How I traveled to India. Independent travel to India. Moving around the country

Independent tourist trips attract many travelers, because this type of tourism not only allows you to develop a unique travel route, but also significantly save on the services of a bureau or agency. With questions of independent trips to neighboring countries, everything is quite simple, but what if you want to go on your own to some distant and exotic country like India? This article will talk about such a possibility.

Independently to India: visa processing

The first and most necessary thing in an independent trip to any country in the world is to obtain a visa. Visa to India receive standard: at the embassy or consulate. Visa terms can be from one to six months. Besides, visas to enter india are single and multiple. When obtaining a visa, be sure to consider the fact that it is almost impossible to extend it in the country itself. Therefore, be sure to accurately calculate all the terms of your stay in India. Important point: An Indian visa begins to “work” from the day it is issued, and not from the moment you arrive in the country.

For obtaining a visa to India you will need to collect the following documents: a pre-filled application form, your international passport, a photocopy of the same passport, several color photographs of the required size, air tickets to India and back, hotel reservation documents for the entire stay, a copy of the regular passport and a document confirming the payment of the visa fee. The decision to issue a visa is made by the staff of the embassy or consulate within 3-4 working days.

Preliminary planning of the travel route is an important detail of preparation for independent trip to India.

Choice itinerary in india it depends only on you and your preferences, and, of course, the time you plan to spend on the trip. If time and visa allow you to be leisurely, you can limit your travel planning to a few major Indian cities, and with more detailed routing, you can already decide on the spot.

Read in advance all the information about the sights of India that interest you and buy a map of the country. The seasons are also of great importance in travel in india. So, in the summer, for example, South India is experiencing a rainy season, and it will be extremely difficult to travel around its states, in the center of India, summer is associated with excruciating and unusual heat for a European, and Northern India can surprise with cold in winter.

Below is a brief description of major tourist areas India:

1. Goa. Goa is divided into two parts: North Goa and south goa. Both parts have a large number of beaches and hotels, but in north goa prices for services, products and goods are much lower than on the coast of fashionable and elite South Goa.

2. Kerala- a paradise for tourists who want to learn the practical Ayurveda and generally join the spiritual heritage of India.

3. North India for those who want to see amazing natural beauty Himalayan mountains, to visit the ancient temples of India. You can go to Rishikesh, Ladakh, Kashmir.

4. The most classic and popular option (and, by the way, quite good for the first independent trip to India) tour - trip around the cities of the Golden Triangle, which includes Delhi, Agra, Jaipur.

How to buy air tickets to India?

In general, there are many airlines offering their passengers flights to india. In Russia, the most popular Aeroflot flight is Moscow-Delhi, but there are other carriers to India, information about which can be found on the Internet. By the way, it is also desirable to read the reviews about the flight there.

How to choose the right hotel to stay in India?

Information about hotels in india can also be found on the internet. It is best to find several possible accommodation options for each point of your trip. You should also be aware of the availability hot water and other amenities in the place of residence. The average cost of living in a small hotel is 400 rupees per day. A pleasant moment in the independent choice of housing in India is that you can and should bargain for the price of a room.

Have several copies of your passport with you to give them to the hotel administration, and a supply of color photographs will also be useful, because India is a land of fearless bureaucrats and sometimes they ask for a photo there in the most unexpected cases and places.

What to eat in India?

Contrary to the general belief that in India one should be wary of food, the practice seasoned tourists shows that food in India is of high quality. Always fresh vegetables and fruits, rice, specific sauces and hot bread. If you don’t want to get poisoned, just don’t buy food in shops on the street, eat in cafes at hotels.

Be prepared for the fact that in some places in India you will not find meat dishes, this is due to the increased religiosity of certain regions of the country.

You will need to get used to the abundance of spices and the unusual taste of water, as well as the complete absence of beef dishes - cow in india- a sacred animal and its murder is a mortal sin.

Be sure to try the following dishes national cuisine: dal (a specific stew made from a wide variety of legumes), alu gobi, all types of Indian flatbread, sabji and curries.

What else do you need to know about India, going on your first independent trip?

The main thing is not to believe the rumors about the unprecedented dirt and poverty in which the Indians live: any dwelling native of India differs in accuracy and order, and there are no beggars in the classical sense of the word in India at all. People are satisfied with their way of life and in many respects such contentment is due to the mentality and caste traditions.

You will not meet dancing people in India either - as Bollywood shows with enviable persistence in its films, but there are many singing Indians. Hindus love to sing just like that, and in front of the TV, singing along to music from a series or program.

Do not be afraid of street beggars. They are, of course, intrusive, but it is easy to get rid of them by loudly saying the word "police". No professional beggar or barker wants trouble with the law.

TO Europeans in India are treated kindly, even in areas where they are rarely seen. special attention Indians in such areas may be called out by females dressed too defiantly, so travelers should dress modestly.

India travel video:

Organize cheap vacation being a savage in India is easy enough. You can fly to India from almost anywhere. big city 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. visa application 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. The local driver knows tourist routes and help make road trips 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 surroundings railway station New Delhi. 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:

• Taj Mahal is the most famous building India, an attraction that has received so much high reviews tourists, which was included in the list of New Wonders of the World.
• Agra Fort - Listed along with the Taj Mahal world heritage UNESCO.
• Tomb of Akbar the Great.
• Pearl Mosque.

planning budget travel in Agra, you can live inexpensively in an 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 to go to West Coast India, so it is between November and April. Places that will be interesting to visit:

• Jaipur - " 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 to live in this paradise India for the whole winter.
• Bangalore - Recognized the best city for life in India, famous for a number of palaces and temples.
• Kerala is the state that offers almost the best beach holiday 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 - religious center Buddhists and Hindus, famous for the 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 heatwave 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 - former summer capital British Empire.
• Varanasi is the most holy city Hindus, a place of pilgrimage to the river Ganges.
• 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 feedback about the male half of the population. To avoid problems, women are advised to wear closed clothing and take extra care at night.

How to start developing an itinerary for independent travel in India
The good news is that you will have an unforgettable trip full of vivid impressions and, possibly, adventures. If you are fed up with travel and think that "everything European cities similar" or "all the beaches in South-East Asia the same”, India is what you need. You will see a completely different country, generally unlike those countries where you have been before. Different colors, different people, different food.
I noticed an amazing feature that is characteristic only of India: this country either accepts the traveler or rejects it. In the first case, a person literally dissolves in it, in the second, everything is bad: either solid garbage underfoot, or food is carried for a long time, or beggars around. The only way out is to try to perceive everything that happens as signs, the universe obviously wants to say something. India is one of the main places of power on Earth.

Advice: For traveling around central India We recommend hiring a decent English-speaking driver-guide. Standard for the Golden Triangle 4-5 days (or 1-2 weeks for difficult routes) are very inexpensive. Leave a request and, after confirmation, send your route for audit to your driver-guide. According to our statistics, more than half of the routes are redrawn.

When is the best time to go to India

The climate of India is in a remarkable antiphase with the Russian one. As soon as the "gray autumn" begins in central India, it is not so hot anymore, but on seaside resorts- Goa and Kerala - the season starts. Conversely, in May, the monsoons come, Delhi is incredibly hot, and Russia has a wonderful spring and May holidays. The only feature: if your trip falls on January, in Agra (where the Taj Mahal) will be comfortable temperature during the day, 18-20 degrees, but at night the thermometer drops to almost zero, and there is no heating in most hotels. There are only two options: take thermal underwear with you (no matter how crazy it sounds), or settle in high-class hotels.

Journey to India: Exotic + Sea

99% percent of our readers combine tours of the Golden Triangle, Rajasthan or trips to the Ganges with a seaside holiday. Starting point is Delhi. Usually done first excursion trip, then a flight to Goa or Kerala, and then back home via Delhi.

Find flights to Delhi

Domestic flights are quite short, they are made by low-cost airlines, so if you take a ticket as far in advance as possible, the price will be low. The main cost is tickets to Delhi. Here are the price stats:

Before starting the trip, we make one or two nights in Delhi, this is quite enough. There is one piece of wisdom when choosing a hotel in Delhi. Even if you are traveling on a modest budget, in no case save on a hotel in Delhi, you will understand why on the spot. After all, it's only one night.
Really good options mentioned in ours, you can book using the links in it, or select a hotel on the map. Do you see a circle on the left and rays depart from it? Ideally, you go there, and the farther from there, the more extreme.

Delhi hotels on the map

So, the tickets are bought, the night in Delhi is booked. If you decide to hire a driver for a trip, as soon as the booking is confirmed, he will help you plan your trip correctly. As soon as excursion route ready, you can buy domestic tickets.

Find flights to Kerala

So, everything is ready. We are starting to prepare for the trip. India travel ideas, ready-made itineraries, travel guides, review Goa beaches And best hotels Kerala is all in articles written by professional SmartTrip journalists and vetted experts

Start with our tips, written just for those who are going to India for the first time.

1. Choose your route wisely

Most popular tour in India, this is the classic "Golden Triangle". Cliché, but if time is short, this is a great opportunity to see the three best corners of India. Start from Delhi (Humayun's Tomb, Old Fort) before visiting Agra (Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri), and then Jaipur (Pink City, Amber Fort). Stop by Delhi's wonderful bazaars for a final shopping spree before you fly home.

If you have more specific tastes, then here is a list of the main places where you can find what your heart desires:

Shopping – Delhi
Beaches – Goa
Excursions – Himachal Pradesh
Yoga - Rishikesh
Food is Everywhere
Tigers - Madhya Pradesh
For lovers thrill– Manali
Prayer Sites - Varanasi

2. Take your time

3. Avoid the crowd

4. Take care of your health

Many travelers prefer vegetarianism as a form of food. It's not a bad idea. A piece of dog meat will do you more harm than a light dish of vegetables. In addition, many Indians are vegetarians, so before you huge selection vegetarian food. If you still love meat and cannot do without it, make sure it is well cooked. When in doubt, eat at a place where the locals usually eat.

Toilets in India are notoriously terrible, but they don't pose a source of danger. Use the jug method used by many local residents(it's much more hygienic than using paper), but don't forget to bring soap with you to make sure you wash your hands with after everything.

5. Be vigilant

There are many ways in which you can reduce the risk of being scammed. But there is no way to avoid all scammers at once. Therefore, the most important advice to a traveler in India is to remain calm, no matter what happens.

Disappointments can be waiting for you at every turn and be prepared for them, take a deep breath and move on. Here is your key to an enjoyable journey!

Airplane is the most real way to get to India from Russia. Most of state borders India passes through the sea, the other - through hard-to-reach mountainous areas. In addition, there is political tension on the borders with China and Bangladesh. By sea to get far and long. Plus, it's not safe at all. So flight. On it we will stop in our choice. The largest number international flights arrive in Delhi and Mumbai, as well as Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore. These airports serve the northwest, west coast, northeast, southeast coast, central and southern parts of the country, respectively.

The price of air tickets to India depends on the season: the most expensive is from November to March, when in the country « high season”and the weather is most comfortable. Prices decline moderately from April to May and from August to October. Most cheap flights— in June and July. By the way, in October-November, Indians from all over the world flock to their homeland to spend these days of Diwali with their families. That's why ticket prices go up! Business in general.

Tourists heading to Goa or the coast of Kerala are advised to contact a travel agency, where specialists will offer a ready-made tour package, including a charter flight along with accommodation. This is the most best option. But it must be borne in mind that the Indian authorities have set a limit on the duration of the stay of tourists who have arrived charter flight- no more than 28 days. Moreover, the tourist is also obliged to fly by charter.

A flight to India from most cities in Russia is possible only with a transfer, so the average travel time is more than 10 hours. With a direct flight from Moscow, for example, the travel time is reduced by about 2 times, but the cost increases proportionally!

Tourist routes along the "golden triangle" of Delhi - Jaipur - Agra in the north-west of the country begin in Delhi (New Delhi Airport). A round-trip flight from Moscow with a transfer in Astana will cost about 24,000 rubles, the journey will take from 10 to 12 hours. For comparison, Air India performs a direct flight in 6 hours, but the cost of a round-trip ticket is about 36,000 rubles.

On Andaman Islands at east coast India's Port Blair Airport. From Moscow, you can fly here by Lufthansa together with Air India. With transfers in Frankfurt and Chennai, the flight takes as much as 35 hours, the cost of round-trip air tickets is 45,000 rubles.

In Kolkata, a metropolis in the northeast of India, flies Etihad Airways. With an intermediate landing in Abu Dhabi, you will spend 18-19 hours in flight, a ticket will cost about 35,000 rubles.

The same Etihad Airways flies to the city of Bangalore in the south of the country. 12-15 hours and you are there. The issue price is 26,000 rubles.