TRAVEL CHECKLIST

• VISA
  All non-Indian-citizens are required to have an Indian visa to enter the country. Please allow yourself sufficient time (say 2-3 weeks) to procure an appropriate visa from your nearest Indian consulate. There are several Indian consulates worldwide. Indian consulates in the continental US are located in Washington D.C., New York, Chicago, Houston, and San Francisco. An online copy of the application form for Indian visa is available..



• Flight Reservations
  Flights to India tend to fill up well ahead of the December holiday season. We recommend that you make your flight reservations about 3-4 months in advance, to be on the safe side. We strongly recommend that you avoid arriving in New Delhi or taking flights that stop in New Delhi en-route to Mumbai (Bombay) or Chennai (Madras) -- winter fog often throws air-traffic off-gear in New Delhi. For more information, including about domestic flights within India, check here.



• Vaccinations (shots)
  Many first-time travelers to India prefer to get preventive vaccinations (shots). The Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India has some more health tips for tourists.



• Foreign Exchange
  While international credit cards are widely accepted in commercial establishments in India, several places rely on cash transactions in the local currency (Indian Rupee). We suggest that you either carry some Indian currency when entering India or buy Indian currency at the currency exchange agencies in the Indian airports, upon arrival. The current exchange rate is about Rs. 46/- per US dollar. Once in India, you can buy additional Indian currency from local branches of Citibank, Thomas Cook, etc. However, it is typically difficult to convert Indian currency back into foreign currency because of exchange regulations.



• Hotel Reservations
  Please make your hotel reservations ahead of time so that you get your choice of accommodation.



• Time and Weather
  The Indian Standard Time (IST) is 5 1/2 hours ahead of the Greenwich Mean Time(GMT) and is 13 1/2 hours ahead of the U. S. Pacific Standard Time(PST). In December/ January the weather is mildly tropical with temperatures averaging about 28° Celsius (approx. 82° Fahrenheit) during the day and about 15° Celsius (approx. 59° Fahrenheit) during the night.
  
  Sunrise: 6:10 am (approx.)
  Sunset: 5:15 pm (approx.)