CHOOMTI TRAVELLERS Registered Name : Choomti
Travellers Private Limited Bringing over 28 years experience to Independent Travellers in
India
Providing that personal and individual service to each Client
Remember India is different (and likes to be different!).
There is great poverty, beggars and hawkers ARE disturbing, but there is much
beauty, much life and variety in all of the sights of India and the Indian
people...
If you wish to give charity we would recommend that you use a recognised
organisation, we would be happy to give you further details about, either
National or Local Charity activities.
(Warning
: this official Indian Government Website nic.in
is quite intermittent and may need perseverance ! - So.
also try the Indian
High Commission, London.
Permits
for restricted or protected areas, should be applied for at the same time but may
take up to 6 weeks.
Passports:
Required by all and must be valid for at least 6 months from date of travel
Visas:
India's Visa
procedure changed in June 2008 for the following countries:
Thailand, China, Australia, France, Sri Lanka and the U.K.. And more countries
may follow soon !
The Visa Service has currently been outsourced to VFS Global : www.vfsglobal.com
For details on visa applications from just the U.K., please visit: http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk
(also,
discover some really good tips for dealing with those Pesky
Visas
from
Indax)
Restricted and protected areas:
Certain
parts of the country have been designated protected or restricted areas that
require special permits and in some cases prior government authorisation which
is easily obtained. Intent to visit a specific restricted region should be
indicated when applying for a visa and a permit will be granted to visit that
region only. Passengers are advised to check with India Tourism for up-to-date
information before departure. Currently, the following states are subject to some restrictions: Arunachul Pradesh,
Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep Islands, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland,
Sikkim.
(also,
discover some really Great Health
Tips while visiting India from Indax)
All
hotels will have first class doctors and dentists on call.
Care
should be taken with uncooked or stale food but the majority of stomach upsets
are caused by bad water. (further info)
Mineral
water and/or purifying tablets are readily available and should be used, even
for the brushing of teeth. (further info)
Vaccines
& Jabs
:
There
are no vaccination requirements for visitors to India unless coming from an
infected area.
However
protection against cholera, polio, typhoid, paratyphoid A & B and tetanus (TABT),
infectious hepatitis and malaria is normally advised.
Your
Own Doctor is the best person to ask however, online resources such as NetDoctor,
British
Airways Travel Clinics, NCID
(USA), and Trailfinders
Immunisation Centres, will have further information on current
requirements/advisability.
The
vaccination for rabies could be considered.
Vaccines
Special Precautions
Certificate Required
Yellow Fever
Yes
1
(see below)
Cholera
Yes
2
(see below)
Typhoid and Polio
3
(see below)
N/A
Malaria
4
(see below)
N/A
1:
Any person (including
infants over six months old) arriving by air or sea from an infected country
must obtain a yellow fever certificate. Those countries that are considered
infected are all African countries (except Algeria, Botswana, Djbouti, Egypt,
Eritrea, Lesotho, Libya, Malawi, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, South
Africa, Swaziland, Tunisia and Zimbabwe) and all South American countries
(except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay). When a case of yellow fever is
reported from any country, that country is regarded by the government of India
as being infected.
2:
Following WHO
guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate is not a condition
of entry to India. However, cholera is a serious risk in this country and
precautions are essential. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding
whether these precautions should include vaccination, as medical opinion is
divided over its effectiveness.
3:
Poliomyelitis is
widespread. Immunisation is generally recommended.
4:
Malaria risk exists,
mainly in the benign vivax form, throughout the year in the whole country
below 2000m excluding parts of the states of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir
and Sikkim. High resistance to chloroquine is reported in the malignant falciparum
form.
.
.
Food & Drink:
All
water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Well water near the
Ganges and in West Bengal may contain traces of arsenic chemical. Water used for
drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or
otherwise sterilised. Milk is un-pasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or
tinned milk is available and is advised, but make sure that it is reconstituted
with pure water. Avoid dairy products that are likely to have been made from
un-boiled milk. Only eat well cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork,
salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and
fruit peeled.
Other risks:
Visceral
leishmaniasis occurs in rural areas of eastern India. Cutaneous
leishmaniasis occurs in Rajasthan. Filariasis is common throughout
India and sandfly fever is increasing. An outbreak of plague occurred
in 1994 and was contained by adequate government measures. Tick-borne
relapsing fever is reported, as is typhus, and outbreaks of haemorrhagic
dengue fever have occurred in eastern India. Tick-borne haemorrhagic
fever has been reported in the forest areas in Karnataka State. Hepatitis
A and E are common. Hepatitis B is endemic. Outbreaks of Japanese
encephalitis occur, particularly in eastern coastal areas. Meningococcal
meningitis is present in Delhi from November to May. Vaccination is
advisable. Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination
before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice
without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix.
Note:
All
visitors aged between 18-70 years of age who are wishing to extend their visa
for a year or more are required to take an AIDS test.
Health care:
Health
care facilities are limited and travellers are strongly advised to take out full
medical insurance before departing for India. It is advisable to bring specific
medicines from the UK. There are state-operated facilities in all towns and
cities and private consultants and specialists in urban areas.
On leaving India:
Visitors
leaving for countries which impose health restrictions on arrivals from India
are required to be in possession of a valid certificate of inoculation and
vaccination.
The
postal and Poste
Restante service in India is generally
excellent.
The
major cities have e-mail and fax services.
Communications:
Telephone: IDD service is
widely available all over India. Otherwise calls must be placed through the
international operator. Country code: 91. Outgoing international code: 00.
Fax:
Facilities
are available in most 5-star hotels and some offices of the Overseas
Communication Service in large cities.
Internet
Internet:
ISPs
include:
E-mail (Webmail) can be accessed from Internet cafes and Hotels across the country.
Telegram:
International
24-hour service from large hotels and telegraphic offices in major cities.
Post:
Airmail
service to Western Europe takes up to a week. Stamps are often sold at hotels.
Press & Media:
There
are numerous local Dailies published in several languages. Many newspapers are
in English, the most important include The Times of India, Indian Express,
The Hindu, Hindustan Times, The National Herald, The Economic Times
and The Statesman.
Radio Frequencies:
From time to time
these change.
Generally
10am to 5pm with shops staying open until 7pm.
Banks
are open 10am to 2pm. except Saturday, when they close at 12 noon.
Many
government offices do not work on some Saturdays and there are many Public
Holidays throughout India.
Generally
Sunday is a holiday.
Indian Bank Opening Times:
Mon-Fri 1000-1400; Sat 1000-1200.
currency
Currency:
Currency:
Indian Rupee (INR 1 =
100 paise).
Notes:
INR:
1,
2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500.
(see what the notes look like at
www.banknoteworld.com
there
are
newer ones at the end!)
Coins:
INR:
5, 2,
1
Paise:
50, 20, 25, 10 and 5*
5R
2R
1R
50P
25P
10P
*Old
Currency:
1 and 2 Rupee notes and 5 paise coins
although no longer being produced may still be in circulation and are still legal tender.
So
what currency should you bring to India ?
IMPORTANT
: Firstly, please note, that no matter what you have read elsewhere, it is not
possible to "officially" purchase India's currency "outside"
of India. (it is not a sensible idea either, as in addition to breaking the laws
of India you cannot be certain of the notes that you receive being legal
tender).
Foreign
Currency
can be changed at all banks, airports or authorised money changers. It is illegal to
exchange money through unauthorised money changers. US Dollars and Pounds
Sterling are the easiest note currencies to exchange.
Credit & debit cards: MasterCard,
American Express, Diners Club and Visa are accepted throughout India. It may be
wise to inform your provider that you are travelling as they may put a temporary
hold on your account if they think your spending location is in conflict with
your normal spending routine. Also, check with your credit or
debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services
which may be available.
Travellers cheques: These
are widely accepted and may be changed at banks. To avoid additional exchange
rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars or
Pounds Sterling. Thomas Cook/American
Express are located in the Major Airports (usually open 24hrs) and do not
charge such high commission (if at all) if you exchange their own Travellers
Cheques. Hotels and Banks/Bureau-de-change may charge a small commission.
Note that the traditional paper version is more widely accepted than the new
travel cheque "credit card".
Currency restrictions when roaming:
Import
of local currency is prohibited. Export of local currency is also prohibited,
except for passengers proceeding to Nepal (excluding notes of denominations of
Rs100 or higher), Bangladesh, Pakistan or Sri Lanka (up to Rs20 per person).
Foreign currency may be exported up to the amount imported and declared. All
foreign currency must be declared on arrival if value is over US$5,000 (or
equivalent), and when exchanged the currency declaration form should be
endorsed, or a certificate issued. The form and certificates must be produced on
departure to enable re-conversion into foreign currency. Changing money with
unauthorised money changers is not, therefore, advisable. .
Exchange Rate:
Clicking this link
xe.com
~ The Universal Currency Converter®
will give you the current exchange rates between the
Indian
Rupee "INR" and your own Domestic Currency of choice (site appears in another
window)
EXCHANGE RATE POCKET GUIDE
On the left you can see an example
of rates of exchange of Indian Rupee.
In this example showing British Pounds
(GBP).
FXCheatSheet
allows travellers to create and print an up to date currency pocket guide for their next
trip.
To get your copy, select the language, date,
currencies you wish to obtain and the rate you believe is most relevant to your
needs.
(also,
learn some really Useful Survival Phases while
visiting India from Indax)
English
is the "Lingua
Franca" and visitors will require
little or no knowledge of the 17 recognized regional languages
though a few
words of Hindi,
Telugu or Tamil
will help.
The
official Number 1 language is Hindi which is spoken by about 30 per cent of the
population 17 Regional languages are
recognised by the Constitution (listed alphabetically):
Assamese
Bengali
Gujarati
Kannada
Kashmiri
Konkani
Malayalam
Manipuri
Marathi
Nepali
Oriya
Punjabi
Sanskrit
Sindhi
Tamil
Telugu
Urdu
(For example: in
Goa, Konkani is used, however,
Punjabi,
Bengali, Gujerati and Oriya are widely used in the North and Tamil, Telegu,
Marathi, Kannada and Malayalam are common in the South. The Muslim population
largely speak Urdu.)
Each of these regional
languages will have at least a minimum of a dozen dialects each so it may be
easier to try just a few major words !!
English
is wildly spoken (although by only 3% of the general population) as it is also often used for official or
commercial purposes.
October
to February, inclusive are the most comfortable months in Northern India.
March
and April are relatively warmer.
May
to July is unbearable for many Europeans and the monsoon arrives in July.
In
the South, always warmer, the best months are November to February.
Brief Climate Overview:
India
generally:
hot tropical weather with considerable regional variations.
The climate is
dominated by the Asiatic monsoon. From June until
September, the country is influenced by the rainy monsoon from the South West. At this time rainfall
can be very heavy, particularly over the higher regions facing the sea. The coolest time with
the driest weather is from November until February. The weather gets hotter
from April until May with continuing drought. The rains tend to start
in late May in the South, arriving up to four weeks later in the North.
Goa:
winter (Oct until Mar) has the best weather and is the main tourist season. Temperatures 80 to 90
degrees Fahrenheit daytime and 70 degrees Fahrenheit at night. April until May hotter
and more humid. June until September is
monsoon season, during which rainfall can be heavy or a mere drizzle (swimming
in the sea not advisable and there are no water sports operating); cooler
temperatures but high humidity.
More
Detailed Climate Information:
Hot tropical weather with variations from region to
region. Coolest weather lasts from December to February, with cool, fresh
mornings and evenings and dry, sunny days. Really hot weather, when it is dry,
dusty and unpleasant, is between March and May. Monsoon rains occur in most
regions in summer between June and September.
Western Himalayas: Srinagar
is best from March to October; July to August can be unpleasant; cold and damp
in winter. Simla is higher and therefore colder in winter. Places like Pahalgam,
Gulmarg and Manali are usually under several feet of snow (December to March)
and temperatures in Ladakh can be extremely cold. The road to Leh is open from
June to October. Required clothing: Light to
medium weights are advised from March to October, with warmer wear for winter.
Weather can change rapidly in the mountains and therefore it is important to be
suitably equipped. Waterproofing is advisable.
Northern Plains: Extreme
climate, warm inland from April to mid-June falling to almost freezing at night
in winter, between November and February. Summers are hot with monsoons between
June and September. Required clothing:
Lightweight cottons and linens in summer with warmer clothes in winter and on
cooler evenings. Waterproofing is essential during monsoons.
Central India: Madhya
Pradesh State escapes the very worst of the hot season, but monsoons are heavy
between July and September. Temperatures fall at night in winter. Required
clothing: Lightweights are worn most of the year with warmer clothes
during evenings, particularly in winter. Waterproofed clothing is advised during
monsoon rains.
Western India: November to
February is most comfortable, although evenings can be fairly cold. Summers can
be extremely hot with monsoon rainfall between mid-June and mid-September. Required
clothing: Lightweight cottons and linens are worn most of the year
with warmer clothes for cooler winters, and waterproofing is essential during
the monsoon.
Southwest India: The
most pleasant weather is from November to March. Monsoon rains fall between late
April and July. Summer temperatures are not as high as Northern India, although
humidity is extreme. There are cooling breezes on the coast. Inland, Mysore and
Bijapur have pleasant climates with relatively low rainfall. Required
clothing: Lightweights are worn all year with warmer clothes for
cooler evenings, particularly in winter. Waterproofing is advised during the
monsoon.
Southeast India: Tamil
Nadu experiences a northeast monsoon between October and December and
temperatures and humidity are high all year. Hills can be cold in winter.
Hyderabad is hot, but less humid in summer and much cooler in winter. Required
clothing: Lightweight cottons and linens. Waterproofing is necessary
during the monsoon. Warmer clothes are worn in the winter, particularly in the
hills.
Northeast India: March
to June and September to November are the driest and most pleasant periods. The
rest of the year has extremely heavy monsoon rainfall and it is recommended that
the area is avoided. Required
clothing: Lightweight
cottons and linens. Waterproofing is advisable throughout the year and essential
in monsoons, usually from mid-June to mid-October. Warmer clothes are useful for
cooler evenings.
There
are many good golf courses throughout India.
Fishing
for Trout
in Kashmir and for Mahseer
(The ultimate freshwater fish, renowned as the hardest fighting species on
the planet) in the Cauvery River is excellent. Click here
for information on our tour example.
Skiing,
sailing, scuba diving and white water rafting with first-class equipment is
available.
Game
Drives can be arranged, read our Flora &
Fauna Tours page
Horse,
Camel
and even Elephant safaris can be arranged... You only need ask, and we will
supply further details !
Chief of
states: President A.P.J. Abdul KALAM
(since 26 July 2002) Vice President Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT
(since 19 August 2002) Head of
Government: Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH
(since 22 May 2004)
National Advisory Commission (NAC) Chair Person & Congress President: Mrs. Sonia Gandhi
NOTE: The
information regarding India on this page is re-published from the World
Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are
made regarding the accuracy of information contained here. All suggestions for
corrections of any errors about India Introduction should be addressed to the CIA.
1,027 million (2001) 1,029 million (2003) 1,095 million (July 2006 est.)
Approximate Population Density: 400 per sq km. Country name:
Conventional long form: Republic of India
Flag
description:Three equal horizontal bands of (at top) saffron (subdued
orange), (middle) white, and (at base) green with a blue chakra (24-spoked
wheel) cantered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a
small orange disk cantered in the white band. (further
flag information)
Government type: Federal republic (parliamentary democracy with a President and 2 houses)
Capital: New Delhi
Administrative divisions: 28 states and 7 union territories; Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Pondicherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
Independence: 15 August 1947 (from UK)
National holiday: Republic Day, 26 January (1950)
Constitution: 26 January 1950; amended many times
Legal system: Based on 1940s English common law; limited judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus
NOTE: The
information regarding India on this page is re-published from the World
Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are
made regarding the accuracy of information contained here. All suggestions for
corrections of any errors about India Introduction should be addressed to the CIA.
Capital: New Delhi (Population: 7,206,704 in 1991)
Major Cities: Bangalore, Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Hyderabad,
Mumbai (Bombay).
India
shares borders to the northwest with Pakistan, to the north with China, Nepal
and Bhutan, and to the east with Bangladesh and Myanmar. To the west lies the
Arabian Sea, to the east the Bay of Bengal and to the south the Indian Ocean.
Sri Lanka lies off the southeast coast, and the Maldives off the southwest
coast. The far north-eastern states and territories are all but separated from
the rest of India by Bangladesh as it extends northwards from the Bay of Bengal
towards Bhutan. The Himalayan mountain range to the north and the Indus River
(west) and Ganges River (east) form a physical barrier between India and the
rest of Asia. The country can be divided into five regions: Western, Central,
Northern (including Kashmir and Rajasthan), Eastern and Southern. .
Time Zone:
(also,
discover Where to Stay while visiting India from
Indax)
Generally
in India, hotels are graded by the central tourism department's Hotel
Classification Committee in categories from 1 star up to 5 star de luxe. In
addition, forts, palaces and other old buildings converted into hotels and
approved by the Hotel Classification Committee are designated Heritage Hotels.
However, in Goa the State Department of Tourism has officially classified most
accommodation using a system which grades properties (in descending order) as A,
B, C and D class. In this online brochure,
CHOOMTI TRAVELLERS
give the letter rating if there is one; otherwise, the star rating is given.
UK Tourist Office: Government of India Tourist Office
7 Cork Street, London W1S 3LH
Tel: 020 7437 3677; 0870 010 2183 (brochures)
Fax: 020 7494 1048
Mid Feb ~
Idu'z Zuha/Bakrid (Feast of the Sacrifice).
Mar ~ Muharram (Islamic New
Year).
Mar/Apr ~ Good Friday.
Mar/Apr ~
Mahavir Jayanti.
May ~
Milad-Un-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet).
May 26 ~
Buddha Purnima.
Aug 15 ~ Independence Day.
Oct 2 ~
Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday.
Oct 15 ~ Vijaya
Dasami/Dussera.
Late Oct ~ Early Nov
Diwali.
Nov 19 ~
Guru Nanak’s Birthday.
Late Nov Early Dec ~ Eid al-Fitr
(End of Ramadan).
Dec 25 ~ Christmas Day.
Notes:
(a) Public holidays in India tend to be observed on a strictly regional basis.
Only the secular holidays of Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi’s
Birthday are universally observed. The above dates are Government of India
holidays, when government offices will be closed nationwide. In addition, there
are numerous festivals and fairs which are also observed in some States as
holidays, the dates of which change from year to year. For more details, contact
India Tourism (see Contact Addresses section). See also under the
heading
Special Events
in the Social Profile
section:
(b) Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of
the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of
Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at
night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Many restaurants are
closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking. For
more information see theWorld
Calendar Website.
For
whetting the appetite - how about a great read ?
Every
thing you need is NOT on the net. It pays to search out a paper
companion.
Our favourite
guidebooks ? Continue to be the latest Footprint,
followed closely
by the latest Lonely
Planet and the
latest Rough
Guide. Alastair
Sawdays' Special Places to Stay "India" is
also most useful.
Through
We recommend :
Lonely Planet
ISBN:
978-1741043082
Rough Guide ISBN:
978-1858289946
Footprint
ISBN: 978-1906098384
Alastair
Sawdays
ISBN:
978-1901970647
Eyewitness India Travel Guide
ISBN:
978-1405312493
Eyewitness Delhi, Agra & Jaipur Travel Guide
ISBN
978-0751368697
Nelles Guides
Northern India ISBN:
978-3886180752
Nelles Guides Southern
India
ISBN: 978-3886181155
Dress
Codes:
Dressing
for the occasion. What
to (and what NOT to) wear to fit in.
What to take ? As
little as possible ! (also see Travelling
Light)
Most
places will have a 24 hours washing service and clothes can be made up cheaply
and quickly. In addition
India
offers sensational handicrafts of the finest craftsmanship.
Domestic Flights (within India): Choomti are
able to book all "internal flights" for our clients. We normally quote
for economy class flights but other class levels may be available.
International Flights: Choomti do not book
International Flights on behalf of clients so in addition to all that Google
can recommend, we suggest these sites for you to browse which our clients find
useful for comparing prices :
