This was the trip I’d been dreaming about all year—the one I honestly never thought I’d take. No, it wasn’t entirely on points and miles (though they definitely got me there in style). India, Nepal, and Bhutan . . . just saying the names of these places feels magical. And while I’ve always had a healthy dose of wanderlust, it wasn’t until I discovered the power of points and miles and saw more of the world that I finally felt brave enough to venture to places like this.  Saving money on so many other trips made me willing to splurge on an over-three-week guided tour to these exotic locations, so even though the bulk of the trip itself was not booked with points and miles, here’s my report on getting to and from India on points and miles.

 

Flights

Obviously, this was a long flight, and traveling in economy was not part of this grandma’s plan. Fortunately, I found Qatar Qsuite availability from Dallas to Doha and then business class continuing to New Delhi. All this luxury was also affordable: only 80,000  miles plus $299 each for my husband and me. The return flights were identical—the same configurations and price.

I had forgotten how much I love Qatar Qsuites. I especially love the little extra seat for storing my backpack and extras, and a door that closes, so you feel like you are in your own room. And the service? Always impeccable! The food? Always delicious. It was a 14-hour flight from Dallas to Doha, and I love flying that long in business class because there is time to eat, watch a movie, and get a good night’s sleep. There is also time for breakfast and another short nap or movie. I love not feeling rushed, especially when you’re also being pampered.

 

Our flight from Doha to Delhi lasted approximately four hours, with superb food and service. Although we weren’t in Qsuites for that leg, the seats were very comfortable. The only bad part? A 2:00 am arrival time!

 

Going Through Immigration in India

We had completed our e-visas before arrival, but the immigration process still took over an hour, even at 2:00 am. There is a small paper form on the tables right before immigration to fill out—grab one if they don’t give you one on the plane, as it saves time. Also, keep your boarding pass, because they will ask for it.

Once we cleared immigration, we found a prepaid taxi service at the airport and purchased and paid for our taxi to the Andaz Delhi. The fare was about $47 USD. I also exchanged some USD into Indian Rupees. I later learned that we could have taken an Uber for about $7.

 

Hotels

Most of our hotels were included in the tour, and they were high-end hotels. We arrived in Delhi in the middle of the night and were meeting the group at the Taj Palace Hotel in the evening, so we opted to stay at the Andaz Delhi on arrival and take advantage of late checkout as Globalists. We liked the hotel a lot. We paid 8K points for the first night, and then at the end of our trip, before we returned to the US, we stayed two nights for 9.5K points per night and used a suite-upgrade award to secure a suite.

 

A Brief Synopsis of Our Itinerary

Many of the hotels were Taj hotels (an Indian luxury brand), booked through our tour, but I found them available to book with Chase Ultimate Rewards® through Chase Travel if you’re traveling independently. Here’s an example of one of my favorites:

 

 

Taj Palace – Delhi, India

We spent one night here before going to Kathmandu. We took a tuk-tuk through the streets of Delhi, and it was an eye-opening first glance of the city and a fun way to be introduced to India.

 

 

Marriott Kathmandu – 2 nights

We flew to Kathmandu, Nepal for a two-night stay. The Marriott Kathmandu is bookable from 24K Marriott Bonvoy points per night and was a lovely stay. The hotel is modern and comfortable, and I highly recommend it.

While in Kathmandu, we visited the following sites:

• Swayambhunath Stupa 
• Kathmandu Durbar Square
• Hanuman Dhoka Palace of Malla Kings
• Boudha Nath Stupa, the biggest stupa in the world
• Pashupatinath Temple, the holiest Hindu Temple
• And we FLEW BY MOUNT EVEREST. Amazing!

 

 

Kathmandu Durbar Square. Everywhere in India, people wanted pictures with US!

 

Trident Guragon – Delhi, India – 1 night

This was one of my favorite hotels, and it also offered a delicious breakfast buffet. It was stunning and I would have loved to stay there longer.

 

 

 

Taj Ganges – Varanasi – 1 night

One of my favorite stops of the trip was in Varanasi, where I visited the Ganges River. I have read numerous stories about India throughout my lifetime. One of the things that has always fascinated me about Indian cultures has been the pyres and rituals of creation. On the River Ganges, we saw this, and it was incredible. Not only are people cremated soon after death, but the ashes are also placed in the river, and the women bathe in it as part of a holy ritual. There are also many people doing their washing in it.

We also saw the Ganga Aarti performed at night, a very holy ritual. This ceremonial worship of the Ganges involves priests using fire as an offering in the form of multi-tiered oil lamps, accompanied by chants and ringing bells.

 

 

 

 

Taj View – Agra, India – 2 nights

The queen of attractions, the Taj Mahal, was the main event. Sadly, like many days in India, smog competed with our views. However, it was still a thrill to view this palace. We also visited Agra Fort and the Itimad-Ud-Daulah Tomb.

 

 

Taj Jai Mahal Palace – Jaipur, India – 2 nights

We headed to Jaipur, known as the Pink City, for two nights.  Tourist sites included:

• Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Winds
• Jantar Mantar, the observatory of stone
• City Palace
• Amber Fort

 

 

Taj Hari Mahal – Jodpur, India – 1 night

The Mehrangarh Fort was our main visit here, and it is the tour company’s favorite fort. We also took a city tour.

 

 

 

Taj Pratap Mahal Palace – Pushkar, India – 2 nights

We spent two nights in Pushkar, and the main event was the Pushkar Camel Fair. It was a wild scene, with camel cart rides, Ferris wheels, and other carnival attractions, accompanied by crowds of people.

At one point in the evening, we were walking front to back with the crowds as others tried to push through, including motorbikes. I just concentrated on staying upright so I wouldn’t be trampled. Having said that, it was AMAZING! We also had an evening in the dunes with dancing and other entertainment.

 

 

 

 

Samode Palace – Samode, India – 2 nights

This was the star of our all our overnight stays. We were transferred into camel carts again and formed a procession through the streets of Samode, accompanied by torches, a marching band, and the cheers of small children, all the way to the palace. A red carpet was rolled out and women threw flower petals on us as fireworks were let off—talk about a greeting!! We walked through the massive wooden door and enjoyed a beautiful outdoor buffet complete with dancing girls and more fireworks. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let me say this, I could get used to palace life. Our stay here was nothing short of spectacular! We walked to a temple, played a game of cricket, and just relaxed. In fact, I am writing this in a magnificent room!

 

 

 

Pulman New Delhi Aerocity – Delhi, India – 1 night

Nothing special at this hotel; just a night’s stay after driving from Samode before flying out to Bhutan.

Hotel Pemako Thimpu – Bhutan – 2 nights

This hotel was also beautiful, with a delicious breakfast and dinner buffet. We found Bhutanese clothing on our bed the last night. That was a fun surprise, dressing up!

 

 

 

 

 

Le Meridien Riverfront – Bhutan – 2 nights

Another hotel bookable with Marriott points, starting at 42,000 points for the month of November, was the Le Meridien Riverfront. This hotel was a great, modern, “I feel at home” kind of stay. After touring Bhutan forts, monuments, etc., it was time for the grand finale: our hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery.  The monastery is a sacred Buddhist site perched precariously 10,240 feet on a cliff above the Paro valley. Founded in 1692, it is accessible via a demanding four-to-six-hour round-trip hike. 

 

 

 

Andaz Delhi – 2 nights

We stayed at this hotel for one night, but booked it for two, so we could stay until midnight, as our flight didn’t depart until 3:00 am. We’re happy we didn’t have to sit in the airport for that long! It was one of my favorite hotels on our trip.

 

Bottom Line

I was thrilled to visit India, but the experience exceeded my expectations. Yes, there’s plenty of dust and chaos, but the country is overflowing with warmth and kindness. The people welcomed us with open arms and open hearts. It was our longest trip yet—and one of the most unforgettable. Reducing the cost of this trip with credit card points and miles made it even better!

 

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