Amber Fort at sunset, Jaipur
Travel Guide

Practical Guides to India, Written by People Who Live Here

Real travel advice for international visitors — pilgrimage destinations, monuments, festivals and more, from our Jaipur-based team.

Planning a first trip to India, Nepal or Bhutan raises questions no brochure really answers — which pilgrimage sites are worth the detour, how to read a monument's history without a guidebook's dry summary, or when a festival is worth timing your whole trip around. This travel guide is written by our Jaipur-based team specifically for international visitors, covering the practical details — what to expect, when to go, what to book in advance — that make the difference between a rushed sightseeing checklist and a trip that actually makes sense of the place you're visiting.

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Taj Mahal at sunrise, Agra

Planning

First Trip to India: What to Know Before You Go

A practical starting point for a first visit — how long to plan for, the visa and health basics, what to expect on the ground, and where to actually start.

Taj Mahal at sunrise, Agra

India

Golden Triangle Itinerary: A 5 to 6 Day Plan for Delhi, Agra and Jaipur

A day-by-day Golden Triangle plan with real drive times, the Friday Taj Mahal closure, how to cut it to 4 or 5 days, and how to extend it.

Taj Mahal at sunrise, Agra

India

Taj Mahal Visiting Guide: Tickets, Timings, Sunrise & Tips

Ticket prices for foreign visitors, opening hours and the Friday closure, sunrise versus sunset, which gate to use, and the mistakes that spoil a Taj Mahal visit.

Amber Fort at sunset, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Rajasthan

Rajasthan Itinerary: How to Plan 7, 10, 12 and 14 Days

Which Rajasthan cities to include at 7, 10, 12 and 14 days, the real drive times between them, how many nights each deserves, and what to leave out.

Hawa Mahal and street life in Jaipur's old city

Planning

Solo Travel in India: A Practical Guide for First-Timers

An honest guide to travelling alone in India — getting around, common scams, advice for solo women, emergency numbers, and how a private tour can work for one person.

Pushkar's market street, lit up in the evening

Planning

India Currency & Payments Guide: Cash, Cards & UPI Explained

How to handle money on an India trip — currency exchange, ATMs and card acceptance, the new UPI One World pilot for tourists, and customs declaration rules for bringing cash into the country.

Amber Fort at sunset, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Planning

How Much Does a Private Tour of India Cost?

Starting prices for a private tour of India by trip length and hotel category, what is included, what costs extra and what changes the price.

A spice market in Jaipur, Rajasthan

Planning

What to Pack for India: A Practical Packing List

What to pack by season, temple-friendly dress, shoes, plug adapter, power bank and a small medical kit.

City Palace, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Planning

Tipping in India: How Much to Tip Drivers, Guides and Hotels

Typical rupee tips for drivers, guides, restaurants, hotel staff and spas, plus practical tips on small notes.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi

Planning

India Etiquette for Tourists: Temples, Dress, Photos and Customs

What to wear at temples, removing shoes, using your right hand, asking before photographing people and other customs.

India Gate at dusk, Delhi

Planning

SIM Card, eSIM and WiFi in India for Tourists

International eSIM, an Airtel SIM at the airport or a Jio SIM compared, with costs, documents and coverage.

India Gate at dusk, Delhi

Planning

India Visa for US Citizens (2026): e-Visa Fees, Stay & How to Apply

Do US citizens need a visa for India? e-Tourist visa fees, 30-day vs 1-year, how long you can stay, how to apply and the e-Arrival Card.

A Bengal tiger resting on a safari track, Ranthambore

Planning

Which Tiger Reserve in India, and When Should You Go?

Ranthambore, Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Pench and Kaziranga compared: best months, park closures, permits and which reserve suits your trip.

Paro Taktsang, the Tiger's Nest Monastery, Bhutan

Planning

Bhutan Travel Guide: Visa, the US$100 Fee and Best Time to Go

The Bhutan visa, the US$100 per night Sustainable Development Fee, children's rates, the best months to visit and what a Bhutan tour costs.

Boudhanath stupa at sunset, Kathmandu, Nepal

Planning

Nepal Travel Guide: Visa Fees and Best Time to Visit

Nepal visa on arrival fees, how to speed up entry, the best months for trekking and wildlife and what a Nepal tour costs.

The Taj Mahal framed by a sandstone archway, Agra

Planning

10 Days in India: Itinerary for First-Timers

Three realistic 10-day India routes, day by day: Golden Triangle with Rajasthan's lakes, Kerala or Varanasi, with costs and what to leave out.

The Taj Mahal framed by a sandstone archway, Agra

Planning

2 Weeks in India: 14-Day Itinerary for First-Timers

Three realistic 14-day India routes, day by day: Rajasthan and the Taj Mahal, Rajasthan with Kerala, or India with Nepal or Bhutan.

The Taj Mahal framed by a sandstone archway, Agra

Planning

Is India Safe for Tourists? An Honest Answer

An honest answer from a Jaipur tour operator: what actually goes wrong for tourists in India, common scams, women's safety, emergency numbers and how a private trip helps.

The Lakshman Jhula suspension bridge over the Ganges, Rishikesh

Planning

India Health & Vaccination Guide: What to Know Before You Travel

General health and vaccination guidance for international travellers to India — commonly recommended vaccines, food and water safety, malaria precautions, and when to see a travel health clinic.

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway's steam 'toy train', West Bengal

Planning

Getting Around India: Flights, Trains & Roads Explained

Domestic flights, Indian Railways' classes and booking system, and why private car and driver hire is the standard way international travellers get around India.

India Gate at dusk, Delhi

Planning

India e-Visa Guide 2026: Types, Fees, Stay Limits & the New e-Arrival Card

The 30-day, 1-year and 5-year e-Tourist visa options explained, how long you can actually stay by nationality, and the new e-Arrival Card every foreign traveller now needs.

Private SUV on a Rajasthan highway

Rajasthan

Hiring a Car in Rajasthan: A Complete Guide

Sedan, SUV, Tempo Traveller, luxury car or coach — how to choose the right private vehicle and driver for your trip, and what to expect on the road.

Ganga aarti ceremony at the ghats of Varanasi

Spiritual India

Pilgrimage Holiday Destinations in India

From the ghats of Varanasi to the Golden Temple in Amritsar — India's most significant pilgrimage sites, and what a visit to each actually involves.

Amber Fort at sunset, Jaipur

Rajasthan

Monuments in Rajasthan: A Complete Guide

Amber Fort, Mehrangarh, Jaisalmer Fort and more — the forts and palaces that define Rajasthan, and what makes each one worth the visit.

Taj Mahal at sunrise, Agra

India

20 Best Tourist Places to Visit in India

A first-timer's shortlist of India's unmissable destinations, from the Taj Mahal to the backwaters of Kerala.

Ornate Rajasthani heritage architecture

Rajasthan

Places to Visit in Shekhawati

The open-air fresco galleries of Rajasthan's painted haveli towns — Mandawa, Nawalgarh, Fatehpur and Dundlod, and why the murals exist at all.

Traditional Rajasthani performers at the Pushkar Fair

Culture

Top Cultural Festivals in India

From the Pushkar Camel Fair to Diwali and the Kumbh Mela — the festivals worth timing your trip around, organised by season.

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