Solo travel planning a trip to India advice ...please

I would advise against going alone as a woman there. Please be wise and find a group or means to go with someone.

If it is your first time there, I strongly suggest you go in a tour group. India is too big a country to cover in one trip unless you have months available. It is also extremely overwhelming to first time travellers - crowds, noise, dust, etc. Like any other country, it will have its positives and negatives but a tour group will ensure you cover the essentials first, with no logistical battles, no surprise costs and safety in numbers with no badgering by touts.

And be open to try out all the food - there is no such thing as "Indian" food and the cuisine in every region is different and amazing. What is sold in UK is mostly based on recipes from Punjab.

The biggest hurdle I found when travelling alone in India was keeping luggage safe when say going to the toilets/bathrooms in trains and public places unless you have a super lock, the sort they use on bicycles, so you can fix your luggage to an immovable abject like train berth or bed.

I love India but it is something of an acquired taste. It's noisy, often smelly & the roads will terrify you out of your wits!

Maybe do a short-ish trip for your first visit? The Golden Triangle (Dehli-Agra-Jaipur) is a nice introduction to life in & the history of India. I hired a car & driver for the week which was very reasonable (although it was 35 years ago!).

India tends to be safe but you will get the usual hassle to buy junk that Western tourists get everywhere. Also be very careful of what you eat & drink.

It's a shame Kashmir is off-limits now. I spent a couple of weeks there doing a field-trial in 1989 & Lake Dal, in the foothills of the Himalayas is stunningly beautiful.

As others have already said, just keep your wits about you, although most people will be friendly curious there will always be others who see you as a western cash cow. You might also get repeatedly hassled if going to one of the main attractions but just be polite but stern and keep walking.

A distant cousin of mine and her hubby got drugged and robbed on a train and I hate to say this but be wary of over friendly people.

Apart from that, india is a massive place so don’t try and do too much as it will then just turn into loads of travelling which on some of the roads is not good.

Lot of fairly negative comments, and its easy to understand why. India is quite intimidating. That said I know two women who travelled alone in India (one though Pakistan too) and had no more hassle than they might have had in parts of Europe. It proves nothing, but they did it. My daughter solo travelled around South America for 4 months and had no hassle at all. My suggestion would be to try a solo holiday to Goa, which is kind of India Lite, and see how you feel after. I've been to Goa a lot and found it friendly and welcoming to Europeans. It would give you the opportunity to experience public transport and you could easily fly up to Mumbai for a short intense experience.

Have you traveled alone before?
Have you been in similar environments before?

If "no" to both, group travel might be preferable.

I spent a couple of years in India. Female and visibly non local. Overall, I enjoyed my stays. But I disliked the attention I was getting. It got quite nasty during my short trip to Mumbai.

I'm due to go to India soon. But the current government is putting me off...

My mate was drugged and robbed there. As others have said go in a group. Spread your cash out (socks, underwear, bag,hat etc). I’ve heard eating the local yogurt helps you not to get deli belly but might be an old wives tale.

Thank you All really appreciate your tips & comments'...even at 60 wise years ..feel quite naïve thank you

A lot depends on where you are planning to stay and how you are planning to travel.

We are quite fussy about food and don't eat street food as we are not sure about hygiene and quality.

And then there are those people who do get guides who take them to special places for street food which is delicious but I would not venture on my own unless in a group (safety in numbers).

Water :best to get branded bottled water from good shops. As some places sell branded bottled water is which is actually tap water. So one has to be wary of such things.

Most people are helpful but don't be trust anyone easily or at least confirm the same information from at least another source. Big advantage is most people do understand English even if they don't speak it.

There is a lot of apprehension when one travels to a new place but a planned trip might suit you best.

Do get a local mobile sim card as that is quite handy. (edited)

First of all, as others said India is huge. There are lots of things to see and experience. The history, culture, people - everything is different from one state to another and even within a state.
If you can’t say which part of India you’re interested into it’s difficult to suggest.
What most people have said are very generic knowledge about India which may be helpful to some extent but if you want to know in detail you need to first choose the places so people can share more helpful tips.
If you don’t feel comfortable travelling alone then the best bet is to go in a group but then your choice will be restricted.
You can pm me if you need any detail information on a particular part of India. I have covered many states in India and have both good and bad experiences.
Also remember, some parts of India are closed to foreign tourists or you may need special permission. Hence a detail planning is important.

Okay, here is almost everything you wanted to know, sorry its a few days late
telegraph.co.uk/tra…oa/