India Travel Guide
The strength of India lies in its diversity - whether it is by geography or by religion. From rich architectural grandeur of ancient civilization to transitioning towns to modern day sizzling cities of the 21st century, one can experience all in a package tour of India.
Visa Requirements
Foreigners contemplating a trip to India must possess a valid passport and travel documents such as visa for entry, with an exception to the citizens belonging to countries of Bhutan and Nepal. There are different kinds of visas depending upon the purpose of visit and duration of stay. As a globetrotter, it is the Tourist Visa that is most important to travel to India. These are generally given for a time period of six months; however, if you have only a three-month visa, you need to enter the country within 30 days from the date of issue of the same.
And, to go to certain parts of India such as Ladakh, Vaishno Devi temple Andaman and Nicobar Islands, additional permits are required. Again a visit to visit to Vaishno Devi Temple is permitted only during a particular time period and you need to make sure you are enquiring about this with the tourism authorities.
Reaching India
Air Route: One can come to India from different places through major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and many more that cater to international flights. Several airlines offer direct flights from international hubs to many of the top cities in India.
Sea Route: Being a peninsular nation, India has several major ports but these are mainly restricted to carrying cargos and it's only very few passengers that enter India via this route.
Rail Route: There are train services if you want to come to India from Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.
Some Travel Tips & Considerations
* To cover the varied terrain and hotspots of India, it is advisable to have a six months tour program with adequate time to explore the splendor of the world's most diverse nation. It is a relatively safe destination; however caution needs to be exercised if you are traveling to Jammu and Kashmir and some states of North-Eastern India, especially in the wake of terrorism.
* Apart from the local languages, it is English and Hindi that are predominantly spoken in most parts of this country. However, if you happen to visit places like Goa, you can find people speaking French and Spanish as well. Even in Pondicherry the French influence and French tongues cannot be missed. In places like Hyderabad, you will find majority of people speaking Urdu. The Indlish-speaking people are great hosts (Indian English is popular as Indlish) and one can feel one's home here in their hospitality.
* Do not carry any arms and ammunition if you are coming to India.
* If you want to take car rental, please carry your international driving license as well as learn that the steering is on right side while driving is on left side of road (influenced by the British).
* There are certain safety measures that one needs to keep a check on to stay away from health hazards such as malaria, diarrhea, and high altitude sickness (if you intend to trek). Make sure you follow them. It is important that people traveling to India should guard against some diseases by taking some vaccine shots of Hepatitis A and B (as you might not get to drink mineral water everywhere); Japanese encephalitis, meningitis, rabies, Polio, typhoid and Yellow fever. Tetanus-Diphtheria shot is also very important, but take consultation of a doctor too.
* When staying here, keep yourself informed of certain outbreaks of viruses such as the avian flu or mad cow disease and follow all guidelines given by government authorities to make sure you go back smiling to your place filled with pleasant memories.
Top 9 Places to See in India
Flights to India
Getting Around
New Delhi City Guide
Mumbai City Guide
Chennai City Guide
Bangalore City Guide
Kolkata City Guide