The best season
In India there are basically three climate conditions: warm, humid and fresh. In general, the best time to visit the country is in winter (November to February) but it can vary from one region to another. The humid heat and potential monsoons can make the journey unpleasant. We traveled during August and the weather can be challenging (hot and humid). Not counting a couple of days – when we literally got drenched – it all went well.
What to wear
It is hot and humid in summer, except for the desert area (just hot). Equip yourself properly to face monsoons: bring a windbreaker and a pair of sandals. Watch out for the temperature leaps caused by air conditioning.
Transportation
Choose traveling by plane or train for long internal journeys. Trains can be fascinating because during the day you will have the opportunity to observe the Indian countryside. By night, they are extremely practical as they allow you to optimize your time.
If you want to book night trains check the reservation you are making, at our time it was not recommended to book the “sleeper” classes, rather opt for first class to avoid the crowd. In the main cities train station there are special help desks for foreigners. Here you will find the railway website, to consult all train timetables.
For the rest of the trip we suggest renting a car with a driver. That’s how it goes there. In India, people drive in their own special way, a very “wild” way, with the addition of some damaged roads, a few cows here and there, and traffic signs in the local language… the risk of a catastrophe is always around the corner.
For shorter trips, if you haven’t rented a car yet, we recommend renting a taxi or a tuk-tuk. Before getting in, make sure it has a meter (rarely you’ll find one) or agree on the price.
Where to stay
There’s a wide offer of hotels to choose, from the very modest to the most luxurious ones. As for our other trips, we usually tend to favor small hotels where you can enjoy a deeper local atmosphere. Before deciding whether to take the room or not, you can simply ask to see it beforehand. As a precaution, we had brought the bug spray :). Another tip if you scared of crawling insects: place a small dish filled with water at each foot of the bed, this should prevent unwanted guests during the night.
If we were to recommend a place to stay overnight, don’t miss a former Marahaja’s residence, the Samode Palace, few minutes from Jaipur. For a night you’ll live like a prince (or princess).
Dinner offered by its elegant restaurant is also very good. It was the only time we ate meat during our entire trip.
Miscellaneous
- Visa: must be requested at the office in charge. Ask about its issuance beforehand.
- Arriving in India can be annoying because of the chaos and the people rushing while trying to sell taxi rides, hotel arrangements, etc… Be careful, because everything is only made in order to receive a potential commission from the hotelier/ shopkeeper or restaurant owner which, obviously, is included in the price you pay (increased).
- Hygiene: if you are careful enough with food and hygiene, you can avoid inconvenient and prolonged stops in the bathroom. First of all, pay attention to water: drink mineral water only, and always make sure that the bottles are sealed. As for food, you should avoid uncooked vegetables and unpeeled fruit. Also be careful with meat, which is often not kept in the fridge. In India, for few weeks, we turned vegetarian and it was great!
