Frequently Asked Questions

Quote TBC and will vary depending on the accommodation (luxury, deluxe or budget) and wether you choose our Escorted, Chaperoned, or Solo travel style. All prices are in AUD.

Upon recieving your quote, we are happy to make adjustments with you to either adjust the number of tour days, the activities, different accommodations, the number of people who are joining you, or the type of guiding you would like. Naturally the more travellers joining you will reduce the per person rate significantly. 

Prices shown on our website tours are indictative of solo travel in deluxe/budget accommodation. Naturally the more travellers joining you will reduce the per person rate significantly. 

After agreeing on your quote we will send you an invoice with a breakdown of the payment plan. To confirm booking we require a 10% deposit. Until we recieve payment of deposit, the dates you have requested remain available to other travellers, so we suggest payment at your earliest convenience, or 5 months prior to travel, whichever is earlier. Final balance is due 45 days before tour start date. If final payment is not recieved we may need to cancel your trip. Please disucss any issues with us.

We also accommodate payment plans. If this would suit you, please discuss at time of booking. It is our pleasure to assist you in any way we can to make the process seemless.

If the trip is cancelled after final payement is made, and after 45 days before trip start, we will refund all monies paid minus the below %.

Up to 45 Days: Deposit

44-22 Days: 25%

21-8 Days: 50%

7-1 Day: 75%

Departure Day/ No Show: 100%

Our intention is always to operate with kindness. The reason for us holding the deposit is not to ‘pay’ ourselves for our time, but to reimburse our drivers and partners in India who will have turned down other work for your desired trip dates.

Meals or travel as not listed in the daily itinerary, over and above hotel expenses and services such as calls, laundry, snacks, extra excursions not listed in the itinerary, airport transfers in your home counrty, insurance, medical expenses*, visas**, international/domestic flights, or customary tipping.

**If travelling from Australia, we’re happy to arrange your Visas. Simply discuss with us when booking.

***If travelling from Australia, we are happy to arrange flights through our Independent Travel Agent. Simply discuss at booking. If you require escorting on international flights, we will need to arrange all flights. Please discuss your needs at time of booking.

Upon booking we require you to share with us your Travel Insurance information so that we can support you on tour if needed. Please bring a copy with you and ensure your emergency contact at home can access them too. India is an unpredictable land, and in some areas the standard of medical care will look much different to what you are used to at home. Please ensure you have a high level of insurance that includes emergency repatriation so that you can enjoy your trip knowing you are well protected. If you need help sourcing insuarance, please discuss with us at booking. 

Whilst luxury and 5 star accommodations are mostly as you would expect across the world, other accommodations can be different in India. A 4 star Deluxe hotel in India is quite different to that in the West. Please be aware that when requesting ‘budget’ accommodations or homestays, the facilities will vary from place to place, and depending on the geographical area of your trip, luxury accommodations may not be available. Please also be aware that plumbing and electricity supplies can be erratic at times. All of this simply adds to the adventure of India if you love immersive travel.

Visas are necessary for entry to India. If traveling from Australia, TW Travel are happy to arrange these on your behalf. We’ll check in with you on booking. If travelling from NZ, UK or US, we suggest booking your flights and visas through a local independent travel agent. If you need a hand, just reach out and we can advise.

Although many areas of India are developing quickly, it still lacks the standards of infrastructure and facilities you may be accustomed to. For example uneven roads and footpath conditions are common. We want you to have an amazing and safe trip, so we simply ask that you take extra care when out and about, and not to expect the same safety signage as you may be used to. Good sturdy shoes are reccommended.

Roads can at times become very congested and unprecedented delays are not uncommon. All part of the organised chaos that is India, and if embraced, simply become an extra adventure. Rest assured that cosequential changes to your itinerary will be foremost in our mind and agreed with you.

Unfortunately the local water is not safe so you are unable to refill a reusable water bottle. We will provide you with a fresh bottle daily, along with bananas and biscuits. If you travel with a portable filtering water bottle that you trust, there are plenty of opportunities to refill.

The food in India is a highlight of every trip. If you have any dietary requirements, please share them with us and rest assured we will be able to easily accommodate them. That said, we do reccommend that during the first couple of days on any tour that we eat ‘western’ style food as you adjust to the cuisine, and suggest all food consumed is cooked and/or washed in filtered water.

Toilet amenities are not as regularly available as you may be used to. At times there will only be ‘squat’ toilets available which are most common in India. At other times, depending on our location, the amenities will be much more natural, literally, and find us using our natural surrounds when travelling by car. Either way, you will always be safe, private and accompanied. We do recommend carrying some spare paper in your day pack as even if a western toilet is available, paper often is not. The plumbing system is less reliable than at home and in most places you wil be requested to pop your paper in the supplied waste basket rather than in the toilet.

All of our tours can be customised to suit most levels of fitness and mobility. Simply discuss any concerns at the time of booking. In general we will have days of walking to see sites interspersed with times in the car and rest stops.

Many places of interest such as palaces, forts and temples require some climbing of steps. Many of these sites were built well before the thought to accommodate for differing abilities, built for defence, or as is custom, most auspicious to be elevated.

Solo and small groups of 3 will be by road in a clean and safe Toyota Innova with air conditioning, driven by a safe driver with differing proficiency in English. All airport transfers in India are included.

All of our Tamba Drivers are fully vaccinated and cars will be cleaned each morning before starting our trip. Hand sanitiser and wipes are available in the car and whenever comfortable we have windows down for ventilation. Further to this the team have Rapid Antigen Tests available should symptoms occur.

In these uncertain times we suggest wearing a face mask whenever social distancing cannot be maintained, eating in uncrowded restaurants, and regular sanitising/washing of hands.

At the moment, the most regular of everyday events can be thrown out with the incursion of Covid-19. This may include border closures, density limits, closure of public events, quarantine requirements, testing requirements, and TW Travel Team illness. Thankfully travelling with TW Travel means that changes to plans can be more easily acommodated than when travelling with large groups, although we do advise that that changes are a real possibility in our new ‘Covid Normal’ world and travellers will need to remain open to amendments along the way should issues be encountered. What you can be assured of is that your saftey, comfort and satisfaction are paramount to us and we will work with you for the best possible outcome. We also recommend that when booking flights and travel insurance that the level of support in relation to Pandemic support is more than adequate.

The temperature in India varies from region to region, from month to month. In general they have Winter (January-February), Summer (March-May), Monsoon (June-September), and Post Monsoon (October-December). During October to March in Jaipur the temperature can range from 18C overnight to 34C during the day (with heat increasing in March).

Ethics are not an afterthought in our business, they are at the core of why we exist. You will notice that we do not include alot of animal tourism or orphanage visits in our itineraries. Unless we are contributing to animal welfare, we don’t book such experiences. We also do not visit or volunteer with orphanges. Although intentions are well meaning, this type of tourism incidentally often supports an industry that separates families and exploits children. Instead, we include experiences that support living wages for families, which in turn keep them togther, or initiatives that support ongoing upskilling and education. Infact this is the sole reason for the existence of our Tamba WIldflower store. To support traditional artisans with a living wage, and to contribute 5% of sales to our Tamba Girls Scholarship. Just by booking a tour with TW Travel, you will be contributing too.

When travelling through India it is a true feast on the eyes and every which way you look is a beautiful photo opportunity whereby to remember your experience. We do request though that you use the same courtesy with people as you would at home when taking photos of them or children. Most people are happy to have photos taken, others are not. Simply make a connection, ask the question, and always seek parents permission before photographing children.

The begging in India can be terribly confronting, and whilst we will never instruct you to not give, please be aware that by giving money to those begging, you are often perpetuatiing the problem.

Our drivers and guides are part of the TW Family, and as such, we request that they are always treated with kindness and respect. As you will learn, most Indian poeple, especially in the Tourism Industry, truly live by the Ancient Indian belief that, “Guest is God”. We like to reciprocate this loving kindness. The comfort of our team is as important to us as our travellers. Whilst most drivers are left to sleep in cars or undesirable lodgings, we book the accommodation of our drivers at the same time as yours. Whilst they may be down the road rather than in luxury accommodations, you will at some times find them down the hall. We also ensure that their, and your, safety is paramount by taking regular rest breaks and we don’t roster them for several long days in a row.

We advise that you check your country’s travel advisory site (in Australia this can be found at https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/india) before booking and departing for India, and feel free to contact us to discusss concerns.

We recommend seeking the advice of your GP or Travel Dr upon booking your trip. They will be best placed to suggest vaccination regimes and travel health advice. As with all travel, we recommend you have enough medication (if required) with you and a copy of prescriptions should we need to refill them en route.

Access to ATM’s and Eftpos facilities can be limited depending on the area of travel. We recommend ensuring that you have adequate cash exchanged and available before leaving major cities.

Tipping is customary in India and offered upon parting with anyone who has given you a service. From eating out, acccommodation hands, drivers, etc. Your Australian escort/guide is paid accordingly and should not be tipped. All activities and entrance fees are included in your booking, however it is customary to tip local guides at the end of their service. Tipping is tricky if you are unaccustomed, and is at your discretion, but this guide may help. All tips are paid in Rupees.

Multi Day Drivers: 800-1200 per Day

Day Trip Guides: 800-1100 per Day

Hotel Team: 100 per Person per Night

Bellboys/Housekeeping: 50-250 per Service

Salons: 10% of Bill

Restaurant Team: 10-15% of Bill

Whilst you will notice the changing fashions from the Youth in big cities, many of the activities and villages we visit will require modest clothing. For all people this will include pants or skirts well below the knee and a top that covers the shoulders and/or upper arms. We also suggest women carry a light scarf with them for visiting religious sites.

Removal of shoes when entering homes and religious sites is required. These will be left at the entrances and bare feet worn.

Further to this we advise that when visiting Jain Temples you are not allowed to carry in or wear any items of leather.

In general, light, loose fitting clothes are best, with an extra warmer layer available for the occasional cool evenings/mornings. Oh, and some hotels offer swimming pools, so don’t forget your bathing suit.

One of the things that makes India such an amazing country to visit is the vast extremes and endless possibilities. An outcome of this is the unpredictability of travel plans. Between changing weather, religious events, festivals, limited infrastructure and different values towards time and commitment, the most well planned day can become slightly upturned. To be honest, this simply adds to the experience and quite often become some of the best memories made. With that in mind, if unpredictability would cause your trip to be unenjoyable, we might recommend visting with us at another time in your life, or even sticking to a short 5-7 day basic tour of the Golden Triangle whereby the less activity in your itinerary leads to less hiccups. But, if you’re willing to embrace the harmonious choas that is day to day life in India, we can guarantee the trip of a lifetime.