I. Clothing: The climate in India is generally warm and can be humid, however, there is a vast range of climatic conditions throughout the country and at different times of year. In the north of the country, the winter months from December to February can be decidedly cool and a light woollen jumper and jacket are essential. Most hotels have an efficient in-house laundry service so you don't need to bring many sets of clothing. 3 lightweight shirts, (some people find even T-shirts a bit warm) and the same number of lightweight trousers or skirts should be enough. Some long-sleeved tops to guard against mosquitoes in the evenings are a good idea- preferably in light, natural colours to assist in keeping them away. Western-style clothing is easy to find and should you need more clothes, they are often much cheaper than at home. And the experience of shopping for any item in India is always a lot of fun- both for you and for the locals!
II. Ladies, please bear in mind when choosing your trip clothing that India is still fairly conservative and women’s clothing, for the most part, is quite modest. Although this is changing, particularly in the main metro cities, it’s best to still avoid low cut or sleeveless tops, shorts and see-through material. It is good to blend in as much as possible with the locals and dressing appropriately helps with that. The same applies to men, more as an issue of respecting local customs. For this reason, shorts should always reach to below the knee and singlets or vests are to be avoided. If you are visiting ashrams or temples you need to cover your arms, at least with short sleeves, and legs. A pair of socks can be useful for walking on hot floors. If your tour includes visiting a wildlife sanctuary then also keep in mind that dark colours such as green, brown and black are the best to wear when out walking looking for animals. Remember too that early mornings in the jungle (you will often be zipping around in an open jeep well before sunrise) can be very cold- a windproof jacket is a good idea, although many hotels will be able to provide blankets should you require them. Your shoes should be comfortable for walking and offer some protection for walking in crowded places. Slip-on sandals are useful for the days when you visit temples where footwear is removed.
III. Personal items
• You don't need to bother with too much in the way of a first aid kit. You can buy almost anything over the counter at pharmacies which are everywhere in India. Hydration salts (Gastrolite) are not always available so it is a good idea to bring some of these. And of course any specific medication you have been prescribed by your own doctor. But painkillers, antiseptics and even antibiotics, are very easy to find.
• A torch (flashlight) and alarm clock.
• An inflatable pillow can be useful for long train journeys - general bedding, including a small pillow is provided. A sleeping sheet or sleeping bag liner is great for these situations if you already own one.
• Earplugs for light sleepers.
• A universal sink/wash basin plug- for reasons unknown, many hotel wash basins lack plugs in the hand-basins, so bring your own!
• Power supply in India is an be variable. If you are bringing sensitive electronic equipment, it is worth considering a simple surge protection device. Universal power adaptors are readily available.
• You can buy almost anything you need in India. You will almost invariably have your first day in a big city or tourist town where there will be an array of items for sale at prices which are often only a fraction of what they cost at home.
• Try to keep your luggage to a minimum especially if your tour includes train trips and flights (see above for information on excess luggage charges on internal flights). You will find many wonderful things to buy along the way so leave room for them when you start out!
Being vaccinated is a very personal decision. Some people prefer to be covered for everything that might happen and others prefer not to have anything more than is necessary. There is a lot of information on the internet about vaccinations but it is always best to combine your own research with the sound advice of your own doctor or a specialist travellers’ medical centre. It is strongly recommended that everyone be covered for Tetanus. One injection should cover you for 10 years.
Malaria is uncommon in most parts of India commonly visited by tourists so taking anti-malarial drugs is not essential. Advice varies however so this is a personal decision and you should consult your doctor before leaving home. Wearing light coloured clothing, covering ankles and arms and using an insect repellent will certainly help you to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. In most hotel rooms, you will see a small plug in electrical device to vaporize mosquito repellent at night in your hotel room. Switch it on at dusk and leave it going through to the morning. Ceiling fans and air-conditioning will keep the air in your room circulating, making it very difficult for mosquitoes to land and bite. You can also buy Odomos cream locally. Please weigh up all the advice on health issues and make your own informed decision.
- As with travelling anywhere, it’s best to have 2 or 3 alternative sources of funds- cash, multiple credit cards etc- just in case you encounter a situation where you can’t change money, or the phone network is down and credit card payments can’t be processed. Please note there is a restriction on bringing rupees into the country and although interpretations of the law vary, and enforcement may be non-existent, it is better not to obtain rupees at home before you come to India.
- When changing money, all exchange rates are set by the central government so there is very little advantage in 'shopping around' to get a better rate. In most cases it is easiest to change money at authorized money exchange centres located in each major city, which your drivers can assist you. The most widely accepted currencies are US Dollars, British Pounds and the Euro with Australian and Canadian Dollars and major Asian currencies not far behind.
- Credit cards can be used at all major hotels and restaurants but for smaller purchases cash- in rupees- is definitely better and easier.
- ATMs are very widespread, but not always 100% reliable. You can access these using an account linked to a Visa/MasterCard or Cirrus/Plus networked card, definitely pays to check with your bank at home before you leave to ascertain exactly what charges you will incur by withdrawing money from an ATM in India- these can be very high.
- American Express is not widely accepted in India.
- A further option is a Wise Card or similar- a card you can pre-purchase at home and load up with your local currency and convert this into rupees and use the card in India just like a regular debit card.
- Advising your bank at home that you will be in India is a good idea as this will the likelihood of transactions being declined
- From the moment you arrive you will see that India runs on tipping, from the person who carries your bag, delivers your food or drives your vehicle.
- Some hotels now have a 'centralized' tipping system. This is a much more equitable way of sharing out the tips as there are often dozens of staff in a hotel (cooks, gardeners, laundry people etc) who you never see, meaning that the front office and room staff get the vast majority of the tips. Please look out for a box on the reception desk at the time you check in. If you tip a total of 800-1500 rupees per day in such a place this would be fine, although perhaps a little more in 5-star establishments.
- If this is not the case, then for a porter who carries your bags to the room a 50-100 Rupee tip is fine. A similar amount is OK for the people who come and clean your room. In restaurants work on 10% of the total bill as a reasonable tip- there is no set amount as is the case in other countries.
- At the end of your trip (or each sector) it is customary to tip your driver. As a suggestion, 700-1200 rupees per day is a reasonable tip for the driver, but the amount is totally up to you. (This is from the whole party, not per person). This is just a general guideline for you as there is no set amount to specify.
- For one-off vehicle services like airport transfers and the like, Rs500-800 is okay.
- For guides, a tip of 500-800 rupees at the conclusion of the service is reasonable.
- If there is anyone else you encounter who does an exceptional job or goes well beyond the call of duty, a tip for their attentiveness never goes amiss.
- Historically India was regarded as a very inexpensive place to travel but this is no longer the case and many people are surprised at how expensive things are now.
- Meals- a typical meal at a local restaurant will cost between Rs500-1000 per person. Vegetarian food is typically a little cheaper and meals at hotel and high-end restaurants can be much more expensive.
- Typically breakfast will be included with your accommodation and you could budget for around Rs1500 per person per day for lunch/dinner, but be prepared to spend more in bigger cities and tourist hubs.
- Items you might need to buy along the way- snacks for travel etc- will largely have the maximum retail price (MRP) printed on the packaging or label.