Travel planning to India. This small guide will help travellers in preparing their trip to India and guide them with various aspects of travel planning to India. Points like how to select the place to visit in India, weather conditions, things to pack, visa requirement, tips, caution and various other elements of travel planning to India.

1. TRIP PLANNING TO
INDIA
A Small Guide by JustOrbit.com

2. How to plan a trip to India?
Planning a trip to India is not a simple task as the country is filled with rush of colour, noise,
and people. Every state or the city has its own essence and promises an overwhelming
experience. A trip to India is mainly an amalgamation of majestic forts, chaotic cities,
spiritual temples, holy rivers, golden beaches, snow-capped mountains, tea plantations,
and vast deserts.
During the travel experience of India the visitors will find themselves ringed by new as
well as enticing sounds, sights, smells and other things that happens only in India. The
country is captivating beautiful and at times overwhelming country, that why it is
recommend planning the trip to India carefully. Every travel planning needs to be done
by following some steps. These steps are mentioned below.

3. Where to go and for how many
days?
India is a vast country with so much to see and experience. Every part of the country has
its own beauty and charm which further adds difficulty in choosing the places to cover it
the traveller has a limited number of days in hand. Planning an itinerary is the most
indeed the most important step and for a country like India the planning should be a
little flexible. A visitor needs at least a few weeks to enjoy its beauty and varied cultures.
The land of India has something for everyone as for mountains the travellers can head to
the north to admire the Great Himalayas or the mountain cities like Shimla, Manali and
many more. For the beach fun the Southern Indian beaches are truly mesmerizing and
for deserts as well as royal palaces the state of Rajasthan is the best to visit. Even the
north eastern Indian states have so much to offer when it comes to serenity and peace.
So choose wisely as every place has their own aura that aims at leaving its visitors spell
bound.

4. Apply for travel documents
After planning for places, dates and days the next step comes applying for travel
documents. You'll need a valid passport to travel, as well as a 6-month tourist visa for
India. For that one can contact the Indian embassy in their country to apply for a tourist
visa. There visitors will be asked to supply a list of regions you'll be visiting, as well as
addresses where they will be staying. The applicants are also requested to visit website of
the Indian Mission concerned for detailed information about Indian visa.
The e-Tourist Visa Facility as well as Visa on arrival is available for holders of passport of
following countries:
Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Djibouti, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Guyana,
Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands,
Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue Island, Norway,
Oman, Palau, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia,
Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, UAE, Ukraine,
USA, Vanuatu, Vietnam.

5. Visa Continues…
The holders of diplomatic or official passports of the following countries do not require a
visa for India — Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Chile, Croatia, Ecuador,
Denmark, Colombia, Cyprus, Egypt, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Indonesia,
Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Malta, Mongolia, Mozambique,
Netherlands, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, LCA, VCT, Spain, Suriname, Sweden,
Tanzania, Timor-Leste, TCA, United Kingdom, Uruguay and Venezuela.
The fees could differ for citizens of different countries. Consular fee once received is not
refunded even if the visa application is withdrawn or visa not granted. The Visa fee is by
cash only and no online payment.

6. Bookings
The next step of travel planning for India is bookings. The travellers can look for cheap
hotels if they desire budget travelling. For this one needs to surf through various travel
sights, compare the prices and read reviews so that it gives an idea about the hotel
facilities in India. There are plenty of hotel websites that offer competitive rates. For
example one can log on to http://www.justorbit.com/asia/india/ for best deal for hotels
as well as travel packages.

7. Packing
As India is known for different terrains the packing should be done according to the cities one
has planned to visit. The packing will vary greatly depending on the types of activities you
plan to do and the areas you plan to visit, you should always bring enough clothes, sunscreen,
insect repellent, a sunhat, a first aid kit, and a money belt.
For winter or heading to mountains o or the areas with Extreme Snow the following things
should be packed:
• Thermals or base layers
• Thick leather gloves
• Monkey Cap
• Woollen Jackets
• Woollen muffler
• Woollen Socks
• Snow Boots

8. Packing Cont…
For Wet & Wild Weather which you could possibly find in north eastern states of India
• Raincoat
• Lightweight folding umbrella (for rain or sun)
• Waterproof bags for rain protection while walking
• Waterproof & windproof jacket
• Waterproof trousers
For Hiking in Himalayan areas
• Walking or Hiking Shoes in all colors, sizes and designs can be bought very cheaply in
India. So no need to carry those bulky shoes all the way.

9. Packing Cont(2)…
• 1 pair of Havana flip-flops / sandals so that u don’t bulk your bag with many shoes
• 1 pair of comfortable walking/hiking shoes with good grip
• Hiking poles/walking sticks
• Maps
• GPS (most mobile phones have it)
For hot areas or summers or beaches of South India
• Loose trousers and t shirts
• Slippers
• Large cotton scarves to cover your head, shoulders while visiting religious places
• Summer caps or hats

10. Caution
Surf the internet and look out for dos and don’ts in various cities one is planning to visit in India.
Some of the cautions for travelling in India are as follows:
• Wear decent clothes
• Don’t be too friendly with men who approach you at tourist sites or with hotel staff.
• Take extra care of belongings.
• Carry a water bottle.
• Don’t accept anything from strangers especially anything to eat or drink.
• Don’t walk in the countryside or lonely areas on your own. If you must, always have a mobile
to hand and a speed-dial number to call for help. Use it - even to make a fake call - as soon
as you start feeling uncomfortable.
• Always rely on licences tour guides or tour operators.
• Avoid eating from roadside vendors.
• Haggle for your favourites in local markets as the price may get down upto 50 per cent.

11. Tips
Try to learn some basic facts about the Indian cities so that it can help you to explore
better. If possible also try to learn some basic words in Hindi like excuse me, thank you,
sorry etc.
Some essential or basic words are as follows:
Hello = Namaste or Pranaam
Morning = subhah
Night = raat
Left = baiye
Right (direction) = daiye
Yes = haa
No = nahi
Good = accha
Today = aaj
Tomorrow = kal
Temple = mandir
Local = desi
Time = samay
Okay/good/whatever = thik hai
Stop= ruko
Please = kripya
Thank you = dhanyevad or shukriya
Sorry or Excuse me = maaf kijiye

12. Enjoy the trip
The result of this whole task of travel planning is the trip. Don’t forget to carry your
passport. Do your last minute checks, head to the airport, board the plane and enjoy
your trip. Don’t forget to riding on rickshaws or bullock carts that offer the true essence of
Indian experience. Indulge in cultural activities as much as possible.
With these steps the travel planning procedure for India will surely become less
cumbersome as well as it leads to a great experience of the India subcontinent.