Travel Agencies are the new Fraud

I recently traveled with a company called "The Travel Story" and booked a trip to Kashmir. It turned out to be the worst experience of my life. They assigned one guy, Adarsh, to manage 60 people. He focused solely on one group, giving them all the possible privileges while neglecting the rest of us.

We got stuck in Sonmarg and had to walk 21 kilometers in -25°C weather. Despite our situation, they didn’t even attempt to connect with us. Exhausted and starving, we returned to Srinagar, only to face something unimaginable. The hotel staff had packed our belongings and suitcases and left them at the reception without our consent. There were 13 rooms available in the hotel, but Adarsh had booked all of them for his favored group.

When I confronted him, he dodged every question and kept repeating, “Check in at another hotel.” Meanwhile, the owner, Mohit, switched off his phone. Left with no choice, we moved to another hotel where our booking was supposed to be. To our shock, the hotel had no name, no heaters, open ventilators, Indian-style toilets, and rooms with spit stains.

When we reached the cafeteria (remember, we hadn’t eaten for two days), they refused to serve food until the company cleared the payment. After much pleading, the hotel management allowed us to eat, and the company finally made the payment afterward.

The nightmare didn’t end there. On the last day, they scammed us again. The itinerary mentioned drinks and a party, but during checkout, we were asked to pay the bill because the company claimed the itinerary only covered drinks—not snacks or the bonfire. It took us nearly an hour to convince them to settle the payment.

If it hadn’t been for the kindness of the local Kashmiris and our Kashmiri guide, we might not have survived without food and shelter. We paid a premium price for this trip, but the service was nothing short of disastrous.

This was my last trip with any travel company. While some companies might be reliable, I can’t take that risk anymore. I work hard for my money and invest in trips to avoid the hassle of planning. Unfortunately, I’ve learned that you can only truly rely on yourself.

I’m planning to file a complaint against "The Travel Story" and have gathered plenty of evidence. I’m sharing my experience here to warn others: never trust any company. And even if you choose to travel with a company, please avoid "The Travel Story" at all costs.