Before You Go
Plan Your India Trip
The practical half of travelling to India — visas, money, connectivity, health and the small things nobody tells you until you are standing in the queue. Written from seven years of getting travellers here.
India rewards preparation more than most destinations. Not because it is difficult — it is far easier than its reputation suggests — but because the things that catch people out are specific and avoidable. A square photograph instead of a rectangular one. A ₹2,000 note and nobody with change. A phone with no signal past Leh.
These are the guides we send our own travellers before they fly.
The Practical Guides
01
What It Costs
Real prices analysed from 79 of our own itineraries — per night, by region, by trip length — plus flights, visa, insurance and tips.
Read the guide →02
The e-Visa
How the e-Tourist Visa works, which duration to choose, realistic timings, and the photo and name-field mistakes that cause most rejections.
Read the guide →03
Money & Cards
Where cards work and where only cash does, which ATMs to use, why UPI is effectively closed to visitors, and honest tipping guidance.
Read the guide →04
Staying Connected
eSIM versus a local SIM, what you need at the counter, which network reaches the places worth going, and where you will have no signal at all.
Read the guide →05
When to Come
India is not one climate. The month that suits Kerala is wrong for Ladakh. A month-by-month view of the whole country.
Read the guide →06
What to Pack
By region and season, including what to wear at temples and the things people consistently wish they had brought.
Read the guide →07
Your First Trip
If this is your first time in India — how long to come for, how much to attempt, and the single most common planning mistake.
Read the guide →The Two Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes
Trying to see too much
India is the size of Western Europe with worse roads and better food. A fortnight is enough for one region properly, or two adjacent ones at a push. It is not enough for Rajasthan, Kerala and Varanasi, however the itinerary reads on paper. The travellers who enjoy India most are the ones who cut something.
Coming at the wrong time for where they are going
There is no single best time to visit India, because India has no single climate. October to March suits most of the country. But Ladakh is closed by snow for much of that window and at its finest in June; Kerala is at its most beautiful during the monsoon that most people avoid; and Durga Puja moves every year. Choose the month for the region, not the country.
Where we come in. The visa is yours to apply for and we will tell you exactly how. Everything after that — permits for restricted regions, transfers, hotels, guides, entries, the driver who knows which gate is open — is ours.
Start With the Journey
Tell us roughly when you can travel and what draws you here. We will tell you honestly whether it works, and what would work better.
See the journeys →How far ahead should I plan an India trip?
Three to six months for most journeys. Longer for Durga Puja, the Pushkar Camel Fair or the Hemis Festival, where the best hotels and guides are committed a year out. The e-Visa itself only needs two to three weeks.
Is India safe for first-time travellers?
Yes, with ordinary care. The most common problems are stomach upsets, over-ambitious itineraries and taxi overcharging — all avoidable. Travelling with people who know the ground removes most of the remaining friction.
How long should a first trip be?
Ten to fourteen nights. Shorter than ten and you spend a disproportionate share of it in transit; longer than fourteen on a first visit and most people want a change of pace.
Do I need vaccinations for India?
Requirements depend on your country of origin, your route and your medical history. Speak to a travel clinic six to eight weeks before departure — that timing matters, as some courses need multiple doses.