Traveling safely and for cheap in India during monsoons
What tourists should know about traveling in India during monsoons
Unlike what many people think, traveling in India during rainy monsoon season can be fun. Sure, there are usual reasons against it like unreliable routes, humid weather etc. A random flood or land slide can spoil any well planned travel itinerary. But traveling in India during monsoon season can be advantageous for a number of reasons. Tourists get great discounts on air fares, hotels and also enjoy their sightseeing as peak season crowds are absent.
Let us explain a little about Indian monsoons before going any further.
India is a a very big country and is justly classified as a sub-continent not only due to it’s size but also the large diversity in terms of landscapes and weather. Evergreen tropical forests in east, cold snow covered Himalayan mountains in north, hot Thar deserts in west, temperate coasts in south and more, these all provide tourists with a wide variety of options and time periods in which to explore the country. There is actually no definite or set time to visit India. Different regions have different peak-season for tourists , but that will need another article by itself.
Raneh waterfalls during monsoon season, India
Monsoon is the rainy season in India which lasts from June to September in different parts. It hits Kerala in southern India first in early June and travels northwards. Northern parts of India receive first monsoon showers late June or early July. Not every region experiences equal rainfall or at same time. They all have different experiences with monsoon rains. These rains are very important in economy and lives of everyone in the sub-continent.
The arrival of monsoon rains marks the end of infamous hot and dusty Indian summers and makes the conditions cooler and surroundings much more green and beautiful. Indian people like rains and seeing them enjoying the rainfall by getting soaked in the rain showers is a common sight. One of the most common snacks during this season is a combination of Chai ( type of milky Indian tea) and hot Pakoda (a fried salty snack)
Here is how tourists can enjoy monsoon travel in India
Advantages of traveling during monsoons in India
1) Good discounts in hotels, airlines and other businesses
A lot of airlines and hotels offer very good discounts during monsoons due to lean season, which can really decrease your travel expenses. As the majority of people like to stay indoors during rains, tourist activity is much less and you can enjoy your travel in comparative peace and leisure.
3) Different weather, landscapes and customised plans
Due to different landscapes and weather in different regions, tourists in India can plan their trips all year round. A tourist in India is not bound to dates in a calendar or weather reports to plan and enjoy the journey.
3) Greenery and pleasant weather
Everything comes to life during monsoons in India. The weather is pleasant, cool breeze blow almost all day long and the surroundings are covered with lush new greenery which is a relaxing sight . Places like parts of eastern and central India, Kerala, Western Ghats are even more stunning during monsoons due to clouds and greenery. A lot of rivers are in full flow and this makes for spectacular waterfalls.
4) Cleansing season
Many people think that rains of monsoons are have a cleansing effect, Pollution due to smoke and dust particles is minimised and people are generally more comfortable in this cooler weather. Ayurvedic detoxification during monsoon is very popular these days. Some herbs used in certain ayurvedic practices grow only during monsoons and the rains seem to have a good effect on efficacy of certain plants.
Precautions for travelers in India during monsoon season
Here are some basic precautions that the tourists should observe while traveling in India during monsoons:
1) Carefully plan road trips
Mountainous regions almost everywhere are susceptible to road blockages due to landslides, flash floods etc during rainy season. Plans your road trips by taking these factors in to count.
2) Closed wild life parks
Most of national parks and wild-life areas are closed for tourists during monsoons. So if you are looking for clicking a rhinoceros, tiger or any other exotic animal, confirm the availability in advance.
3) Consume safe water
Although it’s a very general rule, we can’t stress this enough. Don’t drink tap water or even from natural sources like lakes and rivers during rainy season. Always stick to bottled or filtered water.
4) Be cautious of bugs
Bugs and other critters like mosquitoes, flies, snakes etc can be a nuisance during rainy season. Keep an insect repellant handy and be careful of where you step or sleep/
That’s everything that we have to say about traveling in India during rainy monsoons for now. We hope that this article may be of some use for travelers. Please feel free to contact us for feedback or more information.
Indian Food Blog: Himachal Pradesh The snow-clad mountains, lush green valleys, the freshness in the air, tranquillity in the environment, these are a few things that describe Himachal Pradesh at its best. From the road vendors to the authentic cafes and restaurants, Himachali people will pour their hearts out in their dishes. Akotri is made with buckwheat mixed with wheat that is usually prepared on occasions of festivities.The thought of a buckwheat cake might not sound so great but is both scrumptious and healthy. With the goodness of ghee, it provides you with enough nutrients and calories to survive a good hike. Sidu is a local bread made from wheat flour. The flour is kneaded and set aside for some hours for the yeast to settle and the dough to rise. The dough is put on the bonfire to be par-cooked and then later steamed to complete the cooking. This distinct bread is usually enjoyed with ghee . Ambal has mouth-watering taste due to the mixed sweet- sour flavours. Ambal is pumpkin dish usually served with rice and rajma. The dish is neither totally liquid nor totally dry. This dogri dish packs a lot of flavours and is a must try during the winters. Madra is a delicacy that belongs to Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. This dish consists of the soaked chickpeas or vegetables. Madra is one of those dishes that represents the food culture of Himachal Pradesh and is available at every restaurant, and on festivals, offered to you with utmost love. Rajma Chawal is a delicious dish and contains good quality of carbohydrate and protein that can suit your taste. This popular dish is loved by people of all age groups. Rajma Chawal is perfect for a Sunday brunch or on a get-together with family and friends. It is cooked by using rajma(kidney beans) rice, onions, tomatoes and melange of spices. Kheru is a very tasty and authentic himachali dish. It is served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Kheru is prepared with sour curd, coriander seeds, onions. Kheru is usually served with piping hot rice but can also be eaten with rotis or parathas. Sepu Vadi is simply a mouth watering dish. Sepu Vadi is cooked mostly on wedding occasion in Himachal Pradesh .Normally this dish is made with spinach , curd gravy and split Urad Dal.
Meghalaya’s natural attractions are the reason why tourists come here once, but the food is why tourists keep coming back. Meghalaya has three Mongoloid tribes and many distinct dishes to indulge yourself or savoury dishes to appease your taste buds. There is something for everyone here. Do’o Kappa is a Chicken in Garo style. It is made be adding ginger paste,grated onions,turmeric to chicken along with soda powder.Water is added for simmering. The dish is garnished with cream and onion leaves. Dohjem is a khasi delicacy is a favourite of many. Enjoy with regular rice or add it to the putharo this dish is finger licking good no doubt. Prepared by cutting pork into small chunks one cannot resist the temptation of this exotic dish . Doh Khleh is a delicious delicacy that comprises of pig brains cooked in curry and eaten with Indian bread. Doh Khlieh is also cooked as a salad with steamed pork, pig brain and onions.One of the extreme dishes of Meghalayan cuisine. Jadoh is the rice dish of Khasi language.‘Ja’ means rice and ‘Doh’ means meat. It is made with rice and pork mixed with the best spices, chopped vegetables and garnished with eggs or fried fish. Tungrymbai is a wholesome dish flavoured by delicious ingredients and served with love. It is made from fermented soya beans, chopped pork, black sesame, ginger, onion and other spices. All these are fried and sauteed together, and the delicious mixture is left simmering for some time to deepen the flavor and taste.
India Food Tour: Social Media Posts, Aug 2022 Indian Cooking ClassesCooking classes in India are a fun and authentic way to learn Indian cooking as it’s really meant to be. India Food Tour’s cooking classes teach how to cook Indian dishes in a shortest possible amount of time with easily available ingredients without compromising on taste and quality. Depending upon their expertise, guests can choose to learn different dishes in each class. Even people familiar to Indian cooking can learn the finer details about what makes Indian food so special. Travel Packages Of India For FoodiesThese trips are the best combination of culinary exploration, sightseeing and all round best travel experience. We’ve designed these tours for tourists who wish to enjoy exploring food, culture, sights and do some fun activities without any compromise . These are all private tours and best suited for couples, solo travelers and small groups of friends and family who wish to enjoy their vacation on their own terms.#culinarytravel #culinarytours #loveoffood#IndiaFoodTour #foodlover #foodexplorer#cookingclass #cooking #chef #culinary India is the land where numerous cultures took birth thousands of years ago and enriched the land with their philosophy, thoughts, architecture art, literature and cuisines. Unlike most other civilisations, these didn’t fade away with time. India was and still a place where ancient and modern co-exist in all their diversity.#IndiaFoodTour #foodlover #foodexplorer#cookingclass #cooking #chef #culinary #phototours #photowalks #travelpics #travelphotos Food Tours In IndiaIndia Food Tour offers exciting food tours in a number of cities across India. As each province in India boasts of a unique culture and cuisine, these food tours are an excellent way of experiencing the all the aspects in one exciting day out. These are enjoyable way to make your trip to India memorable, delicious and can be grouped alongside most sightseeing tours.#IndiaFoodTour #foodlover #foodexplorer#cookingclass #cooking #chef #culinary The Real India ExperienceIndia Food Tour provides custom made India culinary tour packages with Indian food tours, cooking classes, tea tasting, wine tasting, photo tours, bar crawls and many other fun things to do in India. These activities can be included in almost any general travel itinerary as addons. For more serious food lovers and discerning travelers, we offer custom designed culinary travel itineraries which offer the best of culinary activities as well as many other interesting activities for the authentic India experience.#foodtour #foodwalk #indianfood #foodwalks #foodtours #travel #tours #culinary #culinarytravel #culinarytours #loveoffood Happy Independence Day#freedom #India #independenceday #Bharat
Arunachal Pradesh street food differs from tribe to tribe. As one move toward the eastern side of Arunachal people are dependent on bamboo and other leafy vegetables which are strictly boiled. Fried food is not as popular as people like to eat either boiled or smoked food. Apong is a type of rice beer, which is traditionally prepared by tribes of Arunachal Pradesh.India. Apong is prepared by fermenting rice. The two types are Nogi Apong and Poro Apong.The two apongs differ in their taste and colour. Chura Sabji is a kind of curry made of fermented cheese made by either yak milk or cow’s milk and not to forget the most important the flakes and a few pieces of the King chilly which makes it spicy but delicious. Lukhter is another delicacy of the Arunachal Pradesh.Lukter is a combination of cooked dry meat and chilli flakes from the King chilly or Bhut Jolokia. Like the norm goes with Aunachal, this is a side dish meant to be eaten with rice. Pehak is made by use of fermented Soybean and King chilly. In this dish, the king chilli is used as the main ingredient. It is also used as a side dish with rice. The pickle is hot and very spicy that gives the rice a very unique hot flavor. Pehak is very popular among Arunachalis. Pictures sourced from various sources on internet. Please contact for credits.
Fever Tree, one of premium natural mixer brands held an event launching their premium brand, Robert Parker. The event was hosted by British High Commissioner Sir James Bevan. British deputy PM, Mr. Nick Clegg was guest of honour for the event. POST RELEASE New Delhi, 25th Aug 2014: The age of the dismal mixer is over with the introduction of Fever-Tree (The Premium Natural Mixer) in India. The capital witnessed the sophisticated launch of the iconic super premium brand Fever Tree, The World’s Best Tonic Water – Robert Parker. Making its foray into the Indian Market, this is the first venture of the company in the subcontinent and it has made headline for bring Indian Tonic Water back to India. The event was hosted by The British High Commissioner Sir James Bevan in honour of British Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Nick Clegg’s visit to India. The event was attended by Mr. Tim Warrillowm (co-founder & Director Fever Tree) and Mr. Anuj Kushwah (Managing Director Kaama Impex Pvt. Ltd) who is the importer & distributor for the Fever-Tree Brand in India. An exquisite evening of luxury, delight and splendor, the event celebrated amongst the crème de la crème of Delhi. Proudly served in 7 of the top 10 restaurants in the world Fever Tree is one of the most premium and iconic brand coming out of UK. India is the 50th export market for Fever-Tree. Fever-Tree was recently named Tonic of choice in an independent survey of the world’s leading bars and restaurants Mr. Anuj Kushwah, Managing Director of Kaama Impex Pvt Ltd says “Every decision we take at Kaama is keeping in mind the consumers needs and experiences, hence the choice of bringing Fever Tree to India. Fever-Tree is an iconic brand and we are proud to launch in India.” This August, Fever-Tree, the premium natural drink mixer company, will launch their Indian Tonic Water in India, the home of Gin & Tonic and the brand’s 50th export market. The British company, which sees 70% of sales come from export, is looking to continue its dramatic rise and commitment to bringing consumers the perfect gin and tonic wherever they are in world. Fever-Tree will travel as part of a UKTI delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg across India. As part of the government policy to boost British export and David Cameron’s commitment to increase trade to £1trn by 2020, the trade envoy will hold events in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore from 25th -28th August. Founded in 2005, Charles Rolls and Tim Warrillow identified a need for premium mixers to accompany the fast growing array of superior spirits available on the market and travelled from the Congo to the Ivory Coast in pursuit of the highest quality ingredients. Fever-Tree now has a range of 14 natural mixers and an annual company turnover of £25 million. Tim Warrillow comments: “We are delighted to bring premium quality, full flavoured Indian Tonic Water back to the birthplace of the gin and tonic. In 1820, the Malaria-plagued British Army in India inadvertently created the cocktail by mixing their regular dose of quinine with sugar, water and local fruits and of course their daily ration of gin. We have been championing the gin and tonic boom across Europe over the past years and will now, almost two hundred years later, return an all-natural premium tonic water back to its spiritual home.” Charles Rolls comments: ‘India is now one of the five largest gin markets in the world and will provide us with a long-term platform for growth. Traditionally a whisky market, white spirits have grown in the region in recent years and we hope to capitalise on the popularity of Western drinking habits in bars, restaurants and hotels.” Since its launch, Fever-Tree has collected a vast number of awards, including the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, Exporter of the Year at The Grocer Gold Awards, and the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for London and the South. For the third year, Fever-Tree was earmarked by The Fast Track 100 as the fastest growing non-alcoholic drinks company in the UK and included in the highly respected list. About Fever-Tree Founded in 2005, the company is one of the UK’s fastest growing companies with a turnover of £25 million in 2013. Fever-Tree sources the world’s finest ingredients from natural sources, including quinine from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, ginger from the Ivory Coast, India and Nigeria, and lemons from the slopes of Mount Etna, Sicily. Fever-Tree has a portfolio of 12 mixers which are available to buy in the UK from Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose. Fever-Tree products are served in the most prestigious venues across the world, from Claridges in London to Raffles in Singapore and the Burj Al Arab in Dubai.
Tourism in India is a tale of amazing potential, confusing paradoxes, missed opportunities and massive under utilisation of resources. Compared to rest of the tourist hotspots around the world, India has mind boggling variety of tourist attractions of all types which can attract almost every single type of tourist out there. Ancient archaeological heritage of India which goes back to nearly 4000 years is spread all over India, from Laddakh to Kanyakumari. India is blessed with such awe inspiring ancient monuments at a scale unrivaled by any other country in the world. Forts of Rajput rulers in Rajasthan, artful temples of Bundels, luxurious monuments constructed by Mughals, amazingly beautiful Konkan temples are just a small fraction of this wealth spread across it’s length and breadth. Adventure tourists have some of the best and virtually untouched destinations in Laddakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttranchal, Sikkim, Mizoram and other north-eastern states . Wild life enthusiasts have the option of seeing some of the rarest wildlife not found anywhere else in world in Gir, Jim Corbett and many other national parks. Adventure tourism, specially in north-eastern states has a lot of potential but hasn’t been explored even partially. The north-eastern states states have some of the best places for adventure activities like trekking, mountain climbing, camping and much more. Culinary tourism in India which has the biggest potential is just a small speck. Considering the vast culinary diversity of India, the country should be the top destination for all foodie tourists. So many religions like Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism originated in India and their followers from all over the world wish to visit places important to their faiths. Medical tourism in India due to high quality healthcare at very low prices attracts people from all over the world. Culture and food junkies can’t find any place better than India with it’s diversity in languages, people, food, music, literature and culture which go back thousands of years. To top that, India is one of the cheapest tourist destinations compared to most of western countries. There is no other country in the world which offers so much diversity in such a package. Anyone would think that with so many blessings, India would be the tourist hub of the world. To top it all, India is one of the cheapest destinations in the world for tourists. In 2011, 62 lakh foreigner tourists arrived in India. Tourism sector in India employs nearly 4 crore people and is $ 121 billion dollar industry. Seems impressive, only till compared to 2.5 crore tourists per year Malaysia which has little to offer except beaches and and cheap shopping. Top tourist destination in world is France with 8.2 crore tourists in 2011 and 8.3 crore in 2012. India is not even in top 10 tourist destinations in world or even Asia. It’s actually ranked 38, preceded by countries like Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Egypt and even Tunisia. Just for sake of perspective, go through the following list: ( 1 million = 10 lakh, 100 lakh = 1 crore) Country No. of tourists Turkey 3.5 crore Morocco 92 lakh Tunisia 69 lakh South Africa 80 lakh China 5.8 crore Saudi Arab 1.7 crore Egypt 94 lakh Thailand 1.9 crore Looking at these figures, one can’t help but wonder what is wrong with Indian tourism sector. It’s not that people around the world are unaware of what India has to offer. Established travel forums like TripAdvisor and Lonely Planet are full of foreigners discussing and asking for information related to travel in India. Sections related to India are the ones with maximum number of posters. On Tripadvisor, India section has more than 10000 threads, exceeded only by 15000 threads of Thaliand. A lot people from all over the world wish to visit India but are turned away by numerous factors. Some of such issues are: 1) Complicated visa procedures: Infamous Indian red tape and bureaucracy is a nuisance outside the country too. Unlike other tourist hotspots, India makes it much more difficult and expensive for tourists to get a visa. India offers on arrival visa to only a handful of countries including Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and 4-5 others. In comparison, Malaysia offers on arrival visa to majority of countries except Israel, India, China and some African countries. 2) Bad infrastructure : Even though rapid development is happening, India is still a long way from having a world class tourist infrastructure. 3) Safety : Image of India has taken a severe beating recently due to various factors. Pakistan sponsored terrorism in various parts of India is also a big turn 0ff. 4) Lack Of Promotion Unlike other countries where governments and private organisations, spend large amounts of money and effort to promote tourism in their own countries, Indian efforts in this case have been very limited. Incredible India campaign which was launched with much fanfare a few years back ran out of steam pretty quickly. Above mentioned points are not unique to just India. A lot of countries face similar problems, have very little tourist attractions but still manage to attract many more tourists than India. We need to learn from them and make necessary changes as soon as possible. Some recent high profile projects like Golden Quadrilateral Highway project, Delhi Agra expressway, high speed trains with bio toilets etc are steps in right direction. But a lot more needs to be done. A lot of our customers are solo travelers, men and women of all ages. Some of them spend months or even years traveling inside India without facing any problem. But the recent bad press and selective reporting has messed up image of India badly. In an industry where perception counts for a lot, an effort has to be made to promote the attractions and good points of India rather than just the bad news. Development
This photo series highlights best of street food items from different regions in India. First is Jammu. 1.Kimb a citrus fruit is skinned, juice & seeds squeezed out and then mixed with spices, salt, bit of sugar etc. A sweet, sour and spicy snack commonly prepared in many homes, but rare to find it for sale. 2. Bhijja Kulcha with Rajma (kidney beans). World’s best Rajma are grown in Jammu and this is evident in the number of Rajma dishes available in region. Another popular dish is Raajma Chawal served with mango pickle, chutney and clarified butter on some food shops on NH1 near Banihal. 3.Pattode, made with Colocassia Leaves. These are made in many parts of northern India. But each region has it’s own flavours. 4.Chana Kulcha, a very popular snack food item sold by street food vendors outside schools. Now there are a few other versions of it, like one with soyabean. 5.Kaladi Kulcha . Kaladi is a dense, salted cheese very popular in most parts of Jammu. It may have a bit of fungus on it which gives it a unique flavour. Eaten by heating on a pan with little oil and addition of salt, sauce or spices. It can be eaten with or without the bun. 6.Kachalu chaat. Another very popular street food snack for school children. Made of Taro rootstock and mixed with a wide variety of spices like tamarind, chilli, rock salt, pepper and more. Different places have different flavours. 7. Bhalla. Though this dish is quite common in most of northern India. But residents of Jammu just love these bhallas sold by small vendors in a few bus stands in southern border of Jammu. Served with spicey chutney and radish. Source: Pictures from various sources on net. Please contact for credits.
Haryana is one of the wealthiest states in India with kindhearted people. The occupation of the majority of the people is agriculture and dairy. Predominantly, Haryanvi diet is a vegetarian one and they consume a lot of milk and ghee. Haryana is also referred to as ‘The Land of Rotis”. Alsi ki Pinni is prepared with alsi (flaxseed), whole wheat flour, sugar, ghee, nuts and cardamom powder. This sweet is not only delicious but also very healthy. Alsi is high in fiber, omega 3, iron and potassium among others. Bajra Aloo Roti is prepared with a mix of bajra flour, mashed potatoes, ginger garlic paste, coriander leaves, garam masala. It is served hot with white butter with raita as accompaniments. It tastes heavenly and just melts in the mouth. Hara Dhania Cholia is a mix of green chickpeas and variety of vegetables. It is prepared with onion, tomato, red chili powder, cumin seeds, coriander leaves and turmeric amongst others. It is a rare and unique combination that is popular in Haryana and is eaten with chapatis or paranthas. Meethe Chawal or sweet rice are prepared using basmati rice, ghee, and sugar along with some cardamom and saffron. Basmati rice grown in Haryana is the best. The dish is very famous and is served during Basant Panchami festival.Every individual must try it at least once.
