Back to destinations

India

General Information

Capital City:
New Delhi
Population:
1.2 billion
Area:
1,269,338 square miles
Language:
Hindi, 18 other official languages. English widely used
Electricity:
220V AC 50Hz
Direct Dial:
91
Driving:
Driving is on the left. International Driving Permit recommended, temporary licence available from local authorities on presentation of National licence
Currency:
Indian Rupee (INR 1 = 100 Paise)

Business Hours

Bank:
1000-1400 Mon-Fri, 1000-1200 Sat
Office:
0930-1700 Mon-Fri, 0930-1300 Sat
Shops:
0930-1900 Mon-Sat
Public Holidays:
<b>2012</b> 26 Jan : Republic Day* 04 Feb : Milad-Un-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet) 19 Feb : Mahashivratri 05 Apr : Mahavir Jayanthi 06 Apr : Good Friday 09 Apr : Easter Monday 28 May : Buddha Purnima 10 Aug : Janmashtami 15 Aug : Independence Day* 19 Aug : Id ul Fitr (End of Ramadan) 02 Oct : Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday* 24 Oct : Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami) 26 Nov : Idu'l Zuha/Bakrid (Feast of the Sacrifice) 02 Nov : Guru Nanak's Birthday 13 Nov : Deepavali or Diwali (Festival of Lights) 15 Nov : Muharram (Islamic New Year) 25 Dec : Christmas Day 26 Dec : Boxing Day Note: * Only the secular holidays of Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi�s Birthday are universally observed. Public holidays in India tend to be observed on a strictly regional basis. The above dates are Government of India holidays, when government offices will be closed nationwide. In addition, there are numerous festivals and fairs which are also observed in some states as holidays, the dates of which change from year to year. Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates listed are approximate. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Many restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking. Although not government official holidays, Christmas Day (25 Dec) and New Year's Day (1 Jan) are widely observed throughout India.

Business and social hints

Tipping:
Around 10% of bill is customary
Clothing:
Lightweights for most of the year with warmer clothing between Nov-Mar. Rainwear is required between June and October during the monsoon season
Emergency Services:
Police: 100. Fire: 101. Ambulance: 102
Hotel Classification:
Generally in India, hotels are graded by the central tourism department's Hotel Classification Committee in categories from 1 star up to 5 star de luxe. In addition, forts, palaces and other old buildings converted into hotels and approved by the Hotel Classification Committee are designated Heritage Hotels. However, in Goa the State Department of Tourism has officially classified most accommodation using a system which grades properties (in descending order) as A, B, C and D class. In this section we give the letter rating if there is one; otherwise, the star rating is given.

Climate

Hot tropical weather with considerable regional variations. The climate is dominated by the Asiatic monsoon. From Jun-Sep the country is influenced by the rainy monsoon from the south west. At this time rainfall can be very heavy, particularly over the higher regions facing the sea. The coolest time with the driest weather is between Dec-Feb. The weather gets hotter from Mar-May with continuing drought. The rains tend to start in late May in the south, arriving up to 6 weeks later in the north

Delhi

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Maximum Temperature °C 21 24 31 36 40 39 36 34 34 34 29 23
Minimum Temperature °C 7 9 14 20 26 28 27 26 24 18 11 8
Average Humidity (mornings) % 72 67 49 35 35 53 75 80 72 56 51 69
Average Humidity (afternoons) % 41 35 23 19 20 36 59 64 51 32 31 42
Average Rainfall 23 18 13 8 13 74 180 173 117 10 3 10

Mumbai

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Maximum Temperature °C 28 28 30 32 33 32 29 29 29 32 32 31
Minimum Temperature °C 19 19 22 24 27 26 25 24 24 24 23 21
Average Humidity (mornings) % 70 71 73 75 74 79 83 83 85 81 73 70
Average Humidity (afternoons) % 61 62 65 67 68 77 83 81 78 71 64 62
Average Rainfall 3 3 3 0 18 485 617 340 264 64 13 3

Customs

Import Allowances:
For persons of 17 years of age or older: a) 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250gr of tobacco b) 2 lit of alcoholic liquor or wine c) medicines or reasonable quantities d) 2 ounces of perfume and 1/4 litres of eau de toilette
Contraband:
Any kind of livestock or products, birds, meat

Health

None.

Compulsary Vaccinations
Yellow fever certificate required from those aged 6 months and over if entering from or has been in transit through an area with risk of yellow fever transmission within the previous 6 days.
Recommended Immunisations
Tetanus, Poliomyelitis, Hepatitis A, Typhoid (polio not required for Andaman and Nicobar islands). <b>In addition:</b> Diphtheria, Hepatitis B, Rabies; Japanese Encephalitis and Cholera are also recommended to those travelling to India frequently or intending to spend extended time here.
Risks
- <b>Malaria</b> - Precautions are essential in all areas below 2,000m, at all times. Low to no risk in high altitude areas of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, Kashmir and Sikkim. <b>GENERAL INFO FOR ALL TRAVELLERS:</b> Details listed can occasionally change at very short notice and it's recommended that all travellers seek advice from their Practice Nurse, GP or Travel Clinic when planning a visit to India. It should be noted that some vaccinations and treatments may require one or more visits and should be planned well in advance of travel. Primary courses and boosters should always be up to date as recommended for life in the UK. This should include vaccines given to special groups due to complications or risk exposure such as Hepatitis B for health care workers, influenza and pneumococcal vaccines for the elderly etc.

Immigration and Passport

Passports must be valid for at least 180 days on arrival.

1) All nationals require a visa, with the exception of Indian citizens. 2) A visa on arrival can be obtained for a maximum stay of 30days, by nationals of; Cambodia, Finland, Japan, Laos, Luxembourg, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam, subject to the following conditions; - There is a fee of 60USD. - The sole objective is tourism. - Visitors do not have a residence or occupation in India. - Proof of a return ticket and sufficient funds are required. - The facility is not available to those considered an undesirable person, and the subject of any black list. - This facility is not available if the visitor or either of their parents or grandparents was born in, and/or permanently resident in Pakistan. - This facility is available to a maximum of two times in a calendar year, with a minimum gap of two months between each visit. <b> 3) All other nationals require a visa to be obtained before departure </b>

Two full blank pages are required, the visa is valid from the date of issue. Regardless of whether a single, double or multiple entry tourist visa is obtained, if visitors leave India and wish to re-enter, they must allow a minimum duration of two months from the last exit date.

Useful Contacts

Embassy

High Commission of India India House, Aldwych London, WC2B 4NA tel: +44 20 7836 8484, fax: +44 20 7836 4331 e-mail: administration@hcilondon.in website: www.hcilondon.in Visa Enquires website: http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/ email: info.inuk@vfshelpline.com

Airports

  • Bangalore
  • Chennai
  • Delhi - Indira Gandhi International
  • Kolkata Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Intl
  • Mumbai - Chhatrapati Shivaji International
  • Pune (Poona)
  • Trivandrum - Kerala

Start Your Search

Now click one of these
options to view your results

Back to categories

You selected:

Question Mark

Tooltip text

Question Mark

Tour pace:

For each itinerary we have created this simple guide to clearly illustrate the nature of your tour from a gentle, leisurely pace to a more lively experience.

Question Mark

Tour experience:

For each itinerary we have created this simple guide to clearly illustrate your touring experience, from the scenic delights of the world's natural wonders to city chic with included excursions and entrances, or a comfortable blend of both.

Trafalgar Tours

Trafalgar Tours:

Trafalgar Tours offer a range of first-class escorted tours including top-class hotels, comprehensive itineraries, luxury transportation, delicious meal plans and knowledgeable tour directors, often joined by experienced local guides.

Insight Vacations

Insight Vacations:

Insight Vacations provides premium-class escorted tours, enabling you to stay in the very best hotels where available, enjoying enhanced meal plans and touring on luxury coaches with fewer seats resulting in extra legroom.

Thompson's Africa

Thompson's Africa:

Thompson's Africa offers excellent first-class escorted tours but with smaller groups ranging from only 2 passengers to 18 per group and touring in air-conditioned micro-buses for a more intimate approach.

AAT Kings

AAT Kings:

AAT Kings, one of Australia's most respected travel companies, provides a range of first-class escorted tours in Australia and New Zealand which include top-class hotels, comprehensive itineraries, luxury transportation, delicious meal plans and knowledgeable tour directors, often joined by experienced local guides.

Brendan Vacations

Brendan Vacations:

When you travel to South America with Brendan, you can expect first class hotels in convenient locations that provide the highest standard of service and the most up-to-date luxurious coaches available

Milestones Tours

Milestones

City and Resort Breaks that allow for a more independent holiday while still matched with Milestones' unrivalled levels of service.

Uniworld River Cruises

Uniworld River Cruises

On board a Uniworld Boutique River Cruise ship, guests can enjoy an intimate, luxurious experience with five-star inclusions. With an average capacity of just over 130 guests and one crew member for every three guests, Uniworld's Premium Class award-winning services are recognised as the world's best.

Question Mark

First Class:

For over 60 years, our award-winning First Class tours have been providing incredible value escorted tours, not only showing you the major sites and attractions that you would expect to see but also surprising you with exclusive Hidden Gems along the way, that only a true expert would know. Enjoy the comfort of first-class hotels, travelling by air-conditioned coach with reclining seats and restroom, included meal plans and the services of our professional Tour Directors.
From exclusive Be My Guest dining experiences to in-depth insights provided by expert local guides, our First Class tours offer an enriching travel experience where you come away with a wealth of local knowledge and a photo album packed with memories.

Question Mark

Premium Class:

On a Premium Class escorted tour you'll be travelling with a smaller, more personal group of like-minded travellers (maximum 40 guests on board) on coaches featuring business-class-like legroom and spacious comfort.
And you'll be staying in superior quality hotels in the heart of every destination. We select only premium brands of major hotel groups. Your expert Tour Director will act as your 'personal concierge' throughout and will be assisted by local guides, passionate on the life and history of their own city. We include many special dining evenings such as authentic local lunches, Highlight Dinners and our unique Dine-Around experiences featuring smallgroup dining at a choice of restaurants.

Question Mark

At Leisure:

At Leisure is an inspiring new style of travel offering the best expertly planned escorted tours combined with more opportunity for in-depth, authentic experiences and more freedom to go your own way than ever before. With average hotel stays of two or three nights, spend minimal time unpacking andmore time soaking up the ambience of each amazing place. You'll also enjoy a leisurely start each day with departures never earlier than 9am on travel days. At Leisure provides free time to explore each destination on your own, including complimentary hop-on/hop-off city sightseeing passes where available. Plus you'll enjoy sightseeing in major cities with a local guide assigned to more intimate groups.

Question Mark

Premium Gold:

Premium Gold is an exclusive collection of deluxe tours, each celebrating the fine art of luxury travel. All of the luxury hotels exude elegance and style, with many being members of the Leading Hotels of the World or other internationally recognised upmarket hotel associations. Premium Gold itineraries are leisurely-paced with relaxed stays in the most sought-after locations and with ample free time for personal exploration.
You will delight in sumptuous, authentic dining with four-course hotel dining and superb a la carte menus in some of the best gourmet restaurants. Premium Gold features smaller group sizes on tour and includes Premium Highlight sightseeing often including private tours with VIP entrances.

Question Mark

Cost Saver:

We have introduced a new collection of touring holidays known as 'Cost Saver', a new and exciting programme of tours offering you fantastic European experiences at an unbeatable price.
The new selection of tours cover destinations such as Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The perfectly balanced itineraries combine plenty of free time to explore along with First Class touches including unique Hidden Treasures.