It has been over a year and a half since we last visited India. We were therefore impatient, although concerned, to return.

We have been in India for 1 week already and I wanted to give you a little summary of the situation here in relation to the Covid.


In Europe we imagine India as messy  ... well it is quite true let's be honest! 😅


Nevertheless some rules regarding Covid19 are in place, and instructions are given. But is all of this respected? Is it dangerous to travel to India during the Covid crisis? 🦠


For more than a year now we have been very careful in our daily life, and during our travels because of the Covid virus. Mask, social distancing, vaccination, PCR Test ... all this has become our daily habits.


It is the same in India. At the start of 2021, India experienced a very serious crisis, thousands of people lost their lives. Containment had been established in the country, many rules put in place, as well as an extensive vaccination campaign.
But a few months after this big wave of Covid, are the rules still applied?


We arrived in India at the beginning of September, at New Delhi airport.

⚠️ Note: At the moment, India is closed to tourism. Only certain people with very specific visas are allowed to enter the country. ⚠️

To embark, we had to show a PCR test of less than 72 hours : vaccination was not mandatory. You must also complete an online declaration, available directly on the New Delhi Airport website. You will be asked the confirmation of this declaration upon boarding.


Once on the plane, the mask is of course mandatory throughout the journey, and can only be removed briefly to eat. 😷


Arriving at the airport... it is chaos. We have to do a PCR test in order to get out. There are a lot of people, and the organization is not very clear. Several lines are set up, there are no written instructions. Airport staff give informations, but it is not very clear.


After about 30 minutes we realized that we were in the wrong line. There is actually a line for people who have not booked the PCR test online, and another for people who have already booked. The wait is very long. We finally receive a label with our name, to go to queue this time where the sample for the PCR test will be done.


After about 2 hours of waiting, our test is done, we must go through immigration and collect our suitcases.


I am quite surprised once in Delhi: everyone wears a mask. In some stores there is also hydroalcoholic gel, and the taxi / rickshaw drivers all wear a mask. 🙏


On the other hand, in smaller towns, it's more complicated, and a bit at the whim of everyone. There are prevention posters asking for masks to be worn, but in some stores sellers and customers do not wear them properly and sometimes not at all. 😕 Some big shops take things a little more seriously and check the wearing of masks and take customers' temperatures before they enter the store.


We had bought FFP2 masks to feel better protected but it is not mandatory in India: you can use a simple cloth mask if you wish.

How to prepare for a trip to India:


To summarize the restrictions and instructions for travel to India during the Covid crisis:


Before leaving:

  • RT PCR less than 72H
  • Self declaration to be completed on the airport site
  • Book a PCR test to do at Delhi Airport

At the arrival airport:

  • Take the RT PCR test (you can book online, and will pay 500 rupees or around 6 €)

! Note: Depending on where you arrive in India the restrictions may change. In particular, you will be required to quarantine if you arrive in Mumbai. !


During the stay:

  • Keep your mask ON; outside and in public places
  • Try to respect and maintain safety distances as much as possible; even if this is not always obvious in view of the world everywhere

We enjoyed our stay, and we never felt oppressed by the virus. In some places the virus can even be forgotten a little, during celebrations for example. Keep in mind that you must stay vigilant.


I hope that tourism will open again soon in India, and that you can all discover this beautiful country which has so much to offer.


Not to mention that the Indian Ministers have announced the issuance of 500,000 free tourist visas as soon as the borders open! 🤩