Air-conditioned transport (cooling) is used excepting in Kashmir, Ladakh, Darjeeling, Sikkim, Bhutan, Tibet,and a few other places. In some places, where coaches are not available, smaller vehicles will be used.
The chauffeur driven transport is for your exclusive use. During jungle safaris transport may be shared by other visitors. In guaranteed departures, transport will be shared by others.
A half day tour is for about four hours. A full day tour is for six to eight hours. Where long distances are covered in the same vehicle (Rajasthan, Kerala, etc), transport is at your disposal. Check details with us. The transport to be used is -
DZire
Indigo
Innova
Tempo
Tempo front
Mini Coach
Large Coach
Large coach interior
For groups, the policies depend on the hotels being used. The cancellation policies for Individuals is:
Cancellation received from booking date to 30 days prior to arrival into India - 10% of total billing.
Cancellation received less than 29 days upto 21 days prior to arrival into India - 50% of total billing.
Cancellation received less than 20 and upto 15 days prior to arrival into India - 75% of total billing.
Cancellation received less than 14 days prior to arrival into India - 100% of total billing.
At times, certain services or hotels can ONLY be reserved against deposit or full payment, which of course will be advised to you in advance and accordingly charged also .
MOST IMPORTANT: ONCE WE ISSUE THE NON REFUNDABLE GUARANTEED VOUCHERS TO THE HOTELS, THERE WILL NOT BE ANY REFUND, IRRESPECTIVE OF THE TIME OF CANCELLATION.
CANCELLATION POLICY - For Flight & Train reservations:
Once the Flight tickets ISSUED in Normal Economy class, there will be cancellation of US$ 25 per person/ sector. For Flight tickets issued under INSTANT PURCHASE/ CHEAPER/SPECIAL airfares, full cancellation fees will be applicable. No layover or compensation may be available in case of any cancellation of flight or late running of a flight in case of Low Cost Airlines.
For Train ticket, once issued, the cancellation of US$ 5 per person per sector will be applicable if cancelled more than 3 days prior to travel. Certain trains like Shatabdi Express, Palace on Wheels, Tatkal (special fare) etc. do not fall in this category of cancellations and cancellation of the reserved space on these trains is subject to cancellation of 20-50% at any time. No layover or compensation is offered by the Railways in case of any cancellation of a train journey or late running of a train.
Indian Visa
A valid visa can be obtained from the nearest Indian mission in your country. If visiting any other country along with India (example Nepal) , you have to apply for a multi-entry visa for India. Please check with the Indian Embassy as some changes are being made.
Nepal Visa
A visa can be obtained in advance from the Nepalese mission or on ARRIVAL at Kathmandu airport with one photograph.
Documentation
A valid passport for at least 6 months. Vaccinations are not obligatory but anti-malaria medicines are recommended. Consult your doctor for any medicines you may require during your visit. For people coming from African & South American continent consult your travel agents for Yellow Fever Vaccination.
Baggage allowance
The baggage allowance is normally 15 to 30 kilos but varies from airline to airline. Normally 1 handbag is allowed. For safety reasons, your suitcase should be locked. All liquids, more than the specified quantity, should be placed in your checked in baggage..
Tipping
Although not obligatory, guides, drivers, porters etc. expect a tip. Depending on the quality of the service, we suggest you to tip them equivalent to USD$ 5 to 10 for the tour guide, driver/per day and US$ 1 for the porter. Tipping in the restaurants depends on the quality of the food/services. You may tip 10% of the bill amount.
Currency
The currency is INDIAN RUPEE (INR) & comes in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 Rupees. Coins are in denominations of 50 paise, one rupee, two rupees, five rupees and ten ruppees. We suggest you to carry Travellers cheques. All major credit cards etc. are accepted. You may withdraw cash in local currency from ATMs available in all the major cities. You may exchange money either in the hotels or banks/money changers against an official receipt.
Restroom facilities
Most public washroom facilities in India are of the traditional Western Style toilets. Please carry your own toilet paper and hand wipes. The washroom facilities in most of your hotels are as you are accustomed to.
Meals/drinks
The breakfast at most of the hotels is usually buffet style and has a mix of Indian and Continental dishes. Lunch and Dinners is also normally available in buffet style as well as A la Carte. Most Indian food is cooked, not raw and is safe to eat. If you are sensitive to spicy food, please ask for NO SPICE food. A wide variety of fresh fruits/juices is available round the year. A large variety of vegetarian food is available. Mineral water and other beverages are not included in the meal cost and needs to be paid for if used.
Taxis
Taxis are not very expensive. You also have less expensive mode of travel called Auto Rickshaw which cost you almost half of the taxi fare. Please insist on the meter fare or negotiate before boarding. It is recommended that you carry the name card of the hotel. You may also get private taxis with drivers which are hired on half or full day basis.
Traffic and Safety
Traffic is chaotic and we drive on the left side. The traffic rules are not followed & you need to be careful walking on the roadsides. Self-driving is possible in certain cities with a valid International driving license but we recommend you to take chauffeur driven cars which are not expensive and are available all over India/Nepal.
Do's & Dont's
Removing shoes is a must before entering a shrine. Some Temples are off-limits to visitors. People should be properly dressed and should cover their head before entering a Sikh Temple , cover their legs while entering a mosque etc.. In most of Hindu and Jain temples leather products like shoes, belts, handbags, camera cases etc. are prohibited in the main shrine and should be left outside or in your bus. Smoking is not permitted in public places as well as in the bus.
Shopping
India is a paradise for shopping - you may find souvenirs, handicrafts, antiquities, carpets, precious and semi precious stones, gold and silver jewels, spices, woodcrafts, clothes in cotton and silk. Every nook and corner of India offers a different product and you can hard-bargain for the prices everywhere except at the shops or emporiums which are run by the Govt.
Climate & clothing
Basically a tropical country cotton clothing is recommended. From April to October it is hot and dry barring the two months of July/August of rains when it gets humid. Winter months are November till March. This is the best period to visit India . In December, January and February it may get quite cold in some parts of the country and you will need woolens.
Electricity
India has 220 volts/50 cycles of Alternating Current (AC). 2 or 3 round pin plugs are used.
Time
India lies east of Greenwich and has a time difference of 5.30 hrs in winter and 4.30 in summer.
Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance is recommended and should be taken from your home country and should cover medical assistance, repatriation, cancellation or curtailment of your travel, loss of baggage or valuables etc. All our transport as well as that of the suppliers carry a comprehensive insurance for the vehicle, driver and the passengers - as per the prevailing laws of the country. Claims, if any, will be processed as per the Indian Laws in local currency. No claim is possible in case of any damaged/lost or delay of the baggage and is not covered by the insurance either.