The Two Sisters Tour Company (2024)

29/12/2019

We, the 2018 tour group met here at Kumud’s. Re-lived the fun times 🌺

20/12/2019

This testimonial is from Lovisa on behalf of herself and her partner Erin, who were on the 2018 tour with us.

“The Two Sisters tour literally changed my life!

I am typically a solo independent female traveler. However, I have found that traveling in Asia is particularly challenging for outsiders, due to many contextual cultural differences and dissimilar language trees. India in particular is very large and diverse. I found this intimate tour-group experience to be a wonderful way to navigate the many cultural subtleties of India. We were able to visit active temples while remaining respectful to the worshipers, thanks to our tour guides. Kumud and Hema were there with us every step of the way, providing knowledge, history, translation, and context.

The hotels were some of the best I have ever stayed in. I literally felt like royalty while staying in a converted palace with peacocks roaming the grounds.

Starting every day with yoga was incredibly centering. Although I am neither a yogi nor a morning person, I attended the included yoga class each morning and found the strength and flexibility of my spine grew each day under Kumud’s experienced instruction. My mind was also in much better shape after nearly two weeks of daily mediation practice. Health of the body, mind, and spirit was a major focus of the tour. I felt very well cared-for.

The schedule was jam-packed with fun and educational activities. If you love history, architecture, temples, food, and seeing a wide variety of places on your vacation, this is the tour for you. The schedule varied every day. We were never bored for a second. The food was absolutely wonderful and eye-opening - I will never look at Americanized Indian food the same way again! If you’re interested in vegetarian food and cooking, you will be in heaven in India!

I asked my partner, Erin to marry me the morning we visited the Taj Mahal on the Two Sisters tour. We were immediately embraced by our entire tour group as well as our guides. I can’t imagine such a special moment happening on any other tour. And the engagement photos are hard to beat!

Kumud and Hema have curated an extremely special series of experiences which will open your heart, your mind, and your palette. The value of the tour is absolutely tremendous.

It really feels as though we have made friends for life.

I would recommend the Two Sisters Tour without reservation to anyone with even the slightest interest in Asian or Indian travel.”

13/12/2019

Testimonial of our 2018 tour by participant - Joanie Freeman

I am a seasoned travel but this experience stands out way ahead of many places I have been to. The Two Sisters Tour was made so very special due to the experiences we were given by both Hema Shah and Kumud Vanderveer.

India was shown to us in a very personal way as Kumud and Hema shared their lives by meeting their family and friends. The culture though food, thought and life practices was done so fluidly. Our movement around the country was diverse and comfortable. We were definitely cared for.

Yoga in the morning was followed with conversations of history, politics and spiritual exposure as we traveled, Food eaten in so many wonderful restaurants gave us a taste of India’s cuisine. The many sites and religious centers followed with our conversations gave us insight and a broad understanding of India. Because these two ladies love and are proud of their country we reaped the benefit of their sharing. We were cared for and exposed to India life that will stay with all of us for ever.

We can’t thank Hema and Kumud enough and highly recommend this tour for anyone who is thinking India as a destination they want to go to.

Joanie Freeman
EcoVillage Charlottesville

10/12/2019

Feel like making travel plans?
India in December 2020?
We have put together a tour of 5 cities - Kochi, Coimbatore, Varanasi, Rishikesh and Delhi.

Email us or write here to know more!

31/03/2019

Trying our hand at blockprinting in Jaipur.

31/03/2019

At Diggi Palace, one fun evening it was!

30/03/2019

Testimonial by 2018 tour participant Dr. Magaly Mauer

I have traveled to dozens of countries and have been blessed with many wonderful tour guides. My trip to India with The Two Sisters Tour was truly extraordinary in every respect. Hema Shah and Kumud Vanderveer create a perfect blend of a genuine Indian experience with seemingly unending knowledge of its history, politics, religions, diversity, spirituality, and food. All of it enveloped in equally unending comfort and care. Their love and pride for their country shines in the choices they made for our daily tours, each one better that the one before.

Hema and Kumud were prepared for any eventuality. They were able to accommodate varied needs, to shift gears seamlessly when the situation demanded it, and to educate us gently on the nuances of the different Indian cultures.

Their choices of restaurants and hotels were made with consideration for Western needs but without diminishing the exposure to the real India. An amazing feat!

We were able to get to know and enjoy their special places, family and friends. Some of these unforgettable experiences remain with me to this day.

I heartily recommend Two Sisters Tours. I know I will travel with them again.

Magaly Mauer, Ph.D.
9150 SW 87 Avenue
Suite 109
Kendall Professional Building
Miami, FL 33176
www.drmaggiemauer.com
305 505 2745

My mind and my heart have been filled with the idea of walking el Camino de Santiago (the Way of Saint James) for a couple of years. I decided to do it out of love, in celebration and gratefulness during this sixtieth year of my life, 2008. Preparing means to ready yourself. The last eight […]

30/03/2019

Testimonial By 2018 Tour Participants Ann Dye & Roy Dye

It was a wonderful tour of India under the guidance and leadership of Kumud and Hema.

We're often asked what was our favorite part of the trip, but that's hard to answer as there were so many interesting, exciting, diverse experiences throughout the time we spent with in India. Just witnessing the incredible street scenes from the van as we traveled through towns and the countryside was incredible.

But what was most special was going to their childhood home and visiting with their mother, and spending time with other Indian families - and the company of Sw Div later on. The opportunity to socialize with "locals", rather than just hopping from one tourist site to another, is what made the trip so exceptional.

We were glad to have the opportunity to spend time with that family who taught us Indian cooking - and especially to witness a short cricket demonstration with the chef and his son.

We could go on and on, but suffice it to say Ann and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and are grateful to Kumud and Hema for organizing such an unforgettable trip, filled with memories we will cherish forever!

30/03/2019

Testimonial by 2018 Tour Participant Gail Marshall

To start with, my trip to India was an experience I will never forget. The colors, the diversity, the food and most of all the people I met made it all sensational.

All of this was made even better by the dear sisters. The love for their country and the desire to share it with the group was felt throughout the trip. What was really special was their willingness to be flexible and thus making unplanned circumstances into rich experiences.

It was a trip that was worth taking and it truly touched my heart.

30/03/2019

Testimonial by 2018 Tour Participant Lynda Fanning

I still marvel at how I had the good luck to hear about The Two Sisters Tour, just in a random conversation with a friend, at the very time when I was feeling a strong draw to visit India.

I had begun to think of it as a “Source” country, one that birthed the spiritual movements and practices that have changed and enriched my own personal life for many years: Yoga, Insight Meditation and mindfulness practice, and for the last 10-15 years the Buddhist teachings. All these mean so much to me, sort of my tools to live by, and I just wanted to walk on the soil, meet the people, look at the sky in the country that had produced them.

I had always traveled either on my own or with Road Scholar, but neither could ever have created what Hema and Kumud did. Authentically India-born and raised, they shared with us a very “real” and heart-based, family-based experience, being welcomed into the homes(!) of sisters, mother, neighbors and friends. There was also quite a bonus: a yoga session most every morning, and lovely chants as the van pulled out, not to mention an atmosphere of family among us travelers, only one of whom I knew before, but in the end I had 11 new friends!

Hema and Kumud created the atmosphere where this could happen. I felt nearly cradled by the whole thing. As for activities, I could make a long long list of fascinating sights, ancient ruins, one of the wonders of the world (TM), palaces, gardens, views, countryside, memorials, shrines, temples, churches of so many different faiths (my favorites being the Sikh, the Ba Ha’i, and the Hindu), martial arts, performances, a tea farm, the animals, the parrots, the peacocks, the artists, museums, print-making, fabrics, learning about the elections that were going on and the government/Prime Minister, the use of and beauty of flower petal art, temporary sidewalk or ground art, learning to dance a la Bollywood(!), lots of culture, glorious comfortable hotels, and consistently high quality restaurants/food.

I have heard someone say that in India, guests are treated like gods. It certainly was a tremendous respect that the guest feels. I am happy to elaborate more with anyone who is considering this unique travel opportunity. Out of 5 stars I would give it about a 10! Or maybe 50!

30/03/2019

Another Testimonial by 2018 Tour Participant Amanda

WOW! What an amazing adventure! I really can’t express how in awe I was of every step of the Two Sisters Tour.
This was my first big trip to another country and I can’t imagine a better one. An opportunity to really get to see SO many different ways of life in India. This was a life changing adventure and one I’ll never forget.

Kumud and Hema really had done their research and put together an outstanding tour packed with great sites, wonderful food, beautiful temples, yoga and so so much more. I will be forever grateful for the experience ❤️

30/03/2019

Testimonial by Ms. Barbara who was on our 2018 tour

I was one of ten on the tour of India created and guided by Kumud Vanderveer and Hema Shah.
The tour was carefully designed to acquaint us with several aspects of India. The outstanding one for me was to see the various faith practices in this exotic country. We not only went into temples and ashrams but participated in worship as we wanted. I very much appreciated having a yoga session each morning.
I felt very safe, well taken care of, and carefully attended to. The sisters had a wealth of knowledge of their country. All hotels, coaches, local tour guides were professional and easy to understand.
I would recommend without hesitation to go with Hema and Kumud when they offer another trip.
Sincerely, Barbara Brecht