Sightseeing

There are travel desks in many mid- budget hotels that can plan your itinerary and arrange transport for you. This is the most convenient way of doing it by making use of the hotel’s facilities. But they usually quote more (sometimes as much as 10 – 20 %) than the ones located outside. Many are open to bargaining, and if you’re aware of prices, your hotel’s travel desk will be willing to negotiate with you.

If there is a state government tourism center that offers city tours, this should be your first choice. Most of the offices are centrally located in the city and if some dont offer city tours, they could arrange it for you. You could also end up paying less. Stick to the regular itinerary as it covers everything you need to see. Say 'no' to optional extras.   

Click the link below for State Tourism offices across India:

State Tourism Offices in India

Air conditioned tourist coaches are available at all tourist destinations and are comfortable and reasonably priced. These are better and safer than renting a private car as you will find yourself in the company of other tourists like you.

All tour operators cover important places in every city. Make all sightseeing arrangements on the day you arrive and explore the city by walking to nearby places in the vicinity just to get a feel of the place.

You should be done with your sightseeing by the end of the second day. In some cases, you may need an additional day to visit nearby places of historical interest. Besides stopping for meals, your coach may also park for shopping. Never shop during your trip as these are usually pre arranged and don’t quite work in your favor. Make a note of whatever you like and buy it elsewhere.

Always make it a point to note down the license plate number on your coach. It will make it easier for you to locate it later. Also take the driver’s cell phone number so you can contact him, in case you can’t spot your coach.

Use the day after sightseeing to go back (if nearby) to a place you've seen, if holds enough interest for you to explore further. You may also shop at leisure and explore the city on your own.

A minimum of 2 nights /3 days is recommended for most places. In smaller cities with lesser attractions you may reduce that to one night. If you plan short trips to nearby places, you may need to add to that.

Your luggage/ back pack, if any should be safe inside the bus as most of them are locked after you alight but you may carry them with you if you wish. For security reasons, you may not be allowed to carry your backpacks/ luggage inside monuments. But there are adequate arrangements to keep them safe. For a small fee.

Many travel agents in the west offer an evening of "cooking and dining with an Indian family at their house" for an exorbitant fee. Dont fall for such gimmicks. Indian cooking is not something you can learn in a couple of hours and as far as dining with an Indian family is concerned, you can walk into a restaurant and dine with many Indian families at no extra cost.