We use a variety of transportation including planes, coaches, trains, boat cruises and rickshaw rides to operate your itinerary at the best pace and to give you an authentic travel experience so you are not always ‘removed’ from the locals.
Domestic flights
Wendy Wu Tours utilises a number of different domestic carriers within India, Nepal and Bhutan. Planes are very similar to those you would travel on domestically at home, with allocated seats. Depending on flight duration meals may/may not be provided. Group members may not necessarily be seated together. The flight schedule of domestic airlines changes frequently, hence all domestic flights that appear in your itinerary are very subject to change. Please ensure that all valuables and any medications you may need for the rest of the day are taken onboard with you.
The baggage limit is 20kg suitcase + 5kg hand luggage per passenger and bags must be locked. All seats are economy class. Airlines currently do not allow liquids (alcohol, spirits, wine, water, perfume etc.) or sharp objects to be carried on-board the aircraft and these will be confiscated. Wendy Wu Tours issues all domestic flight tickets in India, Nepal and Bhutan, and tickets will be handled by your National Escort/Local Guide and given to each passenger just prior to their flight.
Bhutan - There is only one airport in Bhutan located in Paro. Druk Air, the National Carrier, is the only airline permitted to fly into Bhutan. Paro Airport can be subjected to adverse weather conditions and flight delays can be expected, so it is recommended that you do not book connecting flights after disembarking from your Druk Air flight, it is advisable to leave a day between flights. All Druk Air flights travel via a secondary city to and from Paro.
Coaches & Cars
Our coaches are comfortable, air-conditioned vehicles. The coaches do not have Wi-Fi or a toilet onboard, however there are frequent bathroom breaks.
Please note that seatbelts are not compulsory by law and therefore the local people largely choose not to wear them. For this reason local operators may or may not have seatbelts hidden underneath protective seat covers. It is recommended that where seatbelts are available, customers should use them and remain seated at all times whilst the vehicle is moving. Wendy Wu Tours cannot guarantee that vehicles will be fitted with operable seatbelts.
For Private Tours and Short Stays/Extensions, we use private, air-conditioned vehicles. The vehicle type and model will vary depending on where you are, but we generally use a Toyota Innova with plenty of space for your luggage.
Boats
Your tour could include taking a ride in a motor boat on Lake Pichola in Udaipur, a narrow wooden boat along the Ganges in Varanasi or an overnight stay on-board a kettuvallam houseboat in Kerala. To take part in any boat ride, you need to be of average mobility and able to climb on and off all these boats unaided; able to disembark onto makeshift docks without handrails, or onto muddy riverbanks.
Canters
These are large, open van-like vehicles with wooden bench seats in the back and used on safaris in the national parks. Please note that if you are taking a private tour, you will be sharing a canter on safari with other passengers.
Bicycles, motorbikes, jeeps and rickshaws
Occasionally your National Escort/Local Guide may organise an alternative mode of transport if your group coach is unable to negotiate the road (i.e. a mode of transport not mentioned in your itinerary) because of road damage after heavy rain, or to access remote areas. If you use these modes of transport in your free time, then passengers must bear full responsibility. Please also be aware that safety helmets are generally not provided or available for hire.
Road conditions and construction
Road conditions are improving but still affected by monsoonal rains. Your National Escort/Local Guide will do their utmost to avoid possible delays but cannot guarantee against delays, changes or – in rare cases – cancellations of sections of your itinerary. Road construction usually encompasses an enormous section of road, not a couple of kilometers like you may be used to. Please keep in mind that traffic is increasing in the cities and towns and may affect the timing of your tour and meal times. In remote areas, there are rough, unsealed roads covering a vast section of the rural and mountainous regions and existing road surfaces can be affected by heavy and constant monsoonal rains.
Bhutan - Time taken in getting from A to B in Bhutan is usually dependent on the size of your group. Roads in Bhutan are like our remote country roads, tarred but a single lane. Though marked as dual lanes, they are invariably the width of one and a half lanes; however there are continual road works to make the main highway a full dual carriage road. Most of the roads are also very windy and are cut into a cliff face, giving you a magnificent view of the scenery and mountains as you drive past. This means space to pass is scarce and although distances are not large, the time to travel these distances is a lot longer than it would take in Australia. This means that some days may be full of driving. Continual road works are also taking place in Bhutan, with rocks being extracted to be used in the Hydro Electric Power Stations that are under construction in Bhutan.
Taxis/Independent Travel
Before taking either mode of transport independently, agree on the price of the fare and check that you have enough small change as the drivers are unlikely to have much cash on them. Haggling on the fare can be fun, but it’s a good idea to find out, from your National Escort or Local Guide how much the fare should be for the journey you propose. You will have to accept paying more than locals.