India Travel
Rough Guide travel insurance
Rough Guides now offers its own travel insurance customized for our readers by a leading UK broker and backed by a Lloyd’s underwriter. It’s available for anyone, of any nationality or age, travelling anywhere in the world.
There are two main Rough Guide insurance plans: Essential for basic, no-frills cover (£23.03 worldwide) for two weeks; and Premier- with more generous and extensive benefits (£28.79 worldwide). Alternatively, you can take out annual multi-trip insurance which covers you for any number of trips throughout the year (with a maximum of 60 days for any one trip) at £83.99 (worldwide). Unlike many policies, the Rough Guides schemes are calculated by the day, so if you’re travelling for 27 days rather than a month, that’s all you, pay for. If you intend to be away for the whole year, the Adventurer policy will cover you for 365 days from £160 (worldwide excluding USA and Canada) and £200 (worldwide including USA and Canada). Each plan can be supplemented with a ‘Hazardous Activities Premium” if you plan to indulge in sports considered dangerous, such as trekking, mountaineering, skiing or scuba-diving.
For a policy quote call the Rough Guide Insurance Line on UK freefone -7,0800 015 0906, US reefing 1-866/220 558 or, if you’re calling from outside Britain, on (S44/1243 621 046). ascertain whether benefits will be paid as treatment proceeds or only after return home, and whether there is a 24-hour medical emergency number. When securing baggage cover, make sure that the per-article limit - typically under £500 equivalent - will cover your most valuable possession.
If you need to make a claim, you should keep receipts for medicines and medical treatment and, in the event you have anything stolen, you must obtain an official police report. Bank and credit cards often have certain levels of medical or other insurance included; you may automatically get travel insurance if you use a major credit card to pay for your trip. Keep photocopies of everything you send to the insurer and don’t allow months to elapse before informing them. Write immediately and tell them what’s happened; you can usually claim later.
If you have a good all-risks home insurance policy it may cover your possessions against loss or theft even when overseas. Many private medical schemes such as BUPA or PPP also offer coverage plans for abroad, including baggage loss, cancellation or curtailment and cash replacement as well as sickness or accident.
Travellers from the US and Canada should carefully check their current insurance policies before taking out a new one. You may discover that you are already covered for medical and other losses while abroad. Holders of (SIC cards are entitled to be reimbursed for $3000-worth of accident coverage and sixty days of inpatient benefits of up to $100 a day for the period the card is valid.
Related Properties from Gurgaon
Travel insurance
In the light of the potential health risks involved in a trip to India - see opposite - travel insurance is too important to ignore. In addition to covering medical expenses and emergency flights, it also insures your money and belongings against loss or theft. A typical travel insurance policy usually provides cover for the loss of baggage, tickets and - up to a certain limit - cash or cheques, as well as cancellation or curtailment of your journey. Most of them exclude so-called dangerous sports unless an extra premium is paid: in India this can mean trekking, mountaineering, skiing,
Shopping for tickets
Airline tickets are sold through many channels, and there's no magic rule for predicting which will be cheapest. Whatever the airlines are offering, however, any number of specialist travel agents set out to beat it. These are the outfits you'll see advertising in the Sunday newspaper travel sections, and they come in several forms. Consolidators buy up large blocks of tickets to sell at a discount. Besides being cheap, they don't normally impose advance purchase requirements (although in busy times you'll want to book ahead to be sure of getting a seat), but they do often charge very stiff fees for
Panna National Park at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh
The vast PANNA NATIONAL PARK (Nov-June; Rs100 including obligatory guide, vehicle extra), known for its large cats (including tiger), deer and antelope (nilgai), lies a short way east of Khajuraho, spreading across a landscape of rocky hills and ravines covered mostly by scrubby deciduous forest. Access is easier than in some of India s better-known sanctuaries - you can even go in on foot if you take along an armed guide. It's best visited in winter, as the entire area gets extremely hot during summer - though there is a better chance then of seeing tigers as they emerge in
Medical resources for travelers
For up-to-the-minute information, make an appointment at a travel clinic. These clinics also sell travel accessories, including mosquito nets and first-aid kits. Information about specific diseases and conditions, drugs and herbal remedies is provided as well as advice from health experts. You could also consult the Rough Guide to Travel Health by Dr Nick Jones. UK British Airways Travel Clinics Operates several clinics located in London including 156 Regent St, London W1 020/7439 9584 (Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.15pm, Sat10am-4pm; no appointment necessary). There are appointment-only branches at 101 Cheapside, London EC2 020/7606 2977, and at the BA terminal in London's Victoria Station 020/7233 6661.
Trekking from Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh
Dharamsala is one of the most popular starting points for treks over the rock ridges of the Dhauladhar range, which rise steeply from the Kangra Valley to 4600m Most of the routes are used by Gaddi shepherds, who cross from north to south m the winter, cradling bundles of lambs and kids in their jackets, and return to the northern pastures in summer. Trails pass through forests of deodar, pine, oak and rhododendron, cross streams and rivers and wind along vertiginous cliff tracks passing the occasional lake waterfall and glacier. Unless you are very experienced you'll need a guide as
From Calcutta to Andaman Islands in Calcutta
Alliance Air (Indian Airlines) fly to Port Blair five times a week but if you want to take a ship (leaving every two weeks) you'll need to book through the Shipping Corporation of India. 13 Strand Rd. Although theoretically you need a permit before buying your ticket, the Foreigners Regional Registration Office at 237 AJC Bose Rd has informed travellers to get their permits on arrival in Fort Blair; check in advance. There are four classes starting with bunk beds (from around Rs1000) to a/c dorms and cabins; the journey takes three to four days, so bring plenty to read
Kumbalgarh North of Udaipur in Rajasthan
The remote hilltop fort of KUMBALGARH, 84km north of Udaipur, is the most formidable of the 32 constructed by Maharana Kumbha in the fifteenth century. Protected by a series of seven thick ramparts, it was only successfully besieged once, when a confederacy led by Akbar poisoned the Sisodias' water supply - the Moghul emperor later returned it to them anyway. Aside from the impressive fortifications and ancient monuments they enclose, the main reason to venture out here is to experience the idyllic Aravalli countryside. Winding through a string of tribal villages and picturesque valleys, the Udaipur road alone more than
City transport and tours of Khajuraho in Madhy Pradesh
Khajuraho is no more than an overgrown cluster of villages, without public transport, and visitors are dependent on the various rented vehicles in competition with each other. Taxis and rental cars are available at the main square; through Raja Cafe, or from operators such as the reliable Sanjay Jain of the Hotel Jain (07686/72352), Khajuraho Tours (07686/72343)', in the Maqbara building, or Travel Bureau (07686/74037). on Jain Temples Road, near the square. Typical costs are Rs500 for half a day, and Rs600 plus Rs5 per km for longer journeys. Cycle rickshaw drivers ask around Rs30 per hour; trips to the
Around Periyar and Kumily: the Cardamom hills in Kerala
Nestled amid soaring, mist-covered mountains and dense jungles, Periyar and Kumily are convenient springboards from which to explore Kerala's beautiful Cardamom hills. Guides will appby Jeep taxi; if you can get a group together, these work our as good value. Among the more popular destinations is the Mangaladevi temple. 14km east-of Kumily. The rough road to this tumbledown ancient ruin deep in the forest is sometimes closed due to flood damage, but when it is open the round trin takes about five hours. With a guide, you can also reach remote waterfalls and mountain viewpoints, offering panoramic vistas of the
Elephanta in Mumbai
An hour's boat ride from Colaba, the tranquil, forested island of ELEPHANTA is one of the most atmospheric places in Mumbai. Populated only by a small fishing community, it makes a wonderful contrast to the seething claustrophobia of the city, even when crowded with day-trippers at weekends. Originally known as Gharapuri, the "city of Ghara priests", the island was renamed in the sixteenth century by the Portuguese in honour of the carved elephant they found at the port. Its chief attraction is its unique cave temple, whose massive Trimurti (three-faced) Shiva sculpture is as fine an example of Hindu architecture
Leaving Patna
Patna Junction is the most important railway station in the region, connected to Gaya. Delhi, Varanasi. Darjeeling (NJP), Calcutta, Mumbai and Chennai. There is a foreigners' reservation counter on the first floor of the booking office. The best train to Calcutta (Howrah) is the fast Rajdhani Express #2306 (Tues S Sat); other principal trains to Calcutta are the Poorva Express #2304 (Mon, Thurs, Fri & Sun) and the Howrah-Amritsar Express #3050. Patna-Delhi-Shramjeevi Express #2401 also stops at Varanasi and most major trains stop at Mughal Sarai, not far from Varanasi. Among others, the Rajdhani Express #2305 and the Poorva Express
Practicalities of Rishikesh in Uttaranchal
Far more visitors arrive in Rishikesh by road or rail than at the airport, 18km west. The Main Bus Stand, used by Haridwar and Dehra Dun government buses, as well as direct services to and from Delhi (6hr), is on Bengali Road, close to the centre; buses for the Garhwal hills use the Yatra Bus Stand, also known as the Tehri Bus Stand, off the Dehra Dun Road. Rishikesh is at the end of a small branch railway line, served by trains to and from Haridwar. Advance reservations can be made from the station, which only has a small quota
Moving on from Mumbai
Most visitors feel like getting out of Mumbai as soon as they can. Fortunately, Mumbai is equipped with "super-fast" services to arrange or confirm onward travel. All the major international and domestic airlines have offices in the city, the railway networks operate special tourist counters in the main reservation halls, and dozens of travel agents and road transport companies are eager to help you on your way by bus.
Nightlife in Goa
Nightlife revolves around Tito's, on a sandy hillock above the beach. Women are allowed in for free; "unaccompanied" men have to pay Rs100-250, depending on the crowd. Be warned, however, that in recent years this has become something of a pick-up joint, frequented by groups of so-called "rowdies" from Delhi and Mumbai, with the lager-fuelled antics you'd find in a rough British nightclub. A marginally more sedate option, run by the same owners is Mambo's, further down the hill, where karaoke is the big attraction. At the far end of Baga beach, Drop Anchor is deservedly the most popular place
What about the water?
One of the chief concerns of many prospective visitors to India is whether the water is safe to drink. To put it simply, it's not, though your unfamiliarity with Indian micro-organisms is generally more of a problem rather than any great virulence in the water itself. As a rule, it is not a good idea to drink tap water, although in big cities it is usually chlorinated. However, you'll find it almost impossible to avoid untreated tap water completely: it is used to make ice, which may appear in drinks without being asked for, to wash utensils and so on. Bottled
Moving on from Delhi
Delhi has good domestic and international travel connections. Anyone heading from the south to the western Himalayas (Himachal Pradesh, Kullu. Manali, Ladakh) will pass through Delhi; it seldom takes more than a day to arrange the onward journey. Scores of travel agents sell bus and air tickets, and many hotels (budget or otherwise) will hook private buses for you; touts, concentrated at the top of Janpath, waylay tourists with promises of cheap fares, but can't always be trusted.
Kedarnath: town and treks in Uttaranchal
KEDARNATH is not m itself a very attractive town - in fact it's almost unbearable at the height of the pilgrimage season (May, june & Sept). It's a grey place, consisting of a central thoroughfare stretching for 500m between the temple and the bridge, lined with rest houses and dhammshala, pilgrim shops, and administrative offices. However, the sheer power of its location tends to sweep away any negative impressions, and it's always possible to escape to explore the incredible high-altitude scenery. At the head of the town, the imposing temple is constructed along simple lines in stone, with a large mandapa
Australia and New Zealand
Auckland Hospital, Park Road, Grafton 09/797440. General traveller health advice. Travel-Bug Medical and Vaccination Centre, 161 Ward St, North Adelaide 08/8267 3544.Consultations, inoculations, first-aid/medical kits, post-travel examinations. Travellers' Immunization Service, 303 Pacific Hwy, Lind field, Sydney 02/9416 1348. Offers inoculations and general advice.
Charter flights
Various package specialists (see overleaf) operate winter (Oct-May) charters to Goa and Kerala. Leaving from Gatwick, Manchester, Glasgow and Newcastle, these are usually for stays of two weeks (though 1-6 weeks are also possible) and often work out cheaper than a standard scheduled deal to Mumbai. Your fare must include some form of accommodation, which you can occupy on arrival and then ditch when you're ready to move on. Charter tickets are generally sold through high-street travel agents, and are also advertised in the travel pages of newspapers. Limerick and Waterford.
Book and map outlets in the UK and Ireland
Blackwell's Map and Travel Shop, 53 Broad St, Oxford 0X1 3BQ 01865/792792, Daunt Books, 83 Marylebone High St, W1M 30E 020/7224 2295, 020/7224 6893; 193 Haverstock Hill, NW3 4QL 020/7794 4006, Heffers Map and Travel, 20 Trinity St, Cambridge, CB2 1TJ 01223/586 586, John Smith and Sons, 26 Colquhoun Ave, Glasgow, G52 4PJ 0141/221 7472, James Thin Melven's Bookshop, 29 Union St, Inverness, IV1 1QA 01463/233500, The Map Shop, 30a Belvoir St, Leicester, LE16QH 0116/2471400 National Map Centre, 22-24 Caxton St, SW1HOOU 020/7222 2466, Newcastle Map Centre, 55 Grey St, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6EF 0191/261 5622, Stanfords: 12-14 Long Acre. WC2E 9LP 020/7836 1321; British Airways