1 - Will the kids be drinking bottled water?
Students will be provided with safe drinking water on their program, since the Indian water is not safe to drink.
2 - Do we need to get visas for this program?
Yes, students are required to obtain a minimum 6-month, multiple entry Tourist visa. Please note that obtaining an Indian visa will be different this year than prior years. The Indian Embassy for America has begun outsourcing their visa services to the following link: http://indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com
You will need one reference in India, which can be obtained by emailing rustic@rusticpathways.com or Scott Poniewaz at: scott@rusticpathways.com after you have registered for your program. On visa applications, students can list that they will be traveling to Delhi, McLeod Ganj and Tashi Jong on their journey.
Also please note that you will need to apply for a minimum 6-month multiple entry tourist visa for your time in India. Students holding passports from other countries will need to check with their nearest Indian Embassy for how to obtain a visa for your trip.
3 - What will the accommodation on this trip be like?
When students arrive in Delhi, they will find themselves dreaming their first Indian nights away in a comfortable 3+star hotel in a quiet area of Karol Bagh away from much of Delhi’s chaos. They will then be in homestays for the remainder of the trip. Students are paired up by gender, if parents and students prefer, we can also arrange an individual homestay, but for student comfort being paired up is preferred. The homestays range from shared bathrooms among 2 or 3 families with bucket showers and squat toilets to western toilets and consistent warm shower. Students are not allowed to request these items in their homestay. We pair students with families based on student’s ages and genders, then also the family’s gender. Families have been screened for safety by our staff members.
4 - What immunizations do we need to get for this trip?
Rustic Pathways only requires an up-to-date Tetanus shot, however the Center for Disease Control often has recommendations that are kept updated regarding India. Since we do not know your child’s medical history, we recommend you reference the CDC website at: www.cdc.gov or the World Health Organization website at: www.who.org for more information. We also suggest consulting with your local travel doctor prior to your travels for further information.
5 - What costs are not included on this trip?
This trip includes all of the student’s accommodations, in addition to three meals a day, drinking water, transportation, entrance fees and other related group entertainment costs. Optional activities, such as massages, internet use, phone calls home, snacks, souvenirs, etc… are extra costs. For this program, we typically recommend between US$100-200 per week for allowance depending on the student’s spending habits, and basic souvenirs. This can vary greatly, however, as some students may spend very little and others may spend much more if they plan on making a big purchase.
6 - Will there be a flight leader to this country?
All flights departing from and returning to the United States will have flight leaders. In the event a student is connecting from another country, they may or may not have a flight leader. In such instances, we generally have coordinated with the airlines to escort the students from check-in through customs, and delivered to a verified Rustic Pathways staff member in Delhi airport.
7 - How does this program connect to other programs?
This program connects seamlessly to programs within India and is highly recommended to reduce the effects of jetlag and make their trips more cost efficient, while also giving them opportunities to see other parts of India or participate in different activities. Students can also easily connect to programs in other countries that Rustic Pathways travels to, however there may be a day or two lost if connecting with a Costa Rica program, or other trip.
8 - How long is the flight to this country?
Students travel on a very comfortable nonstop flight from Newark Airport in New Jersey (EWR) to Indira Gandhi Airport in Delhi, India. It is approximately 14 hours each way.
9 - What kind of food will we be eating?
Students will be eating a mix of Indian, Tibetan, Chinese and maybe even a little western food. Dietary restrictions are typically accommodated quite easily and vegetarians are in paradise here with the extensive options of vegetarian dishes. Indian foods can be easily sampled at a local Indian restaurant, but they consist of rice, lentils (dals), curries, and flatbreads (naan, roti, parantha). Tibetan food is made up of momo’s (steamed or fried dumplings stuffed with veggies or meats), Thukpa (noodle soup with vegetables, or meat), and chowmein (fried noodles) dishes.
10 - How many girls and boys are usually on this trip?
This program generally breaks down to about a 60% female and 40% male mix. |
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