India and the Sub Continent - India - Country Information

This magnificent land of contrasts gives you the grandeur of the Himalayas, the colour and festivity of Rajasthan, the variety of wildlife in the national parks and the gentler culture of the south with its temples, spice plantations and palm-fringed backwaters.

Key Facts
Full Country Name	Republic of India
Area	3.28 million sq km
Population	1 billion
Capital	New Delhi
Time Difference	GMT + 5½
Visa	A visa is required for British Passport holders. For visa application form click here
Currency	Rupee
People	72% Indo-Aryan, 25% Dravidian, 3% other
Language	Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Bengali, Kashmiri, English, , Marathi, Gujarati, Malayalam
Dialling Code	+91
Electricity	220V

Visas:

Indian Visa is required by all British passport holders and most other nationalities and must be obtained before your departure. Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond your departure date from India and have at least two blank pages. For visa application form click here. For visa for restricted areas click here

IF YOU ARE VISITING OTHER COUNTRIES AS WELL AS INDIA ON YOUR ITINERARY (FOR EXAMPLE NEPAL OR BHUTAN) AND RETURNING TO INDIA THEREAFTER, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU OBTAIN A MULTIPLE ENTRY INDIAN VISA.

Health risks:

Hepatitis A & B, Japanese encephalitis, Rabies, Typhoid

When to Go:

In northern India, the best time to visit the plains is during the milder winter period, which runs from late October to March.  This is followed by increasing humidity and hotter temperatures through April, May and June, when the heavy rains of the monsoon begin, bringing somewhat lower temperatures.  The rain has all but petered out in early September although temperatures remain high and the occasional downpour may occur.  From late September to October the weather is very warm. Southern India experiences two different monsoons; the southwest monsoon which lasts from June to September and affects the western side of the country (Cochin) and the southeast monsoon, which brings rain to the east coast (Madras) from October to December.  Interior cities such as Bangalore, Mysore, Ootacamund and Madurai are affected to lesser extent by the southwest monsoon.  The dates chosen for the South India Tour are planned to avoid the heaviest monsoonal rains, but there is always the possibility of some rain particularly between October and December. Ladakh is located in the Western Himalayas of northern India, visits are only possible in the summer months between June and September.

In planning our India tours, we take careful note of these regional and seasonal variations in climate.  Departure dates are planned wherever possible to avoid extremes of climate, and to provide passengers with the best conditions to enjoy a visit to India, although naturally weather conditions cannot be guaranteed.