Glorious India - once visited never forgotten
It is true to say that once you have been to India you will want to go again.
We have now been twice, once in 2014 for a 50th Birthday, again in 2016 but there is still so much to see.
First timers would be wise to go to Rajasthan combined with Delhi and Agra and this is what we did but added Mumbai and Goa to the mix. Do not try and fit everything in the first time, travelling to each place should be taken into account, you can spend hours in the car and you need to relax at some point.
Trying to plan the trip yourself is difficult, I had no idea where to start or where to go so started checking out agents. I contacted two, one of which was Louise Nicholson who immediately impressed so we worked out a suitable itinerary. Her knowledge of India is vast and her recommendations were all excellent.
The second trip was also arranged through Louise and covered far more areas, we were there for a month starting in New Delhi and finishing in Kolkata.
Both trips were amazing but the first time was special and made us fall in love with India especially Rajasthan, the hotels there are amazing with lots of choice between unique heritage hotels or well known brands such as Taj and Oberoi, personally I think Oberoi wins with a selection of stunning hotels such as Amarvilas and Udaivilas, beautiful buildings and top class service.
On the second trip we were in the Himalayas stopping in Darjeeling, Sikkim and then Shimla but whilst stunning scenery do take into account the travelling to get up there especially if you are not keen on heights, this really had an impact on our enjoyment of these areas with only Darjeeling being worth the effort.
Of the cities, New Delhi was our favourite followed closely by Mumbai, both have lots to see, wonderful food, great hotels and excellent shopping. Delhi in particular has the combination of Mughal and colonial architecture and you really do need more than a couple of days to cover everything in both cities.
Finally you have to go to Agra, you may think it is now just a tourist trap but the Taj Mahal is worth seeing and the Red Fort is a better example than the one in Delhi, a couple of days will be enough.
If you are staying in luxury hotels the you will need smart casual clothing for the evenings. Day time comfortable cotton clothes for sightseeing and decent shoes in the cities especially places like Amritsar and Varanasi as the streets are dirty and dusty. As it is normal to be travelling around spending just two to three nights in one place then all you will need is the amount of outfits to cover the most nights. The laundry service in the hotels is usually very good so having tops and shirts washed is easy.
As we spent a few nights trying to see tigers in Panna I took stretch jeans and boots which did for the cities as well. Mumbai and Delhi have some great shops so you will no doubt end up buying clothes and the local shoes. You should also throw in a bikini for the few hours you get relaxing by the pool after sightseeing. You do not have to take toiletries as these were always provided and you can get medicines, just ask your driver or guide.
You will need to cover up at some of the temples/mosques but they will provide you with clothing or just take a shawl and also take socks if you are wearing sandals when visiting.
Certain countries can apply for the visa on arrival online, easy process and we received a 30 day visa. Do check as new countries keep being added to the online visa system.
- 100 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 125 grams of tobacco;
- 2 litres of alcoholic beverages
- a reasonable quantity of medicines
- goods for personal use
Most major airlines fly into the main Indian cities including Air India which you can connect with to fly throughout the country as well as the budget airlines Spice Jet, IndiGo, Go Air and Air Asia India. Do check the luggage allowances especially if you are getting off a international business flight, even Air India domestic flights have a very low allowance.
All our ground transport was arranged our agent and included in the price. They use Toyota Innovas which were comfortable.
Taxis are available at the airports and for a bit more luxury Blacklane cover certain cities.
Trains run all over the country and you may well want to take a luxury journey with the Maharaja Express.
Our drivers and guides were the best people to ask and in most cases we ended up at shops called the The British Wine Shop which seemed to have branches throughout the country. The supermarket in Kolkata also sold a good selection of alcohol.
Take USD for the visa and get the agent to get it for you. I have read reports that if you do it yourself you get shortchanged.
At the time of writing the e-visa service was available but there is a false website to watch out for. The consensus is that it is easier to get it on arrival.
I took USD cash and cards, cards were used at the hotels and we changed the dollars at the ATM, you feed in the note and get Egyptian Pounds back which you need for the tips, small shops and markets.
Make clear to your guide if you do not want to visit the tourist trap shops.
You can visit the Bazaars yourself, again the guides take you to commission shops which are generally poor quality.
Local Taxis are an experience and be aware that the price may change on your arrival.
Do watch some documentaries beforehand, it helps as there is so much history to process.
Avoid the included lunches on private tours!