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India: plan your trip

Written by The Trip Keeper team Content updated 31 Oct 2026 Facts last checked 31 Oct 2026
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A family of travellers with a local guide looking up at the pink facade of Hawa Mahal in Jaipur at golden hour
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India rewards travellers who plan a little ahead. Most visitors, including from the US, UK, New Zealand and the UAE, need a visa: the official e-Visa is applied for online, starts at US$10 to US$40 for most nationalities, and should be requested at least four days before you fly. The most comfortable months for a first trip are October to March, when the north is cool and dry and the south stays warm. The currency is the Indian rupee, cards work in the cities, and foreign visitors can even pay by QR code with the UPI One World wallet. This page is the front door to our India guides: entry rules, the month-by-month weather, food, phrases and festivals. Read what matters to you, then tell us your dates and who is travelling. Trip Keeper will plan your India trip with you.

Visa for IndiansGuide coming
Best monthsNov to Febchecked 31 Oct 2026 CurrencyINRchecked 31 Oct 2026
Flight timeGuide coming

Everything we have on India

Visa

Do Indian passport holders need a visa for India, and how to get it.

Coming soon

Best time to visit

Which months suit your family, month by month.

Read it →

Travel essentials

What to pack, how to pay and how to stay connected.

Read it →

Food

Vegetarian and Jain food, and how to order it.

Read it →

Phrases

The words worth knowing, with how to say them.

Read it →

Flights

Who flies there, how long it takes, and where the layovers are.

Coming soon

Events

Festivals and seasons worth planning a trip around.

Coming soon

Trips to India

We have no open trip to India right now. Tell us your dates and we will help you find one.

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Quick questions

Do I need a visa to visit India?

Most nationalities do, including the US, UK, New Zealand and the UAE. The official e-Visa is fully online: apply at least 4 days before you fly, per the Bureau of Immigration. Visa on arrival exists only for Japan, South Korea and UAE nationals, and for the UAE only if you have held an Indian visa before, per the same page.

How much does the India e-Visa cost?

It depends on your passport. For most nationalities the 30-day e-Tourist visa costs US$25 (US$10 from April to June), the 1-year visa US$40 and the 5-year visa US$200, per the official fee table. US citizens pay US$160 for the 5-year visa and UK citizens US$484. A bank charge of about 3% is added, and the fee is not refunded if the application is rejected.

When is the best time to visit India?

October to March suits most of the country: the north is cool and dry, and the south is warm without the peak summer heat. The official seasons put winter from December to early April and the monsoon from June to September, per the National Portal of India.

How many days should a first India trip be?

Seven to ten days covers the Golden Triangle - Delhi, Agra and Jaipur - at an easy pace. Two weeks lets you add a second region, such as more of Rajasthan or the Kerala backwaters.

Can I pay by card or phone in India?

Cards work in cities and tourist areas; keep some cash for small towns and markets. Foreign visitors can also pay by QR code with the UPI One World wallet, issued at airports and authorised counters after a passport-and-visa KYC, per NPCI.

Sources

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