Start by cutting the map in half
The single most common first-trip mistake is distance. Delhi to Kochi is roughly the same flight time as London to Istanbul, and the overland equivalent is two days. Pick one region — Rajasthan and the Golden Triangle, or Kerala and the Western Ghats, or the Himalayan foothills — and let the second region wait for a second trip.
If you have fourteen days and want contrast, combine exactly two regions with one internal flight between them. Anything more and you spend the holiday in transit lounges.
Plan a slower pace than you think you need
- Two nights minimum per city. One-night stops mean you see the hotel and the road.
- Build one unscheduled day per week. Something will run late, and you will want a morning off.
- Sightsee early. Monuments open around sunrise, temperatures are humane and light is better.
- Afternoons in April–June on the plains are for indoors, not forts.
Getting around
- Trains are excellent between major cities but quotas open weeks ahead and sell out; book early via IRCTC or have us book them.
- AC 2-tier or AC chair car is the comfortable default for foreign travellers on daytime hops.
- A private car with driver is the standard for Rajasthan and hill routes, and cheaper than most visitors expect.
- Use app-based taxis in cities — no haggling, no route arguments, receipt on your phone.
Food and water without drama
- Drink sealed bottled or filtered water; skip ice in unbranded roadside stalls.
- Eat where locals queue. High turnover is the best food-safety signal there is.
- Introduce spice gradually — say 'kam mirch' (less chilli) and most kitchens will oblige.
- Carry oral rehydration salts. They are inexpensive, available everywhere, and worth having before you need them.
Money, tipping and haggling
- Cards work in hotels and city restaurants; carry cash for markets, autos, temples and small towns.
- ATMs are widespread; withdraw larger amounts less often to reduce fees.
- Tipping is customary but modest: ₹100–₹300 a day for a driver, 5–10% in restaurants that don't add service.
- Bargain in bazaars, never in fixed-price emporiums or supermarkets.
Cultural basics that matter
- Cover shoulders and knees at religious sites; carry a scarf.
- Remove shoes before entering temples, mosques, gurudwaras and many homes.
- Ask before photographing people. A smile and a gesture at the camera is enough.
- Use your right hand for eating and passing things.
- Public displays of affection attract attention outside big-city nightlife areas.
Health and safety, honestly
India is visited by millions of foreign travellers every year and the overwhelming majority have no trouble at all. The realistic risks are stomach upsets, traffic, heat and commission scams — not dramatic crime.
Check your own government's current travel advice and speak to a travel clinic about vaccinations and malaria prophylaxis for the specific regions on your route. Rules, outbreaks and advisories change; we link primary sources rather than restate them as permanent.