The best time to visit the Golden Triangle area is from Oct - March.
WEATHER
Hot tropical weather with variations from region to region. Coolest weather lasts from December to February, with cool, fresh mornings and evenings and dry, sunny days. Really hot weather, when it is dry, dusty and unpleasant, is between March and May. Monsoon rains occur in most regions in summer between June and September.
Western Himalayas: Srinagar is best from March to October; July to August can be unpleasant; cold and damp in winter. Shimla is higher and therefore colder in winter. Places like Gulmarg, Manali and Pahalgam are usually under several feet of snow (December to March) and temperatures in Ladakh can be extremely cold. The road to Leh is open from June to October.
Required clothing: Light- to mediumweights are advised from March to October, with warmer wear for winter. Weather can change rapidly in the mountains and therefore it is important to be suitably equipped. Waterproofing is advisable.
Northern Plains: Extreme climate, warm inland from April to mid-June, falling to almost freezing at night in winter between November and February. Summers are hot with monsoons between June and September.
Required clothing: Lightweights in summer with warmer clothes in winter and on cooler evenings. Waterproofing is essential during monsoons.
Central India: Madhya Pradesh State escapes the very worst of the hot season, but monsoons are heavy between July and September. Temperatures fall at night in winter.
Required clothing: Lightweights are worn most of the year with warmer clothes during evenings, particularly in winter. Waterproofed clothing is advised during monsoon rains.
Western India: November to February is most comfortable, although evenings can be fairly cold. Summers can be extremely hot with monsoon rainfall between mid June and mid September.
Required clothing: Lightweights are worn most of the year with warmer clothes for cooler winters, and waterproofing is essential during the monsoon.
Southwest: The most pleasant weather is from November to March. Monsoon rains between late April and July. Summer temperatures not as high as Northern India although humidity is extreme. Cooling breezes on coast. Inland, Mysore and Bijapur have pleasant climates with relatively low rainfall.
Required clothing: Lightweights. Waterproofing is necessary during the monsoon. Warmer clothes are worn in the winter, particularly in the hills.
Southeast: Tamil Nadu experiences a northeast monsoon between October and December and temperatures and humidity are high all year. Hills can be cold in winter.
Required clothing: Lightweights. Waterproofing is necessary during the monsoon. Warmer clothes are worn in the winter, particularly in the hills.
Northeast: March to June and September to November are the driest and most pleasant periods. The rest of the year has extremely heavy monsoon rainfall and it is recommended that the area is avoided.
Required clothing: Lightweights. Waterproofing is advisable throughout the year and essential in monsoons, usually from mid June to mid October. Warmer clothes are useful for cooler evenings.
Travellers can catch international flights at Mumbai (Bombay), Delhi, Calcutta and Chennai (Madras).
Departure tax on flights to Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal is about US$3 whilst to other countries, it is US$10.
Indian Airlines, India's major domestic airline has an extensive network. Air India, the country's international airlines also operates domestically on the Mumbai (Bombay)-Delhi, Mumbai-Calcutta, Delhi-Calcutta and Mumbai-Chennai (Madras) routes
Monetary unit is the Rupee (Rs). Credit cards are widely accepted. Travelers are not permitted to bring Indian currency in and out of the country. US dollars, pounds, Thomas Cook and American Express travelers checks are widely accepted in major cities.
GMT/UTC plus five hours 30 minutes
Religion
Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other groups including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi 2.5% (2000)
Language
The official languages of India are Hindi, English and Urdu.
The Indian Constitution (Article 343) declares Hindi to be the official language of the Union. Hindi is also the mother tongue of about 20% of the Indian population in the area known as the 'Hindi-belt' or the 'cow-belt' of northern India. This includes the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand/Uttaranchal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh and Rajasthan. Haryana and Himachal Pradesh also have Hindi as their official language. Like the other languages of the north, Hindi is of Indo-Aryan origin. But in south India, it's quite a different scene altogether. The Dravidian languages bear little resemblance to their Indic or Indo-Aryan counterparts.
English enjoys a special status and remains the additional official language of India. It is the authoritative legislative and judicial language. In fact, one could say that English is the official language of India for all practical purposes.
Apart from the more widely spoken English and Hindi, there are the various regional languages. Each state has its own language which is generally its official language. The 8th schedule of the Constitution of India lists 22 such regional languages.
The international code for India is 91
Although India does require any health certificate, proper immunizations are essential. Malaria, especially in monsoon areas is widespread. Consult your physician for treatment if you are spending any length of time in such areas. It is common for travelers to experience short-term intestinal trouble (often referred to as Delhi-belly). Tap water is unsafe.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: U.S. citizens require a valid passport and valid Indian visa to enter and exit India for any purpose. Visitors, including those on official U.S. government business, must obtain visas at an Indian Embassy or Consulate abroad prior to entering the country, as there are no provisions for visas upon arrival. Those arriving without a valid passport and valid visa are subject to immediate deportation. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India are unable to assist when U.S. citizens arrive without proper documentation. Each visitor should carry photocopies of the bio-data page of the traveler's U.S. passport and the page containing the Indian visa in order to facilitate obtaining an exit visa from the Indian government in the event of theft or loss of the passport. Replacing a lost visa in order to exit the country takes up to three business days.
Curries are created from the subtle and delicate blending of spices such as turmeric, cardamom, ginger, coriander, nutmeg and poppy seed although these vary from region to region. Vegetable dishes are more common than in Europe, particularly in southern India.
Things to know: Bottled water is essential for visitors but make sure the bottles are properly sealed. Most restaurants serve alcohol with meals and most Western-style hotels have licensed bars. Various states impose prohibition and in some big cities certain days are observed as dry days when the sale of liquor is not permitted. Tourists may check with the nearest local tourist office for the prohibition laws/rules prevailing in any given state.
National specialties:
National drinks:
Plugs: 230V/50Hz, Indian/European plugs
http://www.festivalsinindia.net/festival-calender.html
10 to 15% is usual in restaurants.
It is a local courtesy to tip your driver, guide, and porter when on tour. Drivers are a great source of information, and if you tell them in advance what you want to see they will do their best to find it. We recommend about $10 per person per day - as always you should tip based on your satisfaction with service. USD cash is an important currency and is the preferred method for tipping. Be sure to bring lots of small bills for porters and to make change. Driver tips are normally presented to the driver/guide on the final day of driving. Though the sum may seem like a lot after a long tour, in the local culture of extended families, your $50-100 will go a long way to caring for the elders and educating the driver's kids, nephews, nices, and even distant relatives. Rewarding a hard working local employee is the most effective possible investment in the culture and economy.