9 Crucial Tips for Traveling to India with Children

As a mom, avid traveler, and owner of a specialized travel company, India is bridged between my personal and professional lives. I promote India, write about India, and have a passion for India. As the wife of an Indian man and a mom to three children, traveling to the country has become more than visiting the Taj Mahal and relaxing on palm-fringed beaches. (Although, I highly recommend both!) It is now focused on family, home visits, and exposing our children to half of their heritage. My roles and observations are split between tourist and resident, as I navigate hotels, transportation, and keeping kids content in a country of over 1.2 billion people. Here are my tips for traveling to India with kids.

Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) in India with children
No longer a baby, here is Alexander outside the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) in Jaipur, India (Photo credit: Allison Sodha)

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1. Be flexible.

When my husband and I first visited India with our firstborn, Alexander, he was just 6 months old. The entire trip was certainly a learning experience. (Example: We believe in the method of self-soothing. Indians? Not so much.) After numerous visits to India with children, I find myself more flexible with the schedule and routine – or lack thereof. I often remind myself, “It is only two weeks. Our kids can miss naps or eat more sweets from Dadi and Dada.”

A holy cow in Madhya Pradesh, India
A holy cow in Madhya Pradesh, India (Photo credit: master2, Depositphotos.com)

2. Do your research or book a tour.

I recommend doing lots of research before your departure. Which hotels offer larger rooms or walk-in closets to accommodate a portable crib? Which airline allows you to check an extra bag for no charge, even on an infant fare? What activities and sites are appropriate for kids in India?

If researching for your visit to India with kids seems overwhelming, you may want to book a tour instead. A tour especially designed for children enables families to relax and enjoy all that India has to offer.

Birla Mandir, a Hindu temple in Delhi ~ India with children
Birla Mandir, a Hindu temple in Delhi (Photo credit: Allison Sodha)

3. Find the right flights to India with kids.

Invest time to find the flight options and airline amenities best for your family. From U.S. cities, many airlines offer nonstop or one-stop itineraries to larger Indian airports, limiting your layovers and travel time. We like flying Air France and Lufthansa to India with children, both for schedule and the ability to check an extra bag plus portable crib for no charge.

My sons, Alexander and Veer, about to ride an auto rickshaw, known locally as a tuk-tuk in India with children
My sons, Alexander and Veer, about to ride an auto rickshaw, known locally as a tuk-tuk (Photo credit: Allison Sodha)

4. Ditch the stroller.

Indian streets can be very crowded with limited sidewalks, so strollers are not recommended. Instead parents of little ones should pack a baby carrier. We learned this the hard way, after bringing our stroller all the way to Delhi only to leave it folded in the corner for two weeks. On subsequent visits, we used our child carrier, which was also an excellent resource for transporting our kids between terminals at airports.

5. Book a big room.

Many Indian hotels are converted forts, palaces, and/or private homes, which means larger rooms for spreading out. We love Maidens Hotel in Delhi. Although Oborei is considered a luxury hotel chain, this particular property is more budget-friendly. The rooms are very spacious, and our children love the swimming pool and peacocks that roam on the lawn.

A luxury suite at Maidens Hotel in Delhi provides space for families ~ India with Kids
A luxury suite at Maidens Hotel in Delhi provides space for families (Photo from MaidensHotel.com)

6. Pack an inflatable booster seat.

With the exception of hotels, it is difficult to find high chairs in Indian restaurants. If traveling with a baby or toddler and you prefer to not have a lap child during meals, pack an inflatable booster seat. We also used it at friends’ houses when our children wanted to color or play at the table.

7. Bring the car seat.

Car seats are not a common commodity, so expect questions and pictures from curious locals. Our children thoroughly enjoyed the attention, and made many friends along the way!

A houseboat in Kerala, India with kids
A houseboat in Kerala, India (Photo credit: Allison Sodha)

8. Skip the bus.

Although buses provide a cheap mode of transport, most are overcrowded and do not offer air conditioning. Instead, consider hiring a private car and driver, either for a day or planned itinerary. Not only is it an affordable option, but also it offers more comfort and convenience. If traveling with young children, hiring one driver for a multi-day trip allows families to keep the car seat installed and saves time on buckling and adjusting every morning.

Embrace the culture when traveling to India with kids
My sons and I wearing traditional Indian clothing (Photo credit: Allison Sodha)

9. Embrace the culture in India with children.

Finally, immerse your family in the culture and integrate with the locals. Indians are some of the friendliest people in the world and enjoy interacting with foreigners. Children are considered an integral part of the culture and they are welcomed and included in almost any function or event. So if you are walking down the street and randomly get invited to a wedding, go for it and enjoy the experience!

Learn more about visiting India.

Discover more of India by reading this story about Mumbai with kids.

Explore India with Go! Girl Guides India: A Woman’s Guide to Traveling in North & West India by Allison Sodha.

Book your vacation to India with kids via Allison’s travel company, Sodha Travel.

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Tips for visiting India with kids from an expert

Would you like to visit India with kids? Let us know in the comments below!

A Note from Travel Mamas: We did not receive any compensation from Sodha Travels related to this blog post.

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93 Comments

  1. Any advice on the flight?? We are traveling to India with our 19 month old son. Do we bring the car seat on the plane or purchase the FAA approved harness that they sell? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

    1. Megan, we never actually brought a car seat on the plane because our boys stayed calmer and quieter without it. I assume you purchased a seat for your son? If so, you can definitely bring it but please visit the airline website to verify the specs of the seat configure with your airplane. Otherwise you can just buckle him using the regular seat belt. I personally don’t feel the harness is necessary. Happy travels!

    2. Megan – I am a big fan of the CARES safety restraint for use on airplanes. It’s for kids who weigh 22-44 pounds. It gives peace of mind for safety’s sake and is much easier to install/uninstall than a toddler seat. If you’re interested, here’s a link to learn more/purchase: http://astore.amazon.com/travmama03-20/detail/B0012E4FV8 Then you can gate check your car seat for use while in India.

  2. What fantastic tips – and you’re right – letting it go for two weeks is a great stress reliever! 🙂

  3. HI,

    We live in Chicago and debating which airline would be better with our 2.5 year old son: Chicago-Newark-Mumbai or Chicago-Frankfurt-Mumbai. Thoughts?

    Thanks!
    Daniel

  4. Great tips, thanks for these!

    I am going to India in January with my 6 year old and 2.5 year old. We will be in Pune, Mumbai, Agra.

    Are diapers readily available in bigger cities? Or should I pack enough for the entire trip?

    Thanks so much!

    1. Becky, diapers are available but in smaller quantities with a higher price tag. If possible, pack enough for the entire trip. Also, I found that the leakage protection isn’t the same, so my boys stayed drier with their own diapers.

  5. This has been so helpful, mentioning things I wouldn’t have thought of! I’m Australian and my sister married into a lovely Indian family living in Kerala, and we’ve been invited to her brother-in-law’s wedding in nine months, and I’m so excited! At first I didn’t think it would be possible, my little one will turn 1 days before we leave, but after thinking about it and particularly reading this article, I can tell it is possible and that it’s going to be amazing.

    1. Sharyn – I’m so glad you found this post helpful! What an exciting trip this will be for your family!

  6. i like the tips and as i am visiting India next week your tips surely gonna help me lot to make my trip pleasant. thanks a lot for sharing

  7. Thanks for sharing the useful information. As many international tourists choose India as the destination for their family holiday, these tips will surely help the readers in making the right holiday plan.

  8. Yep, I guess you’re right, we’ll just have to inform the grandparents and make sure they don’t worry like they mostly do 🙂

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  9. We lived in India when our twins were born, then left for the UK when they were about 3 months old: no problem! Now they are 18 months old and we would love to go back. Our main concern is not getting around in India, it’s getting there! Not that we feel it’s impossible, we’ve overcome some real challenges before, I just dread the reaction of other passengers on the flights when our boys are not in a sleeping mood and noisy. Maybe I’ll just have to get over my concern and just get on with it!

    1. Gerd – You should go! The flight is temporary and as long as you are prepared and making an effort to soothe your kiddos, you’ll do great.

    2. I recently flew from where my kids were born in Bali to the UK and they really surprised me. 37 hours travelling and they were really good. I was traveling solo with a 3 and 1 year old!

      1. Emma – Very impressive little travelers (and mama)! Hope you had a wonderful time!

      2. Emma,
        Can u give me some pointers to help me out, i am planning to go to india with my 3.5 year and almost 2 years old kids. both boys. so will need a lot of tips and pointers.

        Thank you

      3. Hi Rushika – For additional pointers, I suggest reaching out to the guest author via her website: https://www.sodhatravel.com/contact.php Have a great time in India with your family!

  10. We travel to India every year and although I agree about the stroller (waste of any effort except in airports and if you fly through the middle east those airports provide strollers in the airport for free) the car seat is something that I don’t take because most of the cars except newer ones never have seatbelts. Most international flights say they will allow FFA approved car seats but they don’t. They’ll make you check it at the gate. I would say look into mosquito netting for any crib or the tents to cut down on bug spray at night. Definitely learn to be zen about bugs, heat, and dirt.

  11. Thank you for sharing this article. We’ve spent the last year travelling around SE Asia with our 3 and 5 year old, and are keen to make it to India next year but of course concerned about travelling there with such young kids. Its nice to read others have great experiences and particularly hear that most hotels have large rooms. Would love to hear your suggestions sometime on the most kid friendly cities/areas.

    1. No , As car seats are not legaly mandatory one a frmew people uses it.u can definity buy a car seat

      1. Hi Ana – The author of this guest post is a travel agent specializing in travel to India. I bet she’d be happy to help you book a private driver! Contact her here: https://www.sodhatravel.com/

  12. Thanks for the tips, it definitely doesn’t seem as intimidating as I had originally thought! And your son is adorable!

  13. Allison – Thank you for writing a guest post for Travel Mamas! India can seem like a very intimidating destination to Westerners but your tips make such a trip sound like a breeze!

    1. Yes, these tips are helpful, and after living in Delhi for many years, there are a host of other things that need to be considered when traveling to India, particularly with children.. do lots of research. Just a note, the Maidens hotel is on the VERY high end of hotels..usually not in most families’ budget. We usually suggest an unbiased travel person’s recommendation for hotels as “Reviews” on booking sites are frequently not to most westerner’s standards? Indians will have very different frame of reference/standard for what is “a good hotel”…e.g. help was great, good food….” but may not be bothered with the mildew in bathrooms and broken equipment, noisy room, etc..