How much would a 3 month backpacking trip cost?

That depends entirely on where you go. I’m here to tell you that in India, not as much as you might think. Including a $1000 roundtrip flight, and three months of food, accommodation, transportation, entertainment, activities, etc…

Total Price: $4000

$4000 is a lot of money and can be used in a several different ways. A responsible adult can save that for a rainy day emergency fund. A few mortgage payments, car repairs, student loan debt, long term investments, basic life expenses, or for raising a child. But this article is directed toward people that have the ability and freedom to leave their normal routine for over 90 days. Which I admit can become increasingly difficult with age, relationships, and professions. Realistically this article is for a college student with the ability to save up five grand, an adventurous retiree, or a young professional ready for a break while they transition in between jobs. This is especially for those who see the value of travel as an investment in personal growth.

It’s been almost two years since I went to India. That feels strange to say because it doesn’t feel like that much time has passed. I can imagine myself being there as if it were yesterday. The details of India are simply impossible to forget…

Why India?

First of all, it’s cheap. The amount of experience gained to money spent ratio is very much in your favor. There’s over a billion people living there. That’s nearly 17% of the world population. And guess what. It’s going to grow by 350 million people by 2050. That’s more than the current U.S. population. Seeing how that much of the world lives is important. Now my opinion toward visiting the country is positive because I loved my experience there. That’s why I’m taking the time to write this guide. But I’ve talked to some people who wouldn’t recommend it. This is not a relaxing vacation. It is an adventure.

At times it will be very hot. You will breathe in a lot of air pollution. You will be hassled by people trying to sell you things or just take your picture. Lots of pictures. You will probably get sick or some form of a food borne illness. Become homesick, perhaps. Contract Malaria, probably not. Accepting all of this, if you stay in India for three months, I can guarantee that you will see the world a little differently. In a good way I hope. It will make you appreciate home and also respect how a humongous percentage of the world lives. The amount of input you receive is hard to process. Sensory overload. I believe it is valuable to anyone’s perspective to see it all.

“The beauty and ugliness, the tranquility and chaos. The allure of India is the total package all wrapped together.”

India is big. It has 1.3 billion people! Over 20% of them live below the poverty line on less than $2 a day.

There are 22 major languages spoken. To put that into perspective, think of the East Coast of the United States. Now imagine if every state from Florida to Maine spoke a different language. As a result of British control for over a century and a half, English is widely spoken throughout the country.

I was in India for 2 months starting at the end of May, 2017. I saw a lot. I was coming from Nepal and heading to Sri Lanka afterwards. The only thing I had planned was that I wanted to go North then make my way to the South. That was it. I had bought a flight leaving from Chennai to Colombo to show proof that I would leave at some point and not overstay my visa. As a U.S. citizen, our travel visas are good for 10 years but one can stay in India for 6 months at a time. I’m grateful to have seen everything I did. However, you can’t see everything in 2 months, nor would I want to. That is a recipe for total India burnout. With the knowledge I gained from my time there, I have created the ultimate trip itinerary for seeing a complete overview of the country.

I’m going to breakdown my recommendation into three parts. Roughly one month for each portion. I will add the amount of days for each location too. But this is entirely up to you to customize. The freedom that long term travel provides shouldn’t be restricted by a predetermined itinerary. I’m just suggesting some ideas. You don’t need to book anything in advance. Do everything once you are in India, except for reserving your very first place to stay in Mumbai. After that you can go with the flow and plan accordingly.

Part 1: Mumbai to Madurai

Mumbai- 5 days

Goa- 10 days

Hampi- 7 days

Bengaluru- 4 days

Kochi- 7 days

Madurai- 3 days

Absorb the craziness of one of the world’s largest cities. Then relax in the various beaches of Goa. Go rock climb the numerous boulders of Hampi. Log into the silicon valley of India in Bengaluru. Observe the natural wonder of the state of Kerala from Kochi, and finish off seeing the temples and southern culture of Madurai.

Part 2: Kolkata to New Delhi

Kolkata- 3 days

Varanasi- 4 days

Agra- 3 days

Jaipur- 4 days

Udaipur- 3 days

Jodhpur- 3 days

Bikaner- 2 days

New Delhi- 6 days

Take in the Bengali way of life in Kolkata. Visit the holy city of Varanasi. The Taj Mahal in Agra. The colorful cities of Rajasthan. The temple of rats in Bikaner. Finish off with a checkpoint in New Delhi and get prepared for your northern section.

Part 3: Rishikesh to Amritsar

Rishikesh- 5 days

Kaza- 6 days

Leh- 6 days

Manali- 7 days

Dharamshala- 6 days

Amritsar- 3 days

Go whitewater rafting in the Yogi city of Rishikesh. Fall in love with Himachael Pradesh and Spiti Valley. Go on an extreme motorcycle adventure to Leh and back down to Manali. Head down to the peaceful mountains of Dharamshala, where the Dalai Lama takes residence. See the hospitality of Punjab and see the Sikh Golden Temple. Witness the border ceremony with Pakistan.

A look at the Aarti Ritual in Varanasi on the Ganges River.

The ideal form of transportation is by train. I recommend buying 2nd class overnight sleeper cabins. They are inexpensive. Plus you have the room to stretch out and can save money by not paying for a hotel room. Traveling by train has a lot of benefits. You will interact with a lot of Indians and also see so much of the country. I took a 27 hour train from Goa to Madurai and the scenery was absolutely beautiful. Some train routes sell out in advance. So it is good to check the schedules and talk with hotel receptionists, train station employees, and travel agencies in big cities for local advice. Even if a certain train is sold out you can get on a waiting list.

There’s lot of trash in India and littering is a big problem. This cow doesn’t mind though.

The Indians are very generous people. Sure, there are people running scams just like every other place in the world. I talked with a Dutch backpacker who got his cellphone stolen on a chaotic busy street in Delhi. Open a national newspaper of a country with over a billion people and it’s inevitable that you will read about horrible things that happened the day before. But the Indian people I met were good people. Really good people. They were curious, friendly, hospitable, and wanted to share genuine conversations and to connect with me.

Bargaining is huge part of life in India. It’s expected. Due to the quantity of competition, there is always someone else willing to sell a product or service for less. While negotiating the price for a Tuktuk ride always anticipate half of whatever the first price the driver says. After a few days you’ll learn what the fair price is for certain distances. Hotel is too expensive? Ask if they will give you a room for less. You might get a head wobble that initially appears as a no, but actually means yes! :)

Homestays are a great way to learn more about Indian culture in depth. Some of the best meals I had during my trip were at this homestay in Rishikesh.

10 day Vipassana meditations are also gaining in popularity. They are run entirely off of donations and all of your meals are provided. Well, you’re only permitted two vegetarian meals and a fruit snack with tea a day. Ten $20 days could also help balance your budget. The best locations fill up far in advance so it would be best to make that decision early and plan your trip around it if that’s something you’re interested in.

Medical care is also inexpensive. It’s a good place to get dental work done or buy prescription glasses.

Check the Cricket schedule in the major cities. It would be a fun experience to go to a game. Here are two friends enjoying the country’s most popular sport.

Here’s me visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar. If you’re curious, look up Operation Blue Star. It took place here and led to the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984.

I would recommend starting your trip at the end of March for two reasons. First, to see the famous Holi festival which celebrates the end of Winter and the start of Spring with a tremendous amount of colorful powder! Second, because the the road up to Leh doesn’t open until the start of June. Shortly after, the long rainy season begins and India gets hot! If you don’t want to drive North, and prefer cooler temperatures, then start earlier in the year or after rainy season.

I know saving $4,000 is hard to do. Being away from home for 3 months is impossible for most people. Just for fun do the math on how much you spend on rent, food, life in general for 3 months where you live. Subtract that number from $4,000, and that’s how much of a difference it would cost to go on this long journey. Granted I understand that’s also 3 months without a paycheck unless you have some passive income coming in. This trip can be done cheaper too by going to less destinations and staying in shared dorms. $4,000 is a good number for doing it all thoroughly with comfort.

India is a fascinating spiritual place. It has an abundance of people, colors, smells, and history. It leaves a lasting impact on everyone who goes there. Soon 1 in 5 Earth citizens will be Indian. That is crazy! Even more reason to go there sooner than later and get a taste of what’s going on in that part of the world.

Namaste.