Is India Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Solo travel experience

While many people will warn you about India not being safe for solo female travelers, I've had a very positive experience overall while traveling around for 3 weeks. I found men will keep their distance if you make it clear you're not interested, I've been a bit uncomfortable a few times but never felt unsafe. Sights are beautiful, food is great, the culture very rich and intriguing. As long as you make smart decisions, I would definitely recommend a visit here.

Group travel experience

We were five women in India for about a month. We always covered our arms (with long-sleeved shirts), wore loose dresses down to our knees, and had modest necklines. We adhered to this very strictly, except for in the touristy town of Goa. We used public transport, trains, and buses both during the day and at night. There were no situations where we felt a direct threat, nobody touched us in crowded places or approached us with explicit propositions. The only disgusting situation that personally happened to me was when an older Hindu man leered at me with a smile on his face.

Solo travel experience

I was there for 15 days and spent less than a thousand dollars, including food, hotels, and internal transportation. India is a country where unfortunately there is a lot of sexism and harassment towards women. Often, when you walk around anywhere, people stare at you in a very uncomfortable way. When you visit temples, many times they follow you for "a photo" or just to flirt. But apart from that, it's a wonderful country.

Solo travel experience

India is a challenging country for a solo female traveler but not impossible. I started in New Delhi - in this city, I didn't stay in a hotel as I had a contact to stay with, a local lady who showed me the city inside out. Then I took a train to Varanasi, the spiritual city of India, where many bodies are cremated daily and their ashes are scattered in the Ganges River, it's a religious belief and respectable. After that, I took a bus to Agra, where the famous Taj Mahal and many other attractions are located. Then took a train to Jaipur - known as the "pink" city, with beautiful temples and colorful palaces. After that, I took a flight to Amritsar - where I visited the famous Golden Temple and the border with Pakistan. I generally traveled by train, booked tickets in advance in first class, used my debit card at ATMs without any problems, ate at markets, but be careful as it's easy to get sick since the food is very spicy or not hygienic. Upon arriving in a city, I hired a tuk-tuk or auto-rickshaw, which serves as your "taxi" and will take you everywhere. First, agree on a price as scams are common. Overall, it's a very beautiful country with friendly people. They will stare at you and ask for photos, especially if you're blonde. The language is Hindi, but some speak English and Spanish. I didn't have many communication problems. Lastly, it's a very, very cheap country.

Group travel experience

I wasn't alone, I went with 4 more friends, and even so, people surrounded us to take photos with us. It was somewhat overwhelming because they wouldn't let us walk, and that's even though we were in a group. We visited Jaipur, New Delhi, Mumbai, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, and of course, Agra. All those cities were dirty and chaotic, but they also had very beautiful temples and mosques that were truly worth visiting. I didn't like the food, but besides that, everything was very affordable (transport, accommodation, food).

Solo travel experience

I took a solo trip around India and I never felt unsafe. India is a wonderful country filled with amazing people. It's worth taking normal precautions as you would on any journey. I recommend avoiding large cities like Delhi or Mumbai.

Group travel experience

I was there with a girlfriend. I wouldn't have dared to go alone, and I probably wouldn't go back. I didn't feel safe or comfortable. At every step, someone tried to deceive us, and men were literally devouring us with their gaze. I can't tolerate that, and it takes away the joy of traveling for me.

Solo travel experience

I spent 2 months alone in India, traveling from the south to the northwest coast. I followed basic travel safety principles, respected cultural customs, and felt safe. If I saw many women on the streets after dark, I allowed myself to stay out (like in Mumbai). If I saw only men or empty streets, I made sure to check in at the hotel before nightfall. I often stayed in hostels, in multi-gender dormitory rooms, with a mix of Indian residents and European travelers – everything was always fine.

Solo travel experience

I was just in India alone for almost 3 months. Lots of stares and annoying men but nothing scary. I was extra careful about arriving late at night and taking taxis but I felt safe.

Solo travel experience

I traveled alone in India for a month. People often think India is not safe for women, but I had an incredible experience. People I didn't know were incredibly kind to me. If you have the opportunity, don't be scared to visit India!

Definitely dress more conservatively to be safe! And don’t go out at night in a lot of places. I would visit Agra for the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, Mumbai (the LA of India), Goa (the relaxing, destination spot), and New Delhi. Try to learn some words in Hindi as well!

Avoid Night travelling within the city. Do not expose skin. Wear lose and modest dress which covers all your body. Do not go to secluded place. Do not wear anything that shows cleavage. Drink bottled water. Take probiotics. Use train for traveling. Us sleeper class or above for traveling. Avoid general class in train. Always share the pictures of driver and name plate with others if traveling by taxi or Uber. Do not become too friendly with males and do not become complacent.

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