Mefi here.
I just got back from India. My first time.
I know what you're thinking - Mefi, aren't you Indian? Yes. But Fifth-generation Tanzanian-Indian. I grew up watching Indian movies, speaking Hindi at home, eating the food, living the culture. I felt like I'd already been there. That strange familiarity you get from a place you've never actually set foot in but it somehow felt nostalgic.
A beautiful clear day for our visit to the Taj Mahal. This was a highlight for sure.
Why Am I Telling You This?
Over the years, a few of you have asked me: "Mefi, can you plan our trip to India the way you plan our Safaris?” I'd always hesitated as I didn't know India firsthand. I know Africa. I know the lodges, the guides, the rhythm of Safari so well. I know what exceptional hospitality looks like because I've lived it, tested it, sent hundreds of guests into it. But India? I needed to see it for myself.
So, this December, my family and I went. Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Mumbai. We stayed in everything from intimate homestays to the gorgeous Taj Lake Palace in Udaipar. I worked with a great ground operator to book this trip, and I was watching everything with my Safari Specialist eagle eyes… The logistics, the guides, the hospitality, the details.
The Safari Parallels:
Everyone I talked to before going said the same thing: The hospitality in India is exceptional. A level above. They weren’t wrong! But what struck me was that this is what we already do on Safari. As someone who plans Safaris for a living, I couldn't help but look at everything through that lens and find some parallels…
The Hospitality: Everywhere we stayed felt warm and truly welcoming. When we arrived at Taj Lake Palace, they threw flower petals as we walked in. In all the other places, we felt special too as they all offered us a blessing on arrival. It reminded me of the when you arrive at some camps and the team dance and sing. There's that same energy, that same intention to make you feel special from the moment you step into a place.
Guides: they were great. English-speaking, knowledgeable, connected. They knew how to navigate the crowds, where to take us for snacks when we were hungry but not ready for a full meal, and maybe most importantly, which street food was safe and which was best seen and not tasted! The last thing you want is to be sick and stuck somewhere far from home. We also had a different guide in each city, one that was local to the area so whilst we didn't get to know one guide as well as you might on a longer Safari, the local knowledge from place to place was incredible. They looked after us the way our Safari guides look after you.
Moments of Calm, and the ritual of a cup of chai or coffee: At one of my favourite boutique hotel on the trip, Jobner Bagh in Jaipur, I'd wake up to twinkling courtyard lights, perfectly set tables with a single small flower in a vase, and a cup of chai waiting for me as the cool morning settled in. That same attention to beauty and comfort you get on Safari after you've come from the hectic, chaotic outside world. Given, the outside world in India is a different type of chaos to that of Safari - wildebeest or a lion kill versus the noise and bustle of the city, but the calm you feel with your cup of chai is a similar kind of bliss. I loved it.
The logistics: Airport to airport, we were taken care of. A rep met us at every transition point. WhatsApp groups kept us connected to the main office and our guides. If we changed our minds about an activity or wanted to skip something, it was handled seamlessly. Just like being on Safari.
Little Details: I was looking at how tables were set. The lighting. The smell (oh my, the smell at Taj Lake Palace - they gave us incense when we left so we could recreate that scent at home. Genius). The way staff at all the places remembered Joe (my husband) needed lactose-free milk. These are the details that matter and a reminder for us to make sure these little details are always looked after on our Safaris.
So here's what I learned: the places we send you on Safari? They're on par with some of the best hospitality in the world. India was beautiful, moving, chaotic, incredible. But I came home thinking about our Safaris - the standards we hold ourselves to, the lodges we choose, the guides we trust - and it’s a good feeling knowing we are doing it right!
What I Loved Most
One of my favorite places was Jaipur. I didn't get enough time there. The kids were done with palaces but I could spend more time just wandering about.
Our visit to The Taj Mahal in Agra was a on crystal clear clear day. Five days before we got there, you couldn't see it from 30 feet away because of fog. We got so lucky.
Qutb Minar in Delhi. The calm you feel in this place, even with the crowds.
The whole trip reminded me why I love what I do. Testing new places, understanding what makes hospitality exceptional, knowing I can send people somewhere and they'll be taken care of the way I want them to be taken care of.
So... India?
A few of you have asked if Journey to Africa would ever plan trips to India.
The answer is: Yes! I'm not saying we're launching India trips for everyone. But if it's been on your list? And if you want someone who understands what exceptional travel looks like to put it together for you? We can do that now. We have a ground operator we trust. I know what the experience looks like and what works. If you've been on Safari with us and loved how we handled everything airport to airport, the way we chose places that balanced beauty with comfort and exceptional guiding, then India could be that for you too. That's what Safari is. And now I know India can be that too.
If you've been curious, let's chat.
Mefi
