Backpacking in India

So are you ready to be on your toes again? Tired of your drab work and personal routine and badly need a break? Wish to get away for the hustle of your city and travel back and forth to your office? Travel indeed is your answer, albeit a different kind! India is a country of plural ethos with multi-cultures, multi-religions and languages offering you a colourful plethora of experiences, no matter which part of the country you venture out in. Travelling across this sub-continent can only be an interesting and a memorable souvenir as it gives you the much needed break, encounters with people of a lifetime and natural beauty at its best! This can prove to be your idea of a perfect vacation, be it a family trip or be it solo-travelling. These days, calls to India and from India too have become an easy task with technology at your behest and very good connectivity in almost all the corners of the country, especially if you are a foreign national. This is one thing you need not worry about as you have public booths and call options available almost anywhere and everywhere.

photo credit: etraveltrips.com

Backpacking in India can indeed be a very exciting experience. Right from the Himalayas in the north to the Nilgiris in the south, the vast stretches of deserts in the North West to beautiful natural landscapes and valleys in the north-east, the hills in the central region of the country or the wild-life sanctuaries, India is a one land which is rightfully called every backpacker’s dream! If you are a foreign traveller, here are a few tips to learn to get about in the country. A fair amount of common English words are understood almost anywhere in the country but it is advisable to read the lonely planet guides before visiting any place. Do not carry too much cash at any point of time on you. Even if you are backpacking, ATM’s and bank networks are very well established so withdrawal of money is easy at almost all times. Traveller cheques could come handy. However if you are backpacking in the mountains and have limited avenues, carry some amount of extra cash. Do not worry about staying in touch with your folks back home as international calls are now easy. Buy a caller card or a phone or arrival, you have plenty of options with a lot of service providers offering pre and post paid plans. Carry all your medicines and toiletteries as these might be unavailable based on your specific requirements.

If you are a native to your soil, you already know her people, her cultures well so no need of a brief there. However, backpacking can still be fun as there is still a lot more to discover and a lot more that this country has in store for you. A common occurrence, no matter where you travel is that with every few miles changes the dialect of the people and the customs and traditions followed by the natives of the hills is far more varied that the ones followed by the inhabitants of the plains. It is interesting to note how topography dictates the very way of life of people here and nature commands and shapes the religious beliefs of the people in this sub-continent. A few accommodation options available are the youth hostels and the chains that they offer in terms of bed and breakfasts as also camping sites all across the country. If you are travelling with the Youth Hostel International group, it is fun and you are less worried about your security. Last but not the least, carry your camera to capture some of the most stunning images you will ever see in your life, be it the natural landscapes or the flora and fauna of the region. Carry enough batteries on you, wear a good sports gear, equip yourself with the best accessories available in terms of trekking and other adventurous activities and you are good to go!