First, a disclosure: we own and operate a concierge travel service that provides travel planning for a highly affluent clientele. In part what follows is an assessment from that perspective, but it also reflects our personal experience as clients of Micato, which sets the World Standard for Excellence in travel to Africa and India.
First, we have access to and partnerships with the world’s leading travel providers. When clients come to us with an interest in travel to Africa or India, Micato is always our first choice. Travel to these destinations can be challenging, but the Micato experience, from the moment of a client’s first planning call to the time that they step onto the plane to return home, is always handled with the utmost attention to detail and the client’s needs. They employ a cadre of destination professionals and tour directors who are the very best in the business. Every aspect of the journey, from the presentation of an itinerary package that is stunning to the day to day experience of touring, dining, and overnight accommodations reflects a constant drive for perfection.
So, when it came time to plan our once-in-a-lifetime trip to India for ourselves, we turned to Micato. Micato’s legendary planner Marion Miller listened carefully to our wish list and ultimately presented us with an itinerary that exactly matched our dreams.
When the day come to travel to India came our level of anticipation was off the charts. Stepping off the plane in New Delhi we were immediately met by a Micato rep who took us to meet Micato’s Michael Haidar Ali and our personal tour director Puneet Dan. We were driven to Leela Palace, our initial hotel in India. Like each of the hotels booked for us (mostly former royal residences), our accommodations were excellent. Puneet ordered a snack for us to enjoy with him as we plotted the first day and we retired for the evening.
Over the next three weeks Puneet was constantly at our disposal, and shared his encyclopedic knowledge of Indian history and culture as we visited shrines, markets, and historic attractions that played pivotal roles in Indian history. After our visits to these sites, we were immediately met by Gulab, our unflappable driver, who always ensured that our vehicle was immaculately clean and stocked with snacks and beverages, to take us to our next destination.
I could go on forever, but every day it was clear that Puneet, Gulab and the entire Micato team were working to make this THE perfect Indian experience. Upon learning of my interest in motorcycling, Puneet arranged for me to ride a Royal Enfield, set up a meeting with a fellow BMW Motorrad aficionado, and took me to a shrine celebrating a motorcycle legend. None of that was preplanned…like many other things we did, he just made it happen. Magical.
Our trip took us to Delhi, Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Varanasi, and Mumbai. It was a long journey, but every day was absolutely perfect.
A journey to Africa or India is a considerable investment of time and money, regardless of how you do it. These can be daunting destinations, so you must deal with professionals. Bearing that in mind, there can be no other choice than Micato. They truly set the World Standard of Excellence in Travel. Really, there is no other company that matches their constant pursuit of perfection if you are looking for the ultimate experience in Africa or India.