Solo Female Travel in India

Family travel experience

India was amazing it was the best trip I ever did in my life people were friendly I traveled prior to Covid I went to the south of India in kerla it was very safe and welcoming environment for women I would go back any time I get the chance

Solo travel experience

India is a beautiful country, with a lot of things to see and do. It is not necessarily super safe everytime, but as always you just need to be careful as a solo woman traveller. I would recommend going with some friend if you don't already some people there.

Couple travel experience

Hello everyone! Last summer, I traveled to India with my boyfriend. We made couple of friends and met many amazing people. We started our journey in Delhi than we went to Dehradun and Mussoorie. We ended our trip in Mumbai. Overall, my favorite one was Mumbai. I really felt free and safe there. We even got a chance to see Sharukh Han’s house (bollywood star). I would recommend Cafe de Picollo in Dehradun and Rude Lounge in Powai- Mumbai.

Solo travel experience

I embarked on a solo, two-month journey to India and it was amazing. I was very worried because of all the bad things I had read about this place on the internet, but honestly, I rate this really positively and I had no problems. I visited Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Mumbai, Bangalore, Palolem, Hampi, Agonda, Kochi, and Alleppey.

Group travel experience

I traveled around India with a friend for three weeks, and I felt very safe and comfortable with him. Once, when my friend left at the train station, an Indian man sat down next to me and stared at me the whole time. Another laid down on the bench next to me, with his head almost on my lap, trying to subtly touch me with his elbow. Generally speaking, without my friend, I wouldn't feel too comfortable, as 90% of the people on the streets or in the trains are men. Dress is key. Although I often travel solo, I would not dare to do so there; I just wouldn't feel free there and I would be stressed. However, I admire the girls who visit India alone. Generally, I consider India to be a friendly country for travelers, but for a solo traveler, it may not be very comfortable.

Couple travel experience

For me, India is a safe country, but very inconvenient. There are crowds of men everywhere (women are practically invisible on the streets as they take care of the home), and they constantly stare at you. I never wore shorts or sleeveless shirts, yet I still felt quite uncomfortable due to the constant, specific looks. For me, this is the least pleasant country to travel to, especially for a solo woman (I was with my boyfriend, but that didn't help either).

Solo travel experience

I spent approximately six months traveling solo in India. Generally speaking, I felt safe, but the constant harassment from men significantly lowered my enjoyment of the trip. Not all were bad; many of them were really nice, wanted to communicate and help. Nonetheless, I cannot deny that it was exhausting when I could not sit down anywhere and rest without drawing someone's attention. Having situations where, after a brief conversation, they started asking very intimate questions, evidently trying to determine whether I would go to bed with them. I advise every woman traveling to India to get a necklace like those worn by married women there, and pretend to be married. Very often one of the first questions they asked me was about my marital status, so I advise saying that you have a husband, not a boyfriend, since in their culture a boyfriend means nothing and is not an obstacle. To not be completely negative, I also met many truly great people there and still keep in contact with some of them. Indians can be very hospitable and many of them try to show their country in the best light possible. As for places, I recommend Dharamshala, where there are many white tourists and more Tibetans than Indians (the Dalai Lama lives there), so I felt more at ease there. I also recommend Kerala, full of greenery and much cleaner than other regions.

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 sleeves), wore loose dresses to the knees, and had modest necklines. We adhered to this very strictly, except for the tourist town of Goa. We used public transportation, trains, and buses both during the day and at night. There were no situations where we felt directly threatened, nobody touched us in crowded places or approached us with explicit proposals. The only disgusting situation that happened to me personally was when an older Indian man was watching 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 transport. India is a country where, unfortunately, there is a lot of sexism and harassment of women. Often, when you walk anywhere, people look at you in a very uncomfortable way. When you visit temples, many times they follow you "for a picture" or just to flirt. But despite this, it's a great country.

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

Avoid traveling around the city at night. Don't expose your skin. Wear loose and modest clothes that cover your entire body. Don't go to deserted areas. Don't wear anything that shows cleavage. Drink bottled water. Take probiotics. Use the train for traveling. Use sleeper class or higher when traveling. Avoid the general class on the train. Always share photos of the driver and the license plate with others if you are traveling by taxi or Uber. Don't get too close with men, don't be self-complacent.