This blog post is in collaboration with The Dragon Trip, however all thoughts and opinions are solely my own. This blog is based on my experience in joining one of their tours, the 13 Day North India Tour.

Three weeks ago I embarked on the adventure of a lifetime with The Dragon Trip, an adventure-tour company operating budget backpacking tours in 9 different countries. In the 13 days on the tour I traveled through 8 cities in Northern India with 22 strangers-turned-family, and can hardly believe all the things I experienced. Sleeping under the stars in the Thar Desert, setting off fireworks for Diwali in the middle of the street, learning to cook a traditional Indian feast in Jodhpur… all of it seems like something out of my wildest dreams. India was beautiful, mesmerizing, fascinating, shocking, and crazy all wrapped up into one, and i’m already aching to return.

In this blog post i’m going to give you the inside scoop on the pros and cons of group travel, details on accommodation, transport, food, and costs, along with practical travel advice for India.

First things first, here is a link to the exact tour I did: The 13 Day North India Tour

Why choose group travel?

India’s been a place high on my bucket list for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t somewhere I felt confident enough to travel to on my own. When the opportunity came up to jump on a tour with The Dragon Trip, I couldn’t think of a better way to explore the country than with a fellow group of adventure-loving travelers. There are definitely ups and downs when it comes to pre-organized trips, but in my personal opinion, the pro’s hugely outweigh any cons.

Pros:

You don’t have to worry about the planning & costs. The accommodation, transportation, activities, costs, and most meals are all figured out for you, so you have way less things to worry about before & during your trip. While i’m typically a planner and a hugely independent person, I can’t even begin to describe how amazing it was to not be the one in charge of planning. I didn’t have to worry about how to get from point A to point B, and that mental freedom was HUGE for me. It meant I could focus on actually enjoying my time in India and experiencing it to the fullest, rather than stressing over the little things.
You’ll make lifelong friends. The friends, man, the friends. Where to begin? Firstly, the friends you make on a group tour are not like regular friends.. they’re more like an instant family. It becomes way easier to connect with people, because you already know you have something in common - a love for travel!. That means there’s never a lull in the conversations, and yeah maybe your bucket list will become way longer than it was prior to the trip, but that’s never a bad thing, eh?
You will gain new perspectives and learn about many different cultures. We had people from 6 different countries on the tour. That meant we learned so much about not only India’s culture, but each other’s too. It also meant we got to experience the occasional hilarious language barrier (“you need to shart??? oooooh, you mean shOWer”), which always left the whole group in tears laughing over.
There’s safety in numbers. Traveling solo as a female can seem daunting in certain countries, but being surrounded by a group of people definitely helps put your mind at ease. You know that when you’re out walking around in the streets, there are other people typically keeping an eye on you, and you doing the same for them. And even on the free days where you have the option to choose what you want to do, with a big group you’re pretty much guaranteed to find someone who wants to see or do the same things as you, so you’ll never have to be alone!

Cons:

A lack of sleep. You do have to sacrifice some beauty sleep, but honestly, who needs that? I’d choose seeing the Taj Mahal at sunrise over getting to sleep a couple extra hours ANYDAY.
You’re on a set schedule. That means you have a maximum of 1-2 hours at each place, so it can feel a bit rushed at times.
Limited privacy. If you like your personal space, then you can always request to book a private room, but otherwise you’ll be sleeping in a hostel dorm room with the other group members.

Accommodation

Since the tour is very much a backpacker-focused trip, the accommodation was split between hostels, overnight trains, and 1 night camping in the desert. Personally, I felt like the hostels only got better and better as the trip went on. Many of the hostels we stayed in were “Zostels”, which is a very reputable accommodation option in India and had a super chill vibe to.

As with all accommodation options, there were pro’s and con’s to each hostel, but overall they felt very safe, had great chill-out spots, and the rooms were comfortable which is all you really need. The Zostel in Udaipur also had the BEST food and cheapest prices of anywhere I ate during the trip (180 rupees for paneer butter masala!), soooo yeah, hostels rock.

That said, you shouldn’t expect certain luxuries when staying in hostels as a backpacker - especially hostels in India. Don’t expect the wifi to be the strongest, and there’s a very good chance your showers will all be cold, but that’s a small price to pay for a safe, inexpensive place to stay!

Transportation:

Trains, planes, and automobiles. Literally. Transportation is one of those things that make me want to rip my freaking hair out when I plan my own trips. I get confused, I don’t know when to negotiate, and I get stressed. Dom likes to call me “Stressica” in those situations, because I turn into an anxious mess. BUT, good news is, The Dragon Trip took the planning right out of my hands, which made Stressica oh-so happy.

All the transportation was pre-organized for us, so getting from A to B was pretty easy (except for those pesky cancelled trains… oh, India!). We had 3 overnight trains between cities, a couple buses, 1 airplane, a handful of rickshaws, and occasionally our own two feet to get us from place to place.

Overnight Trains:

Since the trip is geared towards budget backpackers, they help keep the costs low by making the most of sleeper trains between cities. If you’ve never been on a sleeper train before, it can feel pretty hectic and at times overwhelming, but if you keep a positive mindset, it’s a crazy fun adventure. You have your own bunk on the train, and they provide a pillow and sheets for you.

Here are my best tips for actually ENJOYING an overnight train:

Bring a couple sarongs/scarves. They double as sheets, pillowcases, curtains, covers for your valuables, eyepatches, etc.
It gets COLD. Make sure to have a sweater handy, because they crank the AC on those trains.
Keep your valuables on your bed with you. I kept my smaller backpack and camera bag by my head, because you can never be too careful. There are people coming on and off the trains constantly, so if you want to sleep, you gotta also be smart. Passports, laptop, camera stuff, phones, and money should all stay near you. The rest can stay in your big backpack beneath your bed.
Consider a sleeping pill. I felt a bit like a black market pharmacist during those train rides, handing out my sleeping pills to the rest of the group. But, if it helps you get a peaceful 8 hour snooze on the train, it’s worth it.
Don’t breathe in the bathrooms. Seriously, this is a big one. Hold yo breath!!! There are usually both sqautty potties and western toilets on the train, but neither are very lovely. Flip flops are NOT recommended.
Bring earplugs. There are men walking up and down the aisles selling breakfast, snacks, and Chai, so if you don’t want to be woken up to the constant drone of “CHAAAAIIIIIIII, CHAAAAIIIIIIII”, then use some earplugs.
Actually try the Chai though. It’s good. No, it’s amazing, and it costs 10 rupees (15 cents-ish).
Maybe don’t trust the food. I would bring your own snacks to be safe. You really don’t want to get sick and have to spend the whole train ride in those toilets…..
Remember that Indian schedules can be slow. There will be delays, and cancellations, and just general slowness, so it can take a bit longer than anticipated to get places. Don’t let that frustrate you. It’s all part of the journey.

Food:

There were a few meals included in the itinerary, but for the most part, we paid for our own meals on the tour. I personally like tours like this, because I enjoy choosing my own food and trying new dishes (and also the added perk of being able to pick cheap options!).

The great thing about India is that mostly all menus have both vegetarian and non-veg sections. Because a substantial portion of the population in India are vegetatian, you’ll find that the veggie meal options are endless, not to mention delicious. If you’re a big meat-eater, don’t expect to find much beef, as killing cows is actually illegal in India.

Most menu items average around 300 rupees per meal, however, it can be more or less depending on the luxuriousness (or lack of) of the restaurant you’re at. If you want a meal + rice + naan bread + a drink, you’re looking at roughly 500 rupees (just over $6), so not too shabby at all for food coma-worthy food.

My personal favourites that you MUST try are:

Paneer Butter Masala
Dal Tadka,
Tikka Masala
Spinach Pakora
+ you have to get the homemade naan bread with all your meals. Don’t skimp on that!!

Costs

All in all, the 13 Day North India tour costs $789 - or $710 with my discount code (backpackwithme/TDT19) - which is pretty amazing considering it includes all accommodation, transportation, tour guides, and some activities & meals.

There are some extra activities that you have the option to partake in (hot air balloon ride anyone?), but those are paid out of your own pocket, so totally optional!

You can view & book the 13 Day North India Tour here, and view all other tour destinations here. And if you use the code above, you’ll get 10% off any trip.

Packing for a two week trip:

Backpack: the most essential item of them all. I have an Osprey Farpoint 55L (40L with a detachable 15L backpack), and it’s the perfect size for a few weeks around India. The Farpoint is geared towards men, and the Fairview is for women, so keep that in mind if purchasing. I did not…. whoops LOL!
Good walking shoes: you do NOT want to walk around the city streets in flip flops, nor have to use a squatty potty without having your feet totally covered… trust me on that one!
Quick dry towel: a microfiber towel will be a lifesaver when staying in hostels. They also double as a pillow if needed on a night train, so double win.
Scarves: You don’t really have to pack them because they sell scarves for $1 at any market/store in India, but they are great for everything. Covering up your shoulders, blankets on the night train, hair covers for temples, wiping sweat… literally so many uses.
Medicine & Wellness: immodium, motion sickness pills, hand sanitizer, & earplugs are my own personal essentials.
Culturally appropriate clothes: I packed quite a few long skirts & dresses that cover the knees, t-shirts, loose-fitting pants (bring a few pairs), scarves & sarongs, 1 sweater for the overnight train, and 1 sleeveless top for the desert.

Pre-Departure Tips:

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is something that some people don’t always see the necessity in getting, but if you’re a seasoned traveler, then you likely know first hand just how vital it is to take out. No matter how careful of a traveler you are, minor mishaps will happen to you, and they have the power to ruin your whole trip if you’re not prepared.

Travel insurance protects you from situations like these, and helps to alleviate the costs and stress that may arise. My go-to insurance provider is World Nomads, because they offer the best coverage i’ve seen, and they also allow you to take out insurance while you’re already traveling (which is great for digital nomads or last minute planners!).

Visa

If you’re planning a visit to India, you will most likely need to get an e-visa. This is something you must do BEFORE your trip, as you won’t be able to get a visa on arrival. As an Australian citizen, I was able to get a 12 month multi-entry tourist visa, which means I can visit India as many times as I like, as long as each trip doesn’t exceed 90 days. Pretty darn great if you ask me! It took 48 hours to get once I submitted my application and paid the $100 fee, so it would be wise to apply for your own visa a week before your trip.

Practical Travel Tips:

Bring toilet paper with you, everywhere. Most public bathrooms in India won’t have toilet paper handy, so save yourself the stress and just carry it around with you.
Don’t drink the tap water. You may see locals drinking it, but their stomach’s can handle it, and yours likely can’t. Always go for bottled water unless you want to spend the next week bent over the toilet.
Be wary of street food. Same goes for cheap food. If it’s not cooked fresh, then you may end up with a case of the good old Delhi Belly, and that’s a sure fire way to ruin any trip!
SIM cards are pretty easy to get, despite what you may have been told. My Airtel SIM cost 500 rupees ($6), and gave me a daily usage of 1.5GB. It also gave me crazy good coverage - even out in the middle of the desert! Some helpful apps to use while in India: Maps.me (works offline too!), Google Translate, Hostelworld, Currency App, Uber.
Be aware of pickpockets. Don’t keep anything in your back pockets, and if you’re walking around with valuables in your backpack, wear it on your chest. Yeah, you may look like a dum dum, but you won’t get your sh*t stolen.
Know that personal space isn’t the same as it is in the Western World. You will get stared at, and people will get all up in your grill. Don’t let it get to you.
Consider vegetarianism during your trip. Opting for vegetarian meals is often a lot safer than eating meat-based meals, and they’re all freaking fantastic, so just a thought! I loved the veggie food so much that after returning from India I decided to cut out meat completely and only eat vegetarian from now on.
There are a lot of scams & beggars. I know it’s sad, but a lot of the beggars you see (including the women with babies, those with severe disabilities, and even the kids tugging at your heartstrings) are part of organized “gangs”, where the money you give them will go to a ringleader.
Don’t expect things to be on time. You should expect train delays or cancellations, food orders to take quite a while, and pretty much everything in between to have a delay of some type. It’s just a way of life, and being able to accept that will save you lots of frustration.
Look out for re-sealed water bottles. Some people will re-fill empty water bottles with tap water, and then try to sell them to unsuspecting tourists. Double check the seal to make sure it’s actually mineral water, or else you may find yourself getting sick.

If you’re interested in my full 13 day India itinerary, check out my blog post here. And if you have any other helpful tips for India, I would love it if you could share them below in the comments!

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The Dragon Trip India Review: Accommodation, Transport, Costs, & Travel Tips