Wondering about your first Solo trip to India? It does not get easier than this!
Taj Mahal, Agra, India
Questions addressed in this blog:
- Is India safe for solo female travelers?
- Can you travel India alone?
- How can I plan a solo trip to Taj Mahal in India?
- How do female tourists dress up in India?
- Can female tourists wear shorts & short dresses in India?
- Which destinations to cover if I am going to India for the first time?
What comes to your mind when you think about India? Taj Mahal, spicy street food, loads of people, yoga, Ayurveda & possibly safety of women. Through this blog we will help you to plan your girls trip in India without compromising on your safety & security.
Is India safe for solo female travelers?
The answer is both yes & no, sounds tricky? It isn’t. Safety is subjective term and if you are in a wrong place at the wrong time be it India or anywhere in the world you can be unsafe. We would like assure you that if you take some basic precautions you will be able to avoid any unwanted & uncomfortable situations. Things you need to follow to be safe while travelling solo in India:
1) Avoid being alone or out on the streets in the late hours.
2) Drink responsibly; do not get drunk out of your senses.
3) Take a local Sim card / International roaming & ensure that you have an active internet connection.
4) Always have the address of the hotel / hostel handy, which should be in a public well lit place.
5) There is never a steal deal, do not blindly trust anything too good or too bad. Hoax emergency situations are sadly very frequent.
6) Prefer Uber / Ola while commuting in India for booking decently priced cabs, all day rental taxis, auto rickshaws and even Motorcycle Taxis.
Can you travel India alone?
Yes, India is a beautiful country to travel alone. Just ensure that you take the above precautions and you will be safe. There are some uncertainties everywhere but being sensible is the key to travel alone as a solo female anywhere not just India.
How can I plan a solo trip to Taj Mahal in India?
Taj Mahal is often called the symbol of love built in white marble by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife “Mumtaz Mahal”. Taj Mahal is situated in Agra, Uttar Pradesh which is roughly 250 Kilometres from Delhi. You can choose from various modes of transports which are available like taxi / flight / train & even buses. There are loads of accommodation options available too for all budgets starting from hostels till the royal luxury 5 star hotels like The Oberoi Amarvilas.
How do female tourists dress up in India?
India is predominantly a country where you are better off wearing loose fitting clothes which cover your thighs, mid riff and this shall see you through for most of the places except religious places. You are better off without sleeveless tops or shorts in religious places like temples, mosques & churches.
Can female tourists wear shorts & short dresses in India?
While more & more Indian girls and women are forward with their dressing sense we would recommend a combination of a comfortable tee with denims or long dress which should not be too tight. While you are at your hotel you can wear almost anything that you wish.
Which destinations to cover if I am going to India for the first time?
India is huge country and there are so many places with different experiences that it is very difficult to actually choose a handful. So there are popular destinations like Agra, Rishikesh, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Goa, Kerala and then there are the offbeat ones like Meghalaya, Sikkim, Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttaranchal which are indeed very beautiful. We recommend a mix & match where you cover the popular touristy destinations and a couple of offbeat destinations too. Here is a tentative itinerary that team Wander Womaniya recommends for girls travelling solo in India in the winter months (October – March) which is the best time to visit South East Asia.
- Day 1: Arrive at Delhi International Airport
- Day 2: Local Sightseeing in Delhi (Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Jama Masjid, Old Delhi food walk)
- Day 3: Delhi to Agra (Visit Sheroes café for lunch, which is run by acid attack survivors)
- Day 4: Visit Taj Mahal in the early morning to avoid crowds and leave for Jaipur.
- Day 5: Jaipur sightseeing (Amer fort, Jal Mahal, Nahargarh Fort)
- Day 6: We recommend that you explore offbeat locations from 6th day onwards. Do not miss the Pangong lake in Ladakh.
Pangong Tso or Pangong Lake is an endorheic lake in the Himalayas situated at a height of about 4,350 m. It is 134 km long and extends from India to the Tibetan Autonomous Region, China. Approximately 60% of the length of the lake lies within the Tibetan Autonomous Region.
Pangong Tso, Ladakh, India
