Il y a longtemps que je suis allé à l'étranger, vous faites comment pour donner un pourboire au porteur à l'hôtel quand vous arrivez direct de l'aéroport et que le change est fermé à 23H, vous donnez des € ???
Merci d'avance
Pourboire du porteur à l'hôtel = 10 roupies pas plus. S'ils sont deux 10 roupies chacun. Moralité : récupérer le plus possible de billets de 10 roupies. Ca sert aussi pour les rickshaws qui n'ont évidemment jamais de monnaie (pour les porteurs dans les gares, etc.). Ne pas hésiter à demander serviette de toilette et mini-savon au garçon d'étage s'il n'y en a pas dans la salle d'eau; sauf dans les hôtels de très basse catégorie, c'est prévu. Ne pas donner de pourboire pour cela, on a déjà donné 10 roupies. Donner 10 roupies pour le port des bagages à l'arrivée, idem au départ (c'est l'usage et on se met ainsi les garçons d'étage dans la poche si on a besoin d'un service ultérieurement).
Merci pour votre réponse, en individuel on se débrouille, mais en groupe pas toujours facile de s'éclipser à peine arrivé😉
Les changes se trouvant souvent à proximité de l'endroit ou vous récupérez les bagages, il est assez aisé de "s'éclipser" en ayant toujours un oeil sur votre groupe, et puis vous pouvez quand même "leur" dire que vous avez de l'argent à changer, non ? On n'est pas des "animals" ! 😛
Je confirme ABSOLUMENT : pour le garçon d'hôtel qui porte tes bagages à ta chambre (ou l'inverse) = 10 roupies; s'ils sont deux à porter les bagages, ne pas être radin : un billet de 10 à chacun; si tu as garé ta voiture plusieurs jours au parking de l'hôtel : 20 roupies au gardien du parking qui a la chance de se trouver là quand tu pars; tarif des porteurs en habit rouge dans les gares : 30 roupies pour des bagages portés sur la tête (à Bombay et à Delhi) ou 40 roupies sur un chariot à deux roues. Si plus de bagages et nécessité de chariot à 4 roues --> 50 roupies; pourboire pour un chauffeur de taxi lorsqu'il a été sympathique et efficace pendant un voyage de plusieurs jours (de 50 à 100 roupies par jour, en fonction de son feeling, de la durée du voyage, etc.). Si vraiment il a trouvé des endroits extra-ordinaires, a été efficace pour éviter quelques déboires, ou pour trouver des hôtels d'un bon rapport qualité / prix, on peut lui donner plus sans exagérer non plus. taxi pour un trajet en ville --> pas de pourboire, c'est comme pour les rickshaws.
Mille remerciements. Je prends bonne note, c'est exactement les renseignements que je cherchais. J'ai aussi bien compris qu'on pouvait retirer au DAB à l'aéroport à n'importe quelle heure du jour et de la nuit mais je ne suis pas sûre d'être opérationnelle à 4 heures du mat' surtout pour un premier atterrissage en Inde. En euros, tu donnerais 20 cents ?
Tu veux donner 20 centimes d'€ de pourboire ? 🙁 Certes cela fait à peu près 12 roupies mais que veux-tu que le garçon d'étage en fasse ? Il ne pourra pas changer ta pièce de 20 centimes.
Donc tu dois prendre le temps de changer de l'argent en arrivant à l'aéroport, soit au DAB (ATM), mieux à un des deux bureaux de change; de toutes façon c'est un gain de temps pour la suite. Après les formalités (tampon du visa), prends ton temps, LAISSES PASSER LA FOULE, changes de l'argent TRANQUILEMENT, il n'y a pas le feu, recomptes ton argent au bureau de change, vérifies que les billets ne sont pas déchirés (un trou au milieu no problem mais une déchirure sur le bord et ton billet sera refusé). Ensuite, soit tu prends un prepaid taxi (300 roupies ou un peu plus), soit tu as demandé un taxi à ton hôtel (tu paieras plus cher, mais le chauffeur te conduira directement à l'hôtel, il ne cherchera pas à te demander si tu ne veux pas aller ailleurs histoire d'avoir une commission). Au bureau de change, demandes des billets de 10 roupies (changes au moins un billet de 100 contre 10 billets de 10 et ensuite collectionnes les billets de 10 roupies à chaque occasion, c'est très utile).
Quand tu arrives dans ta chambre, fais le tour, vérifies l'état des toilettes, la présence d'un mini-savon, d'une serviette, si tu es une fan de TV que la télécommande fonctionne, etc. Comme tu as donné 10 roupies au garçon d'étage, il est prêt à te rendre service (et la sauf exception, pas de pourboire, tu lui en as déjà donné) et s'il manque quelque chose (serviette/savon par exemple), n'hésites pas à les lui demander, en général c'est compris dans le prix de la chambre. Les jours suivants, si le garçon d'étage est efficace quand tu lui demandes un thé, de faire laver tes vêtements (laundry), etc. il n'est pas interdit de lui laisser quelques roupies de pourboire (exemple si ton thé + divers te coûte 9 roupies et que tu lui donnes un billet de 10, tu peux lui faire signe de ne pas te rendre la monnaie) -->mais pas trop souvent ni de façon systématique, au feeling quoi 🙂
Merci stalingrad, ca c'est vraiment desconseils pratiques très utiles :)
Quelqu'un saurait il, si j'arrive à Delhi à 4h du matin (par Finnair), s'il y a des bureaux de change ouverts et s'ils sont plusieurs, si l'un offre un cours plus avantageux? en général les cours sont peu intéressants dans les aéroports, combien changer à l'arrivée?
Ou bien faut il changer le moins possible à l'aéroport et ensuite changer dans le quartier de Paher Ganj ? Une bonne adresse dans ce quartier (changeur honnête où l'on ne doit pas craindre de se faire refiler un billet inutilisable) serait appréciée :)
Le taux de change a l'aeroport de Delhi est tres correct. Deux bureaux juxtaposes dont un de Thomas Cook qui appliquent le meme tarif. A mon arrivee le 18 janvier a 6 heures du matin ils etaient ouverts tous les deux. Ils affichaient 62.75 roupies pour un Euro sans frais supplementaire. Seulement Thomas Cook a voulu m'embobiner : j'ai change 300 Euros et ils ne me donnaient que 18000 roupies, devant mon etonnement ils ont repondu des trucs que je ne comprenais pas (j'avais demande un recu et soit disant cela faisait des frais ou un tarif differebnt, bref une explication plus que louche). J'ai demande confirmation au bureau voisin de l'absence de frais supplementaires, j'ai dis qu'en dix ans de voyage en Inde c'etait la premiere fois que Thomas Cook me roulait, j'ai prononce le mot POLICE et ai attendu 5 minutes plusieurs personnes qui voyageaient avec moi (j'avais renonce a mes 2.75 roupie par Euro). Puis soudain les deux employes de Thomas Cook m'ont fait signe, ils m'ont demande mon recu et m'ont donne 900 roupies supplementaires (ils ne m'ont pas donne de deuxieme recu et trop content je n'en ai pas demande non plus). Je n'ai pas tout compris, je pense qu'avec le recu que j'avais en main ils avaient peur que je me plaigne a la police.
Conclusion 1 : a qui faire confiance meme si Thomas Cook s'y met.
Conclusion 2 : j'etais assez content de moi, pour une fois je suis sorti gagnant d'une arnaque indienne (ce n'est pas toujours le cas, mais je le prends comme une sorte de jeu, un sport national, surtout a l'arrivee aux aeroports de Delhi et de Bombay je dois dire)
et bien ca promet ! J'arrive à 4h du mat', faudra que j'ai l'oeil frais et la tête pas dans les vapes pour discuter ferme avec Thomas Cook !😎
Ca commence bien 😛
bon faut juste que je me mette dans le bain pour pas essayer de me faire escroquer à chaque fois car si ca commence déjà au change officiel à l'aéroport... 🤪
Bon on va passer en revue la suite de cette première journée parce que je sens qu'il me faut encore réviser le parcours:
je change chez Th cook ou son voisin en recomptant la monnaie
je me dirige vers le taxi prepaid (300-350 roupies soit 6 euros remarquez c'est pas cher, c'est bien marqué en gros TAXI PREPAID EN ANGLAIS??) et je donne le nom de mon hotel, remarquez c'est risqué car il risque d'y avoir encore une entourloupe... s'il ne m'y amène pas je sors de la voiture et je crie "police", c'est ca ? et je ne donne pas le papelard avant d'être en face de MON hotel (faudra encore que je le reconnaisse...)?
ou alors je prends le bus public qui m'amène à Connaught place? ou à la gare de New Delhi ca serait pas possible, puisque pas loin de Pahar Ganj ?
Deborah de moins en moins sure...
avec ses deux loulous, les bagages etc...
Don't worry, il y a quand meme des chances que tout se passe sans entourloupe.
Soit seulement vigilant(e). 😉
Pour ce faire, calmos, il n'y a pas le feu, laisse partir la foule, et prends ton temps pour observer et controler. A la sortie de l'avion on dirait qu'ils ont tous le feu aux fesses, pire que le metro parisien, d'ou precipitation, angoisse, inattention, autant d'elements favorables pour les arnaqueurs. 😎
Je confirme pour le change a l'aéroport de dehli ; je reviens d'un voyage de trois semaines au Rajasthan . Bureaux de change ouverts toute la nuit dans l'aéroport ( à 50 m du tapis à bagages ) Ne pas changer chez T Cook, ils prennent des frais que ne prennent pas leur voisin
Salut Stalingrad
Il me semble que tu m as deja bien renseigne pour le train le mois dernier.....qqs questions pour boucler le voyage est il facile de changer des Francs Suisse.... Le prix d une course taxi en ville ex : New delhi train station to H Nizamuddin train station je voulais donner des vetements d enfants sur place mais a priori il ne faut pas les habituer a la mendicite..?
Bonjour,
Les francs suisses dans les banque sou bureau de change.
Le prix en rickshaw est d'environ 50Rs si bien négocié.
Les vêtements, il faut les donner aux associations sur place.
😎
Merci beaucoup speedy musahappy
un couple et un enfant + 2 sacs .....un rickshaw n est pas trop petit ????
A jaipur on peut trouver facilement des associations pour donner les vetements ou jouets ?
Chang
- Le prix d une course taxi en ville ex : New delhi train station to H Nizamuddin train station
De l'ordre de 100 roupies, peut-être 80 avec un prepaid taxi. A mon avis, à trois personnes, surtout avec un enfant, il vaut mieux prendre un taxi et pas un rickshaw (tu n'es tout de même pas à 30 roupies près...). Comme d'habitude les taxis devant la gare de New Delhi voudront t'embarquer en voyant que tu en cherches un, s'il est ouvert ne les écoutes pas et vas d'abord dans la guitoune des taxis prépayés, située ici sous la croix :
http://www.wikimapia.org/#lat=28.6431942&lon=77.2187108&z=18&l=2&m=a&v=1
ou bien fais jouer la concurrence (tu poses tes affaires par terre, et tu attends patiemment qu'un taxi te fasse un offre raisonnable soit 100 roupies).
Bah, c'est rigolo les rickshaw !
Les miens de 4-6 et 8 ans ne vont pas connaître beaucoup le taxi ! À 5 dedans on passe (y a facile 2 places à côté du conducteur). Alors à 3…
Taxi ou rickshaw, se sera que du bonheur a partir de dimanche.....un petit tour Agra, Jaipur et Delhi puis les iles de la Malaisie a la recherche des poissons multicolores ........les petronas de KL avant le retour
Merci a tous pour vos infos
Que la force soit avec vous !
Chang
Hi there,
Our trip to India, starting at the end of October, is taking shape.
I’d like to book a hotel in Delhi for our first three nights and another in Amritsar, where we’ll be staying during Diwali.
I’ve realized it’s really hard to trust the reviews on Booking. Have any of you stayed at and can recommend mid-range hotels in these two cities?
Your feedback could help us decide!
Thanks in advance.
Hi there, we're planning to go to Haridwar and Rishikesh in February, either from Delhi or from Amritsar where we'll be beforehand. What's the best way to get there? Driver, private car, train? Your tips would be much appreciated... thanks
Hi, I'm thinking of attending the Nagaur Fair in Rajasthan, which takes place from February 12 to 15, 2027.
Has anyone been to this fair? Is it just a livestock market or a real festival with music and dancing? Since it’s quite a detour for me, I wanted to know if it’s worth it. Thanks!
I'm also considering a trip to Sri Lanka.
I'm surprised to find so few references to Jaffna in the comments.
Does that mean this destination isn't worth it?
Thanks for your thoughts!
We’re heading to Sri Lanka for 23 days in January 2027—there are four of us—and we’ll wrap up the trip with 5 days in Mumbai. Our itinerary is coming together, but what do you think? (We can’t change the dates since our flights are already booked.)
We still have one night to slot in, and I’ve tentatively planned it in Tangalle, though it was a bit random. Would it make more sense to place it at a different stop? Or is there an intermediate stop I might be missing?
I’ve got accommodations sorted everywhere except Mumbai—it’s a nightmare (either way too expensive or really dodgy). By default, we’ve spotted the Residency Hotel Fort, but 70 € a night (with a discount) for a hotel that doesn’t offer anything special in India?!
I’m planning a short visit to Pokhara around mid-February 2027 (it’ll be my 4th time in Nepal 😊, over 40 years!). I’d like to book a room in advance rather than looking when I arrive. I’ve checked a bit on Bxxking.com and see lots of options. I’m used to scoping out the surroundings of places listed, just to avoid ending up in areas that are either unappealing or far from everything.
So, I see quite a few offers around the lake (Lakeside?), but every time I check what it looks like, the streets seem really uninviting. It’s kind of like a construction site with buildings everywhere… Nothing like Bhaktapur (for example) or even Thamel, where the streets seem way more pleasant.
Could anyone give me some advice?
Also, I don’t really get the impression that Pokhara is worth a visit of several days. The lake, sure, but once you’ve seen it—what else is there?
I’m interested in the 10-day/8-night "Discover Nepal" tour offered by Capitales Tours, among others.
For Day 4, it lists Kathmandu-Mugling-Pokhara as 200 km and 8/9 hours of travel.
Is this duration due to the road conditions? I assume the stop in Mugling for lunch is included in the travel time.
For Pokhara-Chitwan, only the distance is mentioned: 160 km. Should I expect a long bus ride there as well?
The proposed flights would be with AIR-INDIA via DELHI. We had issues with AIR-INDIA before—they denied us boarding for Paris even though we arrived at the airport more than 3 hours early. There was no specific counter for PARIS; the counters were for all destinations, and we waited in line for over 2.5 hours only to be told "too late"...
Thanks for your advice: Mum49
Is it still like this?
Yeah, VF, which used to be so responsive, still doesn’t even have a thread about this devastating mudslide that’s ravaged a region of Nepal where hundreds have died and hundreds more are missing (provisional toll). But from the images, we know the number of victims is going to be terrifying.
Thoughts to everyone affected, including, according to early reports, many travelers..
Hello,
We’ve already traveled to India twice before, but only for two-week stretches (2013, a loop from Mumbai including Hampi, and in 2019, Tamil Nadu). This time, we’re leaving at the end of October for nearly three months of travel—something completely new for us! We’ll arrive in Delhi and depart from Bangalore. Our goal is to explore Northern India and then head down to Kerala, taking a maximum of one flight and prioritizing trains.
Traveling for this long should let us plan longer stops to slow down the pace and fully enjoy our trip...
What are the places you’ve loved with this in mind?
I’ve already thought of Gokarna... Do you have any other suggestions, especially in Northern India?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Hi there,
I’m planning a trip to Bangladesh for tourism during All Saints' Day 25. The government website is pretty discouraging! I’d love to hear from people living there or who’ve been recently before I buy my tickets.
How’s the security level and feasibility of a circuit (boat, train, bus around the country)? We’re used to basic conditions :)
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Cécile
I’ll be landing in Srinagar on October 23rd. I’ve decided to visit this region of India that I haven’t explored yet to discover new landscapes and, especially, their crafts.
I don’t have anything planned so far. I’ll be staying for about two weeks before heading back to Pushkar.
I’d love any tips you can share—small towns or villages to visit, ideas for affordable and authentic accommodations, workshops to check out, and so on. I’m open to all your suggestions!
I might head toward Jammu, where a host has offered to put me up for a few days.
Thanks in advance, and take care!
Hello,
We are two couples of friends aged between 65 and 70. Do you have a local agency or a local French-speaking driver-guide to recommend for a trip around Sri Lanka between February 14 and March 14, 2027? We’re open to any tips for our trip. The reviews and advice for agencies found on the forum are several years old. Thanks for your help.
Hi,
I’m looking for an organized tour in Northern India that goes through Agra (of course!) over about twenty days, prioritizing 2-day stops given the long distances or flights.
So far, my search has led me to these tours:
Intimate Rajasthan + Ganges Valley
Intimate Rajasthan and Goa
Confidential Rajasthan + Goa circuit
The number of kilometers is still pretty overwhelming and a bit scary.
Thanks for your feedback!
bcricri14
Practical tips from my 105 days of erratic wandering in India
Day 1 (10/10/2006): arrived in Mumbai around noon. Bus No. 338 5 Rs + 5 Rs (bag) 20' to Andheri station. Train 6 Rs to Dadar. Train 41 Rs to Lonavla 2h30 Hotel Chandralok 500 Rs **
Day 2: bike rental 7 Rs/h (too expensive, normal price 2-3 Rs/h) visit to the caves of Bhaja and Karla.
Day 3: train 28 Rs to Pune 1h20 Hotel National 416 Rs *
Day 4: train 141 Rs (with reservation) to Satara 2h45 Hotel Sagar 364 Rs **
Day 5: bus 110 Rs to Pandharpur 4h Hotel Aishwarya 450 Rs ***
Day 6: bike rental 2 Rs/h
Day 7: bus 125 Rs to Ahmadnagar 4h20 Hotel Parijat 250 Rs *
Day 8: train 151 Rs (!ticket for a mini 600 km trip!) to Jalgaon 5h30 Hotel Plaza 200 Rs **
Day 9: round-trip bus 38 Rs to Ajanta 1h30 + shuttle 6 Rs 5' Site entrance 250 Rs
Day 10: train 47 Rs to Khandwa 3h + bus 40 Rs to Omkareshwar 2h Ganesh G.H. 150 Rs *
Day 11 to 13: Omkareshwar
Day 14: bus 35 Rs to Maheshwar 2h45 Akashdeep Rest House 200 Rs **
Day 15: bus 8 Rs to Dhamnod 20' bus 20 Rs to crossroads 14 km from Mandu 1h40 bus 9 Rs to Mandu 20' Ram Mandir Dharamshala 100 Rs + 5 Rs for hot water *
Day 16: bike rental 3 Rs/h
Day 17: bus 50 Rs to Indore 4h Hotel Neelam 209 Rs
Day 18 to 20: Indore + round-trip bus 30 Rs to Ujjain 1h45
Day 21: train 82 Rs to Bhopal 5h30 Hotel Ranjeet 358 Rs *
Day 22: train 10 Rs to Sanchi 1h20 Jaiswal Lodge 200 Rs + 15 Rs for hot water! *
Day 23 and 24: visit to Sanchi + bike rental to visit the caves of Udayagiri
Day 25: train 69 Rs to Jhansi 5h + tempo 5 Rs to bus station + tempo 10 Rs + 5 Rs (bag) to Orccha 25' Sri Mahant G.H. 200 Rs **
Day 26 and 27: bike rental + train 20 Rs to Datia 30' + bemo 6 Rs to city center. Return bus 15 Rs 1h15
Day 28: bus 100 Rs to Khajuraho 4h Yogi Lodge 150 Rs **
Day 29: bike rental 30 Rs/day to visit the temples
Day 30: bus 70 Rs to Satna 4h + train 56 Rs to Jabalpur 3h Hotel Banjara 350 Rs **
Day 31: bike rental 2 Rs/h and visit to the Marble Rocks (50 km round trip)
Day 32: bus 50 Rs to Mandla 3h Hotel Satyam 250 Rs ** Round-trip bus 15 Rs to Ramnagar 1h15
Day 33: bus 60 Rs to Dindori 4h + bus 45 Rs to Amarkantak 3h (hellish road) Sarvodya Lodge 250 Rs °
Day 34: Amarkantak
Day 35: bus 25 Rs to Pendra Road 1h30 + train 120 Rs + 109 Rs (reservation) to Nagpur 8h Hotel Grand 257 Rs **
Day 36 and 37: bike rental + round-trip 25 Rs to Ramtek 1h40
Day 38: train 141 Rs + 125 Rs to Hyderabad 10h Hotel 3 Castles 200 Rs ° + Hotel Suhail 200 Rs °
Day 39 to 41: stay in Hyderabad
Day 42: train 48 Rs to Warangal 3h30 Hotel Surya 410 Rs **
Day 43: 60 Rs to Vijayawada 4h15 Hotel Sindhuri 275 Rs **
Day 44: round-trip bus 21 Rs to Amaravati 2h
Day 45: train 98 Rs to Visakhapatnam 7h30! (normally 6h) Hotel Sri Sampath Residency 250 Rs **
Day 46: train 111 Rs + 95 Rs to Puri 11h30 Travellers Inn 100 Rs ° + Hotel Z 300 Rs ***
Day 47 to 52: Puri + round-trip to Konarak
Day 53: train 38 Rs to Bhubaneshwar 1h15 Hotel Upasana 275 Rs *
Day 54: train 70 Rs to Balasore 4h bus 26 Rs to Baripada 1h40 Hotel Ambika 225 Rs °
Day 55: bus 25 Rs to Balasore 1h40 train 66 Rs + 68 Rs to Calcutta 6h30 Hotel Paragon 270 Rs * Hotel Crystal 350 Rs **
Day 56 to 62: Calcutta
Day 63: 60 Rs to Bishnupur 5h Hotel Monalisa 200 Rs *
Day 64: stay in Bishnupur no bike rental!
Day 65: bus 20 Rs to Bankura 1h30 bus 20 Rs to Durgapur 1h15 bus 28 Rs to Bolpur 2h15 Hotel Nisa 150 Rs *
Day 66 and 67: visit to Bolpur/Shantiniketan. Refused bike rental at ... 100 Rs/day!!! (Communist state of Bengal!!!)
Day 68: bus 20 Rs to Sainthia bus 35 Rs to Baharampur 4h30 bus 7 Rs to Murshidabad 40' Hotel Manjusha 350 Rs **
Day 69: bike lent by the friendly hotel owner and visit to Murshidabad
Day 70: bus 8 Rs to Baharampur 35' bus 60 Rs to Malda 6h (hellish road) Hotel Pratapaditya 231 Rs **
Day 71: train 66 Rs + 70 Rs to New Jalpaiguri 4h Hotel Holydon 250 Rs °
Day 72: train 52 Rs to Darjeeling 9h30! (normally 7h) Hotel Pineridge 500 Rs **
Day 73 to 75: Darjeeling
Day 76: train to New Jalpaiguri 9h30 + overnight train 271 Rs
Day 77: Patna Hotel President 482 Rs **
Day 78: stay in Patna
Day 79: train 18 Rs to Gaya 3h10 tempo 10 Rs to Bodhgaya 30' Deep G.H. 400 Rs!! °°
Day 80: return to Patna
Day 81: round-trip train 36 Rs to Rajgir 4h! (normally 3h)
Day 82: train 75 Rs to Varanasi 5h! (normally 4h) Yogi Lodge 150 Rs *
Day 83 to 87: Varanasi
Day 88: overnight train 310 Rs to Jaipur Evergreen G.H. 250 Rs **
Day 89: bike rental 30 Rs/day round-trip to Amber
Day 90: bus 59 Rs to Sikar 2h30 bus 23 Rs to Fatehpur 1h30 Rajshri Rest House 300 Rs *
Day 91: round-trip bus 12 Rs to Mandawa 30'
Day 92: round-trip bus 17 Rs to Churu 1h30
Day 93: bus 80 Rs to Jaipur 3h30 Evergreen G.H.
Day 94: bus 105 Rs to Bundi 5h30 Shivam G.H. 200 Rs **
Day 95: bike rental 3 Rs/h
Day 96: auto-rickshaw to station 45 Rs 25' train 44 Rs + 50 Rs to Chittorgarh train 21 Rs to Udaipur (total trip 8h) Badi Haveli 330 Rs **
Day 97 to 99: Udaipur + round-trip bus 45 Rs to Ranakpur 3h30
Day 100: bus 143 Rs to Ahmedabad 5h30 Hotel Manila 300 Rs **
Day 101: Ahmedabad
Day 102: bus 99 Rs to Bhavnagar 4h30 Hotel Vrindavan 200 Rs *
Day 103: round-trip bus 22 Rs to Palitana 1h10
Day 104: bus 85 Rs! to Ahmedabad 5h30 + overnight train ? Rs (feels like the end of the trip!)
Day 105 (January 22, 2007): train 6 Rs from Dadar to Andheri 20' + bus 5 Rs + 5 Rs (bag) to International Airport 20'
More figures
British Airways flight price Brussels-London-Mumbai-London-Brussels 576 €
Exchange rate from 55 Rs to 58.6 Rs per euro
Average room price 272 Rs/night
Daily budget 11 €
Chai from 1 Rs (Calcutta-Bengal) to 6/7 Rs (Rajasthan)
Bottle of water from 6 Rs (Udaipur), 8 Rs (Varanasi) to 12/13 Rs
Internet from 8 Rs (Warangal), 10 Rs (Calcutta, Indore, Hyderabad), 20 Rs (often) to 40/60 Rs!! (Rajasthan)
Beer in a restaurant from 85/100 Rs (often) to 150/165 Rs (Varanasi/Udaipur)
More details on request
Hello everyone,
we got back from our trip to Kashmir and Ladakh three weeks ago.
We spent 4 weeks there, including one in Kashmir.
We’re really happy with our stay in Srinagar and Sonamarg. The Kashmiris gave us a very warm welcome and seemed pleased to see tourists who weren’t Indian. In fact, over the 4 days we spent in Srinagar, we only saw 4 people who looked European... Srinagar is stunning with its lakes and the lively Mughal gardens. No trouble getting around, whether by shikara, rickshaw, taxi, or on foot. The houseboats are gorgeous, unfortunately controlled by consortiums. We took a taxi to Sonamarg (20 €).
Sonamarg (two nights) and its glacier are easy to explore, either on horseback or on foot, but it’s becoming a leisure spot for Indians.
To get to Ladakh afterward, we opted for a private taxi (quite expensive at 100 €, but the road is long). Since we’re a couple, it allowed us to stop whenever we wanted... and the route is beautiful all the way to Lamayuru, with our first snow-covered pass under snow when we crossed around May 21st. Then we stopped in Mulbek and Kargil before arriving in Lamayuru (three nights). We took another taxi to Alchi (26 €), spent one night there, and took the local bus at around 8 AM to Leh (3 €, a comfortable one-hour ride). We arrived in Leh around 9:30 AM, and Gyatsel from Tsarap Guesthouse came to pick us up with our backpacks. His guesthouse is located 500 meters from the market square in Leh, in a quiet little alley with no traffic. We highly recommend it because Gyatsel is invaluable for arranging taxis and organizing off-agency circuits...
His accommodation is super comfortable, and he cooks with vegetables from his garden. His wife also helps out... It’s Gyatsel’s mother who tends the garden. Through him, we arranged permits for the Nubra Valley up to Turtuk, then the Pangong and Tso Moriri lakes (we didn’t do the latter due to snow overnight!). We also crossed the Changtang (magnificent) to reach Thiksey, Stakna, Hemis, and returned to Leh. Six days in a private taxi (400 €). Since the roads were clear, we headed to Zanskar for 5 days in a shared taxi (28 € round trip for both of us). The route from Leh to Zangla follows the Zanskar gorges (impressive!).
We discovered Padum, Pibiting, Karsha, and Puktal, which you can reach via a small 7 km road and a 45-minute walk to finish, plus the sacred summit on the way to Manali.
Back in Leh, we extended our permit to visit the Aryan Valley by taxi (round trip, two days, 90 €).
We spent our last two days resting in Leh—the altitude is really tiring...
I’m sharing these taxi prices as a guide for a couple.
Accommodation ranged from 12 € in Leh to 30 € at Pangong Lake (the most expensive), but averaged around 15-17 € per night.
We’re not trekkers, but we love walks, discovery, and meeting people along the way. It was an amazing trip, and we even discovered a very old monastery a few kilometers before Lamayuru, where a monk took us—timeless...
I’m sharing these details because it’s hard to find precise information about Kashmir.
I’m heading to Sri Lanka for 3 weeks in July with my two 11-year-old kids, and I’m wondering about how to organize the trip. We’re used to traveling on the go, staying 1 to 2 or 3 nights per place depending on how we feel.
Do you recommend planning the itinerary and booking accommodations in advance to save time once we’re there?
Or is it pretty easy to organize everything as we go without any issues?
Same question for activities: Should we book safaris and tours ahead of time, or can we arrange them easily on the spot? Is there a risk of not getting a spot, for example, to visit a park since we’ll be there in July?
We’ll be using local transport (train, VTC via PickMe, tuk-tuk) to get from one place to another.
In short: Are there any must-book things we should reserve now?
So far, I only have the flight tickets!
Hi there, I think you're on the right track—you plan the itinerary and book the rooms in advance, and that’s it.
Not only do you save time, but you also know where you’ll be staying each night. Choosing well on Booking (or elsewhere) is actually a pleasure!
For safaris, given the number of jeeps with drivers available, it’s unlikely you’ll be turned away... the real issue is more about the concentration of jeeps around the animals.
I travel like you do—train, bus, tuk-tuk, and sometimes taxi. Ride-hailing apps like PickMe and other VTCs are mostly in big cities.
For the mountain train, due to severe flooding, service was interrupted on the line between Kandy and Ella. Check ahead, because reservations for this train are very complicated, if not impossible.
For the Colombo/Kandy train, you reserve your seats by buying the ticket before boarding. In the south, no need to book in advance for trains.
In Sri Lanka, there’s always a solution for getting around—just ask your hosts. They have trusted contacts at their fingertips. But still, compare prices—😏 smart move!
I stick to booking my nights and keep pre-planned activities to a minimum.
For reservations you can’t skip, it’s the beach stays you’ll want to secure.
I’m trying to find out if it’s still possible to travel from Mumbai to Goa by ferry or any other sea route. My search results aren’t very clear, and if it *is* possible, I can’t figure out where to book...
If anyone has any info, I’d really appreciate it—thanks in advance!
It seems there’s a ferry from Nagapattinam to Jaffna in India. Has anyone here taken this ferry before? My main question is how to get to Nagapattinam—by train, bus? And from which town further south, of course.
Thanks, friends!
Hi there.
We’re spending a month in Sri Lanka in March, and we’ll have one week left after leaving Polonnaruwa.
We’re torn between spending it in the Jaffna region or on the east coast between Batticaloa and Trincomalee.
We’re divers, so the east coast appeals to us for snorkeling, beaches, and lagoons—but it seems like late March might not be the best time for that coast. What do you think?
As for Jaffna, the culture of the region, its more authentic feel since it’s less touristy, and the offshore islands all appeal to us too—but it seems far from the rest of the country and harder to access.
We have to choose because we won’t be able to visit both sides, and I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks, Marie
Hi there,
We just got back from a 2-week trip to Sri Lanka as a couple, and while planning the trip, we found plenty of info on the itinerary, places to see, and transportation, but much fewer clear reports on the actual budget to expect once there. Yet, that was an important point for us because we like to plan ahead a little before traveling.
So, we took the time to break down our complete budget after the trip. In our case, we spent around **930 € per person** for 2 weeks, being careful without depriving ourselves, mixing guesthouses, more comfortable hotels, quite a few activities, and even a private driver for part of the stay.
What we found interesting when crunching the numbers is that in Sri Lanka, it’s not necessarily meals or short trips that blow the budget, but rather flights, certain accommodations, cultural activities, and all those little expenses we sometimes forget, like tips.
If this can help other travelers get a better idea, we’ve put everything together on our blog with our experience, a detailed breakdown of expenses, and practical info on money while there, withdrawals, and tipping:
https://aventures-sans-mesaventure.com/budget-sri-lanka-pour-un-voyage-de-2-semaines/
We’re a group of 5 heading to the Everest Base Camp trek in early April. We won’t have a porter or guide—we’re used to hiking independently and have already done the Langtang trek and the Annapurna Circuit (back in 2003!).
I’d love to know if it’s necessary to book lodges in advance or if we’ll easily find availability during this busy season. Also, will we find lodges all along the route between the main stopover villages, or only in those villages? I remember there were plenty everywhere on the Annapurna Circuit. We want to stay as flexible as possible.
We’re heading to India in March 2026 and had planned to visit the parts of the Meenakshi Temple that are open to non-Hindus. However, the temple is currently undergoing major renovations—with all the towers covered in scaffolding—which might really take away from the experience and our stop in Madurai.
After some frustrating and vague online searches, and before we reshuffle our itinerary, I’d love to know—if possible—the most accurate expected completion date for the renovation work.
We’re planning a trip to Nepal and would love to do a helicopter tour to Everest with Namche Heli Service.
Has anyone here used this agency? I can’t seem to find any reviews online.
Thanks in advance!
I’m spending two weeks studying Hindi in the mornings in Delhi, in the Hauz Khas neighborhood.
What spots should I check out in this area? Any cafés to chill at?
How do I get to other parts of Delhi? By rickshaw? Is it easy to negotiate the price upfront?
Hi,
I’m leaving this Saturday for Northern India from 15/02 to 27/02. I’m planning to visit New Delhi, Agra, Chand Baori, Jaipur, Ranthambore, Bundi, Udaipur, and Jodhpur.
What’s the best way to get around?
I was thinking of doing everything by train.
Maybe taking the bus for some stretches?
As for renting a car with a driver, it seems expensive, so I’ve pretty much ruled that out. Unless someone’s got space for the same dates?
We’re heading out in March for this trek. We’re used to hiking and long-distance treks, but this’ll be our first time in Nepal.
QUESTION: People from Nepal are telling us it’s MANDATORY to have guides! Is this true, or is it just agencies trying to get work for their staff?
The Lonely Planet says: "In April 2023, the government announced that every trekker would need to hire the services of a porter or a licensed guide to obtain the TIMS permit. The law isn’t enforced, and by 2025, there were no longer any obligations for teahouse treks."
What do you think? What’s your experience? Thanks for your feedback.
Hi,
I’d like to arrive in India at New Delhi Airport with some cash. I was wondering if the exchange rates at the airport are any good or if it’s best to avoid them (and exchange in the city instead?).
Yet Another Travel Journal in this (Too) Familiar Rajasthan, But with Family and Kids
Rajasthan: Incredible India?
7-week trip feedback: Rajasthan and Varanasi, October-November-December 2025
New adventures from Perpignan to Ranchi (Jharkhand)
A lovely wander at the mercy of the wind in this amazing Rajasthan
The Hippie Trail to India in the 60s and 70s
From Delhi to Agra and the extraordinary stay in Chhattisgarh
Discovering Assam and Nagaland 2025
