Away With The Steiners

A complete India travel guide: Everything you wanted to ask about travel in India.

Sarah Steiner

I’ll never forget my first time visiting India.  I had questions before travelling to India and I thought I’d researched and that I was ready.  Looking back now I guess I was technically ready… 

But there is something special about India.

There is something unique that gives it a quintessential allure that others destinations simply do not have. And there are some parts of India that cannot be truly understood until you are right there.

Right amongst the chaos and the colours. And truly feeling what it is that travellers have craved in adventure and history and all that is truly just INDIA.

How can you explain the roller coaster ride of taking a taxi through the streets of Old Delhi?  Or share the exhilaration of riding a rickshaw past the pink palaces of Jaipur? Seeing the Taj Mahal in person?  Or having the colours of holi surround you on the streets of a town that has no other description but feels more ‘alive’ than there are surely words for? 

That is India. 

Sure there are the crowds. There are the perplexing traditions and more than the odd bullock cart and cow crossing the street right in front of you.

There is a bewildering culture shock like nowhere else. And a traffic of pedestrian and otherwise of mind-boggling complexity.

But that is India.  And those are challenges that make it exciting and oh-so-rewarding as a destination. 

The following is everything I can think of that we wanted to know before we went to India for the first time.  So that you too can feel a little bit prepared and a bit more ready to experience the marvellous adventure of India. 

A(another) cup of Indian chai. Let’s do this!

Quickly, about India

What to expect when planning for travel in India 

Where else do you have cows walking amidst one billion vehicle horns honking? A kaleidoscopic colour of sari’s at every turn? And a staring that just never ends? 

There is the constant back-of-mind fear of the looming ‘Delhi-belly’ for every meal that you consume… And on top of that you know you are but one amongst one billion others!

We know from experience it takes us 24 hours to find our feet in a new place and India is certainly no exception. 

I did wonder while looking out our hotel window on arrival as four jet lagged travellers HOW on earth we were going to navigate India… 

But I needn’t have worried.

India is different.  And India is exceptional. 

I think in hindsight the build-up to the chaos we were anticipating had given us low expectations for navigating India.  And in truth though, we absolutely loved it!

It’s definitely somewhere you need to ’embrace the chaos’; otherwise you will miss out on all that India is about!  

So our advice?  Take it easy.  Start slow. 

And embrace the rush of chaos that is so incredible – and so India…

Visas for India

Getting a visa for India is pretty straightforward.

There are options for tourist visas for different lengths of time and the six pages(!) of forms are easy to fill out online.

For the final page you need to upload a passport photo to complete your application.

One challenge I found in applying for the visa was that you could only apply within one month of arrival. 

However a month gave us enough time to plan for India and also to confirm and book flights. And we were able to fill in the visa application stating which would be our ‘port of arrival’ anyway.

Language in India

Did you know that India has 22 official languages? But in fact the most widely spoken language in India is Hindi.

English is also one of the national languages and you will find (especially in the cities) that to some degree a lot of people speak some level of English.

Other common phrases that will help you on your travels in India (and that you will get used to hearing a lot): 

And every conversation or interaction ends with the famous head wobble (you may need to get some practice in before arriving as it could mean one of many things!). 

And a smile goes a long way; even without language (or the head wobble!).

Money and currency

The Indian rupee (code: INR) is the official currency of India. 

The rupee is subdivided into 100 paise (singular: paisa) though as of 2019 coins of 1 rupee are the lowest value in use.

You can exchange USD (or almost whatever your home currency is) into INR at the airport or even at your hotel.  But the exchange rate will be higher than stated online.  

I recommend just using an ATM to withdraw money on arrival to India.  This is the simplest way and omits the potential hassle of figuring the exchange rate and worries of finding a reputable exchange office to do so. 

If you are already in India and have currency with you that you want to change; in the cities it’s easy to get a driver to take you to an official money changer where the charges might not be so high.  But ideally, I suggest just finding an ATM.

Note that you officially cannot take rupees out of India so spend them all before you leave.  You can exchange any leftover rupees back into foreign currency at the airport on departure.  

(Or you can do like we did – though don’t recommend – and exchange USD with some shady backstreet black-market trader to buy an emergency SIM card before attempting to depart the country in a pandemic!).  

A dodgy-looking ATM in Agra (attempt number three to find a working ATM that day!).

Our route of travel in India 

In 2020 on our first trip to India we had just over three weeks (cut short by the pandemic). But in three weeks we saw a diverse landscape and culture between the different regions of Kerela in South India, Uttar Pradesh and Jaisalmer in the desert state of Rajasthan. 

And in three weeks we fell in love with India. 

But India is enormous. And there are more sights than can be seen on that (or even longer!) length of vacation…

If you have 2 to 3 weeks it’s possible to see the cultural triangle of Rajasthan; the most popular choice for travellers to India. 

And if you have longer you are in luck. You can try the different mega cities traveling from New Delhi to Kolkata, Mumbai and Kochi. Or you can train-hop your way across Rajasthan as we have done (and include the megacities too!). 

But if we go back again We knew the next time we went back that our original planned itinerary of covering the desert cities would be our first point of call.

Those trains across the desert were part of a dream route of desert culture with golden, pink and blue cities…

And now four trips to India later(!) we can’t wait to tell you all about it.

Kochi, Kerala 

Kochi in the South of the country is a great choice for an introduction to this enormous subcontinent.

If I was to recommend a starting place for travel in India with kids, the south of India would be my suggestion.

Things to do in Kochi

Having a go ironing at Dhabi Khana Laundry!

Delhi

Between old and new Delhi the sights (and smells) on a first visit are as assaulting as the crowds.  It’s a seriously huge and sprawling city. 

You have to embrace the chaos and jump right in.  There is plenty to see, do and eat in India’s capital city. 

Things to do in Delhi

Beautiful Jama Masjid Mosque in Delhi.

Varanasi

Taking a boat ride down the River Ganges is one of those moments in travel that leaves you a bit lost for words.

We hadn’t quite realised the significance of the city of Varanasi. It’s a powerful place to experience.

(And Varanasi is definitely doable with kids!).

Things to do in Varanasi

There is no place like Varanasi.

Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer quickly became our favourite place in India. Small, easy to get around, friendly – and with the happiest musical rubbish truck I have ever heard.

We chose Jaisalmer because we wanted to get out into the desert. We had heard about a camel safari where you can overnight and sleep under the stars…

And that, is exactly what we did.

Jaisalmer is not on the usual route in the cultural triangle of Rajasthan, but if you have the time to add it to your destination list I highly recommend it. 

Things to do in Jaisalmer

The vibrant marketplace in Jaisalmer (every day).

Kolkata

Kolkata is a bustling and busy city in the east of India.

Coming from a month in Bangladesh I can’t explain enough how modern and vibrant Kolkata seemed by comparison. But I do know some things are more about perspective…

Kolkata – formerly Calcutta – has a long history as an important trading city and capital of Bengal.

From 1912 to India’s Independence in 1947, it was the capital of all of Bengal. After Independence, Calcutta remained the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal.

Today it is a vibrant and proudly cosmopolitan city with much to see and do. 

Things to do in Kolkata

Kolkata’s famed yellow ambassador taxis are part of the landscape.

Mumbai 

Previously known as Bombay, Mumbai is the most populous and biggest city of Maharashtra and the largest city of India. As the financial and entertainment capital of the country it is fondly called the city of dreams…

If you want to know and experience diversity in India; visit Mumbai. 

Things to do in Mumbai

The Gateway of India, Mumbai.

Agra 

Agra is famous all over the world as home to one of the worlds most-recognised buildings; the Taj Mahal.

The emperor Shah Jahan was the mind behind the grand design of the Taj Mahal in order to enshrine his favourite (of three) wife.

The best time to see the Taj Mahal is in the early morning (get there before sunrise) before the crowds arrive and watch the sun rise over the palace creating a beautiful golden glow. 

Things to do in Agra

Taj Mahal at sunrise (with hardly any tourists around!).

Transportation from Agra

Jodhpur

Aside from being recognised as the iconic Blue City of India, Jodhpur is also known as the Gateway to the Thar Desert.

There are lots of iconic sights to see in the Old City or simply just wander and take in all of the blue…

Things to do in Jodhpur

Beautiful blues of the old city of Jodhpur from the rooftop. 

Jaipur 

Jaipur is the capital of India’s Rajasthan state and is a city that’s full of life (and easily recognisable) known as the Pink City.

Things to do in Jaipur

Checking out the famous stepwell near Amber Fort in Jaipur. 

Transportation from Jaipur

Amritsar

The city of Amritsar is located in the state of Punjab and is considered the spiritual and cultural centre for Sikhism religion. 

Things to do in Amritsar

Budgeting for travel in India

I feel like I’ve written this before; but I want to start this topic for travel in India with the catch…

You expect backpacking in India (with kids) to be cheap. Dirt cheap. But it’s not quiiiite like that.

It’s not bad; but it isn’t like you’ll get by with a few rupees and your kids in tow… 

I’m sure once upon a time it was just a few rupees to get a bed in a dorm room and ride a train in India. (Probably very doable pre-kids if we’re honest!).

But times have changed and although India is fairly cheap, it’s not quite as comparatively low as you might be anticipating for a travel destination.

As a guide for travel on a budget in India; here are some of the costs we found: 

The best lassi in Jaipur at Shop 312 on M.I. Road (you must try it).

Food in India

I love Indian food. It has been a favourite of mine since discovering naan and butter chicken as a teenager (becoming more refined after my first trip to India in 2012 when I discovered Thali).

But considering travel to India there is (unfortunately) always that looming concern of what the food in India is really like. And what you are going to (safely) eat once you arrive…

India has a reputation for being the land of spices. (Just the sound of ‘curries’ conjures up a limited cuisine and thoughts are far worse).

But be seriously assured; India has such an incredibly vast cuisine that you won’t leave India without finding a new type of Indian food you hadn’t heard of before that will become your ‘go-to’ Indian favourite.

The first stop on our original big trip was Fiji. We’ve stayed twice now with the same Fijian Indian family who love to cook different Indian style dishes. 

The kids love what they make and it turned out to be the perfect introduction to Indian food that they needed.

They made dahl one night especially in preparation for our trip to India and called it ‘baby dahl‘. (Essentially a spice-free version of dahl and rice that had the boys convinced they too liked Indian food). Perfect!

Finding places to eat in India 

In bigger towns and cities most guest-houses and hotels will have a menu with western food options on. Here I admit the boys sometimes eat toasted sandwiches and/or pizza if the option is available.

Take it easy. You are in India and you do need some time to adjust. (In other words; don’t feel bad if you do need a break from Indian food and/or you want some familiar food once in a while).

However, I do have to put a few words in here to remind you that this is a once in a lifetime trip and you do want to try some new things! 

Some smaller restaurants or roadside stops when en-route by taxi or tuk tuk don’t have much choice. Simple snacks like dosa, dahl and samosas became our go-to choices for kid-friendly or easy to eat meals on these kind of occasions. 

Breads are always a safe bet and there is always some kind of bread on the menu. We have written an entire post about Indian breads to try here. 

And we all quickly found a liking for Indian chai. (We had talked this up before arriving and it was our first mission out on foot in Kochi!).

We stick to mainly vegetarian options in attempt to lessen the risk of food poisoning via meat.

This is easier in South India as a lot of options are vegetarian but truly India has a huge proportion of vegetarians for economic and religious reasons so it is always easy to find something basic and likely vegetarian if you do feel less confident.

Otherwise, make sensible food-decisions and enjoy the incredible food in India!

Breakfast in Jodhpur with two bread options that pleased the boys.

Drinking water in India

The short answer to whether it is ever safe to drink the tap water in India is ‘no’. 

Tap water in India is not safe for drinking. And certainly not if you are a traveller to India and only there for a few weeks. It does not give your body a fighting chance to develop any kind of immunity to various water-borne illnesses. 

It is tempting to consider boiling water; for environmental and financial reasons. But the reality is that it’s hard to keep up (a family needs a lot of water each day). And there often aren’t facilities for this. 

Avoid salad and fruit that is already peeled and could have been washed with tap water. Roadside stalls selling peeled pineapple and mango is tempting, but if you are unsure don’t risk it. 

You do need to drink a lot to stay hydrated in the heat – but don’t panic. It is not often you will be far from a shop selling bottled water and drinks.

And if you are not in that position, try a coconut – or a cup of Indian chai!

Coconuts from a street stand in Mattancherry, Kochi. 

What to wear for travel in India

To sum it up; dress modestly. 

Indian culture values modesty and so it is fitting to follow that in considering what to wear in India as a traveller. The best way to do this is to copy the locals. 

For women, this is a salwar kameez and light loose trousers, or a basic kurta top and leggings. 

For men, a kurta is also practical and long trousers are recommended. Trousers are hotter but you will not see locals in shorts. 

Our kids wear a combination of t-shirts, shorts and long trousers. They are used to roaming the world in shorts, but we quickly realised they were the only boys around in Varanasi not wearing long pants. (Trousers and a kurta are a good choice in Varansai, even for kids). 

In rural areas and villages you need to dress more conservatively. We felt this most strongly in Jaisalmer where the ladies often cover their face entirely with a scarf when a man is walking past. 

In my Salwar Kameez on board the train to Agra (scarf in my bag). 

It is not expected for a tourist to cover your hair or face but certainly conservative dress is respected.

And ladies; carry a light scarf to cover your hair at holy sites.

Getting sick in India

The reality of travel in India is that most travellers are likely to get food poisoning at some point. The standards of hygiene and sanitation are different (read: very low). 

Food poisoning is a reality of all travel, but it does seem to be heightened for travel in India…

There are some things you can do to prevent food poisoning (and some is luck). We stick to vegetarian food if we are unsure and stay away from salads and fruits washed with water. 

For the kids, we are extra protective with travel in India and find ourselves buying packaged snacks where in other places we wouldn’t. 

And I don’t know if it helped or not, but we try to all eat yoghurt or curd to keep up with probiotics we hope adds to gut health. 

A packaged snack for the kids; chai for us. 

Packaged snack for the kids; chai for us…

We also try to remember the golden rule of eating where it is busy and where the locals are eating and the turnover is high. 

It does sound a bit doom and gloom but we found as soon as we mentioned to friends back home that we were going to India they immediately piped up with warnings of “Delhi belly”. Not technically helpful, but at least it aided to set out with expectations that were low. 

In actual fact, we didn’t do too badly in India on either trip! It is constantly on our minds in travel and we are grateful to have so far travelled well health-wise. 

Carry sanitiser, wash your hands often and only drink bottled water with a sealed top. 

Vaccinations for travel in India

One of the other questions we get asked most about travel in India is whether we needed to get any vaccinations before travelling. 

Albeit travelling with kids adds the pressure of being responsible to make the best decisions for little people in your care as well… 

But aside from the ever-changing Covid regulations, there are no other vaccinations required for entry in to India (unless you are arriving from a country at risk of Yellow Fever Virus transmission). 

[Note – do not take the following as medical advice. This is our experience considering standard vaccinations for travel in India!]. 

It is confusing, and can be stressful making a decision about vaccinations for travel.

Do your research and at the end of the day, be sure to make a decision that is right for you and your family.

Getting around India 

THIS is definitely a huge part of the Indian travel adventure! 

We organised a pickup from the airport on first arrival in India which made that part straightforward for us (our driver even came in to help purchase SIM cards before setting off on our way to the city). 

We used Uber occasionally for getting around in Kochi and Kolkata.

And although this technically is a cheap and straightforward way of getting a ride organised to somewhere – definitely don’t expect the suggested timing of the pickup schedule to match… Nor the location beacon for where you want to specifically be picked up from!

Getting around by auto rickshaw (or CNG)

Auto rickshaws are a common means of public transportation in India.

It’s easy to wave down a passing rickshaw (likely you will be spotted and asked if you need one first) to take you a short-medium distance around town.

For a 2km distance it costs around 100-150 rupees (USD $1.30).

Just be sure to negotiate and confirm the price before you climb in.

Exploring Kochi by tuk tuk was the perfect mixture of breezy and exciting.

Getting around by cycle rickshaw

One of the most traditional methods of transport inside the old cities of India.

It only costs a few rupee for a short distance by cycle rickshaw (just not so easy for us as a family of four – we need to get two as I feel too guilty for the driver!).

Getting around India by train

This is the quintessential experience for travel in India.  And don’t panic; it’s totally doable.  

We love train travel in India and highly recommend you take a train just for the experience.  

Trains travel in all directions (you can virtually get between any two destinations in India by rail).

There are 8 different classes to travel by train so there is a range of seats, berths and accommodation to suit whatever your budget.

On board in 3-Tier AC class bound for Jaipur. 

Getting around India by bus

Bus travel is a cheap way to move between cities.

There’s no need to pre-book buses in India very far in advance as there are squillions hundreds of buses departing frequently in any given direction.

However, having ridden overnight buses in North India (pre-kids) I would suggest bus travel as a last resort and would much rather recommend travel by train in India. 

Booking trains in India

The railways of India… An adventure in itself that warrants attention and planning. (I don’t think there’s a traveller out there that on hearing ‘train in India’ doesn’t conjure up images in their mind of this challenge!). 

In actual fact the trains are fairly easy to book and can be done online.

The trick though is to book ahead, as tickets are open for reservation up to 90 days prior to travel. (And in a country with one billion people, they do book out).

We used 12Go Asia and the IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Co) website while we were in Sri Lanka to book ahead and reserve our train tickets for Rajasthan.

On arriving in India we also discovered the IXIGO Trains app which made booking and schedules even easier.

Small stores at a random station between Kolkata and Mumbai (we rode the Mumbai Mail for 38 hours with kids!).

Phone and internet access in India

Wifi, 3G and 4G is readily available around the tourist trail in India. At guesthouses and hotels wifi is usually free (albeit slow and unreliable). 

We found data to be reasonably and comparatively cheap and were able to use our phones to hotspot data to our laptop if wifi wasn’t available. 

Once you have your SIM card sorted (see below) it’s easy to recharge at small shops and convenience stores all over the place. (Just say the word ‘recharge’ and someone will point you in the right direction). 

A small phone shop in an Old Delhi alleyway perfect for buying a SIM or recharging data. 

Useful apps to download

Tripadvisor and WhatsApp are popular communication apps in India.

I was slightly wary knowing Tripadvisor is different from booking.com in that technically anyone can log in upload a review but it still gives you a baseline.

We found a really good tour in Kochi and booked that ahead of arriving.

In Varanasi we used TripAdvisor to connect with a local guide. We contacted him through WhatsApp to book a walking tour that turned out to be the highlight of our stay.

SIM cards

Don’t make our mistakes! Do some research before you go.

We first landed in Kochi and chose a SIM card from the provider ‘Idea’. It worked well in the south but we found out in the last days of our trip that Idea doesn’t work in New Delhi (it has recently been bought out by Vodafone).

Unsurprisingly (given its size) India has some of the most competitive rates for telecommunications in the world. 

The process for getting a SIM card wasn’t as bad as expected in Kochi.

However on our second trip to India with kids we landed in Kolkata and the airport didn’t have phone shops open (June 2022) late at night.

We found an Airtel store the next day and (seriously) the process took over an hour…

Needless to say we only bought one at that rate. (Gavin later bought a SIM card from a tiny hole-in-the-wall type phone shop on the street). You do need to register your passport to buy a SIM.

Most international flights in and out of New Delhi operate from Terminal 3 at Indira Gandhi Airport. It’s easy to find the Airtel Store there located between Exit 4 and 5 and next to Costa Coffee. 

And if you arrive in New Delhi and need to buy a SIM on the street there are phone shops scattered around Main Bazaar.

I even managed to buy and set one up in under and hour with the rising pressures of the pandemic beginning. (Concern for being stuck in Delhi without communications was not a good option at that point!).

We bought SIM cards through Airtel in Kolkata our second trip.

Choosing accommodation in India

India offers a ridiculously wide range of accommodations.

One search on Booking.com and you’ll be offered heritage properties (former Raj guesthouses, royal palaces and forts), modern city-centre hotels, backpacker-hostels, guesthouses and homestays.

It’s all available in India. 

We book ahead online and found a mixture of small hotels and guesthouses.  

Read the reviews of each place to check for feedback or issues (you can alter the filters to search for specific feedback from family travellers on Booking.com).  

We generally look ahead and select a property that offers breakfast included in the price (that saves the headache of searching for a meal with kids first thing in the morning). 

Where we stayed in India

Inside our room at Wanderlust Guesthouse in Jaisalmer. 

What else can we say about India?

We LOVE India and can only highly, highly recommend you embrace the chaos; embrace India; and get ready for what can truly only be described as the adventure of a lifetime…

More about travel planning for India and beyond…

These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel. 

Read more about India

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