There is a saying that you don’t just visit India – you experience it. Which I totally agree with. We all hear about the vibrance, colours and chaos of India. It is incredible. But what does that mean it is really like as a traveller?!
I’d say as well as being a destination that you experience, rather than just visit, it is a country that rewrites your understanding of travel. It certainly shocks your senses and expands your worldview all at the exact same time!
What is Travel in India Really Like?
Our love affair with India has stood the test of time. We have been seven times now.
My very first taste of the country was years ago as a young backpacker exploring alongside my sister.
Coming from little old New Zealand, it was a trip of massive firsts; I found myself taking long, winding long-distance buses for the first time in my life and navigating a sprawling railway network on overnight sleeper trains I’d never imagined before setting foot in the country.
Since those early backpacking days, I’ve also travelled solo to the ancient ghats of Varanasi, and I have since returned a further six times to travel extensively with my family – including my husband Gavin and our two boys, Harry and Oscar.
But What is it Really Like?
If there is one thing seven journeys have taught us, it’s that there are a few undeniable realities that you simply cannot fight or change about India.
It is exactly how it is.
If you unpack your patience (a lot of that), throw out your expectations, and prepare for these realities of travel, you will unlock one of the most rewarding adventures on the planet.
This is what it is really like.
1. You Will Experience Culture Shock
No matter how many travel documentaries you watch or guidebooks you read, nothing can truly prepare you for the initial wall of energy that hits you when you step out of the airport. The volume of sound, the colours, the dense traffic, and the intense aromas are a total sensory lightning bolt.
It really is like that the minute you get out of that sweetly air conditioned airport.
But it is also important to realise that India is not a monoculture; the reality of this description of what it’s really like post-arrival shifts dramatically from region to region.
The frantic, high-altitude energy of the Himalayas is a world away from the slower, romantic pace of the desert fortresses in Rajasthan. Which again feels entirely different from the tropical, slow-moving backwaters of the south.
Every state feels like a brand-new country with its own language, traditional dress, and culinary rules.
2. You Probably Will Get “Delhi Belly” (But It’s Okay!)
Let’s be completely transparent: your digestive system will almost certainly experience a shift at some stage during your trip. Adjusting to entirely new spices, oils, and local bacteria strains means a temporary upset stomach is practically a rite of passage for your first time.
But on the upside: it is rarely as bad as the horror stories you read online make it out to be. Most bouts of Delhi Belly pass naturally within 24 to 48 hours if you rest up.
To manage it like a pro it’s no big deal, do what we do: walk into a chemist the moment you arrive in India and buy local electrolyte rehydration packets (like Electral). They are cheap, effective, and specifically formulated for local bugs.
Oh, and of course stick to sealed bottled water, eat piping hot food from busy vendors, and then let go of the worry!
3. Dressing Modestly Is a Non-Negotiable
While major metropolitan cities like Delhi and Mumbai are rapidly modernising, India remains a deeply culturally conservative and modest nation.
Squeezing into short skirts, low-cut tops, or revealing shorts on the street is a major travel misstep. Not that I often dress in short skirts while travelling anyway. But here in India – and as far as wondering what travel here is really like – dressing in anything revealing is not a good move.
Not only will it attract an exhausting amount of unwanted attention, but it will also bar you from entering holy temples, mosques, and shrines.
Keep your shoulders and knees covered. Loose, lightweight cotton clothing is your best friend here. It is a good idea to carry a lightweight scarf in your daypack. It is perfect for quickly throwing over your head when entering Sikh gurdwaras or local mosques, and it doubles as an excellent shield against the mid-day sun and street dust. Plus, the colours of clothing in India is incredible!
4. You Have to Watch Out for Scams
The vast majority of people you encounter in India are exceptionally warm, honourable, and genuinely hospitable. However, street-level tourism scams do exist, particularly around dense transport hubs like major railway stations and airports.
The most classic trap to watch out for is the “Station or Hotel is Closed” scam. A smooth-talking auto-rickshaw driver or bystander will confidently tell you that your hotel has burned down, closed down, or that the road is blocked due to a local festival. They will then helpfully offer to drive you to an “official government tourist office” to find alternative accommodation.
This is always a fake office designed to lock you into commission-heavy bookings.
Ignore unsolicited street advice, trust your own reservations, and consider hiring a trusted, private driver to bypass the street hassle entirely.
We have plenty of fantastic drivers and guides that we proudly recommend! 😊
5. You Will Become a Mini-Celebrity (The Photo Requests!)
As a Western traveller walking through India, you are going to attract a lot of attention. It is really like you are a celebrity at times. (Roll with it!). And even more so if you happen to have two very blonde, long-haired boys travelling with you!
One of the most unique realities of travelling here is the sheer number of times you will be stopped by locals asking to take a photograph with you. Famous much?! It is really like that!
Whether you are wandering through a historic palace, standing in line at a monument, or walking along a riverside ghat, families, groups of teenagers, and individuals will approach you wanting a quick snap. On our family travels, our boys have had countless photos taken with smiling local families!
It is almost always entirely innocent and driven by friendly curiosity. So, if you are comfortable, lean into it, flash a smile, and use it as a fun icebreaker. But remember that it is also completely okay to politely say no with a smile if you are feeling tired (or overwhelmed!).
6. You Have To Go Slow
The biggest mistake a lot of first-time travellers make is trying to treat India like a checklist, scrambling to squeeze Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur, and Varanasi into a frantic two-week itinerary. This is not a good idea. Because of the sheer scale of the country and the high-energy nature of transit, trying to move too fast is a fast track to absolute exhaustion.
You simply cannot see it all in one go. Give yourself permission to cut your itinerary in half. Spend three days in a destination instead of one. We always reckon three days, and three nights is a magic number in a new destination when you are on a moving itinerary.
Allow yourself an afternoon to just sit in a cafe, sip a chai, and watch the world go by. Slower travel protects your energy and leaves room for the unexpected magic that makes India so special. There are plenty of moments like that if you are open to them!
7. The People Are Incredibly Friendly
Wondering what the people are really like? Well, it’s good news! Beneath that initial curiosity of the crowds is a legendary warmth. Indian hospitality operates on the beautiful cultural philosophy that “The guest is God.”
Don’t be afraid to mix, mingle, and make those genuine human connections.
Over our seven visits, we have made great friends across multiple states. We have been invited into family homes for traditional home-cooked lunches, shared endless laughs with shopkeepers, and watched our boys play spontaneous games of street cricket or football.
Lean into the local conversations. It is really like that, and it is within these real connections that you get to experience a different side of India.
8. Start Your Journey in the North
If you are wondering where to kick off your very first trip, we always recommend starting in the north. The classic Golden Triangle loop (Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur) is wildly popular for a reason.
Because this specific route handles millions of international travellers every single year, the infrastructure is heavily established. The hotels are well-versed in welcoming Western tourists, English is spoken absolutely everywhere, and it is as reliable and predictable introduction to the country’s monumental Mughal and Rajasthani architecture that you are going to get before you branch out into more remote or intense areas.
9. It Is Dirty (Sorry, India)
There is no sugarcoating this fact: India can be incredibly dirty, dusty, and polluted. In parts it is really like the images you have been hoping weren’t true. You will see piles of plastic rubbish on city street corners, stray cows wandering through traffic lanes, open drains, and heavy smog. But it isn’t all like this.
It can be will be confronting at first. I mean how can it not be?! But it helps to keep things in perspective: this is a developing nation holding a massive population of over a billion.
We reckon instead of letting the surface grit ruin your experience, pack plenty of hand sanitiser, wear closed-toe shoes for walking the city streets, focus on the magnificent, colourful history and accept the environment exactly as it is.
The Verdict: Is It Worth It?
India is a destination that you need to travel with an open mind. It definitely challenges your comfort zone. It will frustrate you, exhaust you, and challenge you – but it will also reward you with the kind of travel experiences that are hard to match.
Pack your confidence, expect the unexpected, and get ready for the greatest adventure of your life!
Questions answered and ready to plan your adventure? Check out our Ultimate Golden Triangle Itinerary to see how to link Jaisalmer with Jaipur and Agra!
Did you give our drivers and guides a message? Let us know in the comments if you connect with Sunny, Raja, Phoenix and Padam!
Safe travels, adventurers!
Read More India Inspiration
- Our Detailed & Easy 2-Day Itinerary Of Jaipur.
- Train Travel In India.
- India Tourist e-Visa: Our Step-By-Step Guide.
- 10 Things To Do In Mumbai.
- 10 Things To Do In Kochi & Kerala.
- Best Tourist SIM Card For India.
- What To Wear In India.
- 4-Day Kochi & Kerala Itinerary.
- Travelling India By Bus: Intercity, Tourist & Sleeper Buses.
Travel Planning for India & Beyond
These are the companies we use while traveling and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. It’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally.
- 12GoAsia – Book trains anywhere in Asia through 12Go.
- Skyscanner – Our favourite flight search engine. They can search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide – A huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world. Everything from walking tours to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for short or longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home). That is really like one of the biggest and most important tips for travel!
Hi! I’m Sarah. I am the self-confessed dreamer, travel-schemer and the main editor behind this blog. I love to write, and it is a dream come true to share so many experiences together and inspire others in our stories.
