Visa Information / Foreign Embassies in India

For information regarding the exact list of documents as well as the various types of visas available, we suggest you contact the India Embassy in your home country. Please keep aside approximately 4 to 6 weeks for the visa process.

A complete list of Indian missions abroad can be found at: http://india.gov.in/overseas/indian_missions.php

In case you have any concerns during your stay in India, a list of all Foreign Embassies in India can be found at: http://india.gov.in/overseas/foreign_emb_india.php

Weather

India's unique topography and diverse weather condition offers visitors a variety of things to do all year long. While the best time to visit India is between September and March owing to a relatively pleasant winter climate, the months of April to August are best to travel in the hills of northern India.

The weather is hot most of the year with variations from region to region. The coolest weather lasts from around December to February, with fresh mornings and evenings and mostly sunny days. The really hot weather, when it is dry, dusty and unpleasant, is between March and June. Monsoon rains occur in most regions in summer anytime between June and early October.

- Western Himalayas: Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are best from March to October. November to Feb are very cold with Places like Gulmarg, Manali
  and Pahalgam under several feet of snow and temperatures in Ladakh can be extremely cold. The day temperatures between March to Oct are between 20 to 35 Degrees
  Celcius and nights are between 15 to 25 degrees. Winter temperatures can get as low as minus 30 degrees.

- Northern Plains: This climate is typically warm from April to mid-June, winters are between November and February while monsoons are between June and September.
  The day temperatures between March to Oct are between 30 to 45 Degrees Celcius and nights are between 25 to 40 degrees. In the winter, day temperatures are
  between 15 to 25 degrees and night temperatures can fall as low as zero degrees.

- Central India: Madhya Pradesh state escapes the very worst of the hot season, but monsoons are heavy between July and September. Temperatures fall at night
  in winter. Temperature pattern is similar to the northern plains.

- Western India: November to February is most comfortable. Summers can be extremely hot with monsoon rainfall between mid June and mid September. Day
  temperature between November and Feb varies between 25 to 30 degrees and night between 18 to 25 degrees. For the rest of the year, daytime temperatures are
  between 25 to 35 degrees and nighttime temperatures between 20 and 30 degrees.

- Southwest: The most pleasant weather is from November to March. Monsoon rains fall anywhere between late April and July. Summer temperatures not as high as
  Northern India although humidity is extreme. The coast benefits from some cooling breezes.

- Southeast: Tamil Nadu experiences a northeast monsoon between October and December and temperatures and humidity are high all year. The hills can be cold in
  winter. Daytime temperature between October and December can vary between 20 to 30 degrees and nights are between 18 to 25 degrees. For the rest of the year,
  daytime temperatures hover between 30 and 40 degrees while nighttime temperatures are between 30 to 35 degrees.

- Northeast: March to June and September to November are the driest and most pleasant periods. The rest of the year has extremely heavy monsoon rainfall.

Helpful Tips and Links

Accommodation in Indian cities is not a problem and easily matches international standards. For tours involving stays in remote locations, our standards would ensure the best available accommodation. If you have special needs, please inform us in advance and we will make adequate arrangements.

- It is advisable to convert 1500 USD worth of foreign exchange into Indian Rupees before you begin your travel in India. This can be easily done at the 24 hour counters at
  the airport / port of entry through recognized agents like State Bank of India or Thomas Cook. In big cities, hotels and banks also provide this service.

- When buying antiques or souvenirs, we would suggest sticking to government recognized agencies or brokers. We are happy to offer you advice on where exactly to go
  and what to buy.

- It is advisable to check with your local doctor on the kind of medical preparation you need before coming to India. Some countries prescribe a specific set of precautionary
  treatments before you travel.

- In case you are on medication, please carry additional doses with you for the duration of the trip. While most medicines have substitutes available in India, certain brands,
  standards or compositions may differ.

- It is best to let us know of your plans to travel at least 6 months in advance. This helps us get better deals and avoid holiday rushes as well as festival and fair related
  inflation.

- English is spoken widely in India. However, be prepared for the unique India accent which also varies from North to South as well as East to West India.

- India people are for most part helpful and friendly. Please do not feel offended if someone unknown starts a conversation with you about personal affairs like your
  marital status, religion or your job and benefits. In India, it is all part of "breaking the ice" and should be taken in that spirit.

- While visiting places of worship please check with us since the rules for visiting a church or a mosque differ from visiting temples and other holy sites.

- Doing some research on India and the particular places that you are planning to visit is quite a good idea. This will not only help you be clear about what you want to do
  but also help us plan your experience better.

- Safety is a concern in India. However, certain simple rules like “not being in the wrong place at the wrong time” are adequate to avoid any untoward incidents.

- The electric current in India is 220/ 250 volts and 50 cycles. Please carry appropriate converters.

- Weather in India differs from region to region. Please check with us on the kind of Gear you need to carry. This differs considerably depending on the time of your visit as
  well as the part of India you will be in.

- For women travelers: It is important to consider dressing more conservatively, avoiding short skirts and short tops. While in India, you can go for the traditional India
  dresses which are available in all shapes and sizes at reasonable prices.

- Getting a local SIM card for your phone normally takes a week. However, if you do have a tri-band phone, you can use it without any issues. International roaming charges
  are heavy.

- The India currency is Rupee. 100 Paisa make a Rupee. In order to get the current exchange rates don’t forget to check on the internet.

The Indian way of greeting someone with respect is “Namaste” and the word for Thank you is “Dhanyavaad”. It is a good idea to remember these words as they will help you exchange many smiles along the way.