Travellers' information

Visas & entry

Both countries want a visa from most visitors, and they work very differently.

India is arranged in advance. Most nationalities apply online for an e-Visa before travelling — you will not be able to get one on arrival, and airlines check it at the departure gate. Apply once you have your flights, not before, because the validity runs from the date you request.

Nepal is far more relaxed. A visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport and at the main land borders is available to most nationalities, paid in cash. Bring passport photos and the exact fee in dollars if you can — the queue moves faster.

Your passport should have at least six months left on it and a couple of blank pages. If you are combining both countries, tell us your border crossing early: an overland crossing needs a different visa plan from flying Delhi to Kathmandu.

Rules and fees change without much warning. Always confirm on the official government portals — indianvisaonline.gov.in for India and immigration.gov.np for Nepal — or ask us and we will check the current position for your nationality.

When to come

There is no single best month, but there is a best month for the trip you want.

October to March is the main season for northern India and the classic Golden Triangle. Days are warm and clear, evenings genuinely cool, and December and January can be cold enough in Delhi and Rajasthan to want a jacket. This is also when Himalayan views are at their sharpest.

October and November, then March to May, are the strongest windows for trekking in Nepal — stable weather and long views. Monsoon runs roughly June to September across both countries: green, dramatic, much quieter, considerably cheaper, and unreliable for mountain views.

April and May get very hot on the plains. If you are travelling then we will move you towards the hill stations and the mountains rather than pretending Rajasthan in May is comfortable.

Health & staying well

Most trips pass without incident. The few things that go wrong are predictable.

Drink sealed bottled or properly filtered water, and use it for brushing your teeth in the first few days while you settle. Eat where the food is busy and cooked to order — a crowded stall turning over quickly is usually safer than a quiet restaurant.

Bring a small kit: rehydration salts, something for an upset stomach, plasters, any prescription medicine in its original packaging with a copy of the prescription. Pharmacies are widespread and cheap, but brand names differ.

If your itinerary goes high — above about 3,000 m — altitude matters more than fitness. We build acclimatisation days into high routes rather than hoping. Tell us about any heart or lung condition when you book so we can plan properly.

Vaccination advice depends on your nationality, medical history and exact route, so ask a travel clinic or your own doctor six to eight weeks before departure. We are tour operators, not medical advisers.

Money

Cards are widely accepted in cities. Cash still runs everything else.

The Indian rupee and the Nepali rupee are separate currencies and are not interchangeable — spend down before you cross. ATMs are common in cities and towns and are the easiest way to get local cash; tell your bank you are travelling first.

Keep a stock of small notes. Tips, tea, temple donations and small purchases all run on them, and nobody enjoys breaking a large note at seven in the morning.

Tipping is customary rather than compulsory. For drivers and guides it is a genuine part of income, and we are happy to tell you honestly what is normal for the length of your trip — just ask, rather than guessing.

Phones & connectivity

Better than most people expect, right up until the mountains.

Local SIM cards are cheap and data is fast in both countries, though an Indian SIM needs paperwork — passport, photo, and sometimes a local address, which we can help with. An eSIM bought before you fly avoids the whole errand.

Hotel wifi is normal across our itineraries. On trek, expect coverage to come and go, and to disappear entirely on the higher days. Tell whoever is waiting at home that silence is expected rather than alarming.

What to pack

Less than you think, plus three things people always forget.

Shoulders and knees covered for temples and mosques — for everyone, not only women. A scarf is the single most useful item you can carry: sun, dust, cold buses and covering your head at a shrine.

Shoes you can take off quickly. You will do it many times a day at temples, and laces get old fast. Layers rather than one warm coat: the same day can run from cold dawn to hot noon, especially in the hills.

The forgotten three: a universal plug adapter, sunscreen stronger than you think you need, and a torch or headtorch for power cuts and early starts.

Customs & courtesy

A small amount of care makes an enormous difference to how you are received.

Remove your shoes before entering temples and homes. Ask before photographing people, particularly at ceremonies, funerals and on the ghats at Varanasi — many of the most striking scenes are private grief, and a camera is not always welcome.

Use your right hand for eating, giving and receiving. Public affection between couples draws attention in both countries. Dress modestly outside the big cities and you will be treated warmly almost everywhere.

Your guide is the best source on any of this. Ask them — they would far rather explain in advance than watch you find out.

Safety & how we work

What we actually do when something goes wrong.

Every journey is private. You travel with your own driver and vehicle, never joined to a group of strangers, and you are met on arrival rather than left to find your own way from the airport.

You get a contact number that reaches a person, not a queue, for the whole trip. Delays, illness, a change of plan mid-route — that number is what it is for.

Travel insurance is not optional in our view. Make sure it covers the altitude you are going to and any activity — trekking, rafting, peak climbing — that you have booked. Many standard policies quietly exclude them.