If you are going on a long trip to India and plan to visit several cities and states, you should not fill your suitcases - you need to limit yourself to the bare necessities. Almost everything you might not have with you can be purchased locally at low prices.
When packing in your suitcase or backpack, remember that most of the year (from February to October) the country is warm, so you may only need warm clothes in mountainous areas (and there they will certainly come in handy). A windbreaker or sweatshirt will be enough. Women in India are better off wearing coverings (covered shoulders and long skirts or trousers), otherwise you may be considered vulgar and get a lot of sideways glances.
The most suitable shoes for traveling in India are sandals that fit your feet tightly. Sneakers are useful for mountainous areas.
Next on the list of what to take with you to India is bedding: a pair of sheets, a towel. In Indian hotels (even mid-level ones) the bed linen is of extremely questionable freshness and cleanliness. For hiking, a blanket for spending the night in the mountains will not be amiss.
Among the things to take with you to India, special mention should be made of a soap dish (for washing hands, fruits and vegetables), toilet paper (Indians do not use toilet paper, so it is mainly found only in hotels), wet antiseptic wipes, from insects.
What medications to take with you to India
First of all, drugs for intestinal and stomach disorders - Immodium, Linex, Smecta, Mezim. Also in the first aid kit should be iodine, a bandage, an antiseptic (miramistin, hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine), a remedy for headaches and heart pain, an anti-inflammatory agent, and hygiene products for women.
What to take your child to India
When traveling with a child, you should stock up on sanitary napkins, which should be with you everywhere. You can also take foods that can be stored without refrigeration: cookies, nuts, candies, dried fruits, corn in cans, since Indian food is too spicy and you can’t find food suitable for a light snack everywhere.
India is a mysterious Asian country. What she hides inside herself is unknown. If you are planning a trip to India, the first thing you need to do is pack a first aid kit for India for your trip. You can take advantage of the individual experience of tourists who have visited this country more than once. In terms of medicine, India is a fairly advanced country, and most of the medicines we are used to are sold in local pharmacies or have Indian analogues, so it is not advisable to take a lot of medicines with you. But if you are very sensitive to your body and are afraid to “stuff” it with unknown drugs, it is better, of course, to play it safe and take a more extensive list of medications. In addition, it may happen that in your desire to explore the mysterious India you will end up in its remote areas. And there are unlikely to be pharmacies on the way often. India is famous for its products for skin and hair; there is highly developed Ayurvedic and homeopathic medicine, the adherents of which use plant-based preparations without the content of animal fats, as well as chemical components, to treat various diseases. The experience of thousands of years of using plants in medicine, of course, can be used. However, skeptics are accustomed to playing it safe in such cases and believing only in their own experience. What medications to take with you to India The first question that most tourists ask before traveling to India is whether they need to be vaccinated. Yes, we should. But not all. And not necessarily. If you are going to visit Goa for just 2 weeks, vaccinations are not necessary at all. And if your plans include excursions to abandoned parts of the country, walks through the forests, then it is better to get vaccinated against Hepatitis, malaria and other diseases, the list of which can be easily found out by calling the Moscow central vaccination point. And for the majority of tourists there is simple advice - maintain hygiene! Wash your hands often, eat only washed vegetables and fruits, do not eat on the street, quench your thirst only with water from plastic bottles, but never from the tap. Treat wounds and scratches promptly with antiseptic preparations, and after swimming in the sea, take a fresh shower. What should the contents of your first aid kit be? Antiseptics. Miramistin, hydrogen peroxide and others. Elastic bandage. Regular bandages are sold everywhere in India. These products should always be taken with you during motorcycle trips. Unfortunately, sooner or later, through your fault or not, you will fall and abrasions will appear on your knee or elbows that will need to be quickly disinfected. And even if you don’t fall off the motorcycle, you will scrape your skin off on thorns or stones. Antipyretic drugs. For example, Aspirin. These medications will help get rid of mild headaches that can occur due to prolonged exposure to the sun. Europeans and Russians in India often suffer from mild migraines. In addition, the climate of India is such that the heat of the day is often replaced by a slight coolness in the evening. This means there is a risk of colds. Activated carbon, Festal and Noshpa. In Indian restaurants, even continental food is prepared so specifically that in the first days it can cause stomach pain and sometimes intestinal disorders. Sun cream and sunscreen. Everyone knows the specifics of their skin themselves. But in the first 3-4 days, it is advisable for even tanned people to protect themselves from the scorching rays of the midday Indian sun. Well, if you have light, pinkish skin, going to India without these products is simply contraindicated! Antihistamines. India is an ever-blooming country. And local exotic fruits, which you are unlikely to miss, can cause allergic reactions. Therefore, take Suprastin, Claritin or Diazolin with you. Medicines for mosquito bites. If you like to spend evenings outdoors or, for example, sleep in a hammock, mosquito repellent cream or spray should definitely be in your first aid kit. Bring feminine hygiene products and contraception with you! Of course, they are here, but you won’t find the usual products from European brands. It is not recommended to change such products, especially on vacation. We also recommend that men bring contraceptives from home. Just in case! You never know what’s out there, in this mysterious India...
This article will help you pack your suitcase before traveling to an Indian fairy tale. So, let's look at everything in order, list of necessary things that you need to take with you to India. It is important to maintain a balance here. Your luggage should be as light as possible (you may need to move frequently if you want to see more places), and it should contain the things you need most, so you don't forget anything.
Documentation
To ensure that your trip is not overshadowed by all sorts of unpleasant adventures, always keep your documents and money in a safe place. A hotel room is not a safe place, as the employee may take your things while cleaning the room. A hotel safe is a safe place.
What documents should I take with me?
- International passport with visa
- Flights
- Money
- Photos 3*4
You may have other documents required by your tour, such as health insurance. It is better to scan all documents and have them, again in a safe place in electronic form. It is better to take money in cash in dollars. Some accept euros; in resort areas you can use a bank card, but there is a fee. Photos may be useful when applying for a SIM card.
Medicines
In fact, pharmaceuticals and medicine are well developed in India, but if you are still worried about your health, stock up on a first aid kit with the necessary medications. These can be antiseptics and drugs for stomach problems. Many items, such as sunscreen (coconut oil), can be purchased locally.
Clothes and shoes
Take only the necessary clothing. If you don't want to head north and into the mountains, then remember that it will be hot. The ideal shoes are open sandals that are easy to take off and put on. Light Indian pants and T-shirts can be purchased at the market, and do not forget to bargain. Don't forget about the glasses, if you have them, free-to-hangrets rupees and the trick is in the bag.
Little things
You can take lighters, a flashlight and candles, as electricity may go out, this is not uncommon. A phrase book will come in handy (although many people in Goa speak Russian), needles and threads, a photo/video camera, and Russian souvenirs.
Having familiarized yourself with this list, now you know exactly what to take with you to India, and if for some reason this does not work out, don’t worry, some of the things can be purchased there or asked from thrifty tourists. Have a nice rest!
The list of things is compiled for people who are traveling around Hindustan for the first time, based on the author’s personal experience for informational purposes.
The list includes things that I personally found very useful in my trips to various regions of India in different seasons, for which a corresponding reservation has been made.
Most of the things and medicines we are used to are either also sold in India or have Indian analogues, so it is not always advisable to take them with you. At the same time, if you are traveling to remote, remote areas of India, you better stock up on what you need before leaving; the choice of goods in local shops is very limited. In addition, if you are not adapted to unsanitary conditions in order to feel protected, you should think about this before your trip.
Documents and the most important
- Ksivnik or napusnik for carrying money and documents under clothes (preferably synthetic, thin and waterproof)
- Passport + 2 photocopies of the first page and visa
- printout of an electronic air ticket in 2 copies.
- Health insurance policy (preferred) with copies
- Denyuzhki cash in large bills (higher exchange rate) + a few small bills. In tourist centers they change travel checks and there are also ATMs.
- Passport size photos are required when purchasing a local SIM card
- Ball pen
Means of protection:
Protection from insects (required if you live near fresh water bodies and at an altitude of less than 2.5 thousand meters)
- Spray Moskitol or Autan, but better is the rarely available spray Gvozdika. Don’t buy the cream; they make an excellent anti-mosquito cream in India, ODOMOS.
- Spray "RAID" - kills everything that moves / if you are a supporter of ahimsa, you can buy anti-mosquito coils, 18 rupees for 10 pieces, 1 coil is enough for the night
- Electric fumicator / in India there is, but there is not always electricity
- Look for the after-bite cream "KOMAREX" - a great thing, it even heals wounds! / there is an Indian analogue of Kailash Jivan cream.
Sunscreens
- Cream (oil, milk) for tanning, decide for yourself depending on your skin type and season, but the sun can be hot. I used Amber Soler No. 15, and I wish you the same.
If you climb into the Himalayas to an altitude of more than 3 km. or you will walk on a glacier or snow - take a cream with maximum protection for the face, otherwise your face will char! - Milk for burns, such as blue Amber Soler or Indian cream Kailash Jivan
- Hygienic lipstick with UV filter
- Moisturizing face cream, although you can also use after-sun cream
- Glasses with UV filter
- Headdress. I prefer a scarf, it is easier to wet it in water, and this is sometimes necessary.
from dirt (asepsis)
- Antiseptic (disinfectant) wipes for cleaning hands and utensils before eating are desirable in large cities in India.
- Medical alcohol (for internal and external) - 2-3 cans of 100 ml. if you are very afraid of gastrointestinal infections, although alcohol in India is not of poor quality, but is cheap.
- Manganese permanganate (crystalline potassium permanganate) - in the solution you can wash fruits and the stomach in case of poisoning too
- To treat the skin of the face and body during travel and transitions, you can take wet cleansing wipes like Hygena.
Toiletries and more
- Antibacterial soap - SafeGuard or similar with maximum protection / In India you can buy DETOL soap or liquid with the same properties.
- Shampoo (preferably in bags) / they are sold in kiosks on the streets for 2 rupees per bag
- Toothpaste and brush / India has excellent toothpastes, ask in pharmacies
- Washcloth
- Comb/hair brush
- A terry towel, if you’re not too lazy to drag it, hotels don’t always have them
- double or 2 small sheets, in Indian hotels the linen is often not fresh, even better is a special cotton or silk cover for a sleeping bag
- A strong synthetic rope for drying clothes; in Indian guesthouses there is often nowhere to dry clothes
- A small piece of laundry soap / powders in India are the same, household. blue soap is better in my opinion
- Toilet paper / sold everywhere
- Some paper napkins or tissues
- Cotton buds
- Deodorant, nail file, razor, and everything else you use... cosmetics, IMHO, are not useful
Household supplies
- A mug for boiling water + a boiler + a spoon - if you like to eat/drink tea at night or don’t like spicy food, and if you are in relatively civilized places
- A penknife, preferably a folding one with a fork and a bottle opener; if you wander into the Himalayas, you may have to eat without them with a spoon washed in cold water
- It is better to have a flashlight with batteries or a self-charging one. Electricity problems are quite common even in tourist places, but star hotels always have their own generators.
- Candles (electricity often goes out) and lighter / available for sale
- Small padlock (for backpack) / available for sale
- Needles, threads, pins + scissors
Healthy foods
- Tea bags + sugar cubes + a little salt, in some places drinking normal tea is a big problem,
- Instant rice porridge (in case of problems with acclimatization or spicy foods)
- Chips and chocolate (for the road)
- Vobla, if you love it, and manage to get it through customs, sprats and other non-perishable things...
- Cigarettes if you smoke
- If you are traveling to the Himalayas and love corpses, take freeze-dried meat, smoked sausage, sprats, etc. with myself. The most beautiful Himalayan state of India, Uttaranchal (Uttarakhand), is vegetarian.
IT IS USEFUL to take with you a thin (3 mm) metallized mat or yoga mat - you can sunbathe on the beach, lie down on it, when rolled up it is comfortable as a seat in temples and in nature, in the cold you can sleep on it.
Clothing and footwear for India
- Sneakers for long walks and travel. For trekking in the Himalayas, special shoes are advisable; in any case, they should not get wet or slip.
- Sturdy sandals with stable non-leather soles
- Underwear, socks (preferably cotton or other hygroscopic material)
- a windbreaker or sweater - it's cold when traveling in air-conditioned trains.
For Indian plains and beaches in spring and autumn
- light trousers and a skirt made of natural material
- if you have semi-nylon “pants that turn into elegant shorts” - take them, they are the most practical clothes for traveling, wash easily, dry quickly.
- a couple of T-shirts or light shirts / available for sale
- swimsuit/swimming trunks and open clothes for the beach
For easy trekking in the Himalayas
- Polyethylene raincoat
- windbreaker with lining or with a sweater. In the Himalayas above 2 km. in summer and early autumn you need to take a trekking jacket, above 3 thousand - already a down jacket and preferably trekking boots or good ankle boots, above 4 thousand and on glaciers without boots it already becomes dangerous.
Readings, photos and more
- The dictionary is better than English-Russian-English, even if you know the language well
- Phrasebook, if your language is bad
- Notebook
- Something good, eternal, that will harmonize you with your environment.
- If the camera is digital, take batteries for it. There is memory in India, as well as all kinds of video cassettes.
It is advisable that all this be put in a small backpack or bag, but don’t bother on purpose... In India there was more of all this than here and much cheaper. It is advisable that your main large backpack is not filled to the brim with all of the above, otherwise where will you put the souvenirs?
You can also take the addresses of your family and friends, because they will be terribly pleased to receive a postcard with a view of the Himalayas or the Taj Mahal :)
Own experience achadidi
Friends going to India for the first time often ask what things to take with them. The country is quite exotic, truly unpredictable. With our three years of experience, we claim to have some experience :))), which is why we set out to compile this important list, which will affect the comfort of travelers throughout the trip.
So, what to put in your backpack so that later it won’t be excruciatingly painful and you won’t experience discomfort while wandering across Indian soil.
Documentation
1. Foreign Passport + its photocopy + scanned copy by e-mail
2. Air tickets in several copies + confirmation letters from ashrams or hotels for accommodation + printouts of train tickets
3. Driver's license (licence) or a high-quality color copy, laminated to match the original
4. Money in cash dollars + bank cards with money on them (minimum 2). Access to the money on the card must be opened specifically for withdrawal or use in India.
5. Passport size photographs of yourself - 2-3 pcs.
6. Ksivnik is a small bag for documents and money that is worn around the neck or on the belt under clothes
7. Contact addresses in India with a visa application form (on the plane you need to fill out migration cards and indicate them there)
8. Two pens with a notepad
9. Guide or printouts from websites + map of India
Medicines and hygiene
1. Medicines:
A. Hydrogen peroxide, iodine (it’s good to pack the bottle, since iodine fumes spoil clothes, books, etc.), cotton wool, bandage, gauze, bactericidal patch, tea tree oil.
B. activated carbon, chloramphenicol, imodium or loperamide, enzymatic and digestive agents (festal or mezim, smecta)
B. antipyretic (aspirin), pain reliever (no-spa)
D. Individual medications
2. Wet wipes and/or bactericidal hand gel
3. Dry wipes (3-4 packs)
4. Soap + shampoo in a small tube
5. Towel
6. Toothbrush, toothpaste
7. Razor
8. Pads + tampons
9. Toilet paper
10.Skin moisturizer
11. High protection sunscreen + sunburn cream. Especially relevant for the South of India: Goa, Kerala and the Himalayas
12.Mosquito repellent
13. Comb + mirror
14. Washing powder
Farm
1. Small padlock (used to close doors in hotels and secure bags under benches on trains)
2. Bicycle lock
3. Flashlight
4. Candle
5. Boiler
6. Mug, spoon, knife, plate (if you have a light travel one, if not, then several plastic plates)
7.Lighter, matches
8. Needles, threads, scissors, nail file
9. Tourist seat
10. Rope
11.Clothes pegs
12.Wide tape
13. Two sheets that you don’t mind rubbing and throwing away at the end of the road
14. Sleeping bag (if the bag is a blanket and not a cocoon, then probably one for two)
15. A small, lightweight backpack for trips around the city
16.Tee
17.Inflatable pillow for sleeping on an airplane
Cloth
1. Two pairs of pants (one for yourself, one for reserve)
2. Long shorts or breeches (for Indian seaside resorts)
3. Cotton long-sleeved shirt + 2-3 T-shirts with closed shoulders + underwear
4. Warm jacket (fleece). If you go north, then a scarf + hat
5. Windbreaker from rain and wind or jacket (for the north)
6. Raincoat or umbrella
6. Cotton socks 2-3 pairs + warm wool socks 1 pair + tights (for the north)
7. Swimming trunks, swimsuit + goggles
8. Sunglasses
9. Panama hat/sun cap.
In India, clothes are inexpensive and can be purchased locally.
Shoes
1. Boots/sneakers and/or sports sandals (depending on the region and time of year)
2. Flip flops (cheapest)
Technology and leisure
1. Camera + charger + flash drives
2. Video camera + charger + flash drives
3. Mobile phone + charger for it
4. Card reader
5. Player + headphones
6. Laptop+charger+flash drives+bag+USB cable
7. English Dictionary/Phrasebook
8. For evening pastime: books/cards/chess/checkers/Tamagotchi/prez ervativa, etc.
Food
1. 0.5 kg of various nuts, raisins, dried fruits.
2. Tea
3. Chocolate
When compiling the list, we also used the experience of other travelers from the site
