India Country Overview
Define India from a
backpackers perspective
. Feel free to edit existing content or add your own.
Country Overview
This huge, clamorous and diverse country will overwhelm you, possibly horrify you, but definitely intrigue you, with exquisite buildings like the Taj Mahal in Agra, and the abject poverty of the beggars and the maimed, firing twin guns of emotion at your soul.
India is definitely a land of contrasts with sweltering unbearable heat during summer, and skiing and snowboarding in the Himalayan's over winter, and definitely an amazing and quite wonderful country to visit.
Daily Budget
Cheap hotels, dhal and rice, and a lot of self-denial (it's good for the character, remember?) will allow the shoestring traveller to get by on US$10 a day. If, however, you don't give a toss about building your character and want to see India from a more elevated position than all the other bottom feeders, then US$20-25 a day will give a private room with, joy of joy's, your own bathroom, and a bit of curry to go with the rice, fish with your dhal, and even some 1st class rail travel.
When to Go!
October and March are about the most pleasant time to visit India when the weather behaves itself with decorum, however, in January the time of the monsoon comes as pleasant relief from the overbearing heat of the country. In January the wildly spectacular Republic Day Festival is a fantastic sight with elephants, parades and a great show of military strength. In February Holi is one of the most colourful events on the Hindu calendar, marking the end of winter when people are drenched with coloured water and fun. The Festival of the Gods is held over September/October in Kullu, and in November the bright colourful Camel Festival is held at Pushkar in Rajasthan. Also in November, five days of festivities with firecrackers, lamps, and sweets mark the exultant celebration of Diwali, when the Hindu's honour their gods.
India is definitely a land of contrasts with sweltering unbearable heat during summer, and skiing and snowboarding in the Himalayan's over winter, and definitely an amazing and quite wonderful country to visit.
Daily Budget
Cheap hotels, dhal and rice, and a lot of self-denial (it's good for the character, remember?) will allow the shoestring traveller to get by on US$10 a day. If, however, you don't give a toss about building your character and want to see India from a more elevated position than all the other bottom feeders, then US$20-25 a day will give a private room with, joy of joy's, your own bathroom, and a bit of curry to go with the rice, fish with your dhal, and even some 1st class rail travel.
When to Go!
October and March are about the most pleasant time to visit India when the weather behaves itself with decorum, however, in January the time of the monsoon comes as pleasant relief from the overbearing heat of the country. In January the wildly spectacular Republic Day Festival is a fantastic sight with elephants, parades and a great show of military strength. In February Holi is one of the most colourful events on the Hindu calendar, marking the end of winter when people are drenched with coloured water and fun. The Festival of the Gods is held over September/October in Kullu, and in November the bright colourful Camel Festival is held at Pushkar in Rajasthan. Also in November, five days of festivities with firecrackers, lamps, and sweets mark the exultant celebration of Diwali, when the Hindu's honour their gods.