Language
Although English is generally used for official and business purposes, Hindi is the official language and is spoken by about 30 percent of the population. There are 18 other languages also spoken.

Airports
· During your tour, you may be using several airports. A few of them are relatively basic and awaiting or under-going development and we will ask you to be prepared for any such inconvenience.

· Should your itinerary include international flights to Nepal, you will have to complete Customs and Immigration formalities on departure and, again should you re-enter India. The reporting time for international flights is 03hrs prior to flight departure time.

· Airport departure tax only applies at Varanasi while your departure for Kathmandu. This has now been included in your airfare.

· For Domestic flights there are only check-in and security formalities. At certain airports you may be asked to identify your baggage before boarding the aircraft - this is a security requirement. The reporting time at the airport for domestic flights is 01hr prior to flight departure time.

· Some airports have electronic scanners but these are not film safe. Please request the security officer to have your camera and film carried around the X-ray machine.

· You're checked baggage would also be x-rayed on all domestic and outgoing international flights. Smoking is no longer permitted on any of Indian Airlines flights.

PHOTOGRAPHY/VCR
· Such equipment may now be used at most monuments provide-ed you are not filming for commercial purposes. However, specific areas of some monuments may be off limits for photography. Restriction may also apply on the use of tripods and flashguns.

· Please note that photography is strictly prohibited inside and outside all airports, railway stations and certain government buildings. Please do not photograph defense and police personnel in uniform. Our staff, representatives and guides will be on hand to direct you in case of any doubts.

Safety
· The vast majority of visits to India are trouble-free, however in light of the dispute with Pakistan most governments advise against travel to the Jammu and Kashmir regions, all but essential air travel to Srinagar, and anywhere near the border with Pakistan, with the exception of Ladakh via Manali or by air to Leh, as well as to Jaisalmer and Amritsar. Manipur and Tripura should also be avoided and travel to Imphal (by air) is not recommended. There has been an increase in the severity of terrorist attacks in the east and northeast of the country with a spate of bomb attacks, and visitors should keep up to date with the situation. Violent extremist groups are active in Bihar, Jharkland, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Orissa where attacks and violent crime has caused fatalities.

Visitors should be aware that there are tensions between the Muslim and Hindu populations, and there is a risk of terrorism throughout India, and they should remain particularly vigilant in public places, on public transport and at tourist sites, especially around Mumbai and Delhi. Crime is an issue at major tourist spots and visitors are advised to keep an eye of their valuables and, in particular, passports. Be aware of confidence tricksters, often involving fake jewellery, particularly in Agra and Jaipur, and never accept food from strangers, particularly on trains as travellers have been drugged and robbed .

CURRENCY
· Virtually all hotels we use exchange foreign currency and may be the best place for you to exchange money. Rates here are quite similar to those prevalent at banks. For your information, a better rate may be available on traveller's cheque. Hotels obtain up-to-date exchange rates from banks on a daily basis. Please exchange money through authorized channels only. When exchanging money into Indian Rupees, an encash-ment certificate is provided. Please ensure that you keep this document in order to reconvert unused Indian Rupees at the end of your holiday.

· Any payments for the extra services at the hotels will have to be paid for in foreign exchange. Pay in foreign currency or by credit card or traveller's cheques. Where hotels do not have exchange facilities, please pay in Indian Rupees with a copy of an encashment certificate.

· While exchanging money or collecting change, take care to ensure that local currency notes you obtain are not partly torn, soiled or damaged. It may be virtually impossible to make any transaction with such currency notes or even re-exchange them.

· The import and export of Indian Rupees is strictly prohibited.

HOTELS
We do all possible to ensure the best available accommodation in places you are visiting during your holiday. However, standards do vary from city to city. Check here for our hotel site

DRINKS AND MEALS
· Most hotels ensure and maintain the strictest norms of hygiene. The flask water in your room is treated and filtered. However, if you are not adaptable to a change of water, we suggest you use sealed, bottled mineral water. Many of the hotels you will be using offer a choice of cuisine within their restaurants. We suggest you do not eat any uncooked vegetables or fruit that cannot be peeled.

· All beverage bills will be on your own account unless specified otherwise. Imported wines, sprits and liquor can be very expensive and we will ask you to ascertain such costs from the hotel wine list before confirming your order.

Health

· There are a number of health risks associated with travel to India, including malaria and dengue fever, and travellers should take medical advice on vaccinations at least three weeks before departure. Those travelling from an infected area should hold a yellow fever certificate. Food poisoning is a major risk in India; all water and ice should be regarded as contaminated and visitors should drink only bottled water and ensure that the seal on the bottle is intact.

· Meat and fish should be regarded as suspect in all but the best restaurants and should always be well cooked and served hot. Salads and unpeeled fruit should be avoided. Health facilities are adequate in the larger cities but limited in rural areas. Travelers are advised to take out medical insurance. Bird flu was first discovered in domestic poultry in February 2006, but no human infections have been reported. The risk for travelers is low, but as a precaution close contact with wild, domestic and caged birds should be avoided, and all poultry and egg dishes should be well cooked

TOUR PROGRAM
· Domestic flight/train schedules are subject to change without notice and should such an instance occur during your journey, we will endeavor to maintain your planned touring schedule. We also monitor your day to day activities and make efforts to preempt any potential problems that may arise.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
Please ensure safe custody of your internal flight and train tickets. No refunds are possible against lost tickets.

POVERTY
· Signs of poverty in certain cities may move you. We will request you not to offer alms. There are sever-al charitable organizations that are involved in help-ing the poor and destitute. You may offer help to these institutions if you wish to.

Tipping

· Taxi drivers do not expect to be tipped, however all other services expect small tips, including porters, guides, hotel staff, and waiters in small establishments. In tourist restaurants or hotels a 10% service charge is often added to bills. Baksheesh is common in India, it is more a bribe than a tip and will ensure better service; it is given before rather than after the service.

SHOPPING
· While India offers a stupendous variety of items for the shopper, we do not assume any responsibility for defective or substandard merchandise, or delay or damages when your purchases are shipped. Please also keep in mind any import regulations that may apply in your home country. We also do not bear any responsibility for customs duty levied on receipt of the consignment at the port of disembarkation or port of shipment. Export of most wildlife and their products is either banned or strictly regulated. Export of the few permissible items even as passengers' personal luggage is allowed only under an export permit. It is thus advised to be cautious when buying animal products. Insists on getting a certificate for the legitimate sale of a particular animal product and permission for its export to avoid inconvenience on departure. More……

LOCAL TRAVEL
· Taxis and auto-rickshaws in cities do not all have meters, but where they do insist on the meter being flagged in your presence. If the driver refuses to co-operate, seek the assistance of a policeman. Always use a pre-paid taxi while traveling from airport to city. In addition, the above fares change from time to time and so will not always conform to readings on the meters. To avoid confusion, insist on seeing the latest fare chart and pay accordingly more ..

ELECTRICITY
Voltage in most places is 220 volts AC, 50 cycles, although some areas also have DC supplies.

PHOTOGRAPHY
· Travelers to India find ample themes with varied subjects for photography from faces to monuments, wildlife, festivities, scenic beauty, etc. However, formalities in respect to protected monuments and the wildlife sanctuaries are:

· Special permission of the Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi, is required for use of tripod and artificial light.

· Photography in the wildlife sanctuaries is allowed on payment of a prescribed fee. Photography is prohibited in tribal areas.

TIME ZONE
GMT + 5 1/2 hours.

MONEY
· India's currency is the Rupee, abbreviated as RS. One Rupee is equal to 100 Paise. Coins are in denominations of 50 paise, l, 2 & 5 Rupees. Notes are in denominations of RS 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000.

CUSTOM REGULATIONS
· All personal objects, which are required in India, are free from duty. Under this heading fall personal jewellery, presents up to a value of RS. 600, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars and 0.95 l alcoholic beverages. Professional material and articles that have a high value can only be imported duty free if the traveller gives a written undertaking that these articles will be re-exported.

· For further details, please see the official government of India site at www.indiagov.org

TRAVEL TAX
· Passengers embarking on journey to any place outside India from a customs airport / seaport will have to pay an Foreign Travel Tax of Rs.500/- and on journeys to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives of Rs.150/-.

· An Inland Air Travel Tax is livable at 10 per cent of the basic fare, on all passengers embarking on an inland air journey. However, those passengers paying their airfares in foreign exchange will be exempted from payment of this tax. In addition, infants, cancer patients, blind persons and invalids (those on stretchers) are also exempted from payment of this tax after fulfilling certain conditions, stipulated in the relevant notifications.