Location: Southern Asia, between Bangladesh and Pakistan, bordered by the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal

Map references: Asia

Area:

Total area: 3,287,590 sq.km.
Land area: 2,973,190 sq.km.
Comparative area: slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Land boundaries: Total 14,103 km; Bangladesh 4,053 km; Bhutan 605 km; Burma 1,463 km; China 3,380 km; Nepal 1,690 km; Pakistan 2,912 km

Coastline: 7,000 km

Marine time claims:

Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Transport

Sea

There are several sea routes between India and surrounding islands but none leave Indian sovereign territory. There has been talk of a passenger ferry service between southern India and Colombo in Sri Lanka but this has yet to materialise. Inquire locally to see if there has been any progress.

Land

Border crossings

Although most visitors fly into India, the overland route from Nepal is extremely popular and smaller numbers of travellers enter India from Pakistan and Bangladesh. For more on these routes, consult Lonely Planet’s Istanbul to Kathmandu, or see the ‘London to India’ section on www.seat61.com/India.htm.

If you enter India by bus or train you’ll be required to disembark at the border for standard immigration and customs checks. You must have a valid Indian visa in advance as no visas are available at the border. The standard Indian tourist visa allows multiple entries within a six-month period.

Drivers of cars and motorbikes will need the vehicle’s registration papers, liability insurance and an International Driving Permit. You’ll also need a Carnet de passage en douane, which acts as a temporary waiver of import duty. To find out the latest requirements for the paperwork and other important driving information contact your local automobile association.

Air

Airports & airlines

India has four main gateways for international flights, and international flights also land in Bengaluru (Bangalore), Guwahati and Amritsar – for details, see www.indianairports.com. India is a big county so it makes sense to fly into the nearest airport to the area you want to visit.

Chennai (Madras; MAA; Anna International Airport; 044-22560551; www.chennaiairport.com)

Delhi (DEL; Indira Gandhi International Airport; 011-25652011; www.delhiairport.com)

Kolkata (Calcutta; CCU; Netaji Subhas Chandra Basu International Airport; 033-25118787; www.calcuttaairport.com)

Mumbai (Bombay; BOM; Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport; 022-26829000; www.mumbaiairport.com)

India’s national carrier is Air India (www.airindia.com) and the state-owned domestic carrier Indian Airlines (www.indian-airlines.nic.in) also offers flights to 20 countries in Asia and the Middle East (though it has a poor safety record). The more reliable private airlines Jet Airways (www.jetairways.com) and Air Sahara (www.airsahara.net) offer flights to Colombo, Kathmandu and the Maldives. Jet has recently started longhaul flights to London, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Climate

India is so vast that climatic conditions in the far north have little relation to those of the extreme south. Generally speaking, the country has a three-season year – the hot, the wet and the cool.

In general the best time to visit India is during October to April, when temperatures are less hot. Many National Parks close during the summer and monsoon months, as do some hotels.

India is a country with diverse weather patterns which vary greatly from north to south. As a general rule, India is at her best between the months of October and April.

Climate plays a key factor in deciding when to visit India. You should keep in mind that climatic conditions in the far north are distinctly different to those of the extreme south.

Generally speaking, India’s climate is defined by three seasons – the hot, the wet (monsoon) and the cool, each of which can vary in duration from north to south. The most pleasant time to visit most of the country is during the cooler period of November to around mid-February, although there are marked regional variations.

Apart from the weather, the timing of certain festivals or special events may also influence when you wish to visit India.

In Delhi, Rajasthan and across the north, days are mostly warm and free of rain during this period. In the months of December and January nights can be very cold, but days typically reach about 20 degrees Celsius. Temperatures during the day in April can reach the mid 30s Celsius. These temperatures continue to rise to the mid 40s Celsius until the monsoon comes in June (and lasts until September).

From Mumbai south, the climate is more typically tropical, with daytime temperatures into the low 30s Celsius. Hill stations in the south can be cool at night in December and January. The months between June and September can be hot, with humid monsoonal conditions in most areas. Parts of Southern India can experience showers in November and December, but the months of October to April are still considered the best time to travel to this region.

In the Himalayas, the winter months can be very cold and travel to higher altitudes is not advisable. From April to October the weather is usually pleasantly mild to warm during the day with occasional showers. Nights are cool to cold, especially at high altitudes.

Health & Fitness

Travellers to India should take precautions as they would elsewhere in Asia. Western medical facilities are available in the major cities. In remote areas of India, medical facilities are basic. Some of the diseases known to exist in India include hepatitis A and B, typhoid, tuberculosis, Japanese encephalitis, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, rabies and HIV/AIDS. We recommend you take adequate preventative measures to minimise your risk of exposure to these health risks. You should also consult your doctor with regard to malaria risk. We are a travel company and we are not qualified to provide detailed medical information appropriate to your individual needs. We recommend you consult with your local doctor or a specialist travel medical centre for up to date health information on vaccinations and medicine for your trip at least one month prior to departure.

Food & Water

Indian food incorporates a number of styles and each region specialises in its own cuisine. Breakfast is included each day on our tours and is usually a mix of buffet and continental style. In the major cities lunch should cost around INR 300-400 and dinner INR 400-500 - depending on the restaurant. Meals can be significantly cheaper than this, for example in more local restaurants or small rural towns, or higher in some of the upmarket and modern city restaurants. In rural restaurants, food hygiene is not always up to Western standards and it may sometimes be preferable to eat in your hotel. In some more remote areas, your hotel may be the only option outside of very basic local tea houses or dhabas. Your tour leader and/or local guide will be able to offer the best advice on where to eat local specialities, to ensure you get the most out of India’s delicious cuisine. Drinking local tap water is not recommended. Bottled water is cheap and readily available throughout India.

Hotels

In the cities, all hotels we use have private western style bathrooms, hot water, air-conditioning, television, IDD telephones, laundry and other facilities. Where possible we will endeavor at passenger’s request to accommodate couples in double rooms. Please note however that on occasions during your journey, this may not be possible and in such instances a twin room will be supplied. Some group tour itineraries involve overnight stops at more isolated towns, where the accommodation is clean but facilities are more simple.

In India, we stay in some charming and atmospheric heritage hotels. However, please note that while all provide comfortable accommodation, room sizes and layout do vary – this is part of their charm and character. We also use tented accommodation in some desert and national park areas, however this is not ‘camping’ in the generally accepted Western sense! These tents are spacious, have electricity, comfortable beds, and a fully equipped private attached Western bathroom.

Asia is home to some of the world’s most beautiful and historic hotels. With this in mind, we designed our range of Deluxe (Essence of Asia) journeys. The emphasis by day is unchanged – small groups and an authentic experience of Asia. At night however, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the ambience of these specially selected hotels. Please note that in some cases Deluxe accommodation is not available. In these places we use some of the best hotels available. This will be clearly marked in your itinerary.

Check in and check out times can vary by hotel but most hotels in India require guests to check out by 12 noon and do not allow check in until 2pm. Many hotels may allow an earlier check in or later check out subject to availability on the day. However, if you are arriving early in the morning to a destination or leaving late in the evening you should consider pre-booking a guaranteed early check in/late check out. The additional cost varies from hotel to hotel but is usually between 50-100% of the nightly rate.