Anything said about Swati Mathur and Travel & Special Things has to be in superlatives! Swati is the best at what she does which is curate travel experiences that are unique to the traveler.

When we contacted Swati for our travel plans, prior to anything else, she invested a lot of time in understanding what it is that we were seeking with our travels – excitement, historical narratives, local experiences, food explorations, comfort/luxury expectations, wildlife adventures, etc. She then came back to us with a detailed day-by-day plan that showed that she had paid heed to our travel desires and wants. From this point on until we actually started our travels, she stayed in regular contact with us, giving us a huge sense of security that all would be not just okay, but magnificent.

Once our travels began, it was nothing short of outstanding. Let me remind those uninitiated in travels to India – this is not something you take for granted. Swati proved that all she had planned for us went off without a hitch – the hotel arrangements, the local/intercity car/driver, the English-speaking guides for the various locations (varied guides for varied locations, depending on their individual expertise!), the restaurant and food recommendations, site visits, spa and massage treatments, shopping excursions (indeed another area where utmost caution is needed so as one is not gypped). Our entire trip was an unmitigated success and thoroughly enjoyable. I would attribute that entirely to Swati and her efforts in ensuring that every detail was envisioned and then implemented to perfection.

We would highly recommend Swati/Travel & Special Things for any or all travel arrangements to India. The sincerity in her approach and her empathy to our needs as incorporated in our experiences are something that we had never experienced before – and we have traveled to many parts of the world!! We would go so far as to say that Travel & Special Things should be your one and only one-stop shop for your travels to India.

Normally I plan my own trips. But instinctively I knew that I was no match for India. Thankfully, I was introduced to Swati early on. What a relief it was to just put the itinerary in her capable hands. She booked hotels, arranged for car and driver and guides, planned out each day’s sightseeing in a logistical order that made sense in dealing with the congested traffic, and made restaurant recommendations. We had the same terrific driver for the duration of our trip. He was always on time and knew exactly where to go and how to get there. The guides for each of the major cities, Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur were very knowledgeable and informative. Swati was always in touch to make sure everything was going smoothly. She’s really great at attention to detail and is always calm and pleasant. You can’t go wrong if you engage her to arrange your trip.

– Beverly Stephen
Journalist + Consultant in Food + Travel + Lifestyle Conference Producer at Flavor Forays