Practical Information

Visa

India

To avoid possible problems at immigration, make sure your passport is valid for a minimum of 180 days at the time of entry into India.

Travellers from the UK, US, CA and EU normally need a visa to enter India. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.
Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/india
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/india
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/india/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/India.html

Travellers eligible for an e-visa, which includes those from the UK, US, CA and EU, can apply at www.indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html.

For more information on applying for your Indian Visa, including details required for your start hotel and local reference contacts, please click on this link: Indian Visa Information

Vaccinations and Health

India

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, hepatitis A, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. The risk of malaria is slight, but you may wish to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

You will also require a yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Proof of a polio vaccination may also be required by some travellers. Please confirm all requirements and recommendations with your doctor or travel clinic.

Additionally, dengue, a viral disease spread by mosquitoes, is a known risk in India. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Some of our India trips spend time at altitude. In regions over approximately 6,560ft (2,000m), there is little risk of mosquito-borne diseases. For trips above 9,840ft (3,000m), there is a risk of being affected by acute mountain sickness. Our itineraries are designed to enable everyone to acclimatise to these altitudes, but you should be aware that it is still possible for you to be affected. Please see the Trip Notes for further information.

The risk of malaria on this trip is slight, but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice.

Dengue fever and/or Chikungunya are known risks in places visited on this trip. Both are tropical viral diseases spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for either, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Local Time

India's time zone: Asia/Kolkata (UTC +05:30)

Electricity

India's electricity: Plug types C (two round pins), D (three round pins) and M (three round pins) – 230V, 50Hz

Money

India's currency: Indian rupee (INR). Please note, it is illegal to import or export rupees. Do not accept torn or very dirty Indian banknotes from banks or in change as they will almost certainly not be accepted as legal tender in India. You can normally change money back from rupees into US dollars or British pounds at the departure airport, but you must produce an exchange receipt showing that you changed money in India.

ATM Availability

ATMs are widely available (Visa and Mastercard are best). However, you should not rely on these 100 percent of the time, so please take some cash too. Please inform your bank before departure that you are travelling to India and carry the relevant telephone number with you in case they put a block on your card. You can pay with credit cards in bigger shops all over India.

Money change facilities are available on arrival at Delhi international airport although better exchange rates may be available in the city. You can change US dollars and British pounds in cash in Delhi and in the other main cities on this itinerary.

Extra Expenses & Spending Money

Many sites now charge a small fee for video cameras and you should allow another 650 rupees (approximately US$8) for these. Also allow at least 650 rupees per day for personal expenditure, such as soft drinks. Shopping opportunities throughout this tour are endless and we suggest you take money for souvenirs.

India has very good opportunities for shopping, especially for locally made goods, and during your trip it is highly likely your local guides will take you to emporiums as well as workshops where these goods are made. Many people find this a great opportunity to buy local handicrafts, silk and carpets. Guides often assume visitors want to shop, it is very much part of the culture, but if you do not wish to go, please make this clear to your local guide at the time.

Optional excursions

Sometimes it is possible to do the following:

• Bollywood movie: Approximately 170-300 rupees (US$2-US$4) per person
• Cooking class: Approximately 2,200-2,500 rupees (US$25-US$30) per person
• Afternoon boat ride in Udaipur: Approximately 500 rupees (US$6) per person
• Sunset boat ride in Udaipur: Approximately 800 rupees (US$10) per person

Tipping

Tipping is part of the culture in India and is usually expected. Tipping can often be an awkward affair, especially when in an unfamiliar country where you are not sure when or how much to tip. As such, your tour leader will offer to arrange and look after a group tipping kitty, which will be used to tip hotel staff, local sightseeing guides, bus drivers as well as any other support staff used throughout your trip. Your leader will suggest how much to contribute, depending on group size, but it is usually in the region of 2,200-2,500 rupees (approximately US$35-US$40) per person based on the maximum group size of 16 passengers. For smaller groups, the leader may ask to collect more than the suggested amount relative to the group size, this is to assist with covering the standard tipping expectations for things like the local guides, drivers, and hotel staff (which, are generally fixed amounts no matter the group size).

For departures that travel during Holi Festival (14 March 2025) your tour leader will look to arrange some activities for you to enjoy and join in with the festivities. There will be a small supplement between 600-1,600 rupees (approximately US$7-US$20) per person which is usually deducted from the kitty. Price depends upon the location and festival inclusions for Holi celebration.

At any time during the trip, your leader will happily show you an account of how the kitty is being distributed. Please note, for smaller groups the leader may have to collect more than the above amount.

Tipping of leaders is not included in the kitty and is at your own discretion. If you wish to show your appreciation, a tip around 410-500 rupees (US$5-US$6) per person per day would be appreciated.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that improve life for the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The use of a local guide means our customers will be well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food and supporting other local enterprise.
• The hotels we stay in are dedicated to hiring local staff, this benefits the community by providing employment opportunities and income alternatives where they may be otherwise hard to come by.
• Our local partners share a commitment to projects that benefit their communities.
• This tour encourages guests to visit local cafes and restaurants and use markets to purchase traditional crafts.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels.
• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• On this trip, we visit national heritage sites and the entrance fees included generate income used for the upkeep and development of these important monuments and nature parks.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for reusable bottles.
• Where possible on this trip, paper bags are used as an alternative to single-use plastics.
• As part of our commitment to responsible tourism, Exodus supports the TOFTigers’ campaign to protect biodiversity and restore habitats across India’s national parks through the wise use of sustainable tourism.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.
• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• In some restaurants, there is the option to have plant-based meals.
• This trip favours locally owned and run accommodation.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own reusable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.

Cultural respect

• It’s best to ask before photographing people, ceremonies or sacred sites.
• It’s polite to use only your right hand when eating something without cutlery and when handing money and small objects to someone else.
• Before entering a holy place, remove your shoes and give them to the shoe minder. When you collect your shoes again, give the minder a few rupees. You’re permitted to wear socks in most places of worship.
• Religious etiquette advises against touching the heads of local people, even children, or directing the soles of your feet at a person, shrine or image of a deity. You should not touch a carving of a deity.
• When visiting religious sites, dress and behave respectfully, don’t wear shorts and sleeveless tops – this applies to both men and women. Head cover for women and sometimes men is required in some places of worship.
• Generally, it is best to dress modestly throughout your time in India as a sign of respect.
• Making the effort to fit in is invariably appreciated so being aware of these aspects of cultural respect will assist you during your travels in India.