Travel Details

We understand traveling across the world can be a difficult thing to organize! On this page you’ll find all the information you need to plan your trip to India and our wedding.

Generally speaking, the travel booking timeline is as follows (subject to change).

If you’d like to sign up for Whatsapp reminders from us regarding planning and booking timelines, sign up below (recommended). And as always, feel free to message Apurva and Nick directly for advice and questions.

Flights

  • BOM (Mumbai airport) is the closest, largest international airport relative to the wedding. It is a 3-4 hour drive from Pune/the wedding by car. Cab companies will be recommended on this page.

  • Pune has an airport (PNQ), but it only connects through other Asian countries or Delhi’s Air India flight from the East Coast. It is a ~1 hour drive from Pune/the wedding. PNQ is only recommended if you’re traveling from elsewhere in Asia.

  • Qatar Airways Friday 8:00pm EST —> Sunday 3:00am EST (times approx.) flight is a decent and frequently used option from the East Coast that’s a good way to not take time off on Friday.

  • We recommend aiming to land on Sunday October 26th (or prior) in Mumbai if you’re coming from the US.

  • We understand it’s tough to schedule travel with work and life schedules, so if a 27th arrival makes the most sense, see the schedule page to see how the itinerary might work for you.

  • The only direct flight from the East Coast to India (Mumbai or Delhi) is offered from Air India, which tends to use older planes. We fly Air India often due to convenience, but it may not be the most comfortable option. We don’t recommend this for a variety of reasons, especially if this is your first long trip to Asia.

  • We recommend booking your flights now to around 6 months in advance! The pricing will be best.

  • Feel free to directly message Apurva, or Nick for advice before booking, especially if you’re thinking of flying Air India from the US!

Accomodations

  • All guests traveling from the US will be provided a villa at Malhar Machi or a neighboring resort October 27th (~1:-00pm)-29th(11:00am checkout).

  • We will have a hotel block at a 4-5 star hotel in Pune to book at your convenience. We will update this page with a link when that’s available. It will most likely be in Koregaon Park area, and around $100/night/per room.

  • If you’re arriving into Pune on October 26th or prior, we recommend booking a room at aforementioned block.

  • There are other hotels in the area you are welcome to take a look at if you’d like a different price point, but the amenities might be vastly different from what you are used to in the US. Message Apurva or Nick if you need advice on neighborhoods.

  • We do not recommend AirBNB in any city you end up in during your India travels.

Transportation

  • We do not recommend taking public transport in most places in India.

  • Up in the Himalayas, the trains can be less chaotic and a fun experience, but besides that, plan on hiring private drivers your entire trip.

  • To get from Mumbai, Mumbai airport or Pune airport to the wedding events/hotels, we will provide phone numbers for a few cab companies we have used in the past.

  • To get to and from Pune city to the wedding venue, we will provide transportation on 10/27, and 10/29.

  • Uber rickshaw or Uber is a reliable option for local transport within most cities. In Pune specifically, the metro is safe and user friendly if you want to get around the city.

  • If you are practiced at driving in India, and would like to drive yourself, there is parking at the resort. Road’s a little bumpy though, so make sure your tires can handle it.

  • In summary, if you’re relying on external transportation:

    • BOM/Mumbai—>Pune 10/26 or before - book a cab. We will recommend drivers on the website soon.

    • Pune —> Welcome Dinner in Pune 10/26- call an uber or ask the hotel concierge for help w/ a taxi. It will be a 5-10min drive.

    • Pune city—>Wedding Venue 10/27 - Transportation provided around noon from city hotel block.

    • BOM—>Wedding Venue 10/27 - book a cab. We will recommend drivers on the website soon.

    • Wedding Venue—>Pune/PNQ 10/29 - Transportation provided around check out time to the city hotel and PNQ. Expect to reach the city around 12:30 and airport around 1:00pm.

    • Wedding Venue—>BOM/Mumbai 10/29 - book a cab. We will recommend drivers on the website soon.

    • Wedding Venue—>Pune/PNQ if you need to leave earlier than 11:00am 10/29 - book a cab. We will recommend drivers on the website soon.

Domestic Travel

  • We recommend booking travel agencies via TripAdvisor in tour based formats for famous sites like the Taj Mahal that avoid public transport and offer you a private driver. For reference, a typical Taj Mahal day trip from Delhi might cost around $50-60 USD pp.

  • Typically Western 5 star hotels (Think Hyatt, Marriott, etc) offer day trip tours within the city they are in in very large cities like Delhi and Mumbai. These will show you local shopping spots and some historic sites. For example, we’ve heard good things about the Delhi day tour from Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi Airport Hotel. Check with hotels you are booking to see what they might offer.

  • Within a few hour driving distance or 1 hour flying distance from the wedding, Mumbai or Goa are good tourist destinations.

  • Agra, Jaipur, & various cities in Kerala are good historical sight seeing options within a few hour flying distance from Pune.

  • The Himalayas are a lot farther and their peak season is more like April/May. They are massive, so a lot of the very grand sites might require hours of driving and/or hiking to see. There are some accessible locations in November though, like Shimla, Manali, and Rishikesh.

  • For the beach, look into Goa, Lakshwadeep, or the Maldives.

  • You’ll be in the third largest mountain range in India (the Sahyadri range) for the wedding. Since you’ll get a dose of nature and the outdoors while you are there, other nature heavy sites might be less worthwhile to prioritize.

Visas & Passports

  • Yes! You WILL need a visa to travel to India.

  • Apply for a tourist e-visa 30 days or less, and no less than 4 days prior to your date of arrival.

  • Ensure your flights are booked to apply for your EVisa.

  • Your passport must be valid for 6 months after your travel dates to gain Visa entry. It is recommended to apply for renewals 9 months early if it is expiring 6 months or less after the wedding. Apply here.

  • If you need an address contact in India for your visa application, reach out to Apurva directly, or sign up for the Whatsapp reminders above and they will be sent there.