I visited Himachal Pradesh(Tour Code: HP-1) starting 6-Apr-08 with Heena Tours & Travels. We had horrible experience.
On 5th day of a 12 days tour, The bus tyre got punctured once, it was repaired, then both the rear tyres got burst. It was like a bomb blast inside the bus! Flooring of the bus got completely damaged due to the blast. My son’s leg and his finger got badly injured. My wife’s foot got injured, I got small injuries on my arms. We went to the nearest city by Sumo, got the x-rays. My son got fracture in his heel bone and his finger got bent almost for his life time. We had to abandone the tour and return home at our expense. I informed Heena Tours office after returning. Their management has not shown even courtesy to speak to me till date.
My family has suffered a lot of injuries, physical, mental and financial losses. All these because of negligence of the tour operator.
We had checked-in and out of 3 hotels during this short time. Our baggage handling was so bad that many of the passenger’s bags got damaged beyond repairs. The tour manager did not have any satisfactory explanation for the damages.
The food taste and choice of menu was just not acceptable to all the tourists. Many of us complained to the tour manager individually and collectively. On the 4th day, some of the tourists had to enter into very heated arguments with the tour manager and the only thing he had to offer us was a threat that if we don’t like the food or services, he would send the cook back or he himself would also go back! He never talked of arranging for a descent replacement of staff in their place.
Heena promises allotment of fixed seat numbers for the bus travel at the time of booking. At the time of booking, the booking clerk told me that it would be alloted when I make my balance payment. At the time of balance payment, the clerk told me that the tour manager would allot at the starting point before we board the bus. The tour manager never alloted seat numbers and left it to be a first come first servered rule. Whoever gets into the bus first gets the choice of seat, and the others have to occupy whatever is vacant!
Later I heard from other tourists that the bus had one more tyre puncture on the same evening and all they had to abandone the bus and take alternative transport to continue their tour.
In a place like Himachal Pradesh, the bus could fall into a valley and it was fortunate for all of us to suffer only bodily injuries.
Overall: Apart from the ability of staff, services, which were all unacceptable, the management is not professional. They have not accepted responsibility of damages to my family because of their failure to provide a good transport and not offered any compensation.