Travel Guide to Budget Backpacking in India

Backpacking in India in 2014 is different from what it was a few years ago. However, it can be as cheap as $8/day, or you can splurge up to $30 depending on the convenience. Jon and I initially set a $25/day or 1500 INR budget as a couple (meaning $12.5/person), then we withdraw our money weekly so we have a $175/ week budget, with which we might decide to splurge at the beginning then become complete cheapskates by the end of the week… Or when we flash-pack and book a 3-star hotel then we will decide to have our breakfast buffet to last for lunch, so we only have to pay for our evening meal. Also, we’re not a museum and temple kind of traveler; we can check it out if it’s free or maybe pay for it if it’s something like the Taj Mahal in Agra or the Forts in Jaipur.  It’s all up to you. The exchange rate in India is $1: 60 Rupees and £1: 100 Rupees.

[box]Other articles you can read:

• 5 Best Beaches in India that You Need to Visit [With Tips on What To Do]
• How to Apply For India EVisa for Filipinos
• 7 Things You Have To Consider When Planning Your Trip To India This Year
• 10 Incredible Trips You Should do When You Visit India with The Indian Nomads
• List of the Best Luxury Hotels in India

[/box]

Different Accommodations in India

In India, there are different levels of accommodation depending on your budget; dorm-style hostels are not as common as in South East Asia, but you can still find some in Goa, Mumbai, Jaipur, and even Varanasi which will cost you $5 to $8 per person. But if you’re traveling as a couple or a group of two or three friends it’s worth booking a private room in a hostel or guesthouse for $10 to $20 per room – AC or Non AC depending on the city. If you want to flash-pack with a little more convenience with a buffet breakfast, WIFI, and if you’re lucky a swimming pool, then expect to pay a minimum of $25.

Check out some of the cool and cheap tours you could do in Goa and Mumbai.

Related Article: Best Backpackers Hostels in India

If you’re traveling on your own, we’d suggest you choose the hostels where other solo backpackers stay.  As a couple, we prefer to book a nicer guesthouse or a hotel with nice amenities and a strategic location. If you’re with a group of friends then just stay anywhere you want but better if you book it in advance – hostels tend to be more spread out than in SE Asia!

You can also couch surf, volunteer, and work in hostels in exchange for a free bed. Also, only in India, you can afford to book a 5-star hotel for as little as $90/ night for a deluxe room with a buffet breakfast. It’s good to sometimes splurge for a 5-star just to relax and recharge yourselves especially if you can’t-do it in your country as it’s too expensive.

We are traveling India almost entirely via trains, not just because it’s super cheap, but because it’s a much more authentic experience than flying.  Also, we’re impressed with the Indian railway system, despite some long delays which happen in every country.  Since we usually travel via overnight sleeper train, we save a night per trip on accommodation costs.

There are four kinds of sleeper coaches on the trains which are ideal for foreign tourists: the 1st class, 2ndclass, 3rd class and the non-ac sleeper which we prefer. To save a lot of money, I highly suggest you register yourselves with IRCTC so you can book your tickets in advance and save money from the travel agent’s fee. When you book online, you’ll pay as little as $4 for an 8-hour journey for the non-ac to $10 with 3rd class AC. If you want to experience the real India and enjoy the scenery, we suggest you just book the non-AC sleeper train or the 3-tier AC.

Also, from the train stations, you better off look for the Prepaid Taxi or Rickshaw booth stand wherein they have a fixed rate to book your transport from the train station to your pre-booked accommodation or the tourist street where you can find a place to stay. So to stop the hawkers or scammers, tell them that you’re looking for the Prepaid booth stand and they will all leave you alone.

Before arriving in India, a lot of people warned us about “Delhi Belly.”  So far we never experienced that despite eating street food and the food on trains but you must always be careful. In the north, you can have a budget meal for less than $1.  Jon and I used to buy three dishes and share them with us; we have a budget of $5 per meal together or maybe more if we saved on the transportation and accommodation budget. Also, you can easily buy bottled water everywhere, and it should only cost 15 to 25 INR (about 50 cents)!

Sometimes when Jon and I are making a long-distance train trip, we buy bread, jam or butter, some chips or chocolates and just put them in our “goodie bag.” Yes, we have a goodie bag, which is useful if you’re having a break from India.  Plus when we go to a restaurant or coffee shop we can sneak in our bottled water and some snacks if outside food is not allowed, but we badly needed to use their Wi-Fi for a day! (LOL) But don’t worry during train rides as there are a lot of food vendors passing by and some of the AC express trains have food included!

This all depends on your preference, for example in Agra as a foreign tourist you have to pay 750 INR or $ 12.5 for a one-day valid ticket to the Taj Mahal, entrance to the Agra Fort, and some other tourist areas.  Also in Jaipur, when you go to the Amer Fort you can purchase a combo ticket of $6 or 350 INR which includes several other famous forts/museums.  If you have a student ID card, then you only paying 250 INR (almost $2 savings!)

However, if you plan to see these tourist things, also consider the price of the taxi or rickshaw for your sightseeing which is usually quite pricey, we had to pay $25 for 8-hour sightseeing just for the 4-seater taxi, but luckily we were sharing with two other people.

I can’t give you an estimated price as we’re long-term travelers and shopping is not ideal for us, but if you prefer to go shopping, then there’s the famous flea market in Anjuna, Goa. In Mumbai, there’s the Kolawa Causeway which is famous for tourists but if you want to buy cheaper prices where the local Indians shop then head for Crawford Market. If you plan to buy silk, then Varanasi is the best place to be.  There are plenty of marble shops in Agra, but like any tourist hot spot, you’re likely to get cheap tourist stuff and high tourist prices!

Tourist visa cost depends on where you’re from, the length of stay, and the number of entries you want. We planned to travel for a few months, so Jon and I had multiple entry visas for 6 months which we were able to get from the Indian Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam. As a Philippines passport holder, I only paid $80 while Jon, who has a British Passport, paid around $135. There are countries, like the Philippines, that can avail of a 30-day Visa-on-arrival from the airport and just pay $60, this is ideal if you plan to stay in India for less than a month but take note that you can only avail of VOA twice every year.

Note: If you are looking to work in India, then you will need to apply for a PAN card, you can do so by visiting pan-card.org.in.

Another tip before you book that flight, India is a massive country so if you’ll do a week or 2-weeks backpacking then you’re better off flying in and flying out at different airports unless you’re willing to fly domestically. For example, you’ll start a 2-week trip in the North and have a round trip ticket flying in and out of Kolkata (Calcutta) but if you are planning to also visit Agra and New Delhi, then you might waste 2 days by just traveling by train.

India is a nice country that should be on your travel bucket list. As a woman, yes it has safe but you must also take precautions. I highly suggest you travel with at least a friend to save money on your budget, for safety, and have more fun!

Next article, 3 different routes for backpacking around 3 to 4 cities in India for 1 week.  Great if you only have limited time and don’t mind a jam-packed schedule! But ideally, backpacking in India requires at least 1 month to see and feel Incredible India!

Are you on Pinterest? Pin these!