Trip readiness checklist for India
India runs on relationships and right hands. Here's the trip-readiness checklist for India: what to pack, when to go, entry rules for your passport, and the official sources to confirm before you fly.
Build my checklistEntry rules for a US passport
E-visa required
Source: U.S. Department of State, checked September 14, 2026. Other passports get their own answer in the app. Confirm at the official source before you book.
What to pack
India doesn't do halfway — colour, heat, history, all at once. Pack modest, breathable clothing, sandals you can slip off at temples, and a small health kit, because your stomach will meet new friends.
Modest, breathable clothing
Lightweight cotton that covers shoulders and knees keeps you cool and is respectful at temples and in rural areas.
Slip-on sandals
You'll remove shoes at temples and many homes constantly.
Hand sanitiser and basic meds
Carry sanitiser, and ask a doctor about a traveler's-diarrhoea kit. Drink bottled or purified water only.
A scarf or shawl
Versatile for sun, temple head/shoulder cover, and chilly trains or AC.
When to go
October–March is the pleasant, peak season across most of the country. April–June is intensely hot; the monsoon (roughly Jun–Sep) brings heavy rain. The Himalayas flip this — summer is their season.
Money & getting around
India uses the rupee (INR). Cash still matters for markets, autos, and small vendors, though UPI and cards are everywhere in cities. Agree auto-rickshaw fares or insist on the meter first. Tipping ('baksheesh') is woven in — small amounts go a long way; ~10% in restaurants.
Local quirks worth knowing
India runs on relationships and right hands. Expect warmth, expect crowds, expect questions — none of it is hostile.
Right hand only
Eating, giving, receiving — always the right hand. The left is considered unclean for anything social.
The head wobble is usually 'yes'
That side-to-side tilt means agreement, acknowledgment, or 'okay' depending on context. Go with it.
Temple etiquette varies
Shoes off always; some temples want heads covered, some bar leather items, a few don't admit non-adherents. Signs (or a friendly ask) will tell you.
Staring and selfies aren't rude here
Curiosity about visitors is open and normal. Selfie requests are common — decline politely if you'd rather not; no offence either way.
A week in India, the list starts here
Quantities scale with your dates, the weather groups arrive once we have your travel days, and your own plans add their gear on Trip Pass.
- Passport & travel documents1
- Phone charger & adapter1
- Wallet, cards & some local cash1
- Toiletries bag1
- Any daily medicationsenough for the trip
- Underwear7
- Socks7
- T-shirts / tops5
What am I forgetting?
A real answer from Trip Happens for a sample week in India, departing in five weeks with a checked bag and nothing packed yet. Yours is built from your own trip.
A week in Delhi, five weeks out, bag still empty.
- 1.
Your India entry paperwork
You're travelling on a US passport with 35 days to go, and anything India requires in advance takes time you only feel at the end. Open the entry card and work from the official source it points to, rather than a forum post.
- 2.
Temple-friendly shoes and modest layers
Your packing list has comfortable everyday shoes and little else, and India means slipping footwear off at doorways and covering shoulders and knees. Add sandals you can step out of one-handed and breathable long clothing.
- 3.
A small stomach kit
Seven days of new food and street stalls, and this is the one thing nobody packs until the second night. Build a modest health kit now, and check any personal medication you carry against what you'll actually need for a week.
Entry, advisories & health
These change. Confirm at the official source before you book.
Entry and visa requirements depend on your nationality. Confirm the current rules for India with the official source below before you book.
U.S. State Department travel advisory for India — check the current level and any alerts before you go.
CDC traveler health page for India — recommended vaccines, health notices, and a packing checklist.
Get the full India checklist
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