20 journey suggestions for visiting India

I’m Tristan, self-confessed globetrotter, Instagrammer and chaser of thrilling cultural experiences. My two journeys to India coated 2 months, cumulatively, and though it seems like a variety of time, for a boundless nation like India, it’s barely scratching the floor.

This record of journey suggestions will provide help to get essentially the most of your journey to India – nonetheless lengthy you’re on the market for.

Get a Charles Schwab card

That is vital for all vacationers, no matter the place you’re going. Don’t waste your cash on trade charges and fee. Open an account at Schwab and by no means pay a international transaction or ATM charge once more.

Take out money for a couple of days at a time

ATMs are all over the place in bigger cities, nonetheless, there may be technical difficulties or lengthy strains. In smaller cities, ATMs may be extraordinarily troublesome to search out, and being caught with none rupees is NOT enjoyable. You’re going to wish to journey with sufficient money for a couple of days at a time to be protected. Within the cities a variety of locations will settle for playing cards— some don’t settle for international playing cards although. The casual economic system is huge in India— bazaars, fruit markets, avenue meals, chaiwalas – so ensure that to hold small payments as properly.

And naturally all the time watch out for pick-pocketing. Don’t carry all of your money in a single place, and ensure it’s in an inside pocket.

Perceive that India isn’t a very stress-free trip

India is a giant bustling creating nation. Elements of it are lovely, and elements of it are, properly, not. Your time in India may be chaotic. Individuals are pleasant, however in touristy areas enterprise individuals may be pushy.

Cities and cities in India are loud. Guide first rate lodging, you’ll be grateful to have someplace to flee the cities at evening, and never should take heed to honking from the road.
India has over a billion individuals. Simply hold that in thoughts whenever you’re aggravated that there are individuals in your images. Chances are high, you’re in another person’s method too. Lengthy stay photobombing!

Don’t be low cost

Certain, there are $1 hostels in India… however do you wish to get bedbugs, scabies, and so forth? Nobody desires to be that individual. Spend what you’ll usually spend on lodging, and benefit from the luxurious, fairly than chopping corners. You’ll respect it later, belief me.

Cut price, however don’t over-bargain

For costlier merchandise, discount laborious, particularly in Rajasthan. For cheaper issues, it might not be well worth the trouble to discount in any respect. In terms of procuring and bargaining, don’t waste your time nickel-and-diming someplace for a product. It’s not value one other 5 minutes of your time to get the value down another greenback.

100% ensure that to get an web plan

You undoubtedly wish to have web in India. Whereas maps.me and google translate may be downloaded offline, you’ll need extra correct on-line maps as navigating may be troublesome. Additionally, Uber, WhatsApp and different apps gained’t work with out the web, and also you don’t wish to be caught in a sticky state of affairs with out them.

Don’t anticipate to get wherever rapidly

Issues in India transfer slowly. Anticipate all the pieces to be late. Generally buses is not going to come in any respect. Trains could also be full or oversold, visitors can take hours to get by. I’ve waited hours simply to get tickets for a bus which in the end solely went midway to the vacation spot then stopped and I needed to improvise, hitchhiking on the again of a neighborhood’s bike in the course of the evening. A part of that is cultural- India is usually (and I say usually as a result of India has many cultures) a extra relaxed place like Southern Europe or the Center East. Folks compensate for this by driving actually quick.

Take a cooking class

Indian meals can’t be crushed— it’s undoubtedly my favourite and when you see the huge number of dishes you’ll be amazed. Earlier than you spend cash shopping for spices within the bazaar, take a cooking class.
Do you know that almost all North Indian ‘curries’ are yogurt primarily based? I didn’t till I took a cooking class and realized all the pieces is loaded with yogurt, plus cream, butter, and oil… no marvel it’s so good.

Enterprise off the crushed path to get an actual style

India is attention-grabbing as a result of some locations are utterly spoiled by tourism, such because the ‘holy’ metropolis of Pushkar in Rajasthan, whereas others, equivalent to Ahmedabad, within the state of Gujarat, are comparatively untouched. See the foremost websites, such because the ‘Golden Triangle’ of Delhi, Jaipur and Agra, after which go for a village expertise, or go to a state you’ve by no means heard of. You’ll discover the persons are a lot friendlier, and costs are 2-10 instances cheaper. You’ll have beautiful temples all to your self and will even get invited to a household dinner or marriage ceremony.

Whereas the foremost websites are breathtaking, I discovered that the individuals you work together with (and that is true of most touristy locations) every day will not be regular individuals; they’re enterprise individuals making an attempt to get you to purchase one thing. I attempt to decrease these experiences and maximize my time with real locals, who normally aren’t making an attempt to promote you something.

Uber/Ola when potential

Uber and Ola can be found throughout most of India, except Goa. You might have the selection to get an auto-rickshaw, bike, prime automotive or mini automotive. Charges in huge touristy locations will likely be cheaper than hailing a cab/auto from the road, and you may be relieved not having to clarify one million instances what your vacation spot is and that you simply don’t want a tour.

Additionally, intercity journey is fairly low cost on Uber, and rather more comfy than a prepare or bus. When you have multiple individual in your group, non-public automotive journey will likely be roughly the identical value as a prepare, so it’s an apparent alternative.

Getting you, your baggage and your group from the lodge to the prepare station, getting tickets, getting off on the proper cease, and attending to the following lodge or hostel is a protracted and tiresome expertise that may be simply prevented.

Go to spiritual websites — however watch out for scams

India is the birthplace of Asia’s oldest and largest religions: Hinduism, Buddhism in addition to Jainism and Sikkhism. Attending prayer ceremonies/companies or poojas could be a actually enjoyable, colourful and academic expertise, which I extremely advocate.

Jain prayer ceremony at Hathi Singh temple, Ahmedabad

Nonetheless, watch out for scams. Don’t let anybody persuade you into paying greater than a listed value for a service or guilt you into donating quite a bit. At a correct temple with actual spiritual individuals, companies will likely be free or cheap. Due to India’s lengthy historical past of Mughal rule, there are additionally actually spectacular Islamic websites (, just like the Taj Mahal). These will likely be closed on Fridays, so plan accordingly.

Don’t anticipate to see it multi functional journey

India is big, and in addition very dense. A mistake vacationers I met typically made, I believe, was biting off greater than they might chew – spending two or three months in India, making an attempt to see all the pieces. Satirically, they ended up seeing all of the websites however not attending to know the individuals or the totally different cultures, and didn’t appear to be having a good time.

The regulation of diminishing returns is not only for economists— the tenth historical Hindu temple or Mughal palace you see isn’t going to be almost as thrilling as the primary and second. You’ll be happier in the event you see a couple of issues, after which come again later in life. India will all the time be there, and there’s all the time extra to discover.

Take it sluggish so that you don’t burn out

You’re going to be compelled to go sluggish— so plan on taking it sluggish, and this fashion you gained’t be annoyed. Making an attempt to cowl a variety of floor and dashing round in India is exhausting and never a great strategy. Choose a couple of locations, or possibly only a state or two, and delve in deep.

An itinerary which will take per week in Europe might take two weeks in India. Whereas infrastructure is usually fairly good, it will probably nonetheless be troublesome to see many issues in someday. The drive from Jaipur to Amer (5 miles) took two hours. Nevertheless it’s simply a part of the expertise.

Being in India, you’ll see, isn’t all the time straightforward. Even in the event you’ve spent months backpacking Jap Europe and also you suppose you’re prepared for India, it’s possible you’ll come to search out your endurance carrying skinny after a couple of weeks.

Don’t be afraid of avenue meals — BUT don’t be silly

Each traveler is aware of somebody who received meals poisoning touring in South America or Southeast Asia. You might have heard horror tales about India. However you’d be lacking out in the event you didn’t strive Indian avenue meals.

My recommendation is to proceed with warning. Don’t eat pani puri (actually ‘water bread’) on the road and also you’ll most likely be fantastic. If it’s steaming scorching, it’s fantastic. In case you don’t see the seller cooking, don’t eat it. Know your limits… i you have got a delicate abdomen or have gotten meals poisoning earlier than, it is best to know what you’re coping with.

Bear in mind, you will get meals poisoning from something. More often than not, it’s from ‘Western’ meals. Don’t waste your time consuming ‘Western’ meals. You’re in India. Eat one thing you’ve by no means seen earlier than, you gained’t remorse it.

Be stern/have a thick pores and skin

In case you’re within the Golden Triangle space, or Goa, or someplace touristy, persons are going to hound you for excursions and to purchase their merchandise. They’re usually good about it, however very persistent. Be stern and brief, however not impolite. A easy ‘no thanks’, ought to work. In Agra, you’ll should say ‘no.’ with a really sturdy voice 4 of 5 instances. Don’t get mad, and if individuals begin providing you with a sob story or calling you names, it’s simply because they’re making an attempt to get your consideration.

In case you don’t wish to take a selfie with somebody, simply say no. Chances are high, you may be requested a couple of instances to take footage with full strangers. Be open to it although so long as you are feeling protected, you would possibly make a brand new pal.

Don’t feed or antagonize wild/feral animals

In India, cows are sacred, stray canine roam the streets, and monkeys loiter wherever they will discover meals. Don’t feed or hassle the animals, as they are often unpredictable, particularly monkeys.
Feeding the monkeys solely makes them extra depending on individuals and encourages poor conduct.

Be taught some fundamental phrases

This goes for wherever you go to. Keep in mind that India is extremely various and that Hindi isn’t everybody’s first language. Nearly each state has its personal language and will have a number of dialects, which means that what you picked up in a single metropolis it’s possible you’ll not be capable of use within the subsequent. Studying fundamental greetings in regional languages will earn you some severe brownie factors.

Fundamental Hindi greetings

Good day – Namaste
Good Morning – Suprabhat
How are you? – Ap kay-say hoh? (formal)
How are you/What’s up? Saab tik?
What’s your identify? – Ap nam kya hay?
My identify is.. – Meera nam..
How a lot? Kitna? (Most will reply with English numbers)
Goodbye- Namaste

Capsules, capsules, capsules

Get the required pictures earlier than touring to India. Nobody goes to be checking, it’s as much as you to be accountable. You don’t have to be scared, simply be precautious.

Top off on Diarrhea capsules, even these with sturdy stomachs might have them, and it’s by no means enjoyable, particularly when public bogs may be troublesome to search out and never notably geared up. Higher to have greater than much less.

Malaria capsules you possibly can take each day or weekly, they’re cheap and although it might be a trouble, taking a capsule is significantly better than getting malaria.

In case you occur to get a minor ailment, strive some Ayurvedic (conventional natural) medication. I received a swollen style bud a couple of instances, and a sore throat from the air pollution and Ayurvedic medication (bought at many pharmacies) cleared me proper up. I extremely advocate Kanthil for sore throats.

Strive a neighborhood information

Whereas the guides hounding you on the entrances to websites could also be annoying, don’t shoot them down proper off the bat. Some guides are actually authorities licensed and can drastically add to your expertise! And not using a information, it’s possible you’ll end up a constructing with no clue what it’s. Signage is usually good, and in English, however generally obscure and assumes you have got plenty of prior information. Remember to focus on the value earlier than accepting, and discount.

Think about carrying a masks in greater cities

The air high quality in lots of Indian cities is taken into account ‘unhealthy’, and even ‘hazardous’ in line with iPhone’s climate app. The forecast might merely say ‘smoke’. I used to be shocked the primary time I noticed this. In case you don’t put on a masks, you would possibly begin to really feel the air pollution negatively affecting your well being and structure. I didn’t suppose I used to be delicate to air high quality, residing in an industrial a part of Brooklyn. Then I received to Ahmedabad and was hacking phlegm for two weeks, and located myself actually drained and getting frequent complications.

The air high quality is determined by the season and metropolis, and isn’t going to hurt you except you’re driving in auto-rickshaws throughout city for days and not using a masks. Loads of locations have ‘regular’ air.
Don’t let me scare you– India is an unbelievable place! Don’t let the concern deter you from going, or making an attempt new issues. I hope you discovered the following tips helpful, and that you’ve an amazing journey!

For extra, observe me on Instagram @tristans_expeditions !

In case you’re all for studying extra about India, together with prices, greatest time to go, low cost flight offers and so forth try this India journey information. And in the event you’d fairly journey India on a gaggle tour, which may embody actions and nearly all of your lodging, we’ve received these too.