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.
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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.”
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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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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.
Thank you so much for this!!!!!!! I am leaving today for India with my 17 month old. So stressed but it was nice reading this to know I am as ready as I can be. Wish me luck ladies!
Best of luck, Megan! We hope you and your little one will have a fabulous time in India!
Hi Megan, I hope you had a fantastic trip! Did you use anything for malaria for your little one? I’m planning to go this December with my 15 month old.
India is such a vast country, which cant be completed with a single holiday unless it is a year trip or so. So diverse and incredible this is.
My husband and I would like to travel to India with our 16 month old daughter. Is there a way to talk to you directly for info on traveling?
Thanks,
Marissa
Hi Marissa – I recommend contacting Allison with Sodha Travels directly: http://www.sodhatravel.com/. Enjoy your trip to India!
I have twin two and a half year olds. In the next year or so I may need to go to India. Is it really safe to bring them? What kind of immunizations can they get?
Wayne, it is definitely safe to bring your children. If they have followed the general vaccine schedule, they will be current on all recommended immunizations. (Vaccines are not required to visit India but we do recommend travelers be current on Hep A and Tetanus.)
I’m trying to decide whether or not to attend my brother’s wedding in Varanasi on the 22nd April so not too long. My parents will meet us there as they live abroad and my husband can’t make it so I would be traveling solo with our 11 month daughter. I’m worried about the heat and potential illness for my daughter. Your blog provides some good tips. What’s the best thing for a child to wear in India? Are western clothes acceptable? I know it will also be roasting hot.
Are swimming pools clean enough to use?
Also, if you shower / bath your baby, is it safe to use the tap water?
Sarah, the best clothing for your daughter is a lightweight and breathable fabric. Western clothes are absolutely acceptable though you may find it convenient (and fun!) to buy local, as the clothing is so inexpensive and complements the climate. You are correct – Varanasi during April is incredibly hot. Hotel swimming pools are highly recommended and the chlorine usually kills any foreign bacteria. Most hotels (3* and above) have water filtration systems so you can bathe your daughter in the tap water, though I still don’t suggest having large amounts swallowed. Hope this helps!
Nice tips on travel to India, Allison, very useful thx!!
Travelling to India with a young child can seem daunting, so it’s confronting to know it’s so manageable. Thanks for the tips. I wonder how it would work with meals for fussy kids?
Izzy, there are several options for children with particular tastes. You can stop by more westernized chains, like KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, Ruby Tuesdays, etc. In larger cities there are expat markets that sell the basics like peanut butter, mac and cheese, cereal, chicken tenders, and American branded foods. Most hotels will also accommodate requests for mild dishes and custom orders. Enjoy!
Very nice blog . thanks for share your useful article Tips for Traveling to India with Children.
I’m so glad I found this piece I was waivering but I’m convinced!
Hi Allison, we are travelling to Mumbai and then to Goa and Pune with our 3 month old son on Friday for the first time, and are contemplating whether to carry both the car seat and stroller. You say above to ditch the stroller, which I kinda agree as most sidewalks in India won’t support strollers. But how was your experience with the car seat, especially in domestic flights? Was the seat handled well by airport staff, was it checked-in? Can you take it all the way to the gate? And where do they give it back, at the gate or at the belt? We are flying Jet, Indigo and Air India. Sorry for the numerous questions. Looking forward to your response. Thanks, Anand. 🙂
Did you end up travelling with the car seat. I am going with a 5 mth old and was wondering if car seat is really necessary?
Hi, thank you for the replies. We are staying at my husband maternal uncles house in Gujarat, grandevi and in Delhi. My son consumes about 24 ounces of milk a day and I think that they get fresh milk at my husbands home. In Delhi I can buy milk myself. What is the best whole Milk to buy in India? Is cows milk ok?
Ami – For the hair cutting ceremony, they used a blade. I was nervous, as well, but they did a great (and fast!!) job! Geeta – Where are you staying? Hotels generally have pasteurized milk, though it does taste quite rich compared to what you find here. (My boys love it!) Otherwise, I recommend stopping by a local market and purchasing milk. Most Indian markets now carry various brands of milk so no need to scope out a western store unless visiting a more remote destination. Have a great trip, and enjoy the experience!
And thanks for the tip about bringing a booster! Didn’t think of that, just bought one on Amazon and it will be delivered tomorrow!
Thanks so much for the info. You mentioned in your article, you had your son’s traditional hair cutting ceremony in India. Did they use clippers or a blade to cut his hair? We are going on Saturday and I am getting nervous about getting my son’s hair cut! Thanks so much!
Hi, this was the best article I have read about traveling to India with a toddler. My biggest concern is milk! What did you do for milk? We are traveling with a 14 month and 4 yr old. Also, how do you feel about train travel?
Geeta- I was worried about milk as well. I traveled a year ago with a 6 year old and 2.5 year old (I was worried for the younger one- he was big into milk at the time). We were only there for 2 weeks (Pune, Mumbai and Dehli), and stayed in hotels. Milk was available in the nicer hotels without a problem, and every hotel had an included breakfast. So we gave him milk there, and then the rest of the day was bottled water or juice.
If you’re not staying at a hotel, I would suggest looking for a western grocery store (there were a couple small ones in Pune), and I bet you would find boxed milk (shelf-stable). Or, depending on your kid and how long you’ll be there, go without it, finding it where you can. You could probably count on finding it at places like Starbucks, airports, etc.
Hi my son will be 19 months when we travel to goa! My husband and I have been before!! Just wondering about jabs , he’s to young for Typhiod doc told me just to avoid feeding him in other places other than the apartment we staying in and cook all his food!!! I can’t be bothered I’m on holiday plus I want him to taste all the foods! He’s old enough for hep b but also wondering about malaria tablets!?! Any tips thanks