Ultimate India Travel Guide For First Timers In 2025!

Ultimate India Travel Guide

Whatsup guys! If you are thinking of going to India, you are in the right place! In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know, from visa requirements to safety in India and avoiding the dreaded Delhi belly. This is a one-stop guide to ensure your journey is as smooth as possible.

This is quite a long guide, so as always, contents are down below for easy navigation, and if you have any questions, feel free to pop them in the comments!

We value your time! If you’re short on time right now, feel free to pin this guide on Pinterest for later! Likewise, if you enjoy video content, you can check out the video version of this guide on YouTube:

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You Can Also Check Out This India Travel Guide On YouTube!

Ultimate India Travel Guide:

India Visa Requirements

Let’s dive in with the important stuff – Entry Requirements. Firstly, to enter India, your passport must have an ‘expiration date’ of at least 6 months after the date you arrive and at least two blank pages.

Secondly, everyone who enters India must have a visa unless you are an overseas citizen of India. There are several visa categories, so you need to make sure you get the right one!

At the time of writing this guide, over 160 countries are eligible to apply for an online E-visa. If you are eligible, this is by far the easiest option.

I am from the UK, so I applied for an online e-visa for 30 days for tourism, and this should be suitable for many people. We have linked the India BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION website so you can check if you are eligible and start the application process!  

We recommend setting aside at least an hour to do the application as it’s pretty lengthy. One section that often confuses people is when they are asked for a reference! For this, you can just use the hotel name and address where you will be staying on your first night, but it could also be the address of a friend or relative you are visiting.

Finally, make sure to print out your visa once it is approved, as they often like to see a hard copy. From application to approval, the whole process took less than a week for us, but we would recommend applying at least a month in advance just in case.

India Vaccine Requirements

Next up in this India travel guide is Vaccines. The main thing to consider is if you come from a yellow fever or polio-affected country. If this is the case, at the time of writing, you will need a certificate to show you have had a vaccination.

For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, we recomend checking out TravelHealthPro’s India guide.  

Best Time To Visit India

Moving on to the best time to visit India. Weather in India varies significantly depending on where you want to go; however, in general, the best time of year to visit India and the famous Golden Triangle is during the winter months between October and March. At this time of year, the weather is cooler and dry, with daytime temperatures ranging from 20°C to 35°C, comparatively in the summer, it can get to 45/ 50 degrees, so it’s probably something you want to avoid!

However, there is one quite significant thing to consider, and that is smog season. This is where air quality and visibility can become dangerously poor due to crop burning and other factors. We would strongly advise trying to avoid this time of year. The smog season typically starts in late November and lasts until January. So perhaps the best times to visit are October, February and March.

India Travel Guide – Currency

The currency in India is India Rupees. 1 USD is roughly 86 Indian rupees or for our fellow brits £1 is 110 rupees.

We advise carrying cash in most places, especially when visiting smaller towns, as card isn’t always accepted. You will find you need cash a lot in India.

ATMs In India & Travel Cards

Next up on this India travel guide is ATMs. It can be quite tricky to find working ATMs in India. We would recommend taking a good amount out at the airport as these ATMs tend to work well and carry larger amounts of cash. We would also reccomend asking hotel providers or trusted locals for recomendations of best ATMs in different areas if you need to top up.

It goes without saying, but don’t carry all your cash on you at once; leave some in a safe place back in your hotel.

It is possible to pay with card in many places, especially restaurants in more touristy areas. We use chase and revoult cards to take monkey out and pay abroad. Both of these are great options, Chase applies the Mastercard exchange rate to any purchases made in local currency and charges no fees. Revoult applies the even cheaper inter-bank exchange rate but does charge fees to use the card abroad at weekends if you are on the free plan. We have popped links to both of these options if you want to check it out.

HOWEVER, Just make sure to decline conversions at the ATM or when paying a bill and let your bank card do the conversion for you. Otherwise the ATMs will apply a much poorer exchange rate!

Budget For India

That brings us on to budget. Overall, India is a very affordable country. Of course, how much you spend will largely depend on what you want to do and how luxurious you wish to go! India is a country with one of the biggest wealth gaps in the world, which means there is everything from super-budget options to extreme luxury!

We would say if you are a more budget backpacker, you can get away with anywhere from $20 to $50 a day per person for all your food, accommodation and travel.

India Guided Tours

Many people choose to do a tour around India to make the travel process much easier. If you do choose to do this, your expenses may be a little higher, but it’s certainly still good value, it can be safer for solo travelers and it does take the stress out of planning.

One great option for a 2-week tour around India is with a company called One Life Adventures! We absolutely love their tours and have done a number of trips with them. Their India itinerary takes you around the famous Golden Circle and some additional places like Bikaner and Thar Desert! You can use our code FreqentFlyer15 for 15% off any tour on the One Life Adventures Website. With our discount applied, this tour is actually just over $1000 at the time of making this video.

Check Out Our Firsthand Experience On The One Life Adventures India Tour On YouTube!

Shorter guided trips of the Golden Triangle can be as little as $300 or less for 5-6 days. We have included a few other great options below.

Traffic In India

Next up on this India Travel Guide is traffic, and guys, it is pretty crazy! Especially in larger cities like Delhi and Jaipur! We are talking standstill traffic regularly, tuk-tuks everywhere, rik-shaws everywhere, cars everywhere; so you do want to plan what time you will travel well.

If you can, try to avoid rush hour and public holidays, and you can always ask a local for advice on when the roads will be quietest.

It is also worth noting, guys, that it is very loud – Hooting car horns is as common as saying hello in India, but you get used to it after a while, so don’t worry!

India Travel Guide – Language

Next up in this India travel guide is language. India officially recognises 22 different languages, but there are hundreds of other regional languages. Hindi is the most commonly spoken language in India. However, many people speak English, especially in the more touristy areas, so you shouldn’t have any issues getting around if you are an English speaker.

Culture In India

That brings us on to culture and religion. Hinduism is by far the most common religion in India, accounting for about 80% of the population. However, there is also a large Muslim population and many other religions, including Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

India is actually one of the most religiously diverse countries in the world, and you will see evidence of this as you travel in the architecture, food, traditional dress and much more!

You can also witness the culture of India during many of its religious events, some of the most famous being Holi and Diwali. We were in India during Diwali, which was an incredible experience! We highly recommend visiting in late October or November to experience this. Just be mindful that the dates change yearly, so it’s worth checking in advance!

Check Out Our Firsthand Experience Celebrating Diwali On YouTube!

What To Pack For India

Next up is what to pack! We have actually written an entire guide on everything you should take to India. This covers everything from clothes to first aid, tips to help with Delhi belly and the correct travel adapters:

India Dress Code

That brings us on nicely to dress code. As mentioned, India is an extremely religiously diverse country, and in general, people dress more modestly. While this is not enforced everywhere, it is something to consider.

For specific famous religious sites such as the Jama Masjid, you will be expected to cover your knees and shoulders, and in the Sikh gurdwaras, you will also be expected to cover your head. But don’t worry; head scarves and gowns can be provided on-site if needed.

India Travel Guide – Avoiding Delhi Belly

Next up in this India travel guide is how to avoid the dreaded dehli belly! This is probably one of the most common questions we have been asked since visiting India and also one of the things we was most warned about.

Yes, it is possible to visit India and not get Delhi belly, but many people do get sick, so here are our top tips.  

Do not drink tap water, and always drink bottled water. This one is quite obvious, but there are a few sneaky ways you can slip up.  

• Firstly, if you want to be extra safe, avoid brushing your teeth in tap water and be careful not to ingest any water in the shower
• Secondly, hotels often provide cups of water on a tray; this is filtered water, and theoretically, it should be okay! We drank this and were fine, but if you think you have a particularly sensitive stomach, avoid this as well and stick to bottled water.
• Another important thing to note is to check that the bottled water you buy is sealed and make sure you hear the click of the seal breaking as you open it! Sometimes, people will refill bottles with tap water to sell, so just be cautious.
• Lastly, be very careful with ice; always ask if the ice is made with bottled water and if in doubt, leave it out!

Is Street Food Safe In India?

Another question we have been asked a lot is about the safety of the street food in India. So much so, in fact, that we have written an entire guide on it. You can check out the complete guide here: Street Food In India | 12 Top Tips To Avoid Delhi Belly!, but below are some of our essential tips:

The absolute number one tip we can give to eat street food safely is to opt for busy stalls with a high turnover! These busy stalls mean the food is prepared and served quickly, with fresher ingredients. It also acts as quality assurance because When you see many people waiting in line, it’s a strong sign that the food is not only delicious but also safe to eat. 

Our second top tip would be to book a guided street food tour! These are actually very affordable and your local guide will know all the best places to go, that have good quality food! Most importantly, they will also know what is likely unsafe for foreigners as they run these tours regularly.
We have linked some great food tour options in both Delhi, Udaipur and Jaipur below.

Lastly, if you really want to reduce your risk, try eating vegetarian. While it is still possible to get poorly from vegetarian food, the risk is much lower than when consuming meat. Also, India has the largest vegetarian population in the world, so you will not be short of options.

Travel Insurance & Pharmacies

Next up is travel insurance. While travel insurance is not a requirement to enter India, it is highly recommended! If you are doing a 2-3 week trip, then we suggest heading to a comparison site like Compare The Market and selecting the best cover for the dates you are travelling.

However, if you are travelling to India as part of a longer backpacking trip, then we HIGHLY recommend SafetyWing! This is a super affordable monthly subscription perfect for those who will be travelling to multiple countries over many months and digital nomads.

One awesome feature of SafetyWing is that if you forget to purchase travel insurance, you can buy it while abroad, which very few insurance companies offer. They also have a super easy claims process and 24/7 support, so if you would like to look into SafetyWing, you can check it below!

It’s worth noting, however, that pharmacies in India are incredible, and you can actually buy many antibiotics at a very affordable price over the counter. It’s always recommended to seek medical advice, but pharmacies can be a lifesaver in some cases.  

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India Travel Guide – Safety For Women

Next up is safety for women. This has been quite a significant topic of discussion in the media of late and certainly, something that is important to consider before visiting India.

Beth actually visited without Denzel for one trip, but for the majority of the time, Beth was with friends or in a group. Beth did, however, do a short solo adventure into Delhi at night, and we will link that video below so you can see her first-hand experience as a solo female in India at night time.

Overall, Beth felt safe throughout the entire trip to India, but we are aware this is not everyone’s experience. If you are a solo female traveller, our main advice would be to book a guided tour so you have a group with you. If you choose to travel without a guide, look into local areas, plan well, and exercise general caution, especially at night.

The people in India are absolutely wonderful; they are so hospitable and so excited to meet you and show you their country. The people in India are truly what makes it so special, so please don’t let the media put you off visiting. However, for solo travelers, extra caution is important, and you may want to consider a group tour.

India Travel Guide – Selfies

Next in this India Travel Guide is selfies. It is quite common to be asked for a selfie or picture as a foreigner in India; this is simply because many locals may not see foreigners regularly. Overall, we found these interactions really wholesome and a lovely way to meet people.

However, some people have reported feeling quite overwhelmed with this. If you do not wish to take a picture, just politely say no, and we would say that if this does concern you, travelling in a group can make you feel a lot less intimidated during such encounters.

Tripods & Cameras Confiscated In India

That brings us on nicely to cameras and tripods in India. One thing we were not aware of before visiting is how strict certain attractions can be with tripods and cameras. Many attractions can confiscate cameras, microphones and tripods, and the rules do not always seem very clear. Here are our top tips:  

• If you use a stick for a camera, for example, to vlog, either take off the tripod or buy a stick without a tripod before visiting major attractions like the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and others. Tripods seem to be the biggest issue throughout lots of tourist attractions.  
• The fancier the camera looks, the more likely there might be an issue. Try and remove microphones from cameras and make them as inconspicuous as possible. One time, they actually removed the wind muff from our GoPro, so anything could happen.
• In general, phones are nearly always allowed, so you can have this as a backup in the worst-case scenario, and most places will store your belongings with you while you enter.
• Always be polite and respectful. Rules can change week by week and from place to place, so it can be confusing, but patience is always a virtue in these scenarios.

Can You Take A Drone To India 

This brings us onto another question we have been asked a lot, and that is, can you take a drone to India?

The online advice on this is EXTREMELY confusing, but after extensive research and hearing many of our friends’ experiences, I can say at the time of making this video, conclusively say, No, you cannot take a drone to India…. officially.

We do, however, know many people who have taken a drone into India, which is why it can be confusing. Ultimately, we made the decision not to take ours as it was not worth the risk for us. But we have written a very detailed guide with accounts from multiple people to help those who are drone pilots. If you are considering taking your drone to India, we highly recommend checking it out before you go… It’s free!

Can You Take A Drone To India? | DON’T Make These Mistakes!

SIM cards and Internet In India

Next up on this India Travel Guide is SIM cards and Internet. We recommend getting a data SIM in the airport as soon as you arrive or pre-purchasing an eSIM, as you will likely rely on data a lot in India, especially in the more rural areas.

If you decide to buy a SIM on arrival, we recommend Airtel. We generally have great coverage with them for most essential things. We recommend pre-loading it with all the data you think you will need for your trip, as it is quite difficult to add additional data in the app afterwards. You can ask a local to help you with this if needed though.

One important thing to note is that we actually could not take any cash out INSIDE Delhi Airport. The only working cash machine was outside the airport doors, and once you leave, you cannot go back in. The Airtel counter only accepted cash, so this meant the only choice was to use the very expensive money exchange counter. To avoid this hassle, bring some Indian rupees with you on the plane or purchase an eSIM in advance!

If you do choose to get an eSIM, we highly recommend Nomad. They offer great coverage in many countries worldwide at competitive pricing. You can use our Referral code TWOFSBPHPA for 5$ off any purchase, and this is Valid for the first 5 people to use the code.

VPN For India

Our next recommendation is to use a VPN in India, especially when using public wifi. This is because a VPN protects your data from potential eavesdroppers and hackers. A VPN also hides your real IP address, making it harder for your online activity and location to be tracked.

We use Nord VPN and find it’s fantastic. This link will give you up to 3 months free if you are interested.

Tipping In India

Next is tipping in India. While not compulsory, tipping culture is big in India, to the point where it is usually expected. A typical amount is around 10% of the bill for hotels, taxis and restaurants.

For services such as porterage, housekeeping, and concierge, tipping is also routine. For example, if someone offers to take your bags, it would be polite to tip them afterwards, so bear this in mind before you accept certain services.

Scams In India

Lots of people have also asked about scams in India. On the whole, we did not experience any significant issues, but here are a few tips.

Firstly, this did not happen to us, but some ATMs could be dodgy. In general, the best ATMs are the ones in airconditioned rooms, usually with a security guard outside. We would also advise freezing your card temporarily after each transaction abroad just to be safe.

Secondly, at a number of locations, people may offer to take pictures. Even if they say they will do this for free, they will nearly always expect payment. Beth actually used this service to get some wonderful footage, but just make sure you agree on a price in advance and don’t be afraid to barter. Beth paid the agreed price with no issues, and it was absolutely fine.

Lastly, when booking taxis, we highly recommend using Uber from the app directly. This is readily available throughout India and offers assurance of price and certified drivers. This is especially important when getting a taxi from the airport, as we have heard of several potential scams here. Stick to the Uber app and avoid hailing cabs, and you should be safe.

Where To Visit In India

And last but certainly not least is where to visit in India. This topic really requires a whole guide dedicated to it, as India is huge, with so many amazing places to visit! In fact, we have written many guides covering the top things to do in different areas in India, so check those out below:

• Delhi
• Agra
• Jaipur
• Pushkar
• Udaipur
• Jodhpur
• Bikaner

As an overview, Beth mainly did the golden triangle with a few extras and had the most incredible time. If you have never been to India before, we would say the Golden Triangle is a great place to start.

However, many of our Indian subscribers on YouTube have expressed how beautiful both the northern and southern regions of India are! You can see our comments throughout multiple videos with some amazing suggestions from locals! We hope to go back to India to see more of this incredible country in the future!

Conclusion – Ultimate India Travel Guide

These top tips should give you a really great place to start if you are planning your trip to India! We really hope it has been helpful, but as always, don’t hesitate to let us know any questions you might have in the comments below! 

Big Love 

Beth and Denz