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So you’re dreaming of travelling to India as a solo female traveller, you tell your friends and they go “oh, is that safe?” – so you decided to look it up online and see what the experts are saying.
Your friends are not wrong to be concerned – travelling around India as a solo female traveller presents some challenges, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go.
India is an intoxicating cultural melting pot with a vast and diverse culture. It’s home to over a billion people, thousands of sacrosanct sites, palm-fringed beaches, snow-capped Himalayan mountains, tantalising cuisines, and oodles of spiritual experiences to get you better acquainted with your soul.
India is an adventure.
You need to have your adventurers mindset on to be able to really appreciate it – that’s tip number one.
But as I said, there are also some challenges for women visiting this vast land.
If you want more tips on how to travel India as a solo female travel, particularly on how to stay safe and how to make the most of your experience, here’s how…
What Is It Like To Travel To India As A Solo Female Traveler
Demystifying India is a task that all adventure travellers set out to achieve, but barely do they leave feeling like they’ve fully got India. You could spend months and months here and barely scratch the surface. That’s all part of its charm.
Before I get into my tips on how to stay safe, it’s important to understand what to expect when you get to India.
We’ve all heard horror stories of women being harassed or worse by men, of robberies and pickpockets, of beggars and overly friendly people – not to mention the infamous Dehli Belly food poisoning.
All those things can happen, but rarely do you meet a traveller who has been to India that mentions these things. Instead, you hear things like “Oh, I love India. I just can’t wait to get back. I feel so centred and balanced when I’m there.”
India is intriguing and everyone has a different experience of it. Your experience is what you make of it.
Most people will notice the crowds and the chaos of the cities, such as Mumbai, and it’s hard to ignore the smoggy pollution, but once you get out of the city it’s like travelling into a whole new dimension – it’s peaceful, it’s serene, it’s joyful.
The curries are spicy, the people are friendly (women love dressing you up in saris and taking pictures with you), the weather is not as hot and humid as you’d expect (in some places), the temples are mind-blowing, the traffic is bustling, and the vibe is laid-back despite the throngs of people.
You will either fall madly in love with India, or shrug your shoulders and say “it’s not for me,” and both will be acceptable responses.
How To Stay Safe When Traveling To India As A Solo Female Traveler
India is not as dangerous as the media and the horror stories make it out to be, however you do need to go prepared to India or you will find yourself in sticky situations.
To make sure that doesn’t happen to you, here are my top safety tips for visiting India…
1. Plan your itinerary in advance
I am the kind of “wing it” traveller who likes to rock up and figure it out when I get there. Not in India. Do not leave anything to chance and have your itinerary nailed down before you go.
Some parts of India are safer for solo women travelers than others.
The Rajasthan province is both exciting and easy to explore for solo female travellers.
Most women love Jaipur, and it seems to be one of the few places where sexual harassment isn’t as common. Udaipur and Jodhpur Pushkar are also some of the safest places to visit.
We personally love Bundi, a small town in Rajastan that’s a bit more off-the-beaten-path.
Goa is a lovely beach destination and is very popular with tourists, so if you want a safe beach destination, add Goa to your list.
Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Kasmir in the Himalayas are also widely regarded as safe parts of India to visit.
Then there is Rishikesh, in the Uttarakhand province, the yoga capital of the world, which most women enjoy.
Delhi is loud and chaotic, and not worth visiting for more than a couple of days to get orientated. Agra is a one day/one night trip to see the Taj Mahal.
Try to purchase your entrance ticket or tours to attractions in advance, and definitely book train tickets online to avoid having to hustle with the locals.
Read more: 10 Reasons To Take A Solo Trip To Rajasthan
2. Dress modestly
You absolutely do need to dress and behave modestly when you visit India, not just to thwart off unwanted attention, but also to respect the local customs.
Do not wander around in hot pants and a crop top and expect to not get unwanted attention.
Dress with your shoulders and knees covered and do not wear anything tight fitting.
When swimming, wear swimwear over a bikini. Most women wear swimming costumes, and even their saris over the top, so leave the G-string bikini bottoms at home.
3. Do not give in to advances
Most women will at some point be met with stares and unwanted cat-calling.
It’s common for men to approach women and ask to take a “selfie” with you or just want to shake your hand.
Once you agree to these small, seemingly harmless interactions, you have opened a door to them to harass you for more.
Often if you agree to the selfie they will persist to follow you, possibly ask you where your husband is, or say some obscene stuff to you.
Sometimes men may put themselves between you and the place you want to go, and decide they have to go everywhere with you saying it is to “keep you safe.”
It sounds scary when I say it like this, but if you just say “no thank you” and move on and ignore them from the beginning, they usually get the message and leave you alone.
4. Pack your patience
India is busy and chaotic, and exceptionally large, so it makes planning difficult in many ways.
You can expect delays on trains and buses, expect mix-ups with your accommodation, expect tour companies to get the wrong hotel to pick you up from – there’s likely to be five different “happy house hotels” in a city, everything takes time. So you need to pack your patience.
The great thing about India is there are multiple opportunities to learn patience and practice being present.
After a couple of weeks of visiting India, I bet you’ll never feel road rage again.
5. Join Facebook community groups
A great resource for travelling solo is the facebook groups, where you can connect with other female travelers and get advice and recommendations.
You can join the Solo Female Traveler Community Facebook group, which is a global group with over 400K women, and I also recommend joining the Solo Female Traveler to India Facebook group.
You can join groups for specific regions in India too, if you feel the general group doesn’t get enough active members.
Before taking advice from other people, or agreeing to meet with other women if you think you’ve made a new travel bestie and plan to travel together – check their page first!
Verify they are a real person. How long have they had their profile? If it’s new, it could be suspicious. How many friends do they have? Are they using a photo of themselves? Do they actively post in the group?
Try and get a sense of whether they are trustworthy and follow your gut.
6. Stay in hostels
The best way to meet other travellers is to stay in hostels, so if you feel overwhelmed by India and you want to make new travel friends, this is where to stay.
Hostels in India can be hit and miss. Some might be dodgy or run down, so make sure you read the reviews carefully before booking.
Check reviews from different nationalities, not just Indian travellers. If all the reviews are from Indian travellers then you might find you are the only foreigner there.
Hostels are also generally safer for women than hotels or guest houses, as there are other solo travellers there.
When you stay on your own in your hotel room, the staff and other guests know you are alone and it can feel quite unnerving.
7. Don’t walk around alone at night
The night time brings out all the unsavoury characters, so avoid wandering around alone at night. Avoid unlit areas and stay on the main streets.
Try to find friends in your hostel to go out to eat with you or just try to be back before dark.
If you do need to go out at night, get a taxi with friends and don’t drink alcohol.
8. Be confident and act like you belong there
Try to look like you know where you are going and what you are doing. Avoid looking too lost or like a tourist.
Put the maps away, avoid taking photos every five seconds, and try your best to fit in.
If you look like you’re a tourist you become easy prey and easy to be picked on.
Don’t update your social media/Instagram on the spot, take photos and share later when you get home.
9. Don’t take anything valuable with you
Don’t take any expensive jewelry or expensive camera equipment, as these can often be pinched from your lockers.
My rule of thumb is to not take anything I don’t mind being taken from me.
Always keep your passport on your person, either in a money belt or in a bag.
Wear your bag across your chest and don’t have any pockets that are easily accessible.
10. Trust your instincts
You should always travel with a “yes” attitude and embrace the adventure, but that being said, trust your instincts.
If something doesn’t feel right, don’t ignore that feeling. Your gut is telling you something is wrong because there is some history there. It’s your subconscious trying to protect you, so don’t ignore it.
Approach all situations with a positive mindset, but remember to stay on your guard too.
11. Get a local sim card
Stay connected and get a local sim card. If you can, pay for it before you land and pick it up from the Airport.
You need a local Indian number to connect to the WiFi at Dheli Airport, and you need data to call an Uber, so without data you really are stuck.
Download Google Maps before you leave so you at least have some navigation if data has run out.
12. Join travel groups
It’s true what they say that there’s safety in numbers.
If you are really worried about traveling India solo, then join a group tour and travel with other likeminded travelers.
We love the philosophy behind G Adventures the most. Click here to learn more about their tours.
Watch the solo travel to India webinar
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