India - Prepare

Bring cool, comfortable cottons and a hat for the heat, woollies for the mountains and waterproofs for the monsoon. Get your taste-buds ready for a spicy trip!

February's Indian Derby in Mumbai is good for a flutter and at the street-party for Goa's Mardi Gras you'll have a ball. The procession of Lord Krishna deities on chariots at the Rath Yatra in Puri can be followed each June and in the same month you can witness the immersion of a huge Lord Ganesh, elephant god, in Mumbai for Ganesh Chaturthi. Fireworks light up the sky for Diwali in October and camel races light up the Rajasthan desert for November's Pushkar Mela.

Idul Zuha (Feast of Sacrifice, Jan), Republic Day (26 Jan), Muharram (Islamic New Year, Feb), Milad-Un-Nabi (Birthday of Prophet Mohammed, Apr, 10 days earlier every year), Good Friday (Apr), Independence Day (15 Aug), Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday (2 Oct), Diwali (Oct), Eidul-Fitr (End of Ramadan, Oct), Guru Nanak's Birthday (Founder of Sikhism, Oct), Christmas Day (Dec 25). Please note, based on the lunar calendar all Islamic holidays move forward approximately 11 days every Western year.

India ranges from snow to scorch. November to February are the coolest months, when Delhi and Punjab (10°C - 20°C) get chilly at night and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are snow-covered. Year round the southern states stick to around 25°C - 35°C; usually humid, these are the best months to visit beaches in Goa and Kerala. The welcome rains kick in from around May and many cities get waterlogged, with frequent downpours for several months. Bring your brolly for the lush north-east - Darjeeling is one of the wettest places on earth!

230V AC, 50 Hz, two-pin round plugs are standard.

+91 (national).

Indian rupees (Rs) is the currency. There are ATM machines in all cities.

GMT + 5.5

Incredible India website

Whatever the weather women should dress conservatively to avoid too many eyes; cover legs and upper arms, and loose fitting clothes are best. Remove shoes on entering mosques, temples and private houses. Be prepared to be asked your name, age, income and marital status within minutes of meeting someone on the train, it's not considered rude. And gen up on international cricket – it's bound to make you friends.