Travel Tips
What are the passport/visa requirements for travel to India?
A passport with validity at least six months beyond your departure from India is required. Also, visas must be obtained prior to arrival in India. If you are a US citizen, please follow this link for details on obtaining an Indian Visa: https://www.indian-visa.com/. If you are not a US citizen, Please visit www.mea.gov.in, click on “Welcome” and then under "MEA Links" at the right, click on "Missions and Posts Abroad" and then click "Consulate Generals". You can then select your appropriate Consulate General office and link directly to its website, where detailed visa information and application forms can be found.
Where and when are meals taken?
All breakfasts are a la carte and are served at your hotel. Lunches and dinners are usually not included unless specified. During your tour, your escort will have a list of hotels and restaurants where our guests typically enjoy lunch or dinner. We have tried our best to identify these based on our experiences and that of other travelers since quality and safety of food is an important factor while traveling. Your attendant / escort will go over the list of these establishments with you and recommend you best option. You would be able to choose the location depending on the availability and feasibility during your tour.
If I have a specific diet restriction or preference, will you be able to accommodate my request?
All efforts are made to accommodate reasonable diet preferences. We communicate the requests to the hotels and restaurants where you would be eating and your request should generally be honored and ready. However, it is always better to re-coordinate the requirements with our escort / attendant who will be able to ensure the establishments know about your requirements. We also request you to re-inform the establishment about your requirement at the time you go for meals to avoid any confusion or misunderstanding.
What cultural customs should I keep in mind when visiting temples?
We highly recommend you avoid wearing leather at any time. Please be aware that when visiting temples, it is recommended to fully cover your legs and shoulders. You will also be required to remove your shoes inside the temples and we suggest you carry the shoes with you (do not leave them at the door).
Can you provide a wheelchair if I need assistance on the sightseeing tours?
Wheelchairs and attendants are available but the arrangements must be made well in advance. Please do let us know and we will be happy to arrange for this. If there is an additional charge, it will be communicated to you depending on your exact requirements. Please be aware that sightseeing vehicles and many monuments are not fully wheelchair accessible. Therefore, it will be beneficial if the party can stand and walk at least a few steps with assistance for entering/exiting vehicles and maneuvering within certain monuments.
What kinds of hotels are used?
We use the best properties available in each location, only standard, deluxe, and luxury, 4- or 5-star hotels such as Taj, Oberoi, Imperial, Intercontinental and Hiltons, which give you good value, best security and hygiene conditions, and excellent service. In order to maintain our high standards of safety and security for our clients, we do not deal with low-end or budget hotels. We want you to enjoy every moment of your trip and not worry about your person or your belongings.
Please contact us if you would like to replace a hotel that we are using in the itinerary so we may provide you a price comparison and recommendation. Please look at the "Accommodation" tab for this tour in order to see the list of hotels used.
What airlines are used for domestic flights?
We use Jet Airways, Jet Lite, Kingfisher and at times (if needed for big groups) we use chartered aircraft.
What is the recommended gratuity?
Gratuities are solely at your discretion, and should reflect your enjoyment of the journey and your satisfaction with the quality of service provided. As a general guideline, per day, a tip of $10 for the driver and $5-$10 for the guide is appropriate.
Are doctors available at all times?
We have identified qualified doctors in each destination you visit. These doctors are available in any case you need emergency medical attention. The hotels that we use usually have their own panels of on-call doctors available to their guests. In any case, please let the escort / attendant / anyone in our ground office know immediately if you feel unwell or think you are going to need medical attention.
What is the travel time between each city?
Delhi - Khajuraho is by air which takes approximately 1 hour
Khajuraho - Varanasi is by air which takes approximately 1 hour
Varanasi - Delhi is by air which takes approximately 1 hour