{"id":32907,"date":"2019-02-18T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2019-02-17T21:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures?p=32907&preview=true&preview_id=32907"},"modified":"2024-09-18T16:17:22","modified_gmt":"2024-09-18T06:17:22","slug":"india-nepal-travel-advice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/india-nepal-travel-advice\/","title":{"rendered":"The warning nobody gives you when travelling to India and Nepal"},"content":{"rendered":"

When I told people I was travelling to India<\/a> and Nepal<\/a> by myself, I was met with a lot of hazardous looks and subsequent \u201cdon\u2019ts\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t eat the street food, don\u2019t take public transport, don\u2019t take taxis, don\u2019t wander the streets, don\u2019t draw attention to yourself, don\u2019t make eye contact with people \u2013 it went on.<\/p>\n

\"TheGranted, some stemmed from religious and cultural norms, which should absolutely be respected when visiting any destination. But most of the wide-eyed warnings came from people who\u2019d never actually ventured to either country themselves.<\/p>\n

Most of them came from fear.<\/p>\n

EXPLORE OUR RANGE OF SMALL GROUP ADVENTURES IN INDIA NOW<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"ACall it a millennial clich\u00e9, but travel has always been a non-negotiable in my life. The compelling quest for \u2018experiences over things\u2019 has shaped my consumer behaviour, career path, countries of residence, relationships, perception of people and identity, really.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been privileged enough to familiarise myself with a lot of unfamiliar places, the best made memorable by relationships forged along the way.<\/p>\n

But none quite like India and Nepal.<\/p>\n

\"AIn the two weeks I spent exploring villages, street markets, national parks and iconic monuments on Intrepid Travel\u2019s Real Delhi to Kathmandu<\/a> for 18 to 35s,<\/a> I realised there are a few things those hazardous \u201cdon\u2019ts\u201d fail to warn about.<\/p>\n

They don\u2019t warn that you might not be ready to leave when the trip finishes. That after your local leader<\/a> takes you to the best secret spots, daal from your favourite Indian restaurant back home will never taste as good. That hearing the chaotic orchestra of car\u2019s horns as they weave around free-roaming cows from the back of a rickshaw will make you forget your Spotify playlists. That you\u2019ll be so preoccupied by the contrast of frenzied cities to tranquil rural regions, maintaining your Instagram will feel like a chore.<\/p>\n

RELATED: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OVERNIGHT TRAINS IN INDIA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"GirlYou should be warned that by travelling in a small group, you\u2019ll make connections – with locals, fellow travellers, and the destinations themselves – which expand your mind in a way you can\u2019t quite prepare for. That your leader\u2019s insider knowledge of the places you visit will make you feel more like a local than a tourist. That the generosity, kindness and contentment of people who have so little will make you question the way we do things in Western culture.<\/p>\n

\"Holy<\/p>\n

RELATED: EMBRACE THE UNEXPECTED: WHAT MY TRIP TO INDIA TAUGHT ME ABOUT LIFE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

In the two weeks I spent sipping chai and testing my spice tolerance in India and Nepal, I did<\/em> eat the street food – multiple times. From a local market in Delhi, thirteen different kinds, at the recommendation of my local Urban Adventures<\/a> guide Shrishti (standouts were Pao Bhaji, Paneer Shawarma and Rasmalai – in case you\u2019re interested). From an unassuming street vendor in Jaipur known by our Intrepid Travel leader Ajay, freshly blended Lassi, uncorrupted by artificial flavours. From the stall of a rickshaw driver we befriended during a free afternoon in Agra, the best masala tea I would have, with the perfect cinnamon to ginger ratio. From a hole-in-the-wall stall in Kathmandu, momos that would put all future dumplings to shame.<\/p>\n

\"PeopleIn the two weeks I spent replacing headphones with conversation, I did <\/em>take local transport – in many forms. A dusty, air-con free bus from Jaipur to Agra, which arrived at the depot almost an hour late but was far more comfortable than its decrepit exterior had us anticipating. An intense but memorable overnight train ride<\/a> from Agra to Varanasi, on which I realised how bad my poker face is during Uno. A canoe across a riverbed to enter Chitwan National Park, where we took a private jeep in search of Rhinos and Bengal Tigers. Rickshaws of varying sizes, speeds and sturdiness, in pretty much every place we went.<\/p>\n

SUBSCRIBE TO INTREPID\u2019S NEWSLETTER FOR TRAVEL TIPS, COMPETITIONS, GIVEAWAYS & MORE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"AIn the two weeks I spent avoiding maps and maxing out my camera\u2019s memory card, I did <\/em>wander the streets – and make eye contact with plenty of people, accompanied by new friends from Germany, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia. We were invited into the homes of proud residents in a remote 16th-century village in Rajasthan. We got lost in narrow alleyways on a free day in Varanasi, only to discover the refreshing power of icy cold nanas (a mint-lemon drink, local to the area). We stumbled upon a rooftop overlooking the Taj Mahal at sunset, surrounded by the chorus of call to prayer.<\/p>\n

CHECK OUT OUR FULL RANGE OF ADVENTURES FOR 18 TO 35s HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"AWhen people tell me they\u2019re considering going to India or Nepal, my only warning is this: don\u2019t let fear-driven perceptions discourage you from a destination before you have experienced it for yourself.<\/p>\n

Do keep in mind that \u201cdon\u2019ts\u201d can be subjective.<\/p>\n

\"TwoDo expect these places to get under your skin, and leave you wanting more.<\/p>\n

Most importantly, do know that you\u2019ll encounter people who will alter your perspective, and make you question the hazardous \u201cdon\u2019ts\u201d from now on.<\/p>\n

Don’t let fear hold you back. Check out India<\/a> – and beyond – on a small group adventure with Intrepid now<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Most of the wide-eyed warnings came from people who\u2019d never actually ventured to India themselves; most of them came from fear.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15945,"featured_media":32928,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[455,286],"tags":[2181,180,1712,6,4,3127],"class_list":["post-32907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature","category-stories","tag-18-to-29s","tag-asia","tag-female-travel","tag-india","tag-nepal","tag-southern-asia","ipf_theme-18-to-29s","ipf_region-india","ipf_region-nepal"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe India Travel Advice You Need To Read | Intrepid Travel Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Most of the wide-eyed warnings came from people who\u2019d never actually ventured to India themselves; 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