India
Asia · #2 in the world · 50 votes
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Votes for India3 more votes to overtake 🇨🇾 Cyprus 👀
Who backed India
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- A traveler50 votes
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The short answer
October to March for most of the country. The monsoon runs roughly June to September and changes everything.
India is not one trip. Pick one region, Rajasthan or Kerala or the Himalayan north, and stay in it. Trying to cross the country in two weeks is the classic mistake.
When to go
Best months: Oct to Feb
What a day costs
Per person, not counting flights.
- Guesthouse$10
- Thali and street food$5
- Trains and rickshaws$10
- Decent hotel$35
- Eating out$15
- Trains and a driver$15
- Heritage hotel$120
- Restaurants$30
- Car with driver$30
What your whole trip would cost
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Votes for IndiaHow far it is
- New York to Delhi14h 30m
- London to Delhi8h 30m
- Dubai to Delhi3h 30m
- Getting aroundTrains for distance, a car with driver for regions, both cheap
- When to avoidThe northern plains in May, and the monsoon unless you are heading for the mountains
Nonstop times from a few big hubs, to give you a sense of the distance. We have no idea which airport you are actually leaving from. Fares move weekly, so we leave those out.
When you land
- Airport to townThe Airport Express metro reaches New Delhi station in about 20 minutes. Otherwise use the prepaid taxi counter inside the terminal, never someone who approaches you.
- Cash or cardUPI runs the country but needs a local bank account. Carry cash and use cards at hotels.
- Getting onlineA local SIM needs your passport and some paperwork. Jio and Airtel are very cheap once set up, and an eSIM avoids the queue.
- What catches people outDrivers who tell you your hotel has closed or burned down and offer somewhere better. Do not get back in the car.
What not to miss in India
- One long train journeyBook AC2 or AC3 weeks ahead. The window is the country going past for twelve hours.
- Varanasi at sunriseA boat on the Ganges as the city wakes up. Nothing else is like it.
- Kerala, slowlyBackwaters, tea hills and the coast. The gentlest introduction to the country.
- The mountains in summerWhen the plains hit 45C, Ladakh and Himachal are at their best. The seasons run opposite.
Still deciding?
🧳 Plan your trip to India
Good to know
Curated with 
Nemo
Written and checked by hand. Nothing here about visas or entry rules: those change often and depend on your passport, so check an official source.