If you have ever mentioned planning a trip to India, chances are you were met with a wide-eyed warning about how intense, chaotic, or difficult it is going to be. It is easy to let the internet or well-meaning friends convince you that navigating the sub-continent is an overwhelming challenge meant only for hardened, solo backpackers.
As a family coming from New Zealand – where tuk-tuks don’t zip around street corners and passenger trains aren’t a daily part of life – we completely understand the hesitation. But after travelling to India six times as a family, we can tell you with absolute certainty: India is totally doable!
If you are holding back because you think it is just too tricky, here are five reasons why travelling in India is far easier and more accessible than you might be imagining.
- English is Widely Spoken
- Navigating Transport is an Adventure
- Chai Makes Everything Better
- Indian Hospitality is Next Level
- Destinations That Exceed All Planning and Expectations
1. English is Widely Spoken Across the Country
One of the biggest concerns for first-time travellers heading anywhere in Asia is the language barrier. People often worry about how they will order food, buy transport tickets, or ask for directions when they don’t speak the local language.
In India, you can breathe a huge sigh of relief. English is widely spoken, read, and understood across the entire country.
Because India is home to dozens of distinct regional languages – from Hindi in the north to Tamil in the south – English functions as a major common language for education, government, signages, and everyday commerce.
From hotel staff and tour guides to rickshaw drivers and menu boards at local eateries, communicating in English is wonderfully simple. You won’t need to spend your holiday stressing over complex translation apps just to navigate your day.
2. Navigating Transport is an Adventure (and Totally Manageable!)
Coming from places like New Zealand, the transportation system in India looks like a whole different universe at first glance. Tuktuks (auto-rickshaws) weave through traffic, colourful buses hum along highways, and an enormous railway network criss-crosses the entire country.
While it looks wild from the outside, the reality is that getting around India is an incredible adventure, highly organised, and completely manageable!
- Trains: Indian Railways is one of the largest networks in the world. Booking reserved AC classes (like 2-Tier or 3-Tier) gives you a comfortable berth, air conditioning, and a front-row seat to epic country views.
- Auto-Rickshaws & Taxis: Finding a ride within a city takes seconds. Modern ride-sharing apps like Uber and Ola operate extensively in major cities, allowing you to book rides with set prices directly from your phone.
- Private Drivers: For longer stretches between cities or custom day tours, hiring private drivers is safe, extremely affordable, and takes all the stress out of navigating busy roads.
Once you take that first tuk-tuk ride through the streets, the initial intimidation vanishes, replaced by pure excitement! We love the adventure of India.
3. The Cultural Magic of Chai Makes Everything Better
If there is one secret to making travel in India feel welcoming, relaxed, and effortless, it is the country’s national drink: masala chai.
In India, chai is so much more than just a quick cup of tea. It is a central piece of the culture, a symbol of hospitality, and a daily social ritual.
Chai is freshly brewed on almost every street corner in small clay cups (kulhads), hot milk is simmered with black tea, ginger, cardamom, and spices to create that delicious taste of India. (Also, sorry there are lots of tiny paper cups the chai is served in too but I am focusing on the good!).
Stopping at a roadside chai stall is often where the best parts of your day happen. It gives you a moment to catch your breath, take in and figure out the local rhythm, and connect with people.
Whenever you are offered a cup, say yes! That small 10-cent cup of tea opens doors, starts conversations, and instantly makes you love India all that more. 🙂
4. The Kindness and Hospitality of the Local People is Next Level
It is easy to picture India as just crowded streets and busy markets, but the heart of the country lies in the genuine warmth and generosity of its people. The local hospitality in India is truly next level.
Time and again on our family travels, we have experienced extraordinary acts of care from complete strangers. Whether it is a local helping us find the right train platform, a shopkeeper pulling out chairs so the kids can rest, or local friends inviting us into their family homes for a home-cooked lunch, the people of India genuinely want you to have a wonderful time in their country.
Knowing that you are surrounded by people who are quick to help, lend a hand, or offer a friendly smile makes traveling through even the busiest cities feel safe and supported.
5. Every Destination Will Exceed Your Expectations
When you picture India, you might envision the iconic marble dome of the Taj Mahal or the golden fortresses of Rajasthan. But the truth is, no matter how many photos you have seen or blogs you have read, every single destination in India is more vibrant, rich, and staggering than you could ever imagine.
It is so colourful and incredible!
There is so much to see and do that India never feels one-dimensional:
- Wandering living, ancient forts where families still reside.
- Sleeping under a sky full of stars on a desert camel safari.
- Cruising serene backwaters or watching sunrise ceremonies along sacred rivers.
- Tasting regional curries, fresh naans, and legendary street food lassis.
We have been back six times as a family, and we still feel like we have barely scratched the surface of what this country has to offer. Every trip uncovers new regions, amazing new people, and unforgettable moments.
Ready to Take the Leap? Start Planning?
India isn’t a country to be feared; it is a country to be experienced! For all its energy and busyness, it is immensely rewarding, surprisingly accessible, and far easier to travel than most people think.
Pack your bags, keep an open heart, say yes to the chai, and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime. Trust us – once you take that first trip, you’ll already be planning how to go back again!
I love the adventure of planning a trip to India. And we love the adventure of travelling around India!
For more travel guides, trusted local contacts, and detailed itineraries, check out our full stories over at awaytoindia.com and awaywiththesteiners.com!
Read More India Inspiration
- Ultimate India Food Tour: 10 Must-Try Treats.
- India Tourist e-Visa: Our Step-By-Step Guide.
- 10 Things We’ve Learned Traveling India as a Family.
- Best Tourist SIM Card For India.
- What To Wear In India.
- 10 Tips To Avoid Delhi Belly In India.
- 10 Best Things To Do in Delhi.
- The Varanasi Burning Ghats: What To Expect, Honestly.
- Visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab.
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 and 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). Make sure you have travel insurance as soon as you start planning your trip to India!
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.
