Travel itinerary in India. A bright and memorable trip to India: what an inexperienced tourist should know

Almost every tourist dreams, while not everyone succeeds in making their cherished dream come true. But you are actually lucky, because you have the opportunity to visit this glorious multi-million dollar country without spending a lot of money. Just follow our advice and you will succeed.

So, an independent trip to India almost always comes out an order of magnitude cheaper compared to the prices broken by travel agencies. In addition, since you will carry out all the actions yourself without anyone's help, you will receive a lot of positive emotions and memories.

Ready-made tours offer practically nothing new, and apart from visiting a few main attractions and selfless relaxation, nothing else shines for you. Whereas, acting on the principle of "your own boss" you will get incredible freedom and plunge into a real adventure, which will become your number 1 story among your friends.

A little about the geography of the region. With more than a billion people living in India, you can imagine what a huge territory there is. In addition, climatic features, living standards and many other fundamental factors are so different here that having visited only one, you definitely will not know all the features of the region.

As a rule, the most popular place for recreation among Russian tourists is the one that is most suitable for the European way of rest. Sunny beaches, clean ocean, dozens of hotels and almost native attitude towards foreigners. Which, in general, is not surprising, because this state used to be a Portuguese colony.

Unlike other parts of India, where, as you know, people follow strict rules, here you can walk in short shorts or even a bikini. But, it will not be possible to call yourself a real tourist who has visited India without visiting at least a few places. Well, now let's talk about how you can organize a trip to India on a budget.

Purchase of air tickets

The fastest and most comfortable way to get to India, of course, is by plane. There are also options for traveling by bus tour or even by train, but the most desperate tourists, as a rule, agree to this, because it will take at least ten days to go one way.

Whereas for people with a short vacation, an airplane is most suitable. The average cost of tickets to India is about three hundred euros, and such routes take into account several transfers and involve the purchase of two-way tickets at once.

Most of the flights depart directly from Moscow or St. Petersburg, in the case of choosing the country of residence of Russia, as well as Kyiv (in the case of Ukraine) or Minsk (Belarus). Other smaller metropolitan areas also have a choice of flights to India, but their cost and availability are not always liked by tourists. Keep in mind that the cheaper the airfare to India, the longer you will need to fly. In general, the fastest ways involve the cost of a plane ticket from 330 euros.

It will be most profitable to purchase tickets to India on the website of the cheap ticket search service Aviasales. It is here that you can compare various offers for buying air tickets from several companies at once. Thus, you can save not only a large amount of time, but also a rather large amount of money. Everything about everything, as a rule, takes no more than 30 minutes.

Finding accommodation in India

When choosing a vacation home, this site can save you a significant amount of time, which you can then spend on more useful things. Alternatively, you can still rent an apartment or house directly from local residents. This option allows you to plunge headlong into the Indian cultural flavor and live like a real resident of India. Of course, the quality of housing is different from the level we are used to, so we always recommend carefully studying the photos in advance.

Required documents

So, in order to get to India, you will need to present a passport, as well as a visa. In some cases, medical insurance may be required (depending on the state of India where you are going on holiday). In fact, treatment in India is very expensive, so it doesn’t hurt, of course, to take out insurance for yourself. Just in case.

On the territory of Russia there are 3 centers for issuing visas to India, located in Vladivostok, Moscow and St. Petersburg. In addition, this can also be done via the Internet. On average, the cost of a visa is about 60 dollars, while its processing time takes no more than four days.

To obtain a visa, the following documents are required: a valid passport, a completed application form at the visa center (purpose of travel, etc.), a photograph, a mandatory confirmation of a hotel or rented apartment reservation. In general, the list of documents may change, so all relevant information can be found on the website of the Indian embassy.

List of top attractions in India

Given the size of the country, you can find a lot of really worth seeing places here. But, one way or another, no matter where you plan to relax, it will be very difficult to build a travel route for sightseeing throughout India. The only thing that in this case I would like to talk about the most famous sights of the country.

• Dudhsagar
• Stupa in Sanchi
• Mahabodhi Temple Bollywood
• Taj Mahal
• Delhi National Museum
• Humpy
• Fort Aguada
• Qutub Minar

It is worth noting that it will be most convenient to get to attractions located in different parts of India by car. Of course, you will have to spend at least a couple of days on such a trip, but you will get a great many impressions.

Of course, if your budget allows, you can use the services of internal ones to move around the country. Moreover, there are a lot of such companies here, and buying a ticket for them will not be any problem.

Cost of travel to India

It all depends on your personal preferences. For someone, 800 euros is enough, and someone will not be able to have a normal rest even for 8,000 euros. So everyone here chooses the level of rest for himself. That's the beauty of this kind of travel. As a personal example, I suggest you familiarize yourself with a 10-day vacation in Goa for two people, taking into account departure from Moscow.

• The cost of plane tickets for two cost 900 euros round trip
• Accommodation for 10 days cost 500 euros.
• Meals for two - 200 euros.
• Transportation costs around the resort - 50 euros.
• Sightseeing - 50 euros.
• Souvenirs and various tourist expenses - 250 euros.
• Registration of a visa and insurance - 80 euros.

In total, almost 2 thousand euros came out. Of course, it was possible to rest much cheaper, or much more expensive. The main thing to know is that vacation on a budget is absolutely real.

Savings options for traveling to India

You can bet that with some basic tips for traveling India on your own as a "savage" you can cut your spending drastically. For example, we recommend that you use the roomguru.ru service to find cheap hotel rooms

In this way, you can save some money without losing anything in terms of comfort level. Also pay attention to the choice of a resort for a vacation, because, for example, Goa and Agra have almost the same conditions in terms of recreation, only in the first case you will have to pay twice as much.

Another tip for booking hotel rooms or apartments would be to make a reservation a couple of months before your visit, so you can get up to 20 percent of the total cost. Some, of course, may agree to stay in a hostel, however, such an offer is not suitable for everyone due to the practical absence of comfortable conditions.

In the case of choosing the time of year for a vacation in India, it is recommended to choose the off-season directly, because during this period the prices for accommodation will be an order of magnitude lower. In general, now you know how you can relax in India on your own. Use the acquired knowledge and buy air tickets to India now. Happy travels.

Many people dream of going to India on their own, but not everyone knows how to make it a reality. But you are lucky, you yourself will be able to visit this multifaceted country, see how the Indians live, enjoy the beautiful landscapes, understand the national flavor a little, but you can just relax here.

An independent trip to India can be quite inexpensive compared to the offers of travel agencies, and this type of vacation will bring many times more positive emotions and interesting acquaintances. In addition, "package tours" do not offer anything new, all their ideas are worn out to holes: lie on the beach, visit one or two attractions, go to the most expensive market. Recreation "one's own boss" gives a lot more freedom of action, this is a real adventure that will be remembered for a lifetime.

The territory of India is huge, each part of it is distinguished by climatic conditions, infrastructure development, population density. An important fact is that access to foreigners is limited in some states of the country; in order to get into them, you need to obtain additional permits. But even without these places there is where to go and what to see. For example, the most popular state among travelers and tourists, it is best suited for a “European” type of vacation, there is a huge amount of entertainment, hotels, beaches; in Goa they have long been accustomed to foreigners (after all, it is also a former colony of Portugal) and their manners and customs, here no one will pay much attention to short shorts and bikinis, unlike residents of other states, clothes that cover most of the body. But in order to see the "real" India, with all its wealth and beauty, you just need to go to other states of the country. And now to the specifics of how to organize your own trip.

Flights

The fastest and most comfortable way to get to India is by plane. Of course, you can go by car or go by train, but this is for real daredevils who have a lot of free time and iron nerves. Who has a short vacation, this is not at all suitable. Therefore, it is better to fly, and not to go.

There are a lot of flights to India. Most of them depart from Moscow and St. Petersburg (for Russia), Kiev and Lvov (for Ukraine), Minsk (for Belarus), but there are flights to India from some large provincial cities, there are just not so many of them. Tickets to India cost from 300 € (flights with transfers, round trip), but, as a rule, cheap flights involve a longer flight. If you want to get to your holiday destination quickly, then fly with a direct flight, ticket prices start at 330 €.

It is most profitable to buy tickets to India on the website. This is a search engine that finds and compares tickets from different airlines and offers to buy the most profitable ones. Thanks to him, you will save a huge amount of time, and money too. It will take only a few minutes to get the coveted ticket.

Airfare low price calendar

Check airfare prices:

Housing

Hotels in India most often do not differ in luxury, although there are exceptions. To find the right hotel for you, you need to search for it on. Thanks to an advanced search with many criteria, you will quickly and easily select the right option. A description has been added to each hotel, a list of what is in the room, and most importantly, there are true reviews written by tourists and travelers who have already lived in this place. This service saved a lot of money and nerves. all the accommodations I booked through Roomguru were of good quality and matched the description.

If you have questions regarding the booking process itself, then read, thanks to which you can book accommodation yourself in any country in the world, including India.

There is still an opportunity to rent an apartment or a house, but this is an amateur business. There are both pros and cons to this way of living in a foreign country, with the cons for most travelers outweighing the pros. But if you are still not afraid of the difficulties that often arise if you rent a house from a private owner in another country, then you can read what it says about renting a house abroad.

Find a cheap hotel from Roomguru right now:

Documentation

To travel in India, you will need a visa and a passport, it is desirable (but not necessary) to apply, it can save you several tens of thousands of dollars in case of health problems. If you go to India without insurance, and something happens already on the spot, then you will have to pay exorbitant prices for treatment, so it’s better to buy insurance yourself, besides, it costs very little.

You can apply for a visa both at the Indian Visa Application Center (there are such in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Vladivostok), and via the Internet. Usually, the term for consideration of the application is 4 days. You will have to pay $60 for a visa.

Here is the list of documents required for obtaining a visa:

• Passport valid for more than 6 months at the time of visa application
• A completed application form
• Hotel booking confirmation
• Copy of round-trip air tickets
• Copy of internal passport

You can find up-to-date information on the website of the Embassy of India.

Attractions

There are a lot of attractions in India. Let's not forget that this is a huge country with a rich history. In order to make a route for visiting attractions, you must first decide in which part of India you are going to relax. Where to go and what to see you will always find. I will list only the most popular places for travelers:

• Taj Mahal
• Bollywood
• Fort Aguada
• Mahabodhi temple
• Stupa in Sanchi
• Delhi National Museum
• Humpy
• Qutub Minar
• Dudhsagar

Getting to attractions in different parts of the country is convenient by car. A trip from one part of India to another will take several days, but the experience will be huge. You can rent a car at.

If the budget of the trip allows, then you can use the services of domestic air carriers. The cheapest way is to fly somewhere on a low-cost airline (low-cost airline), of which there are quite a lot in India.

Travel cost

An independent holiday in India can cost both 700 € and 70,000 €. It all depends on you, as you wish, so be it. This is what makes travel "one's own boss" good, you decide what is better to spend money on, where to fly and what to do. Let me give you an example of spending on an average vacation for two people (10 days, departure from Moscow, Goa resort):

• Round-trip airfare = 900 €
• Hotel accommodation 3* = 500 €
• Food = 200 €
• Transport = 50 €
• Attractions = 50 €
• Purchases = 250 €
• Visa = 60 €
• Insurance = 20 €

Final price: 1980 €. You can relax in India and much cheaper. And someone prefers not to refuse anything and spends many times more. If you want to visit India for little money, then read the guide, which says how to travel around the world cheaply, these tips and recommendations also apply to India. Budget travel is a reality.

How to save money on travel

How to inexpensively relax on your own in India and not lose in comfort - that's what this section is about. Knowing some of the features of a budget vacation in a savage, you can significantly reduce your costs.

You have learned how to relax in India on your own. Put the acquired knowledge into practice, book a hotel and purchase air tickets right now. Best wishes to you!

! For 365 days, multi!
For citizens of the Russian Federation and Ukraine, the total cost with all fees = 8200 rub.
For citizens of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia = 6900 rub

Here I will briefly describe those itineraries in india that I have personally gone through. You can take these routes as a basis, remove something from them, add something, based on your preferences.

• The first is the choice of the season for your trip. India is very stretched from north to south and from west to east. And when there is heat in the south, there may still be snow in the north. You also need to consider the rainy season.
  (Read about it:)
• The second is personal preference. India is very diverse, each state is different from the other. One region is famous for its abundance of ancient temples, another for good beaches, a third for palaces, a fourth for monasteries, and so on. So the itinerary can be tailored to suit every taste.
• You should not try to cram several regions into one short vacation, because half of the vacation will be spent on moving, which is not rational. It is better to choose one region, or two, located nearby.
• Moving is better to do at night (on and) so as not to waste precious daytime on moving.
• The route can be looped, i.e. fly home from the same city in which he flew. But it is possible in another way - to fly to one city (for example, to Delhi), and fly home from another (for example, from Mumbai), and lay your route between these cities.

Conditionally (very conditionally) we will divide all routes across India into North, Center and South.

Routes in North India

1. Chardham in the Indian Himalayas
This is a pilgrimage route in the state of Uttarakhand.

Four main sacred points of the route: - - Kedarnath - Badrinath.

From each point you can make radial tracks to the mountains. For example, from Gangotri go for 2-3 days in on;
from Yamunotri to Lake Saptarishi Kund (the source of the Yamuna);
from Kedarnath to the lake Gandhi Sarovar or to the source of Mandakini;
from Badrinath to the foot of Mount Nilkant.
If you have time, you can include the Valley of Flowers and;
and Tungnat;
a walk to Lake Deorital;
the city (where Bagirati and Alaknanda merge to form the Ganges);
and also, of course, Rishikesh and Haridwar.
Duration: 18-20 days (if we take only the base points of Yamunotri - Gangotri - Kedarnath-Badrinath). If you expand this route with the branches described above, then you need to lay a month or more.
spring - May-June;
autumn - September-October.

2. Himachal route
This route lies in the foothills of the Himalayas in the state of Himachal Pradesh.
Route branch:
Delhi - Shimla - Kullu Valley - Parvati Valley - Banjar Valley - Menri Monastery - Shimla - Delhi

From Delhi to Shimla we get through Kalka:
Delhi - Kalka (train),
.
Kullu Valley (Valley of the Gods): Manali, Naggar (Roerich's estate and Krishna Temple), Bijli Mahadev temple;
Parvati Valley: Manikaran, Kasol, Jari, Mateura, ;
Banjar Valley: Jibi, Chaini, Jalori Pass, Balu Temple, Lake Saleur.

Duration: three weeks.
Best time for this route: May-June and August-September. Although I went to Himachal in March-April, and it was also very good (although in the Banjar valley I had to walk in the rain, in Naggar at night I had to chatter my teeth from the cold, and in Khirgang we were covered with snow, but it was still very cool: -))

3. Ladakh route
A very interesting route in northern India along (Jammu and Kashmir).
On the map, Ladakh is highlighted in red.

Ladakh is located at an altitude of more than three thousand meters behind the Great Himalayan Range and is not like the rest of India either in landscape or culture. It is called "Little Tibet".

You can get to this region either by plane or by high mountain routes from Manali or Srinagar. - This is a very beautiful adventure. It is better to leave this adventure on the way back, but initially it is better to fly to Le by plane (this is my belief, which I justify in).

Route duration: 4 weeks.
Best time: from June to October.

Attention! Before planning a trip to this region, you need to find out what the current situation is in the state of Jammu and Kashmir (whether there is a war there).

Route through central India

This itinerary is approximately 5 weeks long. Starts in Delhi, ends in Mumbai.
Covers the states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Goa.

Duration: three weeks.
The best time for this route: November - February.

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And a couple of itineraries around India that I made for my friends and relatives, and which they really liked. So I can safely recommend these routes too. Here I included both those places where I myself visited, and new ones.

1) Delhi - Shimla - Manali - Kullu Valley - Parvati Valley - Banjar Valley - Kinnaur Valley - Menri Monastery (near Shimla) - Rishikesh - Delhi

2) Jaipur - Ahmedabad - Ajanta - Ellora - Hyderabad - Hampi - Mysore - Ooty - Gokarna

Organizing a cheap savage vacation in India is quite simple. You can fly to India from almost any major city in Russia; there are direct flights not only from airports in Moscow, but from other cities. While in Moscow, you can fly to Delhi in about 6 hours. To fly to India cheaper, you should get information about charter flights from travel agencies. If there are no private flight operators, you should try to fly by charter by buying a ticket from a large agency, for example, in Moscow.

How to get an Indian visa

Thinking about how to go to India on your own and organize a vacation as a savage, first of all, you need to get an Indian visa. Citizens of Russia can obtain a visa in two ways: the first is in Moscow or St. Petersburg at the visa center, the second is to independently apply for an electronic visa on the Internet.

It is convenient to make an electronic visa if you are going on a short trip as a savage, calculated for no more than 30 days, and also do not live in Moscow or St. Petersburg. To apply for an e-visa online, just fill out an application form, upload a scanned passport, a photo and make a payment. The visa fee is $60. You need to receive an e-visa by e-mail, and then print it.

Housing and movement around the country

The question that worries first-time savage tourists is how cheap it is to live in India. It is worth looking for accommodation in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe main attractions directly on the spot or make a reservation via the Internet. In most places it is possible to live from 3-5 dollars per day. In the case when you decide to make a reservation in advance, pay attention to the reviews of other tourists, the description of the hotel may not correspond to reality.

To travel by car in India, you need to get an international driving license or hire a car with a driver. A local driver knows the tourist routes and will help make traveling on the roads safer. A car with a driver will cost from $50 per day, the price depends on the class of the car and the number of rental days. It will be convenient for savages to travel many routes on a motorcycle, the average rental price per day is $ 15.

Distances in India are quite large, often, tourist routes are 1.5 - 2 thousand kilometers. Indian airlines allow you to fly cheaply to almost any part of the country, so even in a short period of time you can manage to see quite a lot.

New Delhi

It is from the capital of India that many tourists begin their journey around the country. You can live cheaply in Delhi in the vicinity of the New Delhi railway station. The time when tourists in Delhi are most of all is from November to December. During these months, it is better to make a hotel reservation in advance.

A visit to the main attractions will cost 3 - 4 dollars. Worth seeing in Delhi:

• The Red Fort is the symbol of Delhi.
• Humayun's Tomb is a mausoleum reminiscent of the famous Taj Mahal in its architecture.
• Qutub Minar is an ancient minaret.
• India Gate is a monument dedicated to those who died in the First World War.
• Raj Ghat is the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi.
• The Lotus Temple is the main Baha'i temple.
• Akshardham is the largest Hindu temple in the world.
• Rashtrapati Bhavan is the palace of the President.

You can also make your holiday in Delhi more interesting by visiting museums. The average price of an entrance ticket for foreigners is 2 - 4 dollars.

India's Golden Triangle

Routes in India are very diverse. Where it is best to go for those who want to see the real India is the cities that are part of the Golden Triangle: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. The time when a trip here will be most successful is from October to March. The easiest way to get from the capital to Agra is by train, the journey will take about 3 - 4 hours, travel by SL-class (Sleeper Class) 1.5 - 2 dollars. In Agra you can see:

• The Taj Mahal is the most famous building in India, an attraction that has received such high reviews from tourists that it was included in the list of New Wonders of the World.
• Agra Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Taj Mahal.
• Tomb of Akbar the Great.
• Pearl Mosque.

When planning a budget trip to Agra, you can live inexpensively in the area located right next to the Taj Mahal. When visiting other attractions of Agra, the bearer of the ticket to the Taj Mahal should be given a small discount, but it is valid only on the day the ticket was purchased.

Jaipur is another peak crowning the "Golden Triangle" of India. You can get here from both Delhi and Agra by train in 5-6 hours. While traveling as a savage, it is worth seeing in Jaipur:

• Hawa Mahal is the palace of the winds.
• Jal Mahal is a palace floating on the surface of the water.
• The city palace is the palace of the Maharaja. The entrance ticket costs 4.5 dollars.
• Sarga Suli is the tallest tower in the city.
• Jantar Mantar is a medieval observatory, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Entrance 1.5 dollars.
• Jaigarah Fort is one of the few medieval military fortresses in India.

On May 18, International Museum Day, many museums can be visited for free. The cheapest way to live in Jaipur is around the Old City.

Route along the west coast of India

When it is worth going to the west coast of India, it is from November to April. Places that will be interesting to visit:

• Jaipur - The Pink City.
• Jodhpur - Blue City.
• Mumbai is home to Indian Bollywood.
• Goa is a place where people go for beaches, surfing and colonial architecture. Many tourists from Russia and the CIS stay in this paradise of India for the whole winter.
• Bangalore - recognized as the best city to live in India, famous for a number of palaces and temples.
• Kerala is one of the best beach resorts in India.

East coast route

When traveling along the east coast is most enjoyable, it is in November and December. Places to visit:

• Calcutta is a city that you must visit for the sake of English colonial architecture. Living in Calcutta is somewhat more expensive than in other cities.
• Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world, the place where people go to see the wild Bengal tiger.
• Bhubaneswar is the religious center of Buddhists and Hindus, famous for its temples of the 8th-12th centuries.
• Puri is a city that offers relaxation on golden beaches and visits to ancient temples.
• Mamallapuram is a place famous for rock carvings and temples carved into the rocks.

Journey to Northern India

When is the best time to go to the north of India - so it is from May to September. In the southern part of the country at this time of the year there is a strong heat, so a trip to the mountains promises a pleasant coolness. Places to visit in North India:

• Dharamsala - the residence of the Dalai Lama and the government of Tibet in exile are located here.
• Shimla is the former summer capital of the British Empire.
• Varanasi is the most sacred city of Hindus, a place of pilgrimage to the Ganges River.
• Darjeeling is a city in the foothills of the Himalayas, where the British elite came to live from Calcutta in the summer.
• Gangtok is a mountainous city, the capital of Sikkim.

To visit the states of Manipur, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, a special entry permit is required. Access to certain regions may be closed from time to time.

Safety

Holidays in India will be pleasant and safe if you follow simple rules:

• Before leaving, do not forget to make copies of all documents, this will help to restore them in case of loss.
• Going on vacation to India for the first time, study the latest reviews of tourists about the places you plan to visit. This will help to avoid many troubles and surprises.
• Negotiate prices in advance, do not rush to get change and leave immediately. Be sure to count the money, cases of cheating are very common.
• If you decide to get somewhere by tuk-tuk or taxi, always negotiate the price before the trip or make sure the driver turns on the meter.
• Do not respond to beggars, especially children. It is not enough for them to simply receive money or food from you. It is worth making exceptions for one and you cannot get rid of all the others.
• Do not photograph military or government installations.
• When visiting religious sites, take off your shoes at the entrance, make sure that your clothes cover your knees and shoulders.
• Many women who travel alone in India leave negative reviews about the male half of the country's population. To avoid problems, women are advised to wear closed clothing and take extra care at night.