"Incredible India" has enough to offer for several holidays, but undoubtedly deserves at least one visit in a lifetime.
It is home to the Taj Mahal (recently voted one of the Seven Wonders of the World), the Royal Bengal Tiger and the Asiatic Lion, Kerala's beaches and backwaters and the magnificent forts and palaces of Rajasthan.
Lesser known, but equally spectacular are the ruins at Champaner, Mandu, Hampi and Orccha, the Sun Temple at Konark, the Pallava, Hoysala and Chandela temple sculptures, and the numerous holy ghats along the Ganges river - India has as many as 27 UNESCO World Heritage sites. India was ranked first on Conde Nast Traveller's UK Readers Travel Awards 2007
There are four Indian trains in The Independent's 50 Best Train Journeys, and one in The Telegraph's 10 Greatest Journeys in the World
Weather
Broadly, India has three main seasons - Summer (March - June), Rainy (June-September), and Winter (October-February).
The winter is the best time to travel in most of country, with clear skies (except fog in mornings and evenings in parts of Northern India), warm sunshine and pleasant temperatures. Maximum temperatures are in the mid-twenties (Celcius) across most of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Northern and Central India during this time of the year.
The summer is very hot, with temperatures reaching as high as the mid-forties (Celcius) in most of Northern India. It is, however a good time to visit the mountanious regions - Ladakh, Himachal and Uttaranchal.
The rainy season, also known as the monsoon, brings very heavy rainfall and is generally not a good time to travel. Some parts of the country, notably along the Eastern Coast in the south, is dry during the main monoon season, but gets its rain during the returning monsoons in November.
Best Time to Travel
In general, October to February/March is the best time to travel in most of India. Parts of the North (including Delhi and Agra) and Rajasthan can be bitterly cold and foggy (mornings and evernings) between mid-December and the latter half of January. This can severely affect flight and train schedules in these areas, with a knock-on effect on flight schedules throughout the country. If planning to travel by air during this period, make sure you do not have any tight connections.
The early part of summer - April to June is the best time to travel to the hills in the North and East. Ladakh is best between May and October.
Suggested Clothing
Ideal clothing in India is light and breathable cottons. You should keep a light pullover, jacket or shawl for early mornings and evenings, and something warmer still if planning to travel in December or January. Many temples and mosques that you may visit are active places of worship and require you to be more modestly dressed. Shorts and skirts are frowned upon in such places, and also in many regions unused to tourists. You should check with your local travel agent before choosing your wardrobe for the holiday, and also with your guide/local travel agent about your planned attire for the next day's sightseeing.
Exotic culture, magnificent forts and palaces, ancient monuments, rare animals and birds, deserts, mountains and rivers ...
The currency of India is the Indian Rupee (abbr. INR or Rs), known locally as Rupee.
The Rupee is divided into 100 Paisas (sometimes known as Naya (new)Paisa.
Roughly, there are 40 Rupees to a US Dollar, 80 Rupees to a UK Pound and 60 Rupees to a Euro. In terms of purchasing power locally, the Rupee's purchasing power is several times what the exchange rate might suggest - which means your money will go a longer way in Rupees than you may initially expect. This is not always true in the fancy hotels, popular haunts and markets frequented by tourists.
The Indian Rupee can be bought, sold or exchanged only in India. This means, that you cannot change your local currency for Indian money outside of India, or buy Traveller's Cheques denominated in Rupees outside of India. However, all international airports have currency exchange facilities immediately after customs, and you should change your money here. The larger banks in all major cities and tourist towns have currency exchange facilites and offer slightly better rates than what you will get at the airport or in hotels. Many large hotel also will change money for you, and accept payments in foreign currency, but this should not be counted upon and the currencies accepted are often restricted to the US Doller, UK Pound and the Euro.
Credit Cards (Visa, Mastercard and to a lesser extent American Express & Diners), International Debit Cards (Visa Electron, Maestro) are accepted in most large hotels, shops and establishments. ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) are widespread in all large cities and many towns, and most will accept your local ATM card. (Do check before inserting your card though - some will swallow an unacceptable card!)
However, you will need to carry sufficient cash to cover expenses, when going to smaller towns or more remote areas. Always check with your local travel agent for advice.
Remember, you cannot change Indian Rupees back to your currency outside of India. You must do this before leaving, and will need to produce receipts from when you changed the money originally, to change it back.
All foreign nationals, except for citizens of Bhutan & Nepal, need a visa to enter India.
Visas must be arranged in advance, as India does not issue visas on arrival. Tourist visas are easily arranged from your local Indian High Commission. You may appear at the High Commission in person, or in many cases, apply by post. The process is usually fast, and in most large High Commissions, you will be able to get your visa on the same day.
The typical visa granted to tourists is a 6-month, multiple entry visa, valid from the date of issue. You will need to have at least 6 months validity on your passport at the time of application, or your application may be refused.
You are normally required to apply for a visa from the Indian High Commission of the country you are normally resident in. If your passport is issued by a different country, you will need to show documentary proof of residence in the country you are applying in.
Certain areas, including Sikkim and some states in India's North East, require special permits to enter. Similarly, some regions of the country, notably tribal belts, require permits to visit. Your local travel agent will notify you of these, and will be able to obtain these for you. You may require to send in some documents in support of your application, though.
Most major international airlines have regular flights to New Delhi and/or Mumbai. The remaining four airports have fewer connections, but are well connected nonetheless. Other airports with international connections include Cochin, Trivandrum, Calicut and Amritsar.
Overland/Road Entry Points The main overland entry points into India used by tourists are: Wagah on the Lahore (Pakistan) to Amritsar (Northern India) road, Phentsholing/Jaigaon on the Thimpu (Bhutan) to Kolkata (Eastern India) road, and Gorakhpur in Northern India on the India/Nepal border.
A newly opened entry point into India is Samdrup Jongkhar/Darranga, on the road connecting Eastern Bhutan and Guwahati (India's North East).
Most major international carriers fly into India, and the Indian state-owned carrier Air India has reciprocal flights to many of these major airports. In addition, a private India carrier with a widely acclaimed reputation, Jet Airways is fast increasing its network across the globe. These flights are mostly reciprocal to the ones listed below.
It is worthwhile to note that apart from the options presented here (which are mostly direct, non-stop flights), you should also consider connecting to India from your home airport via a stop over, taking advantage of the wide network than most large airlines have. Apart from offering connections where direct flights do not exist, these options may turn out to be cheaper and allow a break in what can be a very long and tiring flight. Some of the cities are excellent stopover destinations.
Major European Carriers into India
British Airways operates non-stop services from London Heathrow to New Delhi and Mumbai (twice daily), Bangalore and Chennai (daily) and Kolkata (twice weekly).
Lufthansa operates from Frankfurt to Delhi and Mumbai (11 flights a week), Chennai and Hyderabad (daily), Bangalore (twice weekly), and from Munich to Delhi (daily).
KLM/NorthWest operate Amsterdam to Mumbai and Delhi (daily) and Hyderabad (6 times a week).
Air France flies from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore (daily) and Chennai (four times a week).
In addition, Austrian Airlines, Iberia, Turkish Airlines, Alitalia, to name a few, are also options for flying into Delhi and Mumbai.
Other airlines with scheduled flights include Kuwait Airways, Saudia and Gulf Air.
Other Parts of the World There are few direct or non-stop operators from North America - notably Air India, Continental Airlines and Jet Airways. There are direct flights to Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai, as well as to Tokyo and Seoul as well.
However, in most cases, it is more convenient to fly via a major hub such as London/Frankfurt/Amsterdam (for Europe, South America and North American Atlantic Coast), Dubai/Doha/Muscat (Europe, South America, Africa and North American Atlantic Coast), and Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok (Australasia, Far East, South East Asia and North America Pacific Coast)
Domestic Air Travel is one of India's fastest growing industries - there are so many new aircraft, and new routes, that airports are straining to cope with the demand. Domestic airlines in India operate some of the world's youngest aircraft fleets.
Delhi and Mumbai are the major domestic airports in India, with Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Goa not far behind. Most of these airports offer a number of flights daily to each other, and to many smaller airports in their region.
There have been no major safety related issues in the recent past, and flying is generally a pleasant experience. It is often different on the ground though - with frequent delays due to Air Traffic Congestion over major airports. Problems are especially severe in December and January when airports in Northern India (mainly Delhi) need to suspend operations in the mornings and evenings due to heavy fog. This leads to delays in these airports and also elsewhere because of the knock-on effect.
Many now busy airports started out as simple aerodromes and were not designed to handle many passengers or aircraft. Some of these are being upgraded, some replaced while others continue to cope the best they can.
There is a mix of Full Service (Indian, Jet Airways, Kingfisher, Paramount) and Low-Cost (Deccan, Go-Air, Indigo, Jet Lite, Spice Jet) airlines operating in India. Competition lead to rock bottom prices, but these have now increased somewhat. Do look at the full price carefully before booking - taxes and surcharges can be more than the price of your ticket sometimes. Some new airports, including Hyderabad and Bangalore, may have a User fee to be paid on departure as well.
Traveling by road is one of the best ways of experiencing India. Unlike in many other countries, even the biggest highways pass right through towns, villages and bazaars. You can stop by the roadside almost anywhere to click pictures, and
Road travel is often the most convenient way to get around certain regions - Rajasthan, Gujarat, the Hills, Southern India and Kerala. In these areas, you can build long and interesting circuits without having to drive more than 5-6 hours between places on most days. Many places are not connected well enough by rail or by air, leaving no option but to go by road.
Indians drive on the left side of the road. Road etiquette borders on the non-existent, traffic signs & good maps are rare, and traffic can be quite heavy at times. It is not advisable for any but the most adventurous foreigners to attempt to drive on most Indian highways. India's highway system comprises of National Highways and State Highways. Most of these roads are two lanes only, without medians, and in varying states of repair. Many are now being upgraded to 4,6 or 8 lane dual carriageways in massive infrastructure projects across the country. When planning a road journey, account for an average speed of about 40-60 km per hour, depending on terrain.
Most good travel agents employ well trained and experienced drivers, who drive safely, know their routes well and understand the needs of travelers. They know which rest stops along the route have clean toilets and where you can have a snack without worrying about your digestion. Many times, they make good conversation, with the challenge of surmounting the language barrier adding to the enjoyment. Drivers on long trips have an overnight fee included in their charges, which covers their stay in a small hotel or guest house. Most, however, prefer to sleep in their own cars and save this money. While this is not a practice we endorse, it is a standard way of doing things. Drivers are often lax about wearing seat belts, and you should insist that your driver wear his.
India has one of the largest railway networks in the world. They are a great way to see the countryside and meet people, and can be an quick and convenient way of covering otherwise awkward distances (too close/expensive to fly, too far to drive).
The Palace on Wheels is one of the most famous train journeys in the World. Other similar trains are the Heritage on Wheels and the Deccan Odessey. There are also a number of vintage mountain railway systems in different parts of the country including the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Niligiri Toy Train, the Neral-Matheran line and the Kalka -Shimla line.
In general, trains are probably not the most comfortable way to travel from place to place, but we recommend at least one daytime train journey to the first time visitor. Longer journeys, and especially overnight journeys, need you to be a bit more resilient. An overnight train journey can be an inexpensive way of getting from one place to another, saving you hotel nights and a day time journey.
In most classes of travel, the accommodation is a little cramped and lacks privacy. Toilets (four to a coach) are shared, and more often than not, dirty.
For longer journeys, the recommended classes of travel are Air Conditioned First Class, and Air Conditioned Sleeper (or II Tier). First Class features lockable 2 or 4 person cabins with bunk beds, and a wash basin. The AC Sleeper does not have lockable cabins, and also has an additional set of berths along one side wall, making it more cramped than the First Class. Very few trains have AC First Class coaches now. Another common type of accommodation is the AC III Tier, which is similar to the II Tier except for triple-bunk beds.
Any of the above classes are suitable for shorter daytime journeys. Even better are the Air Conditioned Chair Car, and the AC Executive Class Chair Car. These have airplane style reclining seats.
Recommended trains are the Rajdhani Expresses (from state capitals to New Delhi), the Shatabdi Expresses and the Sampark Kranti Expresses. These usually have newer coaches, and are generally on time. Other trains, especially the long distance ones, tend to be delayed much more often .. sometimes by several hours. In general, we recommend you keep a few hours' buffer between connections involving trains.
Railway Stations are very colorful, often crowded and noisy. Be careful when purchasing food at railway stations. While standards are improving, you would not want to risk a bad tummy spoiling the holiday of a lifetime.
There are not many river and lake cruises in India.
The Assam Bengal Navigation Company runs cruises on the Brahmaputra river in Assam in India's North East. There are several voyages that can be booked, ranging from 4 nights to 10 nights, as well as combinations.
In Kerala in the south, cruises on the backwaters are very popular with travelers. You can try a day cruise, often including lunch, or an overnight cruise in a 1 or 2 bedroom boat. Some come with air-conditioners installed, and all have their own kitchen where the crew will rustle up excellent fare made from fresh vegetables and fish bought locally in village markets.
New Delhi - India's capital is a good starting off point for your holiday to India. Along with Jaipur and Agra, it forms the 'Golden Triangle' - the must see mini-circuit for every visitor to India. Delhi has several grand sites, including two UNESCO World Heritage monuments - the Qutab Minar and Humayun's Tomb.
Agra - Home of the Taj Mahal, India's most familiar icon, one of the seven wonders of the world, and eternal monument to love.
