12 Best Travel Tips for Visiting India with Your Kids

India offers an unparalleled diversity of cultures, traditions and landscapes. Where at one side, you get an opportunity to soak yourself in the rich history and cultural heritage of India, on the other side, you also get ample opportunities to explore its natural wonders ranging from lofty mountains to serene beaches to its rich wildlife. An exposure to such a pronounced diversification cannot only be an eye-opening and memorable experiences of lifetime for your children, but can also impart a great deal of knowledge to them.

By keeping in mind, few tips listed below, you can easily navigate through India with your kids:

Get Your Child Vaccinated Before the Trip

The first and foremost tip is to get your child vaccinated of diseases like chicken pox, Hepatitis, Tetanus and Typhoid.

Beware of Drinking Tap Water

Drinking tap water is India is quite unsafe. Make sure during your travel, you or your children never drink the tap water or even the regular water served in restaurants. Always get a bottled water and ensure that the seal is not broken.

Take Care of Food

Most of the food you will get in India, will have a hint of spice. There are many international chains of restaurants such as Mc Donalds and Subway where you can get less spicy food but, if you want to enjoy Indian delicacies, you can always request the restaurant staff to keep the food less spicy. Before entering a restaurant, ensure that it looks clean and tidy with a good turnaround of customers. Also, make sure you do not indulge in having street food; even if it’s a fruit salad or fruit juice. You may not be sure of its hygiene if it is being served on the roadside.

Also, avoid having meat, poultry and cold stuff such as salads and curd in restaurants unless you are having food in a renowned and hygienic restaurant.

Roadside ‘Dhaba’ Experience

Stopping at roadside or highway restaurants is an integral part of road journeys in India; be it from Delhi to Agra or from Delhi to Jaipur or any other such journey. Though getting a roadside ‘Dhaba’ experience can be quite interesting, having meals at such restaurants can sometimes be risky, especially for children as they are more prone to getting problems such as stomach aches or diarrhoea. While taking a halt at a roadside restaurant, ensure that the place looks hygienic and clean; wipe off the plates and cutlery before you eat in them.

Another tip is to carry a hand sanitizer along so that you can avoid getting infected at any unhygienic bathrooms that you might encounter in one of these highway restaurants.

Travel Essentials for Infants and Toddlers

For people travelling with infants and toddlers, essentials such as diapers and their prescribed medicines should be carried along during your visit to India. Though most of all the international brands are available in major cities in India, but carrying an extra pack is still recommended.

It is also a good idea to carry a pack of powdered milk for infants, as the taste of the ones available in India might be different from the ones your child is used to having.

Avoid Public Transports

Children outside India, especially in Western nations, are not used to severe hot conditions. Travelling in public transports, especially in buses can be quite horrifying for these children as the buses are most of the time over-crowded and majority of them do not even offer air conditioning. Best way to deal with such situations is to wait for less crowded air conditioned buses and avoid travelling during rush hours. Catching any sort of infection such as common cold is quite a possibility for some of the foreign children travelling in local Indian buses. Wearing an anti-pollution mask is the best solution to avoid such risks.

If your budget allows, nothing is better than hiring your own private vehicle such as a car because it not only offers more comfort and convenience but, also helps your child stay away from the unwanted attention of the localities.

Car Seats and High Chairs

Car seats in India are not mandatory and you will not find car seats installed in any of the cars. It is always a good option to carry your own car seat and install them in the private taxi you have hired for your trip.

In India, restaurants do not provide with high chairs for babies because mostly, the parents in India are used to having meals while carrying the babies in their laps. So, it is also recommended to carry an inflatable high chair for your baby so that you can use it in restaurants.

Be Picky with Accommodation

While travelling with children, do not compromise with the accommodation. Book a hotel in advance and choose a one that is kids friendly. Make sure the hotel has a kids playing area and a 24 hours doctor’s facility. You never know when your child will fall sick; a doctor in the vicinity can help you get the medical attention at earliest.

Mosquito Nets and Repellents

Dengue and Malaria are two most common mosquito-borne diseases in India. For your child’s safety, do carry a mosquito net, mosquito repellent and creams along. Make sure that you child applies these creams while going out during evenings, especially in the areas with lots of greenery.

Keep Your Child Away from Street Dogs and Cats

Streets in India are full of stray dogs and a dog bite can even result in Rabies. As kids easily incline towards dogs and cats, it is recommended to keep extra care of them during your strolls in the streets. Do not let your child feed a stray dog or cat.

Carry Appropriate Clothing

Dress the children according to the weather. Carry appropriate clothing depending on the type of destination you are heading to in India. For instance, carry loose and airy clothes while travelling to destinations like Agra and Rajasthan. Similarly, a trip to to hill stations will require some warm clothes.

Keep a Medical Kit Handy

Kids never sit at one place and are always running and playing around, so, getting some minor bruises and injuries is very common. A medical kit can help cater to such situations nicely. Here are some medical kit essentials:

• Band aids
• Antiseptic cream or lotion
• Over the counter medicines for fever and upset stomach
• Thermometer