In India dry summer starts from Mid-March and lasts till the end of May. From June, the monsoon season begins and lasts till mid August. The best time to visit India is during the months between September and February.

The temperature varies according to the places in India. In hilly regions of north India, people can expect cold weather but when coming to the central part of Western and North Western India warm conditions prevail. Throughout the year, India experiences vibrant climatic conditions. The temperature in different parts can vary between 25 to 45 degrees during summer and 4 to 25 degrees during winter.

India is generally considered as a safe destination for tourists. As with other place, be careful of touts and illegal agents. It is advisable to drink bottled mineral water while traveling. Avoid continuous uptake of spicy food.

It is important to wear loose cotton clothes and also its better for women to avoid tank tops or short skirts/shorts. Use Indian salwar kameez, because it is comfortable and free sized. The climatic features of India impose the need for loose garments while visiting. Carry necessary woolen clothing if you are visiting during winter. It’s best to ask the tour operator for the selecting the appropriate clothing for the visit.

Indians are very friendly and hospitable by nature. Some of them would go out of way to help you. “Namaste” is the common greeting that is used by people of India.

Other than authentic Indian food, Chinese, Italian, Thai and Continental dishes are available in luxury hotels. Meat including Chicken and mutton are served in most of the hotels. Pork and beef dishes are restricted at most of the places. In costal region you get large variety of seafood. Good quality vegetarian food is also easily available. The menu available across India varies from region to region. As most of you would have realized authentic Indian food tends to be spicy.

Try to shop only in government handicraft shops, where you could access items in fixed prices and certified quality. Bargaining is a standard practice and enjoyed by all at selected shopping areas. Seek help of a local guide for shopping.

Certain Hindu temples are not open to Non-Hindus and some temples do not permit any leather articles on their premises. Certain mosques also restrict foreigners from entering in the sacred place. It’s best to check at the entrance for any restrictions.

Currency conversion is available at airports and almost all hotels. There are also a large number of money exchanges/banks all across the state from where foreign exchange can be obtained. We recommend that you convert a minimal amount at the point of arrival for incidental expenses and for immediate needs. Taxis, auto-rickshaws and other local transport facilities do not normally accept credit card.

If you indicate an interest, tickets can be booked and a seat reserved depending on the type of program available at that time of year. Just to ensure that you get ticket, we recommend that you give us sufficient time to get the tickets blocked. It is also possible to get tickets over the counter for most of the programs.

Photography is permissible at most of the tourist destinations. It’s restricted in selected religious institutions, national landmarks, locations having security implications etc. Some of the places also charge a nominal fee for Photography and using video camera.

Smoking is not allowed at public places. All properties of the Indian Railways including trains and railway stations are strictly non-smoking zones with stiff penalties for violations.

English is spoken at almost all tourist centers, but you can also request Government-trained and approved guides who also speak German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Italian or Russian.

In cities you can change most major foreign currencies and brands of travelers' cheques - but you'll widen your options and save yourself hassles if you stick to US dollars or pounds sterling, and either Thomas Cook or American Express travelers cheques. Most big cities have ATMs, which accept Visa and MasterCard as well as American Express. The ATM network is ever expanding and in some states, you can find them even in some smaller towns.

Indian Standard Time (IST) is the time zone of India. It is +5:30 hours different from the standard time zone UTC (Coordinated Universal Time)/GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). IST is +9:30 hours different from the time zone at Washington D.C and New York.