India

With the largest population in the world, India offers everything. From ancient tombs, bustling cities, world-famous food, and countless national treasures of architecture and history, India is an Iconic destination for a reason.

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India Travel Info

Language

With thousands of historical people groups, India has hundreds of regional languages and Dialects. The largest language is Hindi, the first language of 500 million people, and second language to 140 million. Being a former British colony, English is also common with at least 150 million speakers, making it the second most-spoken language. Especially in large cities and in tourist and service industries, English is often the primary language. Other major language groups include Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, and several smaller languages. This extreme diversity of languages reflects India’s large population, diverse geography, and ancient history.

Demographics

With the largest population of any country in the world at 1.45 billion, India naturally has very diverse demographics. There are at least 2,000 distinct ethnic groups, speaking over 20 major languages. India is geographically diverse, from the rocky Himalayas bordering China and Nepal in the north, deserts bordering Pakistan in the west, subtropical flatlands in the center, and tropical coastlines in the south. The major religion of India is Hinduism, which originated in the Indus River Valley 3500 years ago. There are also large Islamic populations, especially bordering Pakistan, as well as major religions like Sikhs and Christianity.

Weather

India is often considered one of the three most geographically diverse countries in the world. Therefore, weather across India varies drastically, with harsh snowy winters in the north, and warm tropical weather year round in the south. Temperatures and climate will depend on the region you visit, but there are some consistencies across the country. India experiences a significant monsoon season from June to September. Rainfall in drier regions is massively increased, and even rainy tropical regions see significant increased precipitation. In the northern mountains, snowfall and heavy rain create dangerous conditions for mudslides and snowstorms in the mountains. If you are travelling during monsoon season, plan on delays and closures due to rain.

Public Transit

Despite it’s massive population and size, India’s public transportation networks are lacking compared to similarly sized countries. There are no high speed rail lines in the country, with Japanese Shinkansen trains planned for limited operation by 2030, although the project has faced delays. Indian Railways is the state-owned rail operator, with the 4th largest network in the world. Service is mixed, with a massive network and cheap fares, although the network is known for delays, derailments, and crashes, as well as outdated trains and crowded unhygienic conditions. Delhi has an extensive metro, known for being safe and punctual. Several major cities like Kolkata have metros, and Uber operates with taxis and Tuk-Tuks in many major areas.

India FAQ

India is known for being very cheap for foreign travelers. With cheap hotels and hostels as low as 10 USD, and 3-4 star brand hotels from 40-70 USD, depending on location and amenities. Transportation is very cheap, with a 30 minute taxi costing between 2.50-4.00 USD, depending on quality. India is known for some of the cheapest food in the world, although caution is recommended around street food as foreigners often report food poisoning due to hygiene and water quality issues.

Safety in India is mixed. The country ranks low on the Global Peace Index, at 116 of 163. This is due to significant internal turmoil between religious groups like Hindu and Sikhs, as well as hostile relations with it’s neighboring countries of Pakistan and China. India ranks middle of the pack for safety and quality of life. Due to it’s large population and relatively low GPD, India has faced challenges managing resources and internal tensions between it’s very diverse groups. That being said, there are plenty of nice, safe places in all areas of the country. Solo female travelers have often reported harassment, and travelling in groups or with guides is recommended.

English service is common in India, being the second most spoken language in the country. All services, hotels, transport, and tourism is available in English. Even in areas with little English fluency, basic words are likely to be understood. You will not face any issues with communication unless you get very far into the countryside.

Indian cities are very crowded, so there are no time of year where crowds are substantially lower. However, due to the monsoon season from July to September, it is highly recommended you do not travel during this time. Especially if you plan to visit mountains in the north, sightseeing will be impossible during the monsoons. Summers in India are incredibly hot from April to June, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees (105f). Winter is an ideal time to visit, with seasonable weather from 20-30 degrees (70-85f), and little to no rainfall.

Payment in India is varied. Although places like hotels, malls, airports and nicer restaurants will take card, many businesses only take cash. Especially if you plan to visit national monuments or areas like Old Delhi, having cash is required. ATMs are readily available, but due to safety concerns in certain areas, it’s recommended to bring cash with you and exchange at the airport.

India can be a very hectic place to visit. Places like Delhi and Agra have many people and tourists, and public transit can often be unintuitive. We highly recommend guided tours for tight itineraries or complex areas like Old Delhi. Navigating these places can be nearly impossible without a local guide, and can get you into dangerous situations. Unfortunately, India has an issue with tour scams, where guides will take you to places not on your itinerary selling overpriced and low quality goods. For more information you can read our articles about our guided tours to Agra and Delhi.

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