[Resolved]  Rajesh Travels — Tirupati Package Sucks!!

Address:

Bangalore, Karnataka

Hi All,

I recently visited Tirupathi by Rajesh Travels package tour of Rs 1550/- (Multi axle Volvo). I along with many co-passengers faced lots of problems related to bus, staff, guide, and food. Brief description is as follows:

1) The bus seats are very cramped, there is very little leg space. I am of avg height, 5'.5" and I found it very uncomfortable, could not sleep at all!!.

2) Tour guide is worst of all, and takes you to shops for prasad and mundan, which have very high cost so that he can get high commision. We reached hotel at night 2:15 AM and our Guide asked us to be ready within 30 mins even though the terms and conditions mention it as 1 hour. Peple who were 5-10 mins late, he started sreaming at them using very rude language.

When we reached to Tirumala, Guide took the people who wanted to do Mundan to a Barber shop who charged Rs 100/- for mundan. In bangalore, I get stylish a hair cut in Rs 50/- at a AC salon, 100/- in a village for getting bald is far more inflated price. Worst part is, he started screaming at people who wanted to go to a different shop and said he'd not be responsible if they get late and he'll leave them behind.

Guide asked us to take our own ticket (300/- each). He did not even tell anything about the ticket counter, prasand laddu counter, assembling point etc. Our darshan was done at around 8:00 AM (far before the expected time, which is 10:00 AM), therefore some passengers wanted to buy some prasad and lord Venkateshwara photos. We chose to buy from some other shop as the one which Guide had taken us to was very expensive. When the guide saw us going to a differnt shop he started hurrying and asked the bus driver to start the bus for leaving. We were forced to leave at 8:30 AM and we did not get any time to buy anything.

At 9:30 AM we reached Tirupathi bus stand and proceeded to Padmavati Temple. Our Guide said we had to buy our own ticket (of Rs 100/-) and before reaching the temple he collected Rs 100/- from all the passengers. When we reached temple we found that there was actually no rush at the temple and actuall ticket price was Rs 10/- and 40/- only. Rs 100/- was for a VIP darshan, which in our case was not needed as there was no rush and we were well ahead of scheduled time. We even did not get any ticket, our Guide took us through a normal Gate. When a passenger asked him about the Ticket he started screaming at him. We were done in 10 mins and came back to the bus. On reaching at the bus 2 passengers had not arrived, they were buying prasand and our Guide (this was the limit) left them at the temple and we went to the hotel for Lunch. When those 2 passengers came to hotel, this Guide again started sreaming at them.

3) Rajesh Travels cliams that the Lunch is unlimited but that is not the case. The initial quantity served is very less and therefore you have to go for a second round, but almost all the items in the Lunch menu are served only once!! Things like Chapati, Papad, Pulao, Sweet are not given more then one. Only plain white rice and Rasam is allowed again.

4) The bus staff behaviour is also very bad. While returning, one lady in our bus wanted to go to loo. Her husband therefore requested bus driver to stop the bus. Bus driver said that he'll stop in 5 min at some resturant. Almost after 15 mins also he did not stop, her husband again went to him, he said we'll reach in 5 min to the resturant and asked him to wait. Again after 10 mins he went to him with the same request and he got the same response. Fourth time that lady went to him and requested but he did not show any sympathy and kept driving. Almost after another 25 mins he stopped at the Resturant where he gets commision.

This entire expeerience was very bad and I will never ever travel with Rajesh Travels again. I hope ppl reading this find it useful.