India
“This is India,” locals will notify you, with a friendly head bob, when you’re at wits end. Although beautiful, diverse and different than anywhere else on earth, no country will make you work for the rewards more than India. The longer and farther you try to go in the country the more you will experience the beauracracy, frustration, and uncomfortable situations that make India an especially unique travel destination. While the best way to see the country is with private transportation, this will blind you to “real” India where poverty, dirtiness and inefficiency is the way of life.
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DON’T MISS: The Taj Majal. One of the wonders of the world for a reason.
MUST SEE: The Taj Mahal, Ladakh, Kolkata, Rajasthan (Jaisalmer, Udaipur and Jodhpur were our highlights…give Jaipur a pass).
MUST TASTE: McDonald’s Chicken Maharaja, the Indian Big Mac. Since cows are sacred animals, McDonald’s serves no beef products. In Kolkata you must eat a Kati Roll, India’s best street food. In Leh have some momos, Tibetan dumplings. Every city and region has it’s own specialty, be sure to give it a try.
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TRIP PLANNING: Since India is a big country it is easiest to choose a region and plan a visit to that area, do it well and return for another region. There are few regions that can be seen in less than two weeks including travel time (except for the “Golden Triangle” of Delhi-Jaipur-Agra which can be done in one week). India is hard enough without trying to cram too much in, the first rule of India travel is that it’s slow, it will take longer than it should. For example we’ve taken several buses that take 10 hours to travel 100 miles (160 km).
GETTING AROUND: Trains and planes. If you go to railway stations you can get “tourist quota” tickets for most trains on short notice. Don’t believe tour agents that say they can sell tourist tickets, in most cities you must go to the station and buy them. Air travel can save a lot of hassle but costs more, try to book on ClearTrip.com or MakeMyTrip.com.
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OUR COST PER DAY (2 ppl): $39.83. This is only possible by taking public transport and staying in budget hotels. If air-conditioning on transport and hotels is a must expect to be spending double this.
COST OF A BEER: $2-3 for a large Kingfisher in most places.
KEY MONEY-SAVING TIP: Private transportation cost substantially more, so use it sparingly. For example to get from Manali to Leh costs $13 on public bus versus $33 on a private minibus.
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YOU NEED TO KNOW: Women should expect to be incessantly stared at, have photographs taken with or without your approval and groping will occur even if you are traveling with a man.
IF WE KNEW WHAT WE KNOW NOW: Nothing will be easy, nothing.
HELPFUL LINKS TO LEARN MORE: ClearTrip.com, MakeMyTrip.com
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WE WERE THERE FOR: 4 months.
OUR HIGHLIGHT: Tushita Meditation Center’s 10 day Intro to Buddhism silent retreat. Not talking for 10 days was a unique experience and much appreciated in loud and hectic India.
WHERE WE WENT: Delhi, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jaipur, Udaipur, Pushkar, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Agra, Varanasi, Kolkata, Darjeeling, Rishikesh, Manali, Vashisht, Leh/Ladakh, Srinagar, Jammu, Dharamsala/Baghsu/McLeod Ganj, Amritsar, Ellora/Ajanta, Mumbai, Goa, Hampi, Kerala, Chennai, Pondicherry
WE REGRET MISSING: Nowhere, we felt we covered the country well.
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FEATURED ARTICLES
- Is India actually cheap to travel? The numbers broken down and compared.
- MUST SEE cave treasures of Ajanta and Ellora
- Taste it! India’s culinary delights
- GETTING AROUND how to buy an Indian train ticket
- Rat Worshipping, the weirdest temple in the world
- MUST VISIT the holy cities of India compared
- The Golden Temple, where a free lunch still exists
- The world’s most serious dance competition on the India-Pakistan border
- Traveling India vs China…the pluses and minuses compared
- The must visit cities of Rajastan, India’s crown
- Leh, experiencing Tibet without the permits
- BE A STAR! How to star in a Bollywood movie.
- ESCAPE INDIA in India! Places to go when India overwhelms
- Is the Taj Mahal underrated…see for yourself
- Why the big cities of India are some of the best places
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Click here to start planning your Indian Adventure!
We visited over 25 cities during our four months in India. To make it easier to find what you need, our travel information and photos are divided by region and city. To find out more about a specific city or region click on an album.
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Highlights of our four months in India including camels, palaces, beaches, motorcycles and more. Tour India in 42 photos! 42 Photos
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RAJASTHAN
Rajasthan is the India of tourist brochures. Full of color, camels and fortresses, it is understandable why this is the most visited state of India. In welcoming tourists, the state also features some of the country’s best accommodations and activities.
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SOUTH INDIA
North India gets much of the attention for it’s historic sights, mountains and crowds, but South India will not disappoint. The chaos of the North is left behind, replaced by splendid beaches, tranquil towns, and great food making South India the place to unwind after a Northern Indian adventure.
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NORTH INDIA
When people mention chaos, litter and bad smells with India they are generally referencing the crowded cities of North India.
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