India Photo Tour: Kumbh Mela – how to prepare

Passport

A passport valid for a minimum of six months from the date of entry to India is required to participate in the expedition.

Visa

• A tourist visa is required for travellers from most countries to enter India. Check out the regulations on the official website of the Bureau of Immigration of Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (section: Countries/Nationalities who are eligible to avail eVisa).
• A tourist visa to India is issued online (e-Tourist Visa) via the abovementioned website.
• When filling out the e-Tourist Visa online form, you may follow these essential, step-by-step instructions or this detailed video tutorial on YouTube.
• You can apply for the e-Tourist Visa no earlier than 30 days and no later than 4 days before arrival in India (I strongly recommend applying at least 2 weeks before departure in case of any potential problems that may arise during this process).
• The cost of the 30-day e-Tourist Visa is currently USD 25 depending on the country of origin. Please check this official document for the detailed information.
• Once you have been granted a visa, donwload the confirmation available on the official website (section: Check your Visa Status) and print it out.
• The confirmation should contain your personal details, photo, barcode and QR code; please check out the following example:

Before departure, please check your country’s embassy contact details and keep them easily accessible during the whole trip.

For each participant, we provide high-end health insurance.

• Here are the insurance amounts:
  • medical insurance – EUR 150,000,
  • rescue insurance – EUR 150,000,
  • accident insurance – EUR 7,000,
  • luggage insurance – EUR 500,
  • civil liability insurance – EUR 75,000.
• Additionally, the insurance covers medical and quarantine costs associated with COVID-19 and provides rebooking of the return flight if return on the purchased flight is not possible.

In order to avoid losing the money paid for the trip in the event of illness, accident or other unforeseen accidents, I recommend taking out cancellation insurance.

• No mandatory vaccinations are required to enter India.
• However, let me encourage you to consider inoculation against the following diseases (vaccination process should be started at least one month before departure):
  • typhoid,
  • tetanus,
  • diphtheria,
  • hepatitis A,
  • hepatitis B.
• For the detailed information on travel vaccinations, please contact a travel medicine physician.

• There is no restriction on the amount of money carried. Cash equal to or exceeding USD 10,000 must be reported. However, it is recommended to report even lower amounts.
• Up to USD 2,500 can be exported without prior declaration of entry without a permit.
• The following can be carried duty-free: personal items, gifts worth up to USD 100 per person, 200 cigarettes and 1 litre of strong alcohol (electronic cigarettes cannot be brought into India).
• The carriage of arms and ammunition is strictly prohibited. It is not permitted to transport gold and silver except for items of personal use.
• The following are not allowed to be exported from India: antiques (items over 100 years old), ivory products, animal skins (especially reptiles), turtle shells.

• In India, the currency is the Indian rupee (100 INR is approximately EUR 1.1 or USD 1.2).
• Take EUR or USD to exchange for rupees. Notes must be in good condition. Please also be informed that notes of less than EUR 50 and USD 50 may have a worse exchange rate).
• Only currently issued dollar banknotes are accepted (hundred-dollar notes with a blue stripe) – please check it at your exchange office. In the photo below, the correct hundred-dollar note is at the bottom (while at the top is the old, unaccepted note).

• Payment terminals are rare and ATMs do not always support foreign cards (please don’t expect many card payments and cash withdrawals opportunities).

• Most hotels have Wi-Fi, although sometimes it does not work, is of poor quality or only covers a small area near reception.
• You can get an eSIM card before departure. I use Airalo mobile services provider. The basic package suitable for the length of our trip is 2 GB for 15 days at a price of USD 8 (there are also larger packages or top-ups). When registering, you can use this referral code: JAN7940 to get a USD 3 bonus (here is the link for the registration with a discount).
• You can also buy a traditional SIM card at the airport – look for the Airtel office (white logo on a red background). However, obtaining a card this way is time-consuming, requires paperwork (scanning your passport) and, in addition, if you arrive late or early, the Airtel shop may be closed. So if your phone allows eSIM, it’s worth taking advantage of it.

In India, power plugs and sockets (outlets) of type C, type D and type M are used (please check the graphics below). An adapter or a power strip is likely to be useful as there may be only one socket in your room.

Clothing and footwear

Loose-fitting clothing is the most suitable in the Indian climate, not only for cultural reasons, but primarily for the sake of your comfort. During the trip (although not on each location) there will be an opportunity to have your clothes laundred. You may also take a bit of washing liquid or powder or a soap, as well as clothesline if you prefer washing them on your own. Thanks to this you won’t have to take a number of pairs of underwear or shirts compared to the number of days of our trip.

Starting from the feet, we suggest to take:

• comfortable sneakers or lightweight hiking shoes (no route difficulties are expected, as we will be moving mainly in cities, however, covered shoes may be preferable to sandals for hygienic reasons – ubiquitous waste on Indian streets etc.),
• sandals/flip-flops,
• shower flip-flops,
• a few pairs of socks (you need to take off your footwear when visiting the temples; consider also packing some regular, long socks – not only no-show ones – as we will be travelling by a night train, in which the air conditioning is likely to make you feel really cold),
• 2 pairs of long, loose trousers and shorts,
• underwear (number as preferred 😊),
• a few T-shirts (5-6),
• loose long-sleeved shirt (it is not essential, but it can protect your skin from the Sun better than the most expensive sunscreen),
• headwear (provides protection from the Sun; for women, I recommend a headscarf which protects also from dust),
• sunglasses,
• optionally: consider taking warm pyjamas, a blouse and a light jacket or rain cape (see the weather section below).

Electronics

Before you focus on the items mentioned in this section, it is important to remind you that electronics (such as batteries, power banks, photographic equipment, computers, etc.) may only be carried in hand luggage! Take with you:

• camera and lenses (it’s a photo tour, so this point couldn’t be missed; most needed will be a standard zoom – approx. 24-70 mm for full frame, 16-50 mm for APSC, alternatively prime lenses – 24, 35, 50 mm; additionally consider taking a telephoto lens – 70-200 mm, 70-300 mm, etc. and a wide-angle lens – 15-30 mm for full frame, 10-20 mm for APSC; I also recommend to secure each lens with a UV filter),
• memory cards (be prepared to take 5,000 or even more 😊 photos – RAW files; it is worth having more than one card with you as the memory space may get full unexpectedly – it would be a pity, when it happens during the most photogenic moments of Kumbh Mela festival),
• camera charger and batteries,
• camera lens cleaning kit: cleaning brush, microfiber cloth, air bladder etc. (the ubiquitous dust and frequent changes of lenses do not help to keep the optical system clean; it is therefore a good idea to have cleaning accessories with you),
• mobile phone (nowadays smartphones are equipped with good-quality cameras and often have several lenses including a telephoto lens and a wide-angle lens; in addition, they have advanced software similar to the ones used by the most renown camera manufacturers, so if you don’t have professional photographic equipment, you can also take great photos with your phone; some participants of my trips travel with phones only and they take brilliant shots!),
• phone charger,
• power banks (they can always be useful, especially on long journeys or when photographing with your phone for several hours; it is worth remembering that there are some restrictions applying to their carriage on planes; the most general rules refer to a maximum of 2 devices per person with a total capacity up to 40,000 mAh – maximum 20,000 mAh per device; however, please doublecheck the limits in the regulations of the airline on which you will be travelling),
• adapter or power strip (there may be only one socket in your room),
• optionally: laptop/tablet as a files storage or for selecting and displaying photos to discuss them together 😊,
• moreover, let me encourage you to install an offline map of the visited area on your phone (I recommend Maps.ME).

Medications

It is advised to carry the most necessary medicines (especially those taken on a permanent basis) in your hand luggage in case your checked baggage is lost or delayed. Please also revise the rules on carrying liquids in hand luggage (up to 10 bottles of 100 ml each per person). Here is the list of recommended medications:

• medications taken on a regular basis,
• antidiarrhoeal medicine (let me recommend to combine loperamide hydrochloride with diosmectite; however, it is only a suggestion; please equip yourself with medicines that you found helpful in case of stomach problems before),
• probiotic (it will allow you to adopt the Indian bacterial flora 😊; it is advisable to start the treatment at least a week before departure and then continue throughout the trip),
• painkiller,
• anti-inflammatory drug,
• sore throat medicine (the ubiquitous air conditioning may cause sore throat),
• common cold drug,
• hand sanitizer and/or antibacterial tissues,
• hydrogen peroxide gel,
• sticking plasters,
• earplugs (there might not be any quiet hours at night in India),
• sunscreen,
• exotic mosquito repellent,
• optionally: short-course antibiotic against travellers’ diarrhea,
• optionally: a few medical masks (a specific smoke rises above the funeral pyres in Varanasi, which can affect the airways).

Other equipment

• small backpack, bag or waist bag for everyday sightseeing,
• undercover hidden pocket (to carry documents and cash safely),
• water filter bottles (please check the section: sanitary conditions),
• quick-dry towel,
• travel sheet (it may be useful, especially when travelling on the overnight sleeper train; the train lines provide bedding, but its condition may not satisfy everyone; moreover, air conditioning is likely to make you appreciate an extra layer to cover),
• inflatable travel pillow,
• a few rubbish bags and plastic carrier bags,
• clothesline,
• a bit of washing liquid or powder or a soap,
• safety pins – helpful in repairing damaged clothing, shoes or backpack,
• toilet paper (while it may appear in hotel rooms, don’t expect it in restaurants, especially the local ones),
• pen.

India is a safe country, the people are friendly and helpful. But – as everywhere – you should follow some safety rules.

• Carry documents and cash in an undercover hidden pocket.
• Be very careful of the traffic and ubiquitous cars and rickshaws. Moreover, the traffic is left-handed.
• Streets are overcrowded, so it’s easy to get lost. When moving from one point to another, let’s stick together.
• Women may face curious stares of the local people (it is advised to cover legs and arms, especially when visiting temples, meeting sadhus and during festivals).

Indian sanitary conditions differ from the European standards. It is worth to follow some particular hygiene rules like frequent hand washing and disinfection (especially before meals). It is advisable to drink only boiled or bottled water and to avoid beverages with ice (as it may be simply frozen tap water). As an alternative to bottled water, I may also recommend filter bottles.

Do not eat fruit and vegetables without washing them first. I also recommend to sip any suspicious food with cola or strong alcohol.

• Our trip takes place during the dry season, which lasts from October to March and, for most regions, is the most comfortable time to visit. Temperatures are moderate and rainfall is rare. Rare doesn’t mean never, so consider packing a thin jacket or rain cape.
• Nights and mornings can be quite chilly, so consider warmer pyjamas or even a light sleeping bag, as the buildings are not heated. In the evenings a jacket, blouse, long trousers and even a beanie may become your best friends. During the day sandals may be the most convenient choice from the point of view of temperature, but covered shoes should be better for evenings.
• You can find a climate chart for Varanasi below. The weather in other visited places will be similar.

• If you wish to check the actual weather in India, please visit this weather service or the official website of India Meteorologal Department.

No matter what I write here, what you see on TV or what you read, India will surprise and overwhelm you. The amount of stimulus that will attack your senses will be enormous. Noise (seriously, take earplugs!), crowds, rubbish, smells from public toilets and decaying rubbish, beggars and homeless people… You have to get used to it in order to experience the real India I would like to show you.

The traffic is another shocking factor. Constant horns, traffic jams, forcing the right of way – these are Indian’s routes daily basis. This is why we go everywhere by train. It is the safest means of transport and much faster than a bus. However, trains are notoriously late and we may have to wait at the station for an hour or two. The standard of the train is also different from that in Europe. Train journeys (especially if there are delays) can be lengthy. You may bring some board games. It is also a good idea to have a book to read or a film to watch.

I book trusted hotels where you can rest comfortably, but also bear in mind that the standard of Indian accomodation base differs from European. Some inconveniences such as lack of hot water or power cuts may also occur (once you see the Indian electrical systems, you will no longer be surprised).

In India, you may face problems with the availability of some essential products. There are no typical markets. Instead, you will find small shops where you can buy water, cola and biscuits. But finding toilet paper or sanitary pads can be a bit problematic.

As you can see, travelling in India is a big challenge. The worst thing to do is to try to fit everything into our European framework – it will only cause frustration. Let’s recognize all this stuff as a part of the adventure. After all, we are going to experience a completely different country. Challenging, but at the same time fascinating.

The Kumbh Mela festival will be the essence of Indian curiosities. Celebrated once every 12 years, the Kumbh Mela is an event for which thousands of photographers from all over the world have been waiting for more than a decade! To ensure that it remains in your memory as a unique experience, it is worth preparing for what may await us.

First of all, it is important to remember that foreign travellers, especially white-skinned, are extremely interesting for Indian people. Thus, we may be the target of greeting and asking for selfies. It may be annoying to us, especially if it happens with such intensity, but please remember that they don’t aim to bother us. They just want to share their joy.

On the other hand, when it gets crowded, your intimate areas may be affected by unwanted touching. Surprisingly, it is not only women who suffer this!

Here are some tips on how to survive the Kumbh Mela festival:

• Wear clothes that you may throw away without any regret (they can easily get dirty and damaged in the crowd).
• Let me have a special clothing recommendation for women – cover your shoulders and legs as well as wear a headscarf so that local people may not easily recognise you as a foreigner.
• If anyone behaves inappropriately, react loudly – the subject of harassment is on everyone’s lips in India, so the harasser is likely to get ashamed and run away.