Short Guide to Travel India
The Quick and easy guide to Travelling India

This short guide to travel India will aid you in your planning and preparation right the way through to dealing with some of the emotional aspects of being away from home and dealing with some of the less desirable aspects of India. Enjoy! Or head over to the main India travel guide page for full and comprehensive information on everything you need for travelling India.

India is one of the most spellbinding and rewarding places to travel in the world, people say that India should be the last place that you travel as nowhere in the else will quite compare!

1. Getting a Visa

Getting a visa to go to India is pretty straight forward but you need to know a couple of things before you apply for it.

The most common type of visa for India is the six moths tourist visa which cost around £75 ($110). Unlike many other countries, the India visa is activated from the moment it is issued. Basically this means that once the visa is issued, you have 6 months to leave and come back.

Nowadays you can't get a visa straight form the embassy but you have to go through a private company . If you want more information on a visa for India and how to get it then follow this link Visa for India.

2. Insurance

Travel insurance is not expensive but will save you a major headache if anything does go wrong. Don't even think about leaving the house without it. Follow this link for complete information on the best travel insurance for India.

3. What to Take

Deciding what to take on your trip is one of the hardest deicsions you will have to make. Here is a small list of the basics but I suggest you take a look at my full advice on what to take to India.

- Sleeping bag liner (no need for a proper sleeping bag)

As few clothes as possible:

- Maybe 1 pair of lightweight trousers and 1 pair of shorts

- 2 T- shirts and a lightweight jumper

- A few pairs of pants and socks

- Light weight shoes

Most hotels have laundry service which are dirt cheap so no need to worry about being clean!

- A well packed India first aid kit is essential

- A camera and other electrical (I POD etc.) - Keep all electrical cables in a small plastic tub.

- Mosquito repellent - Take a few different type (cream, spray, lotion)

- Sunscreen

And that is about it! Seriously that is all you need!

If you go into a travel shop they will try and sell you as much stuff as they can, %90 of it you will not need.

Things are very cheap in India and you can buy toilet roll, sunscreen and other things out there so don't worry too much about that.

4. When are you going to go?

Central and Southern India are hottest between the months June and August. Unless your a bit mad you will probably want to stay away from the country during these months. Rajasthan is pretty chilly in the evenings until the end of January, but it is beautiful during the day. Goa and south have a perfect climate from late September to the beginning of May. If your planning on heading to Kashmir and the surrounding states, you will want to take the other view. It is seriously cold until the end of march when it starts to warm up.

For a more comprehensive view on the Indian climate, just follow this link:The Indian Climate and when to go

5. Booking your flight

If you;re flying from Europe or the states then the chances re you will fly into Mumbai or Delhi. You can get quite cheap flights sometimes depending on when you want to go. I recommend having a look at Skyscanner.com which shows the you the cheapest flights for an entire month.

6. Money, Money, Money

India is a seriously cheap place to travel and withdrawing cash is easy as is exchanging travellers cheques. Go to the money in India page if you're struggling on what and how much to take on your trip. 

7. Handling the poverty

The poverty in India can be quite shocking to our western eyes so make sure you are mentally prepared before you step of the plane because that is where you start. This page gives an excellent example on what you can expect when you arrive to the airport.

Your sat at home now reading this and you may feel poor but it will truly open your eyes when you see what conditions some of the people over there are forced to live in. Take a look at this page too for information about the annoyances and inconveniences in India. 

8. Dealing with the begging

he begging in India can be quite intense and shocking for westerners but, like the Indian people, you will begin to get used to it.

The beggars over there can be quite pressurizing and sometimes a little aggressive, especially when they see you you with your flashy watch and shiny camera. Be respectful, don't show off. I always tried to give to beggars when the time was right but you can't help them all. This page goes deeper into the aspects of begging in India and how to deal with it. I also talk a bit about the organised begging which is rife in India's' cities.

9. Mosquitoes and Malaria

These little bastards are everywhere in India and can cause a great deal of misery to the ill prepared traveler. For some fantastic tips and advice for avoiding being eaten alive by mosquitoes follow this link . And on a slightly more serious point, follow this link for advice on malaria in India and how to avoid coming home early!

10. Drugs

The consequences of being found with drugs in India are unimaginable but there are place you can go to enjoy natures gifts without the risk of finding a dodgy policeman or even worse a straight one! If you considering taking drugs in India just follow this link for some advice on where to go, where to avoid and what NOT to do! Follow this link

More information

India is a pretty wild place to travel and while it maybe exciting different and fun for the most part, there are a couple of things in India that can really get you down.

These articles are designed to help you deal with these aspects of travelling in India. I Hope they are useful!

Backpacking Across India - Some information on what to expect when staying in India: The highlights and the lowlights! Traveling to India - A guide to the emotional aspects of travelling in India: What to expect when you arrive, how to deal with the people, scams, communicating etc. This really is an excellent page adn really worth reading if your are planning to go to India for an extended period of time.

I hope this guide to travel India is useful for you. Your comments and feedback are more than welcome. You can contact me on this page.

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