India A country of vivid contrasts, from frenetic cities to tranquil waterways and wild plains

The Indian Rupee (INR) is the currency, and it’s a partially closed currency, meaning large amounts can’t be exchanged before arrival and any leftover Rupees are best converted back before you leave rather than assuming this can be done once you’re home. ATMs are widely available in cities, so exchanging small amounts on arrival is the practical approach.

Hindi and English are both official languages at the national level, but India recognises 22 scheduled languages, and the dominant regional language shifts considerably depending on where you are, from Hindi in the north to Tamil or Malayalam further south. English remains widely understood across tourism regardless of region, so this rarely poses a practical barrier.

India operates on Indian Standard Time (IST, UTC+5:30), a distinctive half-hour offset rather than a full hour, and uses this single time zone across the entire country despite spanning a geographic width that would typically warrant two or more. This is worth double-checking when scheduling calls or connections, since the half-hour difference is easy to miscalculate.

Tap water is not safe to drink anywhere in India, including Delhi and Mumbai. Bottled or filtered water is provided as standard at all reputable hotels and should be your default throughout, including for brushing teeth, given how significant the shift in local bacteria can be even for travellers used to less developed water infrastructure elsewhere.

Cards are increasingly accepted in hotels, restaurants and larger shops in major cities, but markets, smaller temples and rural areas generally expect cash. Small-denomination Rupee notes are worth carrying at all times, both for everyday purchases and the frequent small tips that come up throughout a typical day.

Yes, tipping is a well-established and near-constant part of daily interactions, extending well beyond restaurants to drivers, guides, hotel staff and anyone providing a small service along the way. Carrying a steady supply of small notes, rather than relying on one larger tip at the end of a stay, makes these frequent moments considerably smoother.

India uses a mix of Type C, D and M sockets, the latter two being older, larger three-round-pin designs distinct from most of the rest of Asia, running at 230V. A universal adapter that specifically covers Type D and M is worth confirming before you travel, since a standard European adapter alone won’t always fit.

Mobile coverage is strong across India’s cities and increasingly reliable in rural areas too, holding up well even along longer road transfers between destinations like Jaipur and Udaipur. Getting set up before you rely on it is the part genuinely worth planning ahead for, which the SIM question below covers in detail.

Layering matters more here than almost anywhere else on a single itinerary, since a trip combining Rajasthan’s desert evenings with Kerala’s humid backwaters demands genuinely different clothing for each leg. Comfortable slip- on shoes are worth packing specifically for temple visits, where bare feet are often required and floors can become genuinely hot underfoot by midday.

Removing shoes before entering is expected at Hindu, Jain and Sikh sites alike, but head coverings are specifically required at Sikh gurudwaras for all visitors regardless of gender, whereas Hindu temples more commonly ask for covered shoulders and legs rather than a head covering. Carrying a scarf that can serve either purpose covers you across a mixed itinerary of different religious sites.

Drone use in India is tightly regulated, requiring registration and permits that are impractical to arrange for a short personal trip, and flying one without authorisation can result in confiscation. If aerial photography matters to your trip, raising it with your specialist in advance is worth doing, since some tour operators can arrange licensed drone photography through approved local operators.

An eSIM arranged before departure is generally the smoother option, given how much documentation and time a local SIM registration can require compared with many other destinations. If you do want a physical SIM on arrival, having your passport and a printed copy of your visa ready speeds up what can otherwise be a slow process at the airport kiosk.