Who it's for
Is India right for your trip?
Every country is somebody's favourite. The honest question is whether it is yours, and for this trip.
This is your trip if…
- You can hold a route to two regions and give each city real days.
- Heat, noise and crowds are context you plan around rather than problems to remove.
- Food, markets and street life are part of the itinerary, not a risk to be managed away.
- You are comfortable with trains, drivers and guides doing the logistics while you set the pace.
Think twice if…
- You want Delhi, Rajasthan, Varanasi, Kerala and Goa in ten days.
- You expect timetables, entries and roads to behave like Western Europe.
- You cannot tolerate hot afternoons or a monsoon that reshapes travel between June and September.
- You want beach-resort simplicity without engaging with the country around it.
Best time to visit
When is the best time to visit India?
October–March for the north and Rajasthan; December–February for Kerala and Goa. The north is cool and clear from October to March, though Delhi's winter air quality can be severe in November and December and Rajasthan nights are cold. April to June is punishing heat across the plains and desert. The southwest monsoon arrives in Kerala in early June and reaches Delhi by July; it brings flooding and rail disruption but also green landscapes and low prices. Goa and Kerala are at their best from November to February.
- Best
Winter
November–February
Cool days in Delhi, Agra and Rajasthan; Delhi's air pollution peaks in November and December, so plan the city chapter with that in mind.
- Good
Spring shoulder
March and early April
Warm and busy, with Holi in March; Kerala and Goa are already hot but still dry.
- Avoid
Pre-monsoon heat
April–June
Plains and desert temperatures exceed 40 °C; only the hills are comfortable and the south turns humid.
- Mixed
Monsoon
June–September
Kerala and Mumbai receive heavy rain, Goa largely closes and roads flood; Rajasthan is greener and quieter, and prices fall everywhere.
Climate · monthly normals
Continental plains city: cold foggy winter mornings, extreme pre-monsoon heat and a wet July and August.
For contrast
Tropical monsoon coast: warm and humid all year, with June and July among the wettest months anywhere in India.
Festivals and events
What is worth planning around?
Dates a plan should either aim for or steer clear of. Both are useful; the second saves more money.
March, on the full moon
Holi
Nationwide, strongest in Mathura, Vrindavan and Jaipur
The spring festival of colour spills into streets, courtyards and hotel gardens for a day of powder, water and music.
Transport and shops largely stop on the day; women travellers should join organised or hosted celebrations rather than street crowds.
October or November, new moon
Diwali
Nationwide, especially Jaipur and Varanasi
The festival of lights fills markets, lamps every threshold and ends in fireworks that leave Delhi's air at its worst.
Trains and hotels book out for the week around it; the days after are quiet and hazy in the north.
October or November, ending on Kartik Purnima
Pushkar Camel Fair
Pushkar, Rajasthan
Livestock trading, pilgrimage bathing and a large temporary town merge on the edge of a small lake town.
Camp and hotel capacity is fixed; book months ahead and expect animal welfare that varies widely.
August or September
Onam
Kerala
The state's harvest festival brings flower carpets, snake-boat races on the backwaters and the multi-course sadya meal served on banana leaf.
Where to go
Where should you go in India?
The places that earn their nights, most important first, with how long each deserves. Nobody needs all of them on one trip.
City and local guides
6 worked-out stopsMap numbers match the local guide cards.
- 01
Delhi & Agra
South Asia
travel base4–5 daysDelhi is several cities layered on one another, from Sultanate tombs to Lutyens' avenues and Old Delhi lanes. Agra is a day and a night by fast train, best with a dawn Taj Mahal entry and time for Fatehpur Sikri.
Best time: October–March
Explore Delhi & Agra - 02
Rajasthan
South Asia
travel base6–8 daysJaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur are distinct cities linked by rail and long roads. Give each two nights, add Pushkar or Ranthambore if time allows, and travel with a driver between them rather than backtracking.
Best time: October–April
Explore Rajasthan - 03
Mumbai
South Asia
city3 daysMumbai's Fort, Colaba and Marine Drive carry colonial and Deco architecture beside markets, street food and the country's film and finance industries. It works as a gateway to Goa or as a standalone city chapter.
Best time: November–February
Explore Mumbai - 04
Kerala
South Asia
travel base5–7 daysFort Kochi, the Alappuzha backwaters, Munnar tea country and the northern Malabar coast form a slow southern chapter with a different pace, language and kitchen from the north.
Best time: November–February
Explore Kerala - 05
Varanasi
South Asia
city2–3 daysVaranasi is intense, sacred and not a place to hurry. Dawn boat rides, the evening Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh and the lanes behind the ghats need an early start, a good guide and a tolerance for crowds and cremation.
Best time: October–March
Explore Varanasi - 06
Goa
South Asia
travel base4–6 daysGoa is more than beach shacks. Old Goa's churches, Panaji's Latin Quarter, spice farms and the quieter southern beaches fill a week; the north is busiest and the monsoon closes most of it.
Best time: November–February
Explore Goa
Things to do
What should you do in India?
Not a bucket list — the handful of things that make this country this country, with the timing catch that stops people doing them well.
- 01
Book the Taj Mahal properly
Agra
Buy the official timed entry, arrive for sunrise and add the mausoleum ticket; the Friday closure and full-moon night viewings both catch people out.
- 02
Read Delhi's layers
Mehrauli, Humayun's Tomb and Shahjahanabad
Sultanate, Mughal and British Delhi sit kilometres apart; group sites by area and take the metro rather than fighting traffic between them.
- 03
Give Rajasthan a driver
Jaipur to Udaipur
A hired car with driver turns the long stretches between Jodhpur, Ranakpur and Udaipur into part of the trip instead of lost days.
- 04
Eat Mumbai on the street and in the canteen
Fort, Girgaon and Bandra
Vada pav, Parsi cafés, Irani bakeries and Malvani fish thalis explain the city better than any tasting menu.
- 05
Sleep on the backwaters once
Alappuzha and Kumarakom
One night on a kettuvallam houseboat is enough; a canoe day through narrow canals shows village life the big boats cannot reach.
- 06
Be present at the ghats
Varanasi
A dawn boat and the evening aarti frame the day; walk the lanes with a local guide and treat cremation ghats with the restraint they require.
How to get around
How do you get around India?
Indian Railways links every major city, with fast Vande Bharat and Shatabdi trains on Delhi–Agra, Delhi–Jaipur and Mumbai corridors and overnight sleepers elsewhere. Flights save days on long north–south hops. Hired cars with drivers make Rajasthan and Kerala workable; metros run in Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi, and app taxis or autos cover the rest.
Indian Railways
Fast day trains suit Delhi–Agra–Jaipur and Mumbai–Goa; overnight AC sleepers cover longer legs. Book through IRCTC or an agent weeks ahead, and use waitlists with care.
Rule of thumb: Under eight hours → train; longer or north–south → fly.
Domestic flights
IndiGo, Air India and Akasa connect Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Varanasi and Goa cheaply; allow generous airport time and avoid same-day international connections.
Car with driver
Hiring a car and driver is standard in Rajasthan and Kerala; self-driving is not recommended. Agree the itinerary, hours and stops in writing.
Metro, autos and app taxis
Delhi and Mumbai metros beat traffic; Uber and Ola work in cities, and auto-rickshaws need a fare agreed first or a meter running.
Passes and cards, honestly
- There is no rail pass for foreign visitors; a foreign-tourist quota exists on many trains and is bookable through IRCTC or agents.
- Monument entry is per site at foreign-national rates; the ASI's multi-site ticket covers Delhi's main ruins but not the Taj.
Travel tips
What should you know before you go?
The things locals assume you know. Most travellers learn them by getting one wrong on day two.
- Dress and temple etiquette are practical
- Cover shoulders and knees at religious sites, remove shoes where asked, and expect some temples to admit only Hindus.
- Bargaining is normal, contempt is not
- Markets expect negotiation; hotel-arranged shops and government emporia set fixed prices. Guides and drivers earn commission from stops you did not ask for.
- Vegetarian is a cuisine, not an absence
- Gujarati thalis, South Indian breakfasts and Jain kitchens are among the country's best food; meat-heavy expectations miss the point.
- Photography needs consent
- Ask before photographing people, never at cremation ghats, and accept that some communities and ceremonies are closed to cameras.
- Caste, religion and politics are present
- Communal tensions and political events can shift local moods quickly; listen more than you speak and follow current advice on protests.
Travel basics
Visa, money, SIM cards and more
The boring section, which is why it is the one people skip and then regret at the airport.
visa
Apply for the e-Visa early
Most passports qualify for an online e-Visa with a fixed validity and entry count; apply at least a week ahead and print the approval.
money
Cash plus UPI-aware cards
ATMs are widespread in cities but often empty or fee-heavy; carry small notes for autos, tips and rural stops. Foreign cards do not run India's UPI payment system.
connectivity
Buy a local SIM on arrival
Airport SIM counters need passport and visa copies; eSIM alternatives work but local numbers help with app bookings and drivers.
plugs
Type C, D and M sockets
India uses 230 V; round-pin sockets vary by building and power cuts are routine outside big cities.
safety
Scams outnumber violence
Fake tourist offices near stations, unmetered taxis and closed-attraction stories are common; women travellers should plan night transport and accommodation with extra care.
health
Water and food discipline
Drink sealed or filtered water, choose busy cooked-food stalls and carry rehydration salts; check current vaccination advice and malaria risk by region.
Trip costs
How much does a trip to India cost?
A mid-range trip usually needs about €45–€120 per person per day, before long-haul flights. Trains, street food and guesthouses make India inexpensive at the everyday level, while heritage hotels, private drivers, domestic flights and houseboats are priced closer to Europe. Foreign-national entry fees at monuments are many times the domestic rate; budget for them and for tips, which are expected across the service chain.
Shoestring
€€25–45
per person / day
- Stay
- Guesthouse or basic hotel
- Food
- Street food, thalis and dhabas
- Transport
- Sleeper trains and state buses
Works well for cities and the Golden Triangle; comfort suffers in the heat.
Mid-range
€€60–120
per person / day
- Stay
- Good hotel or heritage haveli
- Food
- Restaurants and a few guided food walks
- Transport
- Chair-car trains, domestic flights and a driver for Rajasthan
The sensible level for a two-region trip with margin for guides.
Comfortable
€€180–400
per person / day
- Stay
- Palace hotel, boutique or plantation stay
- Food
- Chef-led dining and private cooking sessions
- Transport
- Private drivers, business-class rail and flights
Spend on drivers, guides and rooms that soften the intensity.
Sample itineraries
Starting points, not scripts
Each of these is a real request you could hand to Menta as written. Change the people, the month and the pace; the structure will hold.
Golden Triangle and beyond
10 days- Delhi
- Agra
- Jaipur
- Delhi
The classic loop with three Delhi days, a dawn Taj and two Jaipur nights, using fast trains and one driver day.
North India in depth
16 days- Delhi
- Agra
- Jaipur
- Jodhpur
- Udaipur
- Varanasi
Rajasthan with a driver between the three painted cities, then a flight to Varanasi for the ghats before departing from Delhi.
Mumbai and the south
14 days- Mumbai
- Goa
- Fort Kochi
- Munnar
- Alappuzha
A city opening, then the coast by train and a Kerala chapter through hills and backwaters.
Common questions
Quick answers about travel in India
Short answers to the questions people ask before they book. Use the full guide for the detail and trade-offs.
- When is the best time to visit India?
- October–March for the north and Rajasthan; December–February for Kerala and Goa. The north is cool and clear from October to March, though Delhi's winter air quality can be severe in November and December and Rajasthan nights are cold. April to June is punishing heat across the plains and desert. The southwest monsoon arrives in Kerala in early June and reaches Delhi by July; it brings flooding and rail disruption but also green landscapes and low prices. Goa and Kerala are at their best from November to February.
- How much does a trip to India cost?
- Plan about €45–€120 per person per day for a mid-range trip, before long-haul flights. Trains, street food and guesthouses make India inexpensive at the everyday level, while heritage hotels, private drivers, domestic flights and houseboats are priced closer to Europe. Foreign-national entry fees at monuments are many times the domestic rate; budget for them and for tips, which are expected across the service chain.
- How do you get around India?
- Indian Railways links every major city, with fast Vande Bharat and Shatabdi trains on Delhi–Agra, Delhi–Jaipur and Mumbai corridors and overnight sleepers elsewhere. Flights save days on long north–south hops. Hired cars with drivers make Rajasthan and Kerala workable; metros run in Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi, and app taxis or autos cover the rest.
More destinations
Where else?
- JapanA megacity, a thousand temples and trains that leave to the second.
- ChinaImperial capitals, fast trains, regional tables and landscapes at continental scale.
- ItalyThree civilisations' worth of cities, and lunch takes two hours.
- SpainEurope's longest high-speed rail, five cultures, and lunch at three.
- PortugalTwo hilly cities, a valley of port and a long Atlantic coast.
- GreeceAntiquity, two hundred inhabited islands and a ferry timetable to respect.
- IcelandOne road, no trains, and weather that rewrites the plan daily.
- ThailandStreet food, temples, two coasts and Asia's cheapest good hotel room.
- VietnamTwo capitals, one slow railway and the best street food in Asia.
- MoroccoMedinas, the High Atlas and the Sahara, a ferry ride from Europe.
- MexicoA 3,000-year-old civilisation, the best street food on earth, and two coastlines.
- Costa RicaCloud forest, two coasts, volcanoes and wildlife best seen slowly.
- The BahamasShallow banks, island towns and water-led journeys between cays.
- BarbadosCoral coasts, Bajan food and an island with several speeds.
- CubaLayered cities, karst valleys and a journey that needs patience.
- Dominican RepublicCaribbean cities, mountain interiors and coasts beyond the resort gate.
- JamaicaMusic, mountain rain, strong food and coasts with different rhythms.
- FranceGreat cities, long lunches, mountains and a coast for every mood.
- United KingdomHistoric cities, wild coastlines and weather worth planning around.
- GermanyBig culture, small cities, forests and trains with caveats.
- NetherlandsCanals, art, cycling and small cities that reward staying longer.
- CroatiaAdriatic islands, stone towns, clear water and a crowded August.
- TurkeyMosques, markets, ancient cities and coastlines on a huge scale.
- SwitzerlandAlps, lakes and trains that make the expensive route feel simple.
- AustriaImperial cities, Alpine lakes, music and excellent rail links.
- NorwayFjords, midnight light, coastal towns and beautiful long distances.
- SwedenArchipelagoes, forests, design and summer light that lasts.
- FinlandLakes, saunas, forests and a capital built for slow days.
- CzechiaBeautiful old towns, serious beer and an easy train route beyond Prague.
- PolandDeep history, lively cities, forests, lakes and mountain food.
- IrelandAtlantic cliffs, music-filled towns, green roads and weather in charge.
- AustraliaBig distances, old landscapes, city beaches and wildlife in the wild.
- New ZealandVolcanoes, fjords, coast roads and a country made for the outdoors.
- IndonesiaVolcanoes, rice fields, reefs and thousands of islands to choose from.
- South KoreaFast cities, quiet temples, mountain trails and food at every hour.
- United StatesHuge landscapes, distinct cities and a route that must respect the map.
- CanadaBig wilderness, thoughtful cities and distances that need their own plan.
- ArgentinaBig-city appetite, Andean wine country and Patagonia at full scale.
- BrazilAtlantic cities, living cultures and continental-scale nature.
- ChileDesert sky, Pacific cities, volcano lakes and Patagonian wind.
- ColombiaHighland cities, Caribbean history and coffee-country roads.
- PeruAndean cities, living food cultures and Amazon headwaters.
- Sri LankaTea hills, ancient cities and two coasts with opposite seasons.
- NepalHimalayan trails, Newar cities and lowland jungle in one country.
- MalaysiaHawker cities, tea hills, island coasts and Bornean rainforest.
- PhilippinesIsland archipelago where the flight map decides the trip.
- CambodiaAngkor's stone, the Mekong's rhythm and a country still healing.
- TaiwanNight markets, high-speed rail and a mountainous Pacific island.
- LaosSlow Mekong days, mountain roads and a new railway.
- United Arab EmiratesSeven emirates, two big cities and a mountain-and-desert hinterland.
- JordanPetra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea on one compact road.
- OmanForts, wadis, dunes and turtle beaches on the Arabian Sea.
- EgyptThe Nile corridor, Red Sea reefs and five thousand years in sequence.
- South AfricaTwo oceans, self-drive safari and cities with unfinished histories.
- KenyaSavannah, highlands and a Swahili coast, sequenced by rain.
- TanzaniaThe northern circuit, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar, priced honestly.
- NamibiaSelf-drive desert, empty roads and Africa's darkest skies.
- BelgiumFlemish art cities, Brussels institutions and forested Ardennes valleys.
- DenmarkCopenhagen design, island villages and long Jutland beaches.
- HungaryThermal baths, Danube grandeur, wine hills and the Great Plain.
- SloveniaAlpine lakes, an emerald river, karst caves and a Venetian coast.
- GeorgiaCaucasus villages, eight-thousand-year wine and a serious table.
- MontenegroA fjord-like bay, limestone peaks and a short, crowded coast.
- AlbaniaOttoman towns, an Ionian riviera and a raw alpine north.
- RomaniaSaxon towns, Carpathian wilderness and Europe's largest wetland.
- BulgariaMonasteries, mountain villages and a working Black Sea coast.
- SlovakiaAlpine peaks, castle ruins and wooden churches on a rail spine.
- Bosnia and HerzegovinaOttoman bazaars, stone bridges and wild rivers between mountains.
- EstoniaMedieval Tallinn, bog boardwalks, island manors and long white nights.
- LatviaArt Nouveau Riga, castle valleys, a wooden spa coast and deep forest.
- LithuaniaBaroque Vilnius, a dune spit, lake castles and pine spa towns.
- MaltaLimestone capital, Neolithic temples, harbour ferries and Gozo's slow coast.
- CyprusDivided capital, mosaic coast, painted mountain churches and a wild peninsula.
- SingaporeA dense, humid city-state that rewards districts, not landmarks.
- MaldivesAtolls, reefs and two very different ways to stay.
- BhutanHimalayan valleys, dzongs and a daily fee that shapes everything.
- UzbekistanSilk Road cities linked by fast trains and desert roads.
- EthiopiaRock churches, highland monasteries and a distinct calendar.
- UgandaGorillas, chimpanzees, the Nile and crater-lake forests.
- RwandaGorilla volcanoes, tea hills and a compact, orderly country.
- BotswanaDelta floods, elephant rivers and empty Kalahari pans.
- ZambiaWalking safaris, wild rivers and the Zambian side of Victoria Falls.
- MadagascarLemurs, baobabs and an island that evolved apart.
- MauritiusLagoon coasts, a volcanic interior and a Creole, Indian and Chinese island.
- TunisiaCarthage, medinas, Roman arenas and the Saharan oases.
- GuatemalaMaya highlands, volcano lakes and a Petén forest of ruins.
- PanamaCanal city, Caribbean archipelagos and cloud-forest coffee.
- EcuadorVolcano avenue, cloud forest, Amazon edge and the Galápagos.
- BoliviaAltiplano salt, Aymara cities and a wide Amazon lowland.
- UruguayCalm capital, Atlantic beaches and slow wine country.
- FijiReef islands, village life and two big green mainlands.
- SerbiaDanube cities, monastery hills and long-table hospitality.
- North MacedoniaOhrid's lake, Ottoman bazaars and mountain villages in a small compass.
- KosovoEurope's youngest country: café capital, Ottoman Prizren and alpine valleys.
- MoldovaUnderground wine cities, cliff monasteries and Europe's least-visited country.
- ArmeniaStone monasteries, Ararat views and a capital that stays up late.
- AzerbaijanCaspian capital, mud volcanoes and Caucasus villages above the tea plains.
- LuxembourgFortress capital, Moselle wine and Ardennes castles by free bus.
- AndorraPyrenean principality of ski valleys, Romanesque chapels and thermal spas.
- Faroe IslandsEighteen basalt islands of sea cliffs, tunnels and turf-roofed villages.
- GreenlandIcebergs, ice sheet and Inuit towns reached only by air and sea.
- KazakhstanTian Shan foothills, steppe capital and canyon country by air.
- KyrgyzstanYurt stays, alpine lakes and horse treks in the Tian Shan.
- TajikistanPamir Highway, Wakhan villages and turquoise Fann lakes.
- PakistanMughal Lahore and the Karakoram, planned region by region.
- BangladeshRiver delta, mangrove tigers, tea gardens and Dhaka's old city.
- Hong KongVertical harbour city, outlying islands and surprising country parks.
- BruneiWater village, gilded mosques and untouched Borneo rainforest.
- Timor-LesteReef walls, mountain villages and a young nation's coastline.
- Saudi ArabiaNabataean tombs, Red Sea reefs and a fast-changing kingdom.
- QatarA compact Gulf peninsula built around one polished capital.
- GhanaAtlantic forts, Ashanti heritage and a warm, workable West Africa.
- SenegalDakar's music, Gorée's memory and delta and river landscapes.
- Cape VerdeTen Atlantic islands of morna, volcanoes and trade winds.
- SeychellesGranite islands, coral atolls and Creole ease in the Indian Ocean.
- MozambiqueIndian Ocean coast, dhow islands and a restored savanna.
- ZimbabweVictoria Falls, walking safaris and Africa's largest ancient stone city.
- MalawiA freshwater sea, restored parks and high plateaus in one small country.
- EswatiniA small kingdom of royal ceremony, rhino reserves and highveld hikes.
- LesothoThe mountain kingdom: pony treks, high passes and Basotho villages.
- BelizeBarrier reef, Maya cities and Garifuna coast in one small country.
- HondurasBay Islands diving, Copán's carved city and cloud-forest highlands.
- El SalvadorSurf coast, volcano towns and a small country in rapid change.
- NicaraguaColonial cities, twin-volcano island and two very different coasts.
- Trinidad and TobagoCarnival, ibis and doubles on Trinidad; reef and calm on Tobago.
- Saint LuciaThe Pitons, rainforest ridges and Kwéyòl villages on one green island.
- ParaguayRiver cities, Jesuit ruins and the enormous quiet of the Chaco.
- SamoaTwo volcanic islands, village fales and fa'a Samoa on its own terms.
- TongaA Polynesian kingdom of four island groups, whales and strict Sundays.
- VanuatuActive volcanoes, kastom villages and eighty islands of Melanesia.
- Cook IslandsRarotonga's ring road, Aitutaki's lagoon and atolls nobody reaches.
India is a good trip. Make it your trip.
Everything on this page is context Menta already has. Add the people going, the dates and what you actually care about, and the plan starts smarter than a blank chat.
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Start planning IndiaGuide last reviewed 2026-09. Check visa rules against your own passport before you book.