Long a part of my travel wish list, this trip to India and Nepal surpassed my expectations. While the sights were certainly impressive, our guide made every visit more memorable by sharing his insight and personal experiences. This program is not to be missed if you have a desire to learn about and interact with the people of India and Nepal.

India and Nepal are facinating places and Roads Scholar provides an excellent value and means of experiencing these parts of our globe. In a place that is quite diffrent from my own, I felt that my time was well spent with an experienced and knowledgable staff they provided.

The trip opened my eyes to many aspects of life in India and Nepal. The Taj Mahal is even more impressive than I imagined. People we interacted with were interesting and open. The trip to the village was a highlight.The kids crowded around us and wanted their pictures taken. The villagers honored us with song and dance. The kids even came to school, though it was closed for a holiday, to see us and sing for us. The trip was wonderful, but be prepared for the traffic and tooting horns.

This is a life-changing adventure in India and Nepal. Diversity is the theme and the sites are spectacular. To say that India needs infrastructure is an understatement. Electricity outtages are a daily event, traffic is mind-blowing, sanitation is non-existant for the masses. None of our group experienced GI problems but we were very careful to drink only bottled water (provided)and to avoid all fresh vegetables (including the many beautiful salads at the hotels) and fruits (except when peeling them ourselves) but we all had respiratory infections. I blame the pollution which is worse than anywhere else I have traveled. If you take along your respiratory meds, you will not regret it. The other elephant in the room is the extreme poverty seen along the streets of every city. No one talks much about it and no one seems to be doing anything about it. One becomes somewhat desensitized after a couple of days but never entirely. All in all the trip was splendid! Each day I thought we had seen the best, and each day was a new and better surprise. The hosted home visits were a highlight as it was an opportunity to see inside homes and lives for a bit. I also enjoyed the visit to the country village and school. The children all over were charming and beautiful. Nepal was very different and beautiful in its own way. Wherever we traveled, the people were friendly and welcoming. I suggest you take a collapsible walking stick. It will help with the uneven surfaces and long stairs without railings. The trip home from Nepal to Delhi and then NY is long and exhausting. Be prepared!

Very interesting venue. Packed full to overflowing with activities. Our days were very long -- 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. with long stretches between meals. Bringing some energy bars from home would be advisable. Bottled water was always provided. Bring some vitamin C. The food was great but it truly is unwise to eat anything fresh including the salads at the restaurants. Nearly everyone in our group caught a cold and several got sick. These were experienced travelers!

There was no time to shop until about eight days into the program so bring everything you need from home. Very few Indian woman wear western style clothing. Bring long tunic style tops and loose slacks and at least one scarf.

The Taj Mahal is worth seeing but don't expect to see it at dawn as they don't open the entrance until after the sun is in the sky!

If you travel on Air India -- well just know both the time and your seat assignment are moving targets! Nameste!

I found the Road Scholar program: Mystical Lands: The People and Culture of India and Nepal was a trip worth taking. Our Indian group leader, Sujay, was very helpful, informative and always had a plan "B" available depending on changing circumstances or weather. The people and land of India and Nepal are beautiful and welcoming. The many monuments we were exposed to were ancient in history and detailed in architecture. Having dinner in the homes of the Indian and Nepalese people was truly a great learning and sharing experience.
If there is one thing I would change about this trip, is to eliminate Kathmadu and go to the most beautiful part of Nepal called Pokara. If you like cities, Kathmadu would be for you but if you are interested in seeing what really is Nepal, the trip should be in Pokara instead of Kathmadu.
Pat Andring, Pinckney, Michigan