Frequently Asked Questions

Ans. You are permitted to bring up to one litre of alcohol or wine, 200 cigarettes and a reasonable quantity of perfume into the country for personal use. International brands of alcohol are generally expensive, though good Indian beer such as Kingfisher and UB Export Lager are widely available and reasonably priced. Indian interpretations of foreign made alcoholic drinks are known as Indian made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). Locally produced Whiskey is palatable and worth a try.

Ans. The voltage is 220-240v AC and the sockets are of 2-3 round pin variety, similar though not identical to European sockets, hence we recommend that you buy an international adaptor before departure if you have not already got one.

Ans. Please take particular care when attending a religious place (such as a temple). Dress and behave appropriately - don't wear shorts and sleeveless tops (this applies to men, too), and do not smoke or hold hands. Shoes and western head ware must also be removed. Within the temple or religious place, no carvings or statues of deities must be touched. Photography is prohibited in certain sections of sacred sites. If in doubt, please ask your local guide or tour leader for further information. Please also be aware that some temples may have off-limit sections that prevent entry to tourists.

Ans. All foreign nationals (including British citizens) must obtain a visa for a visit to India. It is essential that the visa be obtained prior to travel.

Ans. Money exchange counters are available in all terminals at the IGI Airport

Ans. Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited has provided the Medical Centre facility, equipped with a 24-hour pharmacy and well-trained doctors and paramedics available round the clock at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, to serve as an emergency treatment centre for passengers/visitors who may develop medical complications while on travel or in the airport premises. The airport also has an Ambulance on standby to cater to any medical emergency.

Ans. IGI Airport is non -smoking, however, there is a smoking lounge inside Security Hold Area and smoking is also allowed in business lounges.

Ans. October through December. Time the travel from North India to South India accordingly.

Ans. India is not really known for the night life, but yes, there are plenty of discos, night clubs and bars, shopping areas that are open till late, mostly in bigger cities and starred hotels.

Ans. The 5 and 4 star hotels are pretty much like any high quality western hotel, and many of them are western chains. To give you an idea; four out of the top ten best hotels in the world are from India.

Ans. It is quite an issue for women. The best option is to stay fairly covered. Baring a lot of skin is unwelcome in smaller towns and men would ogle at you whereas, in bigger towns like Delhi and Mumbai, people are comfortable.

Ans. It is recommended that you arrive two hours prior to departure for check-in and security screening for domestic flights. For International Flights, please arrive three hours prior to for check-in and security screening. Check in for domestic departures closes 45 minutes before take off.

Ans. IGI Airport has the following terminals: Terminal 3 - All international arrivals and departures as well as all domestic full service carriers like kingfisher, Jet airways, Indian airlines and their low cost subsidiaries like Kingfisher red, Jet Lite and Air India Express. Terminal 1D - Domestic departures for low cost carriers which include Indigo, Go Air, SpiceJet and Paramount Airways.

Ans. As time goes on, this becomes less and less of an issue, as you can use the ever increasing number of ATMs in most of the cities.

Ans. In a money belt or in a passport pouch that is carried around the neck. This way it is always in front of you, in your sight.

Ans. We discourage begging and suggest you to offer absolutely nothing at all. You may give only to the neediest; the cripple (which are ubiquitous to the point of near overwhelm) and to the very old.

Ans. Children are often sent out to rake in money for their elders and are part of a larger beggar industry. Giving children candy breaks their whole act, they can't resist getting candy, and often forget about their duty to bring back the rupees. Children in villages invariably ask for pens.

Ans. Please contact your airline to make arrangements to escort your child to board their flight.

Ans. Yes, it is very much a part of India, though Portuguese had ruled it for about 451 years. It has a coastline of 103 km and is situated on the western part of India. It is not an island rather a part of the mainland.

Ans. Now all public places in India are declared non smoking zones, hence you must look for proper place which is meant for smoking. If found smoking just about anywhere, one could be fined for that.

Ans. Yes. Bisleri, Aquafina, Kinley, Baileys, Evian, Himalaya etc. are the most common brands of bottled water on the street. To avoid drinking water from the tampered bottles, we suggest you to take the water bottles from the Bus / Car itself.

Ans. Not really as you won't be travelling that frequently by train.

Ans. Yes, it is well accepted. Usual is 10% at the restaurants. Also the porters at airports (except metro cities in India), hotel bell boys, private driver, etc would be happy to have it at the end of their good and dedicated service.

Ans. Yes, actually it is a must. You can not avail visa upon arrival.

Ans. The complete airport is wifi enabled. To access internet, the system prompts for the browser to enter the mobile number after which a username and password to access internet is sent to the user.

Ans. No! For general prevention, you should stick to drinking mineral water only.

Ans. No! The quality of water at many places is substandard, so please do not take any risks and insist on buying bottled mineral water.

Ans. Absolutely you should break up your trip. The culture shock of India can be so intense that being burned out from long hours of flying is a recipe for a very unpleasant start of your India travels.

Ans. Absolutely. You should take trains between cities at least a couple of times during your time in India. The Indian rail system is an amazing feat of organization, employing something like two million people, the largest single employer in the world. Taking the train gives you quality time with the locals like no other venue. You can make some wonderful connections with the folks, gain valuable information that you can't get elsewhere, and open the door for some interesting opportunities and adventures.

Ans. In general Indian people like to be photographed with foreign tourists. You could in general take photos of public, market, streets, building, etc without any hesitation. However, while shooting ladies, close-up of people, it is advised to seek permission first. At the monuments and wildlife sanctuaries, it is usually allowed by paying a prescribed camera fee. In case you wish to make a documentary or movie, in that case a special permission is required which has to be obtained from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in advance. At the airports and railway stations, usually photography is not permitted.

Ans. Two significant items are candy and pens for child beggars.

Ans. India is so vast a country that the climatic conditions in the far north bear little relation to those in the extreme south. Indeed, the country is divided into no less than seven climatic regions. However, in simple terms , India has a three- season year known as the hot, the wet and the cool. The coolest time to visit is late September through April. Temperatures during this time are ideal for sightseeing. Following this period is the hot season that runs from around April through July. Conditions are perfect for sightseeing and photography, though Rajasthan can become very hot and dry. July signals the start of the monsoon or wet season that continues until around the end September. Although the weather is humid, the days are punctuated by intermittent rainfall.

Ans. Many restaurant bills contain a service charge, which includes the tip, so check it out. Ordinarily, it's 10% for restaurants.

Ans. The Major Religions of India are Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.

Ans. The official language of the Republic of India is Hindi with English as a secondary official language.

Ans. When checking bags in at the airport, be sure the airline agent tags them with the correct city code for your destination. And keep the receipts from those tags in a safe place. You will need them to identify your luggage in baggage claim, and you will especially need them if your baggage is delayed or lost. Mark all your luggage with your name and address (use your business address if possible). Put personal I.D. inside your bags, too - sometimes baggage tags get torn off during handling.

Ans. The most comfortable class is called AC class, and this can come in handy during long rides through the hot Indian climate.

Ans. Hotels have doctors on call. The quality of healthcare is at par relative to western care in larger cities. There are several hospital chains that are apparently reputable in Delhi and other large cities.

Ans. It's a certificate that allows you to exchange your rupees back into local currency. When you leave India, you can change money back at the airport. They MAY ask to see your encashment certificates, so save them. Alternatively, producing your passport also helps to change your money easily in most cases.

Ans. It is Rupee, being equal to Rs. 100 paise. The denominations in which it is available are: Rs 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20, 10 & 5. Coins are available in Rs 10, 5, 2, 1 & Paise 50.

Ans. All major cities have numerous Internet cafes for email and general surfing. For security purpose, you will have to produce an ID to surf.

Ans. The Rupee (One Rupee=100 paise) is the national currency of India. Pound sterling, Euro and US dollars can be exchanged into Indian rupees locally, as the rupee is presently exchangeable only in India. The rupee is non-exportable so spend it all before you leave. Exchange facilities are available at major airports and bureau de changes. Request a broad mix of note denominations, as smaller notes will be handy for small purchases and perhaps gratuities/tipping.

Ans. India is 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of GMT. India does not observe daylight saving.

Ans. India's coastline extends to 7600 km.

Ans. You should consult your physician before taking any kind of prescription or non-prescription drug. Almost all the drugs are available in India and are far cheaper than the western world. Ask your physician for the alternates to your regular medicines in case you need them in India.

Ans. Use common sense. India is a relatively safe country. You will never feel in danger, but avoid showcasing your wealth.

Ans. While visiting temples and mosques, one should have preferably shoulders and head covered with a scarf or handkerchief as well as legs fully covered, especially in case of ladies. One is usually expected to enter without footwear inside a temple. At places, non-Hindus may not be permitted at the Sanctum Sanctorum of temples.

Ans. Here we have 220 - 250 V electricity supply. In India there are different plug-in pins than in Europe or other countries. Hence it would be a good idea to bring in the multi-plug and dry cells from home country though most of the big star hotels do provide them now.

Ans. In general, most of the places in plains are best visited from October - March and the ones at the higher altitudes are best visited in summer (April - September).

Ans. New Delhi. It is also referred to as the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT of Delhi) as the city has outgrown itself to engulf the nearby towns of Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and Noida.