India Travel Guide

Here you will find all the useful information and general tips about travelling to India. For any further information you may require, please reach us to your Private Travel Expert or reach us on hello@indusbound.com

Visas

Every Foreign National needs to obtain a VISA for visiting India. For details please click on: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/index.htm l

Indian Government is providing Visa on Arrival enabled by Electronic Authorization, which is also called e-Visa.
For details, please click: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

Travelers who do not require a visa:

Citizens of Bhutan and Nepal, who do not require visas.
Nationals of Maldives who do not require a visa for visits of up to 90 days.
Persons of Indian Origin and Non-Resident Indians who possess either an OCI or a PIO card, which are the equivalent of a long India visa.

India issues the following types of visas [http://passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/online/visaServices]

Tourist Visa: Up to 6 months. Apply with: documents supporting your financial standing.
Business Visa: One or more years. Apply with letter from the sponsoring organisation.
Student Visa: For the duration of the academic course of study or for a period of five years whichever is less. Apply with: proof of admission to recognised Universities / Institutions in India
Transit Visa: Maximum period of 15 Days. Apply with: Evidence of onward travel to a destination outside India.
Conference Visa: For the duration of the conference or seminar. Apply with: letter of invitation from the organiser of the conference.

When you apply for a visa at an Indian Embassy or High Commission you must include the following:

Your passport valid for at least 6 months.
Visa fee in cash or by postal order (cheques are normally not accepted).
Two passport-size photographs.
Supporting documents, where necessary.
Duly completed application form.
Note: Allow one month’s processing time for postal applications.
Some parts of India are “restricted areas” and require special permits.

Climate

India is a tropical country. Nevertheless, there are huge variations according to the region and the season. The coolest months are from mid-November to mid-March, which also happens to be the tourist season. In the south, and on the coasts, day time temperatures even in the cool months can be in be the mid-20s centigrade, though the nights are cool. In central India, and in the hills in the southern part of the country, night temperatures can drop to under 10°C in winter. In the north, winter temperatures can approach 0°C even in the plains, and of course it drops below freezing in the Himalayan region. Summers are very hot, with some parts of south and central India, and the plains in the north, getting temperatures over 40°C. The monsoons, the rainy season, stretch from June until October, with different levels of intensity in different parts of the country. The West Coast and the north-east get the heaviest rain (two towns in Meghalaya vie for the title of the place with the most rainfall in the world).

Clothing

Winter - In the south, in the hills, you may need a light jacket in the evenings and early morning, or on overcast days. In the north, you may need to dress warmer, with light woolens even during the day. Consider dressing in layers and carrying a small day-pack to stow away some clothes as the day gets hotter.

Summer - Light cotton tropical clothing, sun hats or caps, and sunglasses are recommended. For those travelling in the hills or mountainous areas light woolens may be needed for the nights.

Monsoon - Light, quick-drying clothing, and either a raincoat or an umbrella or both (especially in places where there is a heavy monsoon).

Currency

The Rupee, which is divided into 100 paise.

Currency code: INR

Coin denominations: 1, 2, and 5 rupees.

Note denominations: 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 2000 rupees.

There are no restrictions on the importation of foreign currency by tourists, provided a Declaration Form is completed on arrival. The import and export of the Rupee is, however, prohibited and may not be spent in Duty Free Shops or on board aircrafts. Receipts for all currency must be kept, as it may be reconverted on departure. It is advisable to carry money in the form of travellers’ cheques, preferably in US Dollars, as it is widely recognised and accepted. Changing money through unauthorised persons is illegal as well as risky in respect of receiving counterfeit money.

Most hotels, restaurants and some shops accept major credit cards such as American Express, Diners Club, Visa and Mastercard. They will usually display signage to that effect.

Cuisine

Indian food is as varied as the country itself, with every region having its own specialties. It therefore, does not always have to be “hot” nor can any one dish be labelled a “curry.” (That said, many Indian cuisines can be pungent to those unaccustomed to it. Even if you have eaten at Indian restaurants outside India, remember that many such establishments tone down the spice quotient for local tastes) Most dishes with a gravy are normally called curries but are prepared with a different masala (a combination of spices and seasonings) containing among other things coriander, cumin, garlic, onions ginger, turmeric, chillies, cardamom, nutmeg, black pepper, cloves cinnamon, bay leaves, saffron, mace and nutmeg; all the aromas and flavors that brought traders to India for centuries.

A traditional meal in large parts of India is usually served in large metal plate called a ‘Thali’ (when you see the word in a menu, usually prefixed with a region name, it means you’re getting a full traditional meal from that region) with a number of small bowls used to hold the gravy dishes. The meal is normally accompanied with unleavened bread, usually wheat-based, in the North, or rice in the South. The more upmarket hotels also provide a fair selection of international cuisine as well, and in the major cities, you’re also very likely to find Italian, Chinese, Indonesian, Malaysian, Mexican, Thai, Japanese, and Lebanese specialty restaurants. Aside from international fast food franchises, which are making inroads even into smaller towns.

While India is by no means teetotal, in most parts of the country people do not usually drink alcohol with a meal. (More likely is a glass of salty or sweet or spiced buttermilk, a soft drink, or water!) But most large hotels, and restaurants with liquor licenses, will be happy to serve you a drink at your table should you want one. The Indian wine industry is still a young one, but it is improving steadily, and is close to international standards on some counts. Imported wines and liquors are usually reasonably easily available, and tend to be much more expensive than local beverages.

Note: Gujarat & Bihar are the only dry states in India at present. However, foreigners visiting India can obtain liquor permits either from embassies, missions or tourist offices abroad or at a Government of India Tourist office at Bombay, Delhi, Madras or Calcutta.

India grows some of the finest, most in-demand tea in the world, and though in many parts of India what you get served is milky, oversweet tea made from powdered leaf that has had its antioxidants boiled out of it, in the better hotels tea is still served as it should be. India also grows good coffee, and the people of the South drink a lot more of it than North Indian tea lovers.

Water from the tap is not purified for drinking in India. To be safe, apart from the flasks of water in your hotel rooms, tea, coffee, mineral water and bottled drinks, you should carry around and use purifying tablets. If you are away from your hotel for an extended period, it may be a good idea to take along a bottle of water or, if you’re buying bottled drinks, to use a straw.

Health

Yellow Fever – Vaccination Certificate is required if arriving from an infected area.

Cholera/Typhoid – Inoculation recommended.

Malaria – No certificate required, but advisable to have a course of pills.

Medical treatment in India is inexpensive by European or North American standards, though India has a pool of some of the best doctors in the world. Most hotels have a doctor on call. Sunshine stronger than you are used to, heat, especially if you are travelling in India’s summer months, digestive upsets, insect bites for which you have developed no immunities, all these can spoil your trip. So please take a few basic precautions.

Carry a kit containing sunscreens and other lotions for protection from the sun, insect repellents and sting relief creams, water sterilizing tablets and medicines for possible stomach upsets or indigestion. To protect yourself from mosquitoes when outdoors in the evenings, use an insect repellent on exposed skin, and wear socks, trousers and long-sleeved shirts.

Language

English is widely spoken, especially in areas that are used to tourists, though accents and grammar may vary considerably. Hindi is the most widely spoken language in the country, but it also has regional variations and accents. There are totally 15 major languages 544 dialects spoken in India in addition to English.

Note: that we always ensure that our clients are paired with guides who speak their language.

Communication

India has both GSM and CDMA cellular phone systems. Reception is usually clear in urban areas, but can get patchy or non-existent in remoter parts of the country. If you plan to use international roaming, check with your phone service provider on whether they have tie-ups with any Indian providers that will give you favorable roaming rates. If you use a GSM phone, you may want to consider buying an Indian phone card to use for your trip. We can help you choose a good plan for your stay.

Landline telephone calls to most countries are now direct. Fax and Telex facilities are now ubiquitously available. Internet facilities are also easily available in most cities and tourist centres, in cyber cafes and business centres, but free wireless connectivity is rare. Connectivity - wireless or conventional broadband - in five-star hotels tends to be many times more expensive than cyber cafes in the same areas though some hotels offer free Wi-Fi now.

The Indian postal service is huge; you’re likely to find post offices in the most remote towns. You can usually buy stamps and leave letters for posting at most hotels.

Electricity

The majority of India works on 220 volts AC 50 Hz. However, it is possible that certain areas have DC supplies and it may be a good idea to check before using electrical appliances. Socket sizes vary, so it is well to take along a set of plug adapters.

Note: You will probably need to get an adapter for your devices. It’s pretty easy to get “all-in-one” adapters that you can use to plug your device’s power chord into before plugging into the power supply.

Shopping

In India, a huge number of things are still hand-made, using skills and secrets passed down for generations. Dazzling silks and other hand-made fabrics, clothing, hand knotted carpets, religious imagery and decorative articles in bronze, wood, stone and more, jewellery, leather, musical instruments, perfumes… the list goes on and on, and each region has its unique specialities. And prices, you will find, are very reasonable. (Do note that we’d be happy to provide you with expert shopping assistance.) You can bargain hunt at colourful, crowded bazaars, (be prepared to haggle!) on roadsides in the hinterland, in air-conditioned hotel arcades and bustling modern malls. Many reliable establishments that cater to tourists offer to deliver purchases to you in your homeland. Remember, though, that these deliveries can take a long time to reach you.

Indian law prohibits the export of antiques over 100 years old. Keep sales receipts and certificates to show proof of purchase and legitimacy when you’re leaving the country.