Domestic baggage limits are airline policies and were communicated in advance. Wherever possible, we assisted with coordination and partial reimbursements as a goodwill gesture, despite these being outside our control. Goa Hotel Change The change of hotel in Goa was initiated independently by you, including a move away from the originally confirmed 5-star resort (Taj Holiday Village to 3/4 Star property Kimaya By the Sea. You did not communicated to the company about this and made a change yourself. Personal Belongings & Review Timing This review was posted after a personal item was left behind at the final hotel, followed by a request that we bear courier charges. We have written communication stating that negative reviews would be posted if courier costs were not covered. Responsibility for personal belongings rests with the traveler, and public review platforms should not be used as leverage in such situations. We remain committed to transparency, professionalism, and delivering meaningful travel experiences. While perceptions may differ, we stand by the quality of services delivered and the considerable value-added support provided throughout this journey.

via Tripadvisor

It was a luxury with Target Tours

We traveled as a group of 8 friends, and Target Tours did an outstanding job creating the perfect balance between sightseeing and relaxation. The guides were knowledgeable and kept things engaging throughout the trip, while the car was spacious and comfortable—ideal for the longer drives. Highlights included exploring the vibrant markets of Jaipur and experiencing the spiritual atmosphere of Varanasi’s ghats—both truly unforgettable. We’re already looking forward to planning our next adventure with them!

via Tripadvisor

Highly Recommend Target Tours!!

We recently traveled with our two kids and were truly impressed by how incredibly family-friendly the entire trip was. Our driver was exceptional—patient, kind, and quickly felt like part of the family. The kids especially loved the elephant ride at Amber Fort and the scenic boat ride in Udaipur, which were definite highlights. Every hotel we stayed in was spacious, clean, and very comfortable, making it easy to relax after our adventures. This was, without a doubt, our best family vacation yet. Highly recommended!

via Tripadvisor