i am going to india for 3 to 4 months and i was wondering how much would be enough to take with me to make it, i do not need to live luxurious, but being comfortable once in awhile would be nice. also would i need to bring a tent, i mean would i beable to use it a lot? p.s. i am from the us so dollars wise. i was thinking 1,000 to 1,500$ us.
Reply to this 1.5 K would be a bit tight mate. u need 3 K for 3-4 months. If u are travelling a lot of places.... 4 K. Tent !!! just like states use that when u go trekking only.
Reply to this does anyone else have anything to say about how much you can live on? i hiked the entire appalachian trail here in the states for six months georgia to maine and i spent around 3k us, now in india for 3-4 months would have to be cheaper than that. i just read you could live off of 150$us dollars a month.
Reply to this Hello Josh
India is really cheap - to give you an idea - in a non-tourist restaurant, I could have unlimited food for about US$1.50, large bottled water is only about US$0.30 whereas travel on overnight trains (with Air Con) only will cost about US$30.00.
Once you stay in one area, your costs drop a lot - figure on accommodation of about US$6.00 per night, but that is a really hard amount to accurately state, since they vary depends on quality and area.
US$150 per month is really doing it on the cheap, perhaps too much so... I remember taking about US$800 there and spent it in about 6 weeks - BUT I did a LOT of train travelling (chewed up a lot of the cash) and purchased MANY gifts for family and friends back home. Once I remained in one city, my costs dropped a lot - think I was only spending about US$50.00 per week.
Using a tent would only be necessary if you are hiking, otherwise I wouldn't be keen to go camping everywhere throughout India - Australia and Europe yes, but not India.
Hope this helps!
Shane
Reply to this hey thanks for the advice shane i was looking for that kind of answer. but do tell me why tenting isn't a good idea?
Reply to this Ok, now I don't want to be negative because India is one of my top 5 countries - but the cleanliness of some parts of the country leave a lot to be desired - plus there is a lot of ambient pollution around - caused by cars and plenty of dust - so not sure I want to sleeping out in it too much. Also, not sure if the infrastructure is there either for tenters/campers. However, I did not head to the mountains at all - I stayed in the lowlands, so it is possible that there are sites for people in the high areas, but I cannot speak from experience. Further, I believe the mountain areas are far cleaner anyway, so maybe I'm being too alarmist!
I'm not sure what countries/areas you have gone tenting/camping - but India is a very different country to travel around - so I would be cautious in comparing previous tenting/camping experiences with one in India. I love tenting/camping (don't do enough of it) and did take a car and all the equipment and tented/camped around parts of Europe and my home country of Australia - but there are some countries I just wouldn't consider - India being one. But, you are perhaps a more adventurous and hardier soul them me - so don't let me discourage you if that is your dream!!!
If you have any further questions on India, I'll be glad to answer them - it is an awesome country!
Reply to this hi Josh,
Shane has covered a lot of your querry. I just want to add that tent stay will be only at hiking areas but you still need dormatory facility during your travel to reach to your destinations. At small towns or enroute village it is better to use available lodging facilities as a safer option. Please add some provision for stay costs.
If you have selected any specific area to travel and have decided on travel dates, then it would be easy to give you more details.
On rough estimates for a 90days travel USD1500 is bare minimum. A budget of USD2000 would be more reasonable amount to start with for a budget but comfortable stay. However, if you need further breakdown of above, then pm to me.
India is an incredible place to explore!
Reply to this Josh,
I am an Indian. Pro: I have been there for 25 yrs. Con: I have travelled a lot; But still cannot see India as a tourist;
So, if your questions are specific, I think you can get better help.
As everyone else suggested, NO TENTS!
Also, Which part of India are you planning to visit-rather, where all...North, South, East, West?
Each part has something different to offer.
Indians can be tricky. If you appear too touristy, you might be exploited(of your money) in the big cities.
Moreover the cities are too crowded for you to even think of camping. People hike & trek, but with a guide.
These are just cautions and this should not make you think twice before your trip. 😊
Enjoy your trip!
travelbuffs
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