Airline and Route: British Airways in Economy London - Delhi - London

Flight Experience: This was my first time flying longhaul with British Airways and I was impressed by their service, how modern the interior was and how efficiently everything ran. There was a minor delay at take off due to the weather, but we made up time in the air which allowed us to still land into Delhi on time. We flew on the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner which was a surprisingly small plane in comparison to many other longhaul aircraft. The seats were very comfortable and there was a good range of in-flight entertainment. They even had a snack station at the back of the plane on our return journey where you could help yourself to biscuits, chocolate bars, water and juices.

Airport Experience: A representative from BA needed to check that we had our Indian e-Visas, which meant we couldn’t use the self-service kiosks. After that it was smooth sailing, with every BA staff member we encountered being very friendly and helpful.

Overview: The first stop after our training in Delhi was Varanasi, the spiritual capital of India. This ancient city, situated on the banks of the Ganges River, is considered by many as the holiest city in the Hindu world and is also one of the oldest inhabited cities. We mostly spent our time here onboard a boat, sailing upstream as our guide explained to us about the various ceremonies taking place along the banks of the river. We also paid a visit to Sarnath, a prominent Buddhist pilgrimage destination, and where Buddha first delivered a sermon to his five disciples after attaining enlightenment - possibly the most peaceful place you can find in the vicinity of Varanasi.

Highlight: The sunrise boat ride down the river. This is an early morning experience, but well worth it to see how busy the city is even in the early hours of the morning. We had a musician on board the boat whilst watching the sunrise over the quieter side of the river and observed people going into the river for a spiritual practice.

Interesting fact: Varanasi is home to a total of 84 Ghats (riverfront steps used for bathing, ceremonies and cremations). These were historically built by kings, Maratha rulers and any wealthy philanthropists.

Destination tip: Our Trailfinders sunrise cruise excursion on the Ganges River includes a walk through the streets of Varanasi which can get quite busy. However, your local guide will be able to carefully navigate for you so that you can enjoy the experience.

Where we stayed: 4★ Taj Ganges Varanasi. This hotel is situated a little outside Varanasi, perfect if you're looking for a slightly more relaxed stay whilst still being close enough to the action.

Hotel tip: The hotel has a sauna and jacuzzi hidden away in what looked like just poolside changing rooms!

Overview: This park contains one of the highest concentrations of Bengal tigers in the country and is one of the best places in India for tiger sightings. Besides tigers the park is also home to leopards, sloth bears, elephants (although rare), wild dogs, sambar deer, buffalo and over 250 bird species. We had one full day of game drives here, one five-hour sunrise drive and one slightly shorter evening drive which ended as the sun was setting over the park.

Interesting fact: Surrounding the central Bandhavgarh Fort, within the national park, an ancient hilltop fortress only open twice a year, are nearly 39 sandstone caves dating back to the 1st Century.

Highlight: We were very lucky and ended up seeing a total of six tigers, many deer, buffalos and adorable langur monkeys.

Destination tip: The intense heat in the summer months (May/Jun) forces tigers to frequent the waterholes, almost guaranteeing the best photography opportunities (the park is closed Jul-Sep). Be aware that, since last year, all national parks in India have banned the use of mobile phones. I recommend that you either bring a camera or to check whether your lodge has one that you can borrow.

Where we stayed: 5★+ The Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort. A luxurious resort with a prime location just fifteen minutes from the closest parks.

Hotel tip: The hotel has three wildlife photographers that they send out on game drives with guests to ensure you come away with some good quality pictures.

1. India is a country that people always want to return to, exploring different areas each time. A lot of people’s first holiday to India will involve some variation of the Golden Triangle, before coming back to visit other popular destinations.

2. Private touring is flexible, and you can often choose to start your morning tour early or an afternoon tour later to avoid the heat of the day - just by speaking to the rep or driver locally.

3. For travellers that would like something extra special, an upgrade to an Oberoi hotel will be well worth it. The level of service and attention to detail is unparalleled.