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Before coming to India you need to have a valid visa.
Six-month multiple-entry visas (valid after the time of issue) are available
to most nationalities; Canadian and US citizens may also be able to get
one-year, five-year, or ten-year multiple-entry visas. Contact the Indian
Embassy in your country for more information.
Many airlines provide service to New Delhi, which is the international
airport closest to Rishikesh. In the aftermath of 11th September, there
seem to be fewer flights to India in general, and therefore tickets need
to be reserved as soon as possible to guarantee a seat. The time around
Christmas is an especially busy one, and fares may go up as availability
goes down in that period. Fares at any time of the year can differ greatly
according to the circumstances, but as a rule a usual fare between New
York and New Delhi would be between $1,000 and $1,500 round-trip, and
from London or any other major European city, fares would range from $500
to $800 round-trip.
Most international flights into New Delhi arrive very late at night or
early in the morning. You may want to make prior arrangements about booking
a hotel before coming. You can change money at the airport itself at any
number of banks (Currently the exchange rate is 45 rupees to $1.). At
the airport you can book a pre-paid taxi into New Delhi for about 250
rupees. If you are especially adventuresome, you can get a seat on the
Ex-Servicemen's Air Link Transport Service (EATS) bus at the airport which
will take you into New Delhi centre, the New Delhi Train Station or the
ISBT bus stand. This bus runs throughout the day and night and costs only
50 rupees. You could then continue on to Rishikesh by train or bus. (See
earlier section for train timings.) The total travel time from New Delhi
to Muni-ki-Reti is around 6-8 hours, depending on traffic and circumstances.
You should check with your doctor regarding immunizations, but a series
of shots for Hepatitis A is recommended. (For more specific information
about immunizations and practical travel tips in general, consult the
Lonely Planet Guide to India or other travel books.) Bottled water is
available in the market near the Ashram, but you could also bring a water
filter if you wanted to be doubly sure. As regards special items you might
otherwise overlook when planning a trip to India, let us suggest: sandals,
a rain jacket and possibly an umbrella, warm jacket or sweater, combination
padlock, flashlight (torch) and extra batteries, ear plugs, alarm clock,
sleeping bag (and also a sheet sleeping bag in the warmer months), warm
hat and socks in winter, insect repellant, sunscreen, pocket knife, pillow
case, face cloth, money belt, first aid kit, and toiletries case. If you
forget any of your toiletries, those are usually available for purchase
in the market here.
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