India Travel Guide

Before you plan a holiday in India, you must go through India travel guide. Know all about essential information on Travel to India. We have included all information regarding Visa policy in India, Currency, Health requirements, Safety etc. Our travel guide to India (below) covers a lot of common questions, that almost all travelers to India seek answers for.

 

Visa

To visit India, it is compulsory to avail visa issued by authorities of Government of India. The visa is issued for business, tourist, medical and conference categories, and has a validity of 60 days with few exceptions. The visa can be applied for at the Indian Embassy, Indian Mission, Indian Post or even online.

e-Visa (electronic visa) under the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) facility is an easy option to avail visa for India. The e-Visa has three subcategories: e-Tourist Visa, e-Business Visa and e-Medical Visa.

You need to apply e-Visa, minimum four calendar days prior to the date of arrival and maximum 120 days in advance. The visa issued will valid for one calendar year from the date of arrival.

On e-tourist visa any continuous stay must not exceed 90 days. Exception are for citizens of Canada, Japan, United Kingdom and United States as well as all nationalities visiting on an e-business visa, which is allowed maximum for a stay of 180 days.

If you are a national of any following countries, you are eligible for e-Visa.

S N.        Countries

A             Albania, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan

B             Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burundi

C             Cambodia, Cameroon, Union Republic Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Island, Chile, China, China- SAR Hongkong, China- SAR Macau, Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'lvoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic

D             Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic

E              East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, European Union Citizens

F              Fiji, Finland, France

G             Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana

H             Haiti, Honduras, Hungary

I               Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy

J              Jamaica, Japan, Jordan

K             Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan

L              Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg

M            Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Mozambique, Myanmar

N             Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger Republic, Niue Island, Norway

O             Oman

P             Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua, New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal

Q             Qatar

R             Republic of Korea, Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Rwanda

S              Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland

T              Taiwan, Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Tonga Trinidad & Tobago Turks & Caicos Island Tuvalu

U             UAE, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan

V             Vanuatu, Vatican City-Holy See, Venezuela, Vietnam

Z              Zambia, Zimbabwe

 

Points to remember to apply for tourist visa on arrival

• The validity of your passport shall be at least six months.

• You must have confirmed tickets for return or onward journey.

 

e-Visa allows arrival at the following 28 airports and 5 seaports:

Airports: Ahmedabad,  Amritsar, Bagdogra, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Madurai, Mangaluru, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Port Blair, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirappalli, Varanasi, Visakhapatnam.

Seaports: Cochin, Chennai, Goa, Mangalore, Mumbai.

Exit is possible via any authorized immigration check post.

For further details browse through https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html

All Tourists whose Nationality is not mentioned in this Electronic Visa Authorization eligibility list, MUST obtain a valid Visa in advance, by contacting the Indian Embassy / High Commission / Consulate in their respective country before travelling to India.

 

Arrival Instructions: If you have pre-arranged an Airport arrival transfer in India, you will find a representative from Mira Travel India waiting to meet you outside the Customs Hall. Please look for a Mira Travel India sign, with your name on it.

As the Airport arrival area tends to get crowded with lots of people holding signs, you may need to look carefully for your transfer Representative. In the unlikely event, that you are unable to find our Airport Representative with your name, please call the relevant emergency contact numbers

24x7 Help line no : +91 9387260617, +91 9355917063 ,+91 9560284801

 

Insurance: We strongly recommend that you purchase a comprehensive Travel Insurance policy prior to your India trip. Insurance should include coverage for personal accident, medical expenses, baggage loss and cancellation or curtailment of your holiday. You must have adequate insurance, to cover you in the event you suffer a medical problem while travelling.

 

Money/Currency: The currency in India is known as the Indian Rupee (INR).

You are advised to carry a mix of cash and Travellers Cheques (US$ are preferable outside of the main cities). Traveller cheques can be exchanged at most major hotels. It is a good idea to keep the exchange receipts, as you may need these if you want to change the Indian currency back to your local currency at the end of your trip. Credit cards can be used at almost all the hotels and in most shops and restaurants in major cities; however they are not widely accepted in more rural areas.

Visa and Master card are the most commonly accepted amongst Credit / Charge cards. Cash advances can be obtained using these cards at most Bank branches, using your passport. ATM access is available in almost all cities.

 

Climate: India majorly has 3 main seasons - winter, summer and monsoon. The winter months, November to March, are usually pleasant all over India with day-time temperatures in North India averaging around 20-25 degrees Celsius.

December and January can get very cold in Northern India, particularly in Rajasthan, in the desert region and in Delhi. Evening / Night time temperatures during winter would average between 8-12 Celsius. Lightweight warm clothing or jackets may be necessary during this period. Around the Christmas period in Northern India, there is often fog, which can disrupt some flight or train schedules.

The summer months from April to June are increasingly hot almost everywhere in the country. During May and June daytime temperatures are routinely up to 40 Celsius.

The South West monsoon starts around the beginning of June on the West coast and with the exception of parts of South East India, India receives the majority of her rainfall between the months of June and September.

In the mountain areas of Southern India such as Munnar and Periyar National Park, the climate is temperate and evenings can be cool year round. Air conditioning is not necessary here and it may also be advisable to bring some lightweight warm clothing.

The peak tourist season in India runs from October to April , the cooler months ... but, travelling to India during the Summers does have the advantage of lower prices , fewer crowds and better Animal sightings in the National parks.

 

Baggage & Clothing: Baggage allowance on domestic flights in India is 15 kg for Economy class passengers and 30 kg for Business Class. Excess baggage is charged at around USD 5 per kg on all Domestic flight sectors.

Comfortable casual clothes made of cotton are best in tropical and semi tropical climates. Laundry services are available throughout the country, although hotel laundry costs can be expensive.

 

Electricity: The electric current in India operates on 220 volts. Electric plug types come in at least two sizes and vary throughout the country, the rounded two or three pronged plug is most commonly used.

 

Food & Water: Indian food is well known throughout the world and is one of the things to savour on your holiday in India. Each region of India specializes in its own cuisine. Our representatives will be happy to give you a list of recommended restaurants in each city. Breakfast is included each day on most of our tours and is usually a buffet with both Western and Indian dishes.

Drinking local tap water is NOT recommended. Bottled water is cheap and readily available throughout India and in fact we recommend you use that for brushing as well.

 

Tipping: If you are happy with the services provided by your local guides and drivers, a tip is appropriate. While it may not be customary to you, tipping inspires great service, and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across the Indian Sub-continent. As a general guide, if you are happy with the services provided, you should tip between USD 4-5 daily to your driver and a similar amount to your local guides daily. Of course you are free to tip more or less as you see fit, depending on your perception of service quality and the length of your trip.

Should you be dissatisfied with the services provided by your local guide or driver or tour leader, please let us know straightaway, so corrective action can be taken.

 

Safety & Security: These have become essential parts of travel information about India now, an information on safety and security, is often required by Travellers. India is generally a safe country, however petty street crime does occur, especially in some cities. In larger cities we recommend you wear as little jewellery as possible and make sure your spending money is kept in a secure place close to your body. We also recommended you take taxis, rather than walk at night. Taxis are mostly metered and inexpensive, but make sure the driver activates the meter and is clear on your destination - carry a hotel card, so your taxi driver knows where to take you.

Only take essentials out with you on the streets. Leave valuables (passport, credit cards, excess cash, jewellery) in hotel safety deposit boxes where available.

It would also be advisable to make photocopies of your passport, credit card numbers, and airline tickets, and keep a record of your travellers cheques. These documents should be kept in a safe place separate from the originals.

When travelling on trains, clients may wish to take extra precautions with their finances by using money belts. If you are a single woman travelling, or a group of just female travelers, we recommend you exercise some extra caution, and only use transport organized either via a Mira travel India office or a reputable hotel.

 

Mail & Communication: International direct dial is available from most hotels but it is rather expensive. It can cost upwards of INR 200 per minute to make an international call from a Hotel. Cheap international calls can be made from local shops with an STD/PCO/ISD sign outside. Most hotels also offer internet and email services which are convenient. Internet cafes are also present in most important tourist places.

 

Mobile / GSM phone coverage in India is excellent, and your GSM phone with International roaming, will function almost throughout the country. It is also possible for travelers to purchase a local SIM Card that can be used on GSM networks almost throughout the country. These can be purchased at most major Airports, as well as at several city locations. For security reasons, the travelers ID is required, and hence a SIM Card cannot be arranged by us prior to your arrival.

 

Other Information: Should you require any other information regarding travel to India, feel free to email us at info@miratravel.in