Planning a trip to India from the US raises many questions. Visas, safety, food, money, logistics, all of it. Below are the questions we hear most from American travelers, grouped by topic. Don't see yours? Call or WhatsApp us at +91-9911744343, call our US line at +1-603-860-0601, or email kapilindiatours@gmail.com.
We're a family-run tour operator based in Delhi, started by Kapil Yadav, who's been building custom trips across India for over 20 years. We work a lot with travelers from the USA, UK, Italy, Israel, and Australia.
Over two decades. We've hosted thousands of international travelers, from quick 4-day Golden Triangle trips to month-long journeys across multiple regions.
Yes. We're registered and headquartered in New Delhi, and we also have a contact office in Manchester, New Hampshire. That means you can reach us during US business hours too, not just India time.
India is what we know best, from the Golden Triangle and Rajasthan to South India, the Himalayas, and offbeat routes most tourists never see. We also handle car rentals and airport transfers. Want to combine India with Nepal or Bhutan? Just ask, and we'll build it in.
Every trip is custom-built, not pulled from a catalog. You work directly with our planning team, not a call center. Your guides are hand-picked and speak fluent English. And because we have a US number, you're never stuck waiting through the time difference for a reply.
That's actually how most of our trips get made. Tell us your dates, what you're into (heritage, wildlife, food, photography, wellness, whatever), your pace, and your budget. We'll build a day-by-day plan around it and adjust it as many times as you need before you book.
Yes. Along with our Delhi headquarters, we have a US line at +1-603-860-0601 in Manchester, New Hampshire. So you can call and talk through your trip on your own schedule, not at midnight your time.
Call or WhatsApp +91-9911744343, call our US number at +1-603-860-0601, email kapilindiatours@gmail.com, or fill out the form on our Contact Us page. We usually reply within 24 hours.
It's the classic India route: Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur. Most first-time visitors start here. You get the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, plus Jaipur's palaces and forts, all in about 4 to 7 days.
October through March works best for most itineraries. The weather is cooler and drier across North India, Rajasthan, and the Golden Triangle. South India and the hills have their own good seasons, so we'll point you to the right timing once we know your route.
Yes. Millions of foreign tourists, including plenty of solo and women travelers, visit India safely every year. On our tours, you always have a private vehicle, a dedicated driver, and an English-speaking guide where included. Our team also stays reachable the whole trip if anything comes up.
Most packages cover private AC transport, hotels on your chosen meal plan, entry fees where specified, an English-speaking guide on sightseeing days, and transfers to and from the airport or train station. Exact inclusions depend on the itinerary, and we always confirm everything in writing before you book.
Yes, most of our trips are private. Your vehicle, driver, and guide are yours alone. You set the dates and the pace, not a fixed group schedule.
Yes. Beyond the classic Golden Triangle and Rajasthan routes, we do wildlife safaris, Ayurveda and wellness retreats, luxury train and heritage hotel trips, spiritual journeys, and offbeat routes for travelers who've already seen the big sights and want something different.
For Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur, 6 to 8 days works well. Want to add Varanasi, Udaipur, or a wildlife park? Go with 10 to 14 days so nothing feels rushed.
Usually, yes. It depends on hotel and train availability and anything already locked in. Tell your travel consultant as early as you can, so we can make changes with little or no extra cost.
Depends on the plan you pick: breakfast only, half board (breakfast and dinner), or full board. We'll confirm exactly what's included before you book.
Yes. India has some of the best vegetarian food in the world, and our hotels and restaurants know how to handle vegan, Jain, gluten-free, and allergy requests. Just tell us when you book, and we'll flag it with every hotel and restaurant on your route.
We only work with hotels and restaurants that keep high hygiene standards for international guests. As a general rule, stick to sealed bottled or filtered water (we can arrange this in your vehicle) and skip raw, unpeeled produce from street stalls unless your guide says it's fine.
You've got flexibility. Where meals are included, we suggest solid, tourist-friendly spots, but you're free to explore on your own. Your guide or driver can point you to alternatives too.
Alcohol is available at most hotel bars and licensed restaurants in the cities on your route, though this varies by state (some places have dry days or other restrictions). Your guide can walk you through local rules as you go.
Tell us when you book, no matter how specific it is. We coordinate with hotel kitchens ahead of time, so your needs are handled before you even arrive.
Send us your travel dates, group size, and interests through our website form, WhatsApp, or email. Once we lock in the itinerary and price together, we send a formal quote and booking confirmation. Your trip is secured once we get the deposit.
International bank wire transfer and major credit or debit cards. We quote prices in US dollars for American clients. Your travel consultant can walk you through the best option for you.
Yes, for most bookings. It holds your hotels, trains, and guides on the dates you want, and the balance is due closer to your arrival. The exact amount and due date are in your written quote.
It depends on your itinerary, but it's typically due a set number of days before you arrive. This is spelled out clearly in your booking confirmation, so there are no surprises.
For American travelers, we quote in USD, so you can budget without worrying about exchange rates shifting on you. Want it in INR or another currency? Just ask.
Yes. Wire transfers are a standard, secure way to pay for international tours, and any card payment link we send comes from a verified processor. We'll never ask you to send money to a personal account or an unverified third party.
Yes, we handle last-minute bookings regularly. Availability for peak-season hotels, the Taj Mahal, and popular trains can get tight though, so the sooner you reach out, the more options we can lock in.
Yes. Most leisure travelers qualify for the India e-Visa, which you apply for online before you leave. No embassy or consulate visit needed.
Your passport should be valid for at least six months past your arrival date, with at least two blank visa pages. Check this before you book flights.
We're happy to guide you through the e-Visa process and provide any hotel confirmations or itinerary documents your application needs. You submit the actual application yourself through the official Indian government portal.
Not legally required for most travelers, but we strongly recommend it. Good coverage protects you against trip cancellation, medical emergencies, and lost luggage. We can point you to what to look for in a policy.
Guidance changes, so check with the CDC or your doctor a few weeks before you travel. Routine vaccinations plus a few destination-specific ones, like hepatitis A or typhoid, are commonly recommended for India.
Some border areas, tribal regions, and certain wildlife zones need an Inner Line Permit or a park-specific one. If your route includes one of these, we handle the permit paperwork for you ahead of time.
Yes. For American and other English-speaking travelers, all our guides are fluent and licensed, with deep knowledge of the history, architecture, and culture at every site you visit.
Depends on the package. Most itineraries include local guides for the key sightseeing days, like Agra and Jaipur, while your driver stays with you for the whole trip. We'll confirm exactly which days include a guide before you book.
Yes. Besides English, we can arrange guides fluent in French, Spanish, German, Italian, and a few other languages, depending on what's available at each stop. Let us know your preference when booking.
Your driver handles all the road travel between cities and stays with you the entire trip. A local guide joins for specific sightseeing days to walk you through monuments and historical sites in detail. Together, they cover both your logistics and your on-site experience.
Yes. Our sightseeing guides hold official licenses from Indian tourism authorities, and guides at protected sites like the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort are certified specifically for those locations.
Where we can, yes. If you liked a particular guide or driver, let us know when planning your next trip, and we'll try to arrange them again, depending on availability.
A mix of both works best. Carry some Indian Rupees in cash for small vendors, tips, and rural areas, and use a card for hotels, bigger purchases, and city restaurants where cards are widely accepted.
You can exchange at the airport, at authorized money changers in major cities, or at most hotels. Airport and hotel rates tend to be a bit less favorable than city money changers. Your guide can point you to a reliable, authorized exchange counter along the way.
Generally, no. Most local vendors, restaurants, and taxis only deal in Indian Rupees, so it's best to exchange currency soon after you land rather than count on paying in USD.
The Indian Rupee (INR). We'd recommend exchanging or withdrawing Rupees rather than carrying a lot of foreign currency for daily spending.
Yes. ATMs are common in cities and most towns on standard tourist routes, and major US debit and credit cards like Visa and Mastercard are generally accepted. It's worth telling your bank your travel dates ahead of time, so your card doesn't get blocked.
Foreign currency above a certain amount needs to be declared on arrival if you're carrying cash, and there are limits on how much Indian currency you can bring in or take out. Check current customs limits with Indian customs authorities before you travel, or ask our team for the latest guidance.
It depends on how far in advance you cancel and which hotels, trains, or permits are already booked and paid for on your behalf, since some of those carry their own non-refundable deadlines. Full details are in your booking confirmation and on our Cancellation & Refund Policy page.
The earlier you cancel, before hotels and trains lock in as non-refundable, the more you're likely to get back. Since supplier deadlines vary by destination and season, we'll always confirm your specific cutoff dates in writing.
It depends on how far in advance you cancel and whether that deposit is already committed to hotels, trains, or permits. Check your booking confirmation for the exact terms on your trip.
We'll work with you to reschedule or adjust the itinerary wherever we can. That said, airlines, hotels, and other suppliers set their own policies for disruptions outside our control, so comprehensive travel insurance is really the best way to protect yourself financially here.
We don't sell insurance directly, but we strongly recommend a comprehensive policy that covers trip cancellation, interruption, and medical emergencies before you travel. Happy to point you toward what to look for.
Once approved, we process it right away. How long it takes to show up in your account depends on your bank and how you originally paid. We'll keep you updated the whole way through.