The India Guide
You’re flying halfway across the world for us — so let’s make a journey of it. How to arrive, how to get around, and the unforgettable places waiting once the celebrations are over.
Before You Go
Most of the trip you can plan as you go — but two things are worth sorting in the weeks before you fly: your visa, and a chat with your GP about vaccines.
Have a chat with your GP or a travel clinic about which vaccinations — and any malaria precautions — you might need for India. What’s recommended depends on where you’re headed and your own health history, so they’re the ones to advise.
India requires all international arrivals — including returning Indian passport holders — to submit a health declaration online before boarding.
Plan the Trip
Three moves make the trip: choose the hub you’ll fly into, arrive with us in Udaipur, then decide what comes next. Here’s how it all fits together.
Worth seeing near your hub — before or after the wedding
The North Google Maps
Centuries layered on top of each other — Humayun’s Tomb, the Red Fort, the gardens of Lodhi and the best street food in the country. Spend a day in the capital, then string together the legendary Golden Triangle below.
Near Delhi Google Maps
The most beautiful building in the world, worth every bit of the hype at sunrise. Reach it from Delhi by expressway or the fast Gatimaan train.
Near Delhi Google Maps
Amber Fort, the honeycomb Hawa Mahal and rose-hued bazaars. With Delhi and Agra it forms the classic Golden Triangle.
The West Google Maps
India at full tilt — the Gateway of India, Marine Drive at dusk, colonial Colaba and the home of Bollywood. A day in the city, then the beaches and ancient art of the west are a short hop away.
Near Mumbai Google Maps
Where India slows down. Portuguese-era churches, palm-fringed beaches (lively north, serene south) and fresh seafood. The perfect place to exhale.
Near Mumbai Google Maps
Astonishing rock-cut cave temples carved into the cliffs — among India’s greatest ancient art, and a UNESCO World Heritage wonder.
Your final stop. Small and easy; then about 45 minutes by road to the venue.
Your home base — what to see in Udaipur
The Wedding City Google Maps
Where it all happens. Set around shimmering lakes and ringed by the Aravalli hills, Udaipur is the most romantic city in India — whitewashed palaces, lantern-lit rooftops and unhurried mornings. Give yourself a day or two either side of the wedding.
Once we’ve celebrated, the whole country is open to you. Loop back through your hub and explore the region you flew into — or, since you’re already deep in India, push further.
You’re already in the most romantic corner of the country — Rajasthan’s desert kingdoms are a short drive or hop from Udaipur, and string together into a beautiful loop.
A living sandstone fort rising from the Thar Desert — camel safaris and nights in the dunes.
Gujarat Google Maps
The vast white salt desert of Rann of Kutch, sacred temples at Dwarka, and one of India’s most distinct regional cuisines.
Fly home the way you came — or route out through the other hub to see a whole new slice of India. Both Delhi and Mumbai connect easily back to Udaipur, so use the one you arrived at, or swap to the other and pick up a region you’d otherwise miss: the monuments of the north, or the coast of the west.
You’ll find what’s worth seeing around each hub up in Step 1 — the Golden Triangle (Agra & Jaipur) from Delhi, and the coast and caves (Goa, Ajanta & Ellora) from Mumbai.
India is far too big to see in one trip — so pick a region that calls to you, and we’ll suggest where to start. A short flight from Rajasthan opens up a whole different country.
Punjab Google Maps
The serene, gilded Golden Temple, where everyone is fed. Unforgettable at night.
Uttarakhand Google Maps
Where the Ganges leaves the Himalaya — yoga, river rafting and temples in the foothills.
Himachal Google Maps
Colonial-era hill stations and crisp mountain air — a cool escape into the lower Himalaya.
Ladakh Google Maps
Stark desert plateaus, the electric blue of Pangong Lake, and ancient Buddhist monasteries perched at altitude. India’s most dramatic landscape.
Uttar Pradesh Google Maps
India’s spiritual heart on the Ganges; the riverside aarti at dusk is unforgettable.
West Bengal Google Maps
Tea gardens, the toy train and dawn views of Kanchenjunga, the world’s third-highest peak.
Sikkim Google Maps
A Himalayan hill town with Kanchenjunga views, Buddhist monasteries and a famous cable car over the city.
Kerala Google Maps
Houseboats on palm-lined backwaters, spice hills and quiet beaches — the gentle tropical south.
Karnataka Google Maps
A surreal boulder-strewn landscape scattered with the temples and bazaars of a lost empire.
Tamil Nadu Google Maps
Towering, riotously colourful temple gateways and one of India’s oldest living cities.
Assam Google Maps
Rolling tea gardens along the Brahmaputra, river boat journeys and the world’s largest river island — a lush, unhurried corner of India.
Meghalaya Google Maps
The “Abode of Clouds” — living root bridges, the world’s wettest place at Cherrapunji, and some of India’s most dramatic waterfalls.
Mizoram Google Maps
One of India’s most remote and least-visited states — terraced valleys, traditional Mizo villages and a gentleness that stays with you.
Rajasthan Google Maps
One of the best places on earth to see wild tigers, around a crumbling hilltop fort.
Assam Google Maps
Grasslands teeming with one-horned rhinos, elephants and birdlife — a UNESCO wilderness.
Gujarat Google Maps
The last refuge of the Asiatic lion — the only place on earth outside Africa where you can see lions in the wild.
Uttar Pradesh Google Maps
India’s oldest city — dawn boat rides on the Ganges, ancient ghats, and the hypnotic nightly Aarti ceremony.
Uttar Pradesh Google Maps
Krishna’s sacred birthplace — hundreds of temples, constant kirtan, and the most joyful Holi festival in India.
Tamil Nadu Google Maps
Built around the sacred Arunachala hill — one of India’s most powerful pilgrimage sites, with a vast ancient temple complex at its heart.
Good to Know
Small bits of know-how that make any trip to India smoother. None essential — but it all helps.
The rupee (₹). Cards work in hotels and malls; carry some cash for smaller markets, autos and tips. ATMs are everywhere — tell your bank you’re travelling.
Most people in India use UPI to pay for goods. It typically requires an Indian bank account for use, but recently has been made available for tourists. Click here for more info.
Bottled or filtered water only. Eat freshly cooked food from busy places — that’s where it’s best. The thalis are a joy.
Lovely days around 25°C, cool 8–10°C evenings. Pack layers and a wrap for the night ceremonies.
Set up an eSIM before you fly — we like the Airalo app: pick an India plan, install in minutes, connected the moment you land. Prefer a local SIM? Grab one (Airtel / Jio) at the airport with your passport.
Tip ~10% in restaurants. Haggle gently in markets — never fixed-price shops — and keep it friendly.
Remove shoes at temples and homes, dress modestly at religious sites, and ask before entering.
Wildly photogenic — but ask before photographing people, and skip airports, stations and military sites. We recommend guests not to bring any drones as you risk them being confiscated at the airport.
Pack medicines you rely on, plus a small kit for upset stomachs and rehydration salts. Hand sanitiser helps.
Uber and Ola work in every major city — cashless, no haggling. Auto-rickshaws suit short hops (agree the fare first), and Delhi has a clean, cheap metro.
Domestic flights (IndiGo, Air India) are quick and cheap over distance; trains are an experience in themselves (book ahead on IRCTC); or hire a car with a driver for the day.
India’s quick-commerce is extraordinary — Blinkit, Zepto and Swiggy Instamart deliver groceries, snacks, toiletries and more to your door in 10–20 minutes, around the clock. If you’ve forgotten something or just need supplies, it’s faster and easier than finding a shop.
Words to Know
Hindi is spoken across most of northern and eastern India, but not in the south, where each state has its own language. Wherever you go, English will get you a long way: it’s an official language and widely understood in hotels, restaurants and tourist areas. Even so, a few words always raise a smile.
Greetings & courtesy
Out & about
At the table
Still Wondering?
No question is too small — from what to pack to nerves about the flight. We’ve answered the most common ones on the FAQ; or head to the Wedding Guide for everything about the ceremonies and venues.