Forum

[rustygman]

Hi all, i have been looking at guided bullet tours in southern india. A 2 week tour seems to come in at over the £2,000 mark (without flights from UK). Now they look like a great trip but I am wondering whether it is better to just fly out and do it yourself. Obviously it would be a fair bit cheaper (a bullet seems to be under £300 a week with unlimited mileage) but would you consider it is worth paying a bit more for the organisation an arranged tour can provide. Just looking for some feedback before I commit to anything.

[Wayne]

I would definately go with an organised group, there are pitfalls going on your own, corrupt police, border crossings, bikes breaking down, carrying luggage, organizing accomodation, insurance which is all sorted when you travel with a group, also its good fun to travel as a group, and you will be taken to all the nice places rather than getting lost and ending up somewhere maybe not so pretty.... but I would choose a UK based company.

[PeteF]

Agree with Wayne. Have you been to India before? It's not like anything in the West.

[Chris [Stockport]]

Have been to India and had a really brilliant time: Taj Mahal, loads of other stuff and THE FACTORY. I would still want some back-up if I was riding there, eg I didn't quite pick up whether to swerve left or right when trucks headed straight for me..... Locals seemed to vary this technique. ENJOY IT!

[rustygman]

No Pete, never made it before. Been thinking about it since I was a teenager. Suddenly I find myself in my mid 50's and still I have never made it. Kids now grown up and I actually have a few pennies left over every month so I have sworn to get out there in jan 2018. I am so serious I have even deferred buying a new bullet for a few more years.

[AndyMc]

Go for it. I spent 3 weeks there travelling by train and staying in homestead. £150 for a 3 week railpass with all bookings made in advance. 2AC sleepers. Without flights £1200 covered it for food, lodging, transport and general spending money. One family I stayed with offered me use of their bike FOC. As a first trip it would probably be better to have some organised element but I would have no problem going back and doing it all on spec having been there before. 2K seems a bit steep given that a new bike over there is less than 3K. But whatever ... you would have a once in a lifetime trip and would meet some great people. I repeat .. go for it!

[AndyMc]

PS I'M 52 and went on my own.

[Robin]

Spent a full year up in the himalayas some 22 years ago, probably spent about 600£ , excluding flight, but including buying food and cooking for hundreds of people. 2000£ for two weeks is total rip off territory.

[Mark B]

I'm not sure if you've been looking at Blazing Trails; my 50th birthday present to myself was a 2-week tour of Kerala with them in 2009; it cost slightly over £2000 including flights at that time. It was an unforgettable, fantastic experience: just turn up with your bike gear and they've sorted everything. They know the area, local customs and road manners (what are those?...) and there's a mechanic, medic and back-up van to take all your kit so you can just enjoy riding your Enfield knowing that you'll be taken to fascinating places you'd never have discovered by yourself. Their local knowledge is invaluable and you know that if you do get into a scrape it'll be sorted out. There were about ten people on the trip, of a great variety of backgrounds, some of whom are now good friends. To prove how good the holiday was, I went to Nepal with Blazing Trails again two years later - another life-affirming venture.

[Valsp]

Robin

Ah the good old days We all got given houses and could buy a beer and fish and chips for a quid!!