India is a country of beautiful cultures, languages, cuisines and people. But, travelling in India is no lesser than climbing Mount Rushmore. With all the hygiene issues and hot temperature, it is very important to know the country's weather, places you are going to visit and people. The weather depends on the places you visit and in which season. The best time to tour India is from October to February. The summers in this sub-continent are long and could last up to 4 months. The monsoons are dry in some parts and wettest in the others. So, the preferable season in the winter. The temperature starts to drop by the first week of October. Although temperature starts to fall, October heat is the strongest around the year. Indian winter is contradictory for travellers who are on tour. Winter in inland are cold and dry with a light chilly breeze blowing all day, temperature between 12o Centigrade and 2o Centigrade is expected. If you are touring mostly inland in places like Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan, Lucknow, Darjeeling, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bangalore, Hyderabad etc. then you need to pack a pair of warm clothes. Mornings in the inland are warm, but, by night time, the temperature drops instantly. It is recommended to pack body warmers rather carrying heavy coats and jackets.
If your travel plans do not include inland and you just want to chill around beaches, exploring the coastline, then there is no need to carry any warm clothes. The coastline in India is always warm. You can pack for summer vacation. The temperature ranges between 25o Centigrade to 10o Centigrade. Although the temperature is warm, some places have a bit cooler weather. Carrying a woollen scarf or a sweatshirt would be enough to keep you warm.
General packing list for an Indian Tour
- Knowing what kind of dresses to carry is very important. Pack anything that you feel comfortable in. Warm colours and summer dress is suitable to pack.
- Suitable medication for nausea, diarrhoea, dysentery, vomiting and high temperatures.
- Always drink bottled water – preferably Bisleri, Aquafina, Kinley and Bailey.
- As Indians are wheatish in complexion, mostly all the sunscreens available contain a whitening agent. It is recommended to carry your own sunscreen.
- Only pack essentials. Touring India with suitcases doesn't seem practical, a haversack would be an ideal choice. A haversack with multiple chain compartments is appropriate, so, you can find easily what you are looking for. If you are carrying too much, then the use of packing cubes are suggested.
- Pack your shoes according to your plans, if your plan includes hiking, then carry heavy shoes, or else it is very irritating to wear those shoes in a warm and crowded environment.
- Toiletries: Basic toiletries like shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothbrush, dental floss etc. should be carried as there are places where these are not available.
- Always carry an Indian Government recognized Identity proof. Passport shall do. Always carry a photocopy of your passport in case of emergencies. This shall save you some hassle with the cops.
- All the major banks and cards (Visa, Mastercard, Maestro and AmEx) are accepted in India, but, carrying some cash would be beneficial as many shops and restaurants don't accept any form of plastic money.
- Carry a political and physical map of India. Mark the cities you want to tour and carry individual city maps as well.
- Travel Insurance. It is very important to get a traveller's insurance that covers all the mishaps, so, you don't need to spend on medical and purchase your replacements for stolen things.
- Carry a round three-pin converter, electrical fixings in India is different, the voltage supply there is 220V. If you forget to pack the same, it is easily available at hardware stores in metro cities.
- Carry a travel pillow as you need to travel long distances on the tour. Flights are costly, journey by train or road gives a bigger perspective. Mumbai – Delhi journey by train takes up to 18 hours. Long journeys are tiring, so carry your travel pillow to relieve the pain in the neck and provide support to your upper body while taking a nap.
That's it. Follow this 13-pointer packing list on your Tour to India and enjoy a safe trip. Bon Voyage!
Martin Wynn
