Online E-Visa

You will likely require a visa if you hold a US, UK, or EU passport. The Indian government initiated an e-visa program a few years ago that makes it pretty convenient for visitors to obtain a visa approval online. Applicants of the eligible countries/territories may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival.

For more information: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

Flight Options

With no direct flights available to Bangalore from the US your best bet is to book a one-stop flight connecting from Europe or the Middle East. Most well-known airlines offer such routes - Air France, British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, Emirates, Etihad, Qatar. Some information on them:

- Non-USA passport holders are advised to check if transit through these countries is allowed

- Middle East airports allow most nationalities to transit through

You can book direct flights to Delhi or Mumbai from NYC, San Francisco or Chicago! Some information on them:

- Direct flights to Delhi arrive midnight and making a connection to another city here could prove to be difficult

- Airlines in India do not open check-in counters until 3 hours before the scheduled departure

- Very few domestic flights take off between 11pm to 5am

At the Bangalore Airport

Kempegowda Bangalore International Airport (BLR) is in the northern suburbs of Bangalore and approx 60 - 75 min away from our wedding venue. Taxis are readily available at the airport.

Travel Within Cities

Uber is widely used in almost all major cities and international cards will work on Uber here.

We have an equivalent of Lyft here and the app is called Ola!

If you do not have a working phone connection at the airport, you can go to the airport taxi book stand located both inside and outside. KSTDC and Meru Cabs are reliable, cash payment could be needed here so keep Indian Rupees on hand. You can specify whether you want an air conditioned cab and how many luggage pieces you have.

You could also go and stand in the Taxi que and take the next available Taxi. Request them to switch on the AC.

Guides

Quick Trip With Transit Only

If you have a tight schedule, you are better off relaxing in Bangalore. There are a few cultural sights in the city which would not take more than a day to visit. Bangalore is also the microbrewery capital of the country and houses some of the best microbreweries! One of the best ones is close to the wedding venue!

Many massage, sauna and other relaxing options will be available at any of the 5 star hotels in the city, including the one where the wedding is being hosted!

If you are transitioning through Delhi or Mumbai, you could plan to spend a day there to take in the cities.

Bangalore and Surrounding Areas

Mysore: 3 hour drive from our wedding venue, an overnight trip to Mysore works best! The old capital city of Karnataka has great historical significance and has a nice palace, a part of which is open for public viewing.

Kabini: 5 hour drive from Bangalore, this town houses more than 90 Tigers and 100 leopards in one of the most densely populated Tiger Reserves in the country!

Chikmagalur or Coorg: 5 hour drive from Bangalore, these hill stations are part of the coffee belt in the country. If you like some peace and quiet in your vacation, get here!

Hampi: 6 hour drive from Bangalore and, considering the long trip, 2 nights make the most sense here. You will find a lot of ancient temples and historical monuments here. You could also reach Hampi by a short 1 hour flight from Bangalore!

Two-Three Day Trip

Goa: An hour's flight from Bangalore, Goa is a beautiful place to relax and the beaches will be great this time of the year! This however makes them busy so recommend you book your stay in advance. Think of an easterly Miami! While North and Central Goa are packed with more public beaches, you will find that South Goa is less crowded with good beaches. Goa is a bit of a historical location too - churches and influence of Portuguese culture everywhere. It's a safe city with a lot of good vibes and beaches!

Kerala: Take a short flight from Bangalore to Cochin or Trivandrum and enjoy the backwaters in the house boat experience in India's southernmost state! A good place to chill and relax.

Towards The North

Reminder: January is the peak winter month and northern part of the country incld Delhi will be cold with minimum temperature around 40 degree F.

Mumbai: An hour and a half's flight from Bangalore, 'Bombay' is the cultural, fun and entertainment capital of the country. You can find historical sites but the city's unique geography and architecture sets it apart. You will find loads of galleries, museums, eateries and a lot of ambitious people! You have the option of relaxing along the coast line in places such as Alibaug, Lonavala which are both a couple of hours from the city. Close to Mumbai is Nasik, which is slowly becoming the center for wine in the country.

Delhi: India's capital city is culturally and historically significant. You could comfortably spend 3 days in Delhi visiting the monuments and eateries. Visiting the Taj Mahal 4 hours away in Agra could be a great overnight trip from here!

3+ Day Trip

Delhi-Agra-Jaipur: You can fly into Delhi and travel by road to each of these places. One direct flight is also available 6 days a week between Bangalore & Agra. The drive between these cities is smooth and you can stop by Fatehpur Sikri along the way which is a fantastic historical spot to see!

Experience royalty in Rajasthan: Jaipur and Udaipur have direct flights from Bangalore, around 2.5 hours. Plan a trip there if you want to be treated as royalty while experiencing Indian culture, staying in palaces now converted into luxury hotels. However, do remember that royalty doesn’t come cheap so be prepared to blow a hole in your pocket. Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur can be traveled to on the road or flight once you visit Jaipur. Each of these cities is unique in their own ways, being the pink, blue and white cities with very different settings of lakes, deserts, etc.

Points to Remember

Major Indian Airlines are: IndiGo and Air India.

Domestic flights in India have a 15kg (33lbs) checked bag and a 7kg (15lbs) hand luggage allowance. You can however carry more at additional charge.

Indigo flights do not provide meals on board. When booking your ticket, you will be given the option to pre-book a meal and seat.