A good guide can make or break a holiday and it’s often the local ones who are the most passionate about showing off their homeland. Intrepid Travel invited three Trailfinders agents and myself to meet one of its best – Indian guide Monty Bhatt – over brunch in Kensington last week.

“Monty and our other leaders are the face of the company,” explained Daniel Pawlyn, head of business development at Intrepid. The night before Monty had been honoured with an Outstanding Achievement Award at the Wanderlust World Guide Awards.

One of the Trailfinders agents wanted advice on where to take his young family in India, and Bhatt recommended Rajasthan in the north-west.

“There are lots of hotels in palaces, with pools, and it’s cultural too. The local children are friendly and they play outdoors a lot.”

He said that food should not be a stumbling block as there were Western options available, and he advised making the trip last for at least two weeks, as Rajasthan covers a large area.

Bhatt was born in Bundi, a one-time residence of author Rudyard Kipling – the Jungle Books were based on his experiences in Ranthambore and Kanaha national parks.

“He stayed in a guesthouse, Sukh Mahal,” he explained. “It’s now a museum, and you can see his room, which overlooks the lake and mountains.”

Shere Khan is the famous tiger in The Jungle Book, and there are still tigers in parks today. Kanaha has 105 of the big cats, Ranthambore has 54 and Bandhavgarh has 25, but numbers can fluctuate as tigers are shifted around the region and reintroduced into other parks. Although protected, they are wild, and Bhatt is wary of over-promising when it comes to sightings. “It is best to go in the early morning, because the tiger is the laziest animal and will sleep all day without getting up once.”

After 10 years of guiding with Intrepid, Bhatt says he is still learning. “Clients want to experience the country. When I meet them, I don’t feel like I’m starting from scratch.”

But if he does look for a new career, you wouldn’t bet against wedding planning. He once organised a wedding in 24 hours for two clients who decided to marry mid-tour spontaneously in Khuri near Jaisalmer. “The bride wore a sari and had henna tattoos and the groom rode in on horseback. It was a lovely surprise addition for the tour group.”