GMM, we did a very similar tour with Jewel In The Crown in 2005 and went by private vehicle, it was a dream journey, very, very comfy, so much so that I had to keep nudging my partner to wake up We had a brand new Toyota 4x4 and it made some parts of the journey, which were up to 6 hours apart, an absolute pleasure. It might be worth while finding out what type of vehicle you will be travelling in? The roads are all the types you mentioned in your post, I couldn't imagine what it would have been like in a coach type vehicle Hope this is helps, GMT.

I've not been to India, but we did have a private car in Sri Lanka with Kuoni. It was well worth the money - more space to spread out in, a comfier ride and the chance to chose how long we spent at each of the places we stopped at. I say go for it!

Thanks both - you've helped me decide and I've just changed my booking to private vehicle. It's nice to socialise with other travellers but not at the possible expense of my comfort.
Cheers

GMM, it will be money well spent, enjoy your your trip

Hope you have a great time - don't forget to post a review when you get back.