Travelling in India?

[FirstVisit]

Hi all, I've occasionally considered doing some solo travelling in India. Am in my 50s. Just interested in the culture, etc. Am fairly happy travelling and being on my own, though I would consider group travelling as long as not too scheduled, and as long as it wasn't too expensive.

Have other people travelled to India alone/in a group and enjoyed the experience? Or was it stressful?

Hmm. I'm actually quite a big fan of lone travel and have travelled a fair bit by myself for both work and pleasure. I also happen to know India very well.

If I'm really honest, I'm not sure that I'd recommend India to a lone female traveller, though it saddens me to say that as I love the country in many ways. I have actually been there on my own for work on one occasion, but I think it was easier as I already had friends and contacts there, places to stay, a trusted driver etc. I'd also been before and knew my way around the culture. I'm not sure I'd have wanted to be there alone without all of that in place.

If I were you, I think I'd be inclined to look at some sort of group option. It's probably safer...

Sadly I agree, not India.
Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam much safer for a lone female traveller.

I have travelled solo in India several times, for work and leisure. India is a huge country to generalise - I would treat each part of India as almost separate countries, with different languages, foods, cultures, infrastructure, quality of living, etc (like countries in the EU). I have always found southern India (south of Goa) very safe and solo traveller friendly. But I would never travel to Delhi/Rajasthan on my own - I don't consider it safe.

Also stick to some logical ground rules:

• Stay in reputed hotel brands or AirBnBs of "superhosts"
• Take uber or hotel car rentals for transport. Train or flights for longer trips.
• Use caution with strangers, etc.

You won't regret the trip, have fun!

I have always found southern India (south of Goa) very safe and solo traveller friendly. But I would never travel to Delhi/Rajasthan on my own - I don't consider it safe.

Yes, I did wonder if the south might be different. I should have made it clear that my experience is exclusively in the north.

I've travelled around India for 3months recently with my husband and although amazing India is quite overwhelming and I'm not sure if have enjoyed it solo. If you can join a group I think that would be more enjoyable with a private accommodation for when you want some solo time out.

I travelled in northern India (Delhi & Rajasthan) in a group 25 years ago & got fed up of the constant groping which just came out of nowhere . I love the country but wouldn't consider going again now in my 50s, I wouldn't feel safe.

Op, I am sad to say that even though I am from India in all honesty it's not a place I would recommend to first time solo travellers.
You need to go in a group or have some local friends there. It could be an amazing or horrible experience depending on where you go, who you meet.
It's country of billion people with a lot of poverty and social problems, it's very easy to find people who will willingly hurt you for minor benefits.
I don't want to scare you away. India could be an amazing experience if you plan it well, and there are many, genuinely nice people.
A friend from France hated it when she visited first time and never wanted to return (she stayed in a hotel in a wrong area). But her second visit was through her company and she made some friends in that trip. She really loves India now and has been going to India almost every since then. With right group of people and arrangements, even a city like Delhi can be enjoyable. I am from there :)
If you tell me what kind of break you want to have in India (yoga/meditation/cultural/sightseeing/tiger safari/budget/luxury), I can make some suggestions about the cities/ regions to consider and then you can do further research.

I have travelled on my own lots of times pre-children. Although India, I did with a friend. It was 1999 so almost 20 years ago now. We got into a few scrapes but nothing we couldn't handle. But with all the recent press regarding violence to women I would be reluctant to do it alone.

Have you thought of travelling with someone. Lonely Planet on line has a section where you can advertise for travel buddies for part or all of your journey. Otherwise, its a great source of current information. Another idea may be the overland tours. A group in the back.of a truck all mucking together.

Hi OP,

I travelled through India solo as a 19yo - I based myself in Delhi.

In just over 5 months, I had only 2-3 situations where I didn't feel completely safe. Once was in a market in Old Delhi, once in Agra and once in Jodphur.

India is THE most stunning country - as cliched as it sounds, I went to "find myself" and I really believe I did that.

If your budget allows, Haus Khaz and Green Park areas are great places to stay in New Delhi. The Lalit Hotel in Connaught Square is also lovely.

Happy to answer any questions you have x

I've been to India once with a group of friends and a couple of times with my dp and our dd. Each time we've travelled independently, using trains and stayed in a mixture of hostels and budget and mid-range hotels.

I've always found it vibrant, but relaxing and haven't been in any situations that felt unsafe. That was in northern India (Delhi, Jaipur, Agra etc) and Kerala.

BUT I would be cautious travelling solo. There's a huge amount of sexual violence in India although I don't know how often tourists are victim of this.

India is wonderful

But it’s hard work compared to South East Asia

There are many different group tours some for the tourist that likes to just see the sights and others for the tourist who likes to experience the county

I backpacked solo (as solo as you can be in a backpacker hot spot as India) round India in my mid twenties. I’m not going to lie, there were incidents on busses, staying in a train station boarding room and on a camel safari where there were wandering hands but I kicked up a fuss and there were enough locals around who helped me deal with the situations. However, I would go back in a heartbeat and having traveled solo extensively around the globe, India was and is, my all time fave. Getting into a fight with a monkey, going on a camel safari, standing in a queue to buy a train ticket that was reserved for women and freedom fighters, the food, staying in a palace, the Tag Mahal, Arjuna beach, the tea plantations in Darjeeling, I could go on.

Stick to the well traveled tourist routes and there will be no need for an organised tour. You can be as organised or disorganised as you like (I would just rock up with my backpack and grab the first place with a decent bathroom). I was a definite introvert back in the day but in India, even I found it difficult not making friends and acquiring traveling companions. As a Brit, India was a wonderful mix of the alien and the familiar and once I got over the culture shock and an unscrupulous taxi driver who tried to steer me to an overpriced hotel, it was all good.

When DD is a little older, I will definitely be going back and taking her with me.

OP, it is perfectly safe if you plan it well. I went on a solo trip last year and the only rough experiences were in Delhi. It takes a lot of planning and always source information from your Indian colleagues and friends. My colleagues were brilliant and I knew I could rely on them to sort out some local help if things ever went wrong. Maybe something like that?

OP I live in India and agree with a lit of what holahello writes.

Lots of people have a romantic idea of travelling around like Julie Roberts, but in reality its not the best place for a solo woman.

Of course you cannot have a sweeping statement for the whole huge country that India is, but still I would not travel on my own myself and I have visited many places, but never on my own. But I see India both as a resident and a traveller.

Almost on a daily basis I get some kind of hassle ranging from comments and noises, to being touched and at one point almost knocking a young guy out with his behaviour. Dont get me started on the selfies and phones being pushed into my face or sly pic being taken, even when I shopping in a supermarket. And people in your space and wanting to be so close, when most of the time there is plenty of space around, but no they want to be as close to me as possible.

And of course you will never get a good price for anything unless in shops where there is a fixed price.

I am respectful of everyone and dress accordingly and dont go looking for attention, but god it truly wears me out.

I have lived in other areas of Asia and never ever encountered these kind of actions.

But if you still want to visit get a travel buddy or join a group.

I explored India alone whilst my husband was working. We stayed in nice hotels but whilst he was busy during the day, I went off on my own. I never once felt anything but safe and welcomed. We were in Pune and Bengaluru. I used the same driver for the whole time and he was able to ensure we didn’t go anywhere too high risk (in terms of food hygiene etc).

I think there are much safer options in countries where you won’t have the same high probability of seeing animal and human abuse.

Thank you for all your messages, they were really interesting and informative. I'm a bit torn between AgentJack and Todam/ScrumpyCrack's views, as I am sure both have validity. Perhaps a group journey might be better at least first time - I wouldn't mind that, but I do like to have some of my own time to explore when I feel its right. I shall think about it more. And thank you for all the offers of further advice, very kind of you.

We went as a couple a few years ago and whilst I loved the country, I would never go alone. I was definitely treated as a second class citizen. If dh didn't order me something in a restaurant, the waiter would just walk away and assume I didn't want anything.

We travelled by train and there was a western woman travelling alone. She ended up sitting with us as the man opposite her was masturbating.

I felt very glad to have DH with me, and I've travelled all over Asia.

Nomad, thats terrible regarding the train.

I was talking to my Indian lady friends about this last night and we all agreed not one of us would travel by train on our own. There are women only carriages but not many.

To the OP Im sure there will be posters who will give info and say all was great and had no problems, and quite sure there are travellers who dont encounter many problems, however its not nice to be in situations that you are not comfortable and dont feel safe.

I have once really felt very threatened but dont want to go into it, but I was very shaken, along with many many other incidents.

I spent a month in Kerala by myself. Based in a reputable hotel/bungalow. I did many day trips to ashrams and sites but never went out after dark. I wore a wedding ring, dressed in shalwar kameez and never had any hassle beyond people wanting to speak English to me. I used trains, third class equivalent and ate in local places. I went back to the hotel every evening and met great people. On the journey back I spent two days in Mumbai and it was hellish, lots of hassle from men. So it depends on where you go and stay.

I second many other posters, I wouldn't go on my own. I travelled with others and then had 2 days on my own at the end (different flight etc) and was really uncomfortable and felt quite vulnerable. This was in north India.

It's very sexist, people didn't want to deal with me, just my male partner, which drove me crazy. And people try to rip you off at every turn. And there's lots of groping in crowds & no personal space on the trains (I also encountered a public masturbator).

But saying that, it was one of the most amazing, beautiful places - Agra, Varanasi etc etc and I learned a lot from being there. Definitely go, just not alone.

I did a group trip but it was terrifying getting from Delhi airport to the meeting point hotel on my own. I obviously looked a bit lost at the airport as I was surrounded by about 40 men and I was really overwhelmed and felt very vulnerable. I was then scammed by the taxi I did take. There were places on the group tour where the guide recommended that me and the other lone woman walked around with one of the men or couples in the group. I really wouldn’t have been happy doing a whole trip on my own and I have done lone travelling elsewhere.

I've done a lot of solo travel in East/SE/central Asia then went to India with my husband. Even with him, dressed respectfully, I felt threatened in a way I never have before. I would say travel with at least one friend and depressingly it is much easier having a man with you.

Definitely go with a group tour. A lot of companies do small groups. My stepson and his girlfriend did one and loved it. When the tour was finished they had a couple of days to themselves in Delhi but had to move hotels because of the unwanted attention girlfriend was receiving from men.

I have happily travelled in lots of places solo, in India I was glad to travel with a friend. I found the hassle of being constantly asked for money and being on the lookout for scams, really tiring. One time we were scammed and knew it but didn't say anything as we were too exhausted to speak up!

We were backpacking and staying in cheap hotels, riding rickshaws and taking 2nd class trains. It was great fun but tiring. If you have more money you could have a calmer experience. One day we travelled in a higher train class (still 2nd class but we had sheets on the bed and meals) and it was so much calmer, with nobody coming through the carriage trying to sell you things.

The south was definitely more relaxing for travel. Kerala fantastic, obviously you can't go there at the moment. Tamil Nadu great for travel. The hill stations in those states are great for some respite from the heat. When I went further north there were obviously some amazing sites but the hassle factor multiplied!

I think if you haven't travelled solo before would be best to book a group tour for the first two weeks then have a week on your own at the end. Then you can judge what to do next trip.