Sikkik Holidays (Nikhil Thapa), Kalimpong - Worst Tour Operator.
1
/5
(Written on 30 Nov, 2023)
We were a group of 8 Adults + 3 Kids booked a trip to Sikkim - Darjeeling from this tour operator.
Here are some booking T&C as per proper communication over email :
1. 4 rooms to be booked with (Read More) 1 extra bed in each property
2. 12 Nights, 13 Days duration with 13 seater AC Tempo Traveller
3. Payment terms (as finalised/approved over email):
a) Advance 60k to be paid and hotel vouchers to be shared by Nikhil
b) Once we check with hotel about proper booking, will xfer next 60k in next 7 days.
c) Rest Balance to be paid in 3 equal installments - Day 5, Day 8, Day 13
Once payment terms confirmed, we transferred 60k and hence issues (& threatening) started thereafter from tour operator side :
1. No hotel vouchers shared in next 4-5 days and Nikhil asked for more 60k before hotel confirmation which is against finalised deal (as approved on email by Nikhil himself)
2. Talked over call and asked him to check email once again. Hence Nikhil shared hotel vouchers but only 4 rooms were booked (without extra bed).
Checked with hotels, and they said, we have only information for 8 Adults. No kids & extra bed info is provided.
Also Nikhil got angry that why we are confirming with hotels. Strange !!
3. Same day only (without waiting for even single day, 7 days is long way), Nikhil asked for 60k more.
We xferred as we still trusted him
4. Due to Sikkim Flood issue, North Sikkim got closed, but even after asking, he dint inform about the proper condition and kept delaying the timelines (near to the trip time)
5. Just before 2 days to the flight, he confirmed that Lachen, Lachung is not possible and hence trip needs to be shorten to 8 Nights, 9 Days.
No revised package was sent still.
Rather than tempo traveller, he provided us 1 innova, 1 Xylo.
6. After reaching to our 1st destination, same day he asked for all payment to be done (violation of payment terms).
We asked for revised package.
7. Rather than proper discussion, Nikhil was adamant and final revised cost was as per his wish only.
As per our calculation, it should be 11k more less.
8. We asked for installments clause, but he was adamant over the same and asked to pay asap
9. Drivers asked us to pay 20k as they were with us from last 3 days. As we were in low network zone, We paid them and informed Nikhil over whatsApp.
10. Even after reading whatsApp msg, he did not raise any objection and next day he asked - why paid driver ?
We asked cab vendor to talk to Nikhil and clarify.
The real threatening started on each & every day.
11. Nikhil asked to pay whole balance amount on day 4 itself else "your services will be stopped".
We talked and managed to bring him on same page that it should be 3 installments.
But he was adamant and asked to pay 64% on day 4, 18% on day 7, 18% on day 9
12. After taking 64% payment, from next day only, he started asking money via drivers, hotels.
13. Hotels were saying that they have not received final amount. Their balance amount was more than our remaining balance (ITC, Udaan)
14. At this point we involved Police (SI) and he really helped us on clearance part and assured us that our trip wont be hampered.
15. During whole trip, drivers were not informed about our hotels & sightseeings, despite being we have mentioned each & every sightseeing in finalised itinerary itself & got it approved by Nikhil.
16. No hotel was aware about Extra Bed and they asked for extra charge and Nikhil was unresponsive
17. Till last day, Udaan payment was due and Nikhil was not responding to them even.
18. Even Sikkim drivers talked to Nikhil and confirmed that he is untrustworthy, as Nikhil is saying different statements to them & us.
Never ever book any trip with this tour operator. They will make your trip hectic.
This trip taught us to not to trust any tour operator, as even everything taken over email/whatsApp, he denied each & every fact
In case anyone needs any sort of proof, feel free to reply over the thread.
Sikkim Holidays replied
(06 Dec, 2023)
Hello Guest
Thank you so much for your valuable feedback.
We the Sikkim-Holidays Team would like to apologize for the inconvenience and hectic journey you had to face during your trip.
We have gon (Read More)e though all the trail mails, receipt and the records of your travel plan and it clearly shows we have given you so much relaxation and ease travel plan in terms of:
1) Provided our standard luxury vehicle (Innova & Xylo) replacing the Tempo Traveler which was desired by you.
2)Payment policy is already mentioned in the travel itinerary but you have violated the company terms and policy.
3)We value each and every guests and in a similar way we dealt with you but you had a trust issues from the Day1 because you cross checked our Hotel properties and tried to extract internal information but they denied you.
4)As per our company policy once the guest confirms the travel plan it is our duty to undertake each and every part be it Vehicles, Drivers, Payments, Hotels reservation, Food etc. which we gave the best from our side and that is why you did not face any issues from the Hotels, vehicles, food, Sightseeing
except the payment issues which was due from your side.
5)The recent natural calamity occurred in Sikkim and the closure of North Sikkim (Lachen & Lachung) led to restriction for tourist entering to some parts of Sikkim and so we were also not getting any notifications from the tourism department for resume of routes. So, despite this we tried our best to customize the plan and gave you relaxation to amend the booking. In this regard we have refunded you the 40% of the total costing of package without any cancellation and charges of fee one day prior to your trip.
NOTE: Which is against company policy.
6)As you have publicly mentioned your communication with our Police department (SI) and the conclusion came to the point that you were denying to make the due payment to the hotel in Kalimpong which at last was paid by you in advise of our Officer (SI).
NOTE: Which is against company policy.
7)Due to your installment payment structure there was an involvement of our drivers and us which led to miscommunication. Your review clearly shows that you had an irrelevant communications with our drivers against us during your trips.
NOTE: Which is against company policy.
We the Sikkim-Holidays Team, proudly would like to confront that we have provided the best services from our side from Day 1 to Day 9 and that is why you did not face any issues except your payment structure and the customized plan desired by you despite an awareness we had given to you incase you face any hectic or inconvenient during your trips.
Once again we value our customers and the their feedbacks.
Thank you.