FAQs

Not mandatory, but tipping workers such as driver, hotel crew, porters and other service staff is a good gesture. Considering the low wages earned by the average Indian person, a small tip of 5-10% of the service is a good gesture.

While smaller towns and villages may not have widespread internet connection, the urban areas have undergone immense development to have seamless WIFI and telecom connections to facilitate internet.

Mobile phone coverage is usually good even in the remote parts of the country. There are telecom providers that ensure global roaming which works nicely in India.

Toilets in India are generally of squat types. Ensure that you carry paper soaps, sanitizers. There are western toilets too that have been built over the last few years owing the government policies.

Cup of tea = 5 – 20 INR
Small bottle of beer = 40 INR
Basic street food plate = 40-60 INR
Buffet dinner in a nice restaurant = 800-1500 INR

While it is not considered harmful or fatal to drink tap water, it is still recommended that you do not drink tap water and get it purified or at-least boiled before consuming it.

Smaller shops, cafes, market stalls and places in remote areas probably won’t have facilities that support credit cards; however, credit cards are usually accepted by modern hotels, restaurants and medium-to-large shops in tourist areas. So, ensure you have enough cash to cover expenses while in rural areas or when visiting smaller markets.

The ATM machines are quite ubiquitous. Even the village and remote areas nowadays have access to ATM.

Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey. Ensure that you have one for the smooth visit to India.

• 26 Jan: Republic Day
• 13 Mar: Holi
• 17 April: Mahavir Jayanti
• 19 April: Good Friday
• 21 April: Easter Monday
• 19 May: Buddha’s Birthday
• 15 Aug: Independence Day
• 30 Aug: Islamic New Year
• 2 Oct: Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday
• 8 Oct: Dussehra
• 27 Oct: Diwali
• 12 Nov: Guru Nanak Jayanti
• 5 Dec: Birth of the Prophet Muhammad
• 25 Dec: Christmas Day

As for any traveller to India, travellers with disabilities will need plenty of patience and flexibility to get the most out of exploring India. India is working towards becoming more accessible for travellers with disabilities in the face of huge challenges. While resources are scarce and infrastructure currently underdeveloped, accessibility is a focus of government policy. Currently travel in India for people with disabilities is limited by societal attitudes and lack of infrastructure. People with disabilities are often isolated from mainstream society and many locals will not have had experience meeting disabled people. However, a big advantage India does have in making it easier to travel with a disability is that it is affordable to hire additional guides or a car and driver to help you get around.
Only top end hotels may be wheelchair friendly so if you require accessible rooms you will need to enquire with the accommodation in advance. Some restaurants may have ramps, but most buildings will have steps at the entrance. Footpaths are rarely free from crowds, obstacles, litter or holes where they do exist. In many places, paths will be unpaved and uneven. Many domestic airlines will not be able to adequately accommodate manual wheelchair users, although Jet Airways and Air India are generally said to have the best provisions. Progress is being made to make ramps available to enter and exit trains and provide disabled toilet facilities at railway stations. Metro stations in big cities like Delhi and Mumbai should have elevators, however these are not always functioning.

It’s a matter of consulting your doctor for the same. No special vaccination is required as such before you set foot in India.

Discretion is advised for LGBTQI-travellers in India. In some ways, the country is regressing in this area. Though homosexuality was decriminalized in 2009, it was again made illegal in 2013. However, times are changing according to recent laws, LGBT community is given a lot of support and homosexuality became legal too. You need to be careful in this front to ensure your safety.