Packing for India can be a bit of a challenge given cultural norms, as well as weather. I spent considerable time in India as a student and just recently returned for another trip, so have plenty of tips to share here. While in India, I kept a few things in mind in order to keep my packing list thorough, but efficient. There are also special considerations that one must keep in mind as a woman as well. This Ultimate India Packing List: Female Edition, will provide a comprehensive list of the items that you need to take with you on your trip, and provide relevant tips for travel to India as well. Note, this packing list is organized by category, so feel free to click to the section most applicable in the Table of Contents below. 

Key Considerations for Packing for India for Women

You should know that there are a four guiding principles to keep in mind when traveling to India:

1. Conservative Dress – Compared to styles in the US, or Europe, for example, Indian women dress a bit more conservatively than what you may be used to. You should keep your knees and your legs covered at all times to be respectful of the local culture and avoid any unwanted attention. Many tend to keep their shoulders covered as well (so leave the tank tops at home). However, I’ll note that showing your stomach is not viewed unfavorable – likely due to the long standing popularity of the saree. You should not view any of this as a hinderance, however – it’s just an opportunity to be more creative in your dress! Also, as a general note, when visiting Muslim religious sites you will likely be asked to put on a covering on top of your clothing, no matter what you wear.
2. Weather – The time of year that you visit will have a a definite impact on what you bring with you, and I’ll cover this in more detail throughout this post. Just for general reference, in Mumbai, the daily highs average from the upper 80s to the lower 90s every month of the year. Across most of the country, the best time to visit is during the winter months and spring months. The time of year that you’ll likely want to avoid when visiting India is June – September, during the monsoon season, which is very rainy. However, if you must travel during this time, tips for this can be found below too! 
3. Light Packing – I’ve mentioned this in other posts, but whenever you pack, it’s always important to keep things light. It’s likely that you’ll need to carry your luggage from place to place, so it’s best to avoid lugging unnecessary weight around. 
4. Health – There are vaccine and medicine requirements that you should certainly follow before your travels. In addition, you’ll likely run into some stomach issues on the journey, so you must keep your “medicine bag” full of the important stuff at all times. 

The India Packing List Female Edition

Travel Essentials for India

I must start this list with the items that I feel you CANNOT leave home without when visiting India, based on my experience: 

Sunscreen – The sun is brutal in India, and even skin as dark as mine can burn (it happened to me, I should know). Be sure to bring your high-SPF sunscreen along on your trip. 

Stomach Medications – As I mentioned above, you are unlikely to escape India without some sort of stomach troubles. To avoid / mitigate this issue, I recommend packing the following:

• Immodium – For moderate to more serious diarrhea
• Probiotics – These a great for keeping things regular, I like to use this brand

Anti-Malarials – Visit your doctor to get a prescription for anti-malarials, to prevent the onset of malaria. And while we are talking malaria, don’t forget to bring your mosquito-repellant too! 

Mosquito Repellent – To avoid the cause of malaria to begin with, be sure to bring this along with you. 

Toilet Paper – Toilet paper is often not available in public spaces, so I recommend packing travel-size rolls with you. However, if you are comfortable with just spraying yourself off instead, you may be find. 

Reusable Water Bottle – While tap water is not safe to drink, most hotels do provide sanitary water in your room. You can use this to take your bottled water with you on the go. 

First Aid Kit – You never know when you might be injured, so bring a small first aid kit along to take care of any minor wounds or injuries 

Day Pack – If you will be taking tours and be out and about, bring a day pack along to make carrying all your stuff a bit easier 

Sunglasses – Bring along your favorite pair to keep those eyes protected.

Hat – Yet more protection from the sun, I recommend bringing a straw hat along to keep it out of your face. 

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Clothing | Everyday Wear

Your clothing should be lighweight, but as I mentioned above, it should cover your shoulders, cleavage, and knees. Don’t bring any of your really expensive clothing options, unless you don’t mind them getting nice and sweaty.

Here are a few clothing examples that may inspire you:

Linen Pants – These are an old go-to for hot weather, but there is a reason why the Egyptians swore by Linen! Take a pair or two of dark and light colored linen pants. 

Harem Pants – These pants are comfortable, lightweight, and cheap :). I wear a pair I got in Thailand often because I love them so much!

Lightweight Skirt – Long skirts like the one shown below are another great option for keeping yourself cool in the hot weather. And as a reminder, leave all of your short skirts behind. 

T-Shirts – Bring a few of these along with you to coordinate with your pants and skirts. I like to buy mine from H&M Basics. 

Long-Sleeved Top – These are a good idea to bring along, particularly if you are visiting the north during the cooler months. In Delhi and the nearby area, it can get quite cool at night when the sun retreats. 

Pajamas – I like to travel with sleep T-shirts, bring what you like, but be sure to avoid any synthetic fabrics like satin. Those will make you sweat more at night. 

Salwar Kurta – This is a more traditional Indian style of dress, and it is so light and breathable. I bought one while in India (as you can see below), and really understood why these are so popular in the country. This over jeans in the heat any day! This is a great garment to wear wether visiting sites like the Taj Mahal or Mysore Palace.

Undergarments

Pack cotton panties and bras (if you can) – This will keep things nice and fresh (or as fresh as possible), despite the heat. 

Shoes

The shoes that you bring will depend on the activities that you plan to do on your trip to India. If you are going to be doing a lot of walking, bring a comfy pair of sneakers or sandals. I personally don’t like to have my feet covered in hot weather, so I hang on to some older, but very comfortable ALDO sandals that are really easy to walk in. 

What to Wear for Business in India

If you are visiting India for business, you may be wandering what to wear while in the office. When I visited India, I was traveling for a Consulting project, and spent several days at the company we supported. My attire consisted of the following:

Light Dresses – I recommend wrap dresses, and those made out of breathable fabric, like this one below.

Salwar Kurta – I found that many of the women wore this more traditional Indian outfit at work too – you will find many options for purchasing one once in the country. You can also purchase ahead by clicking this link (or the image below).

Linen Pants / Suits – Same as above, keep any pants or jackets you wear in light fabrics like linen. 

Linen Blouses – You probably get the picture now, ha! But linen is your friend :). 

What to Wear for Special Occasions

If you are visiting India for a special occasion, like a wedding, you need to wear a Saree or a Lehenga. And these must be formal ones. Below are a few websites that specialize in wedding / luxury sarees and lehengas:

• Indya Luxe – They specialize in modern wedding wear. I actually bought the saree that I wore to a recent Indian wedding from here.
• True Browns – This site features modern Indian attire, and has a Wedding-specific selection
• The Saree Room– This site features beautifully luxe attire that you can mix and match to your liking.

Toiletries

As you pack toiletries, keep the heat in mind. For example, if you have oily skin or other conditions impacted by hot weather, bring the products you use to combat these issues. I also recommend that you bring all travel-size toiletries with you, and I’ll cover the reason why a bit later in this post. 

Face

• Face Wash 
• Face Lotion
• Mini Toner

Mouth

• Toothpaste
• Toothbrush
• Floss
• Mouthwash
• Lip balm with sunscreen protection

Body

• Lotion
• Deodorant
• Perfume / Essential Oil
• Tampons / Pads / Menstrual Cups / Pantiliners
• Razor
• Shaving Cream

Just a note, I highly recommend traveling with a menstrual cup instead of solely pads or tampons. As you do not need to change them as frequently, it will just make using the ladies’ room less of a hassle. 

Other

• Cotton Swabs
• Band-Aids
• Nail Clip
• Laundry Bag

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Medicines to Take to India 

I’ve mentioned a few of these in the travel essentials, but here is a comprehensive list of OTC medicines to take with you to India:

• Anti-Inflamatories (e.g., Advil, Aleve, Tylenol) – For use with any aches, pains, headaches, etc. 
• Melatonin – This is great to bring along to help with regulating your sleep as you adjust to the new time zone
• Prescription Medicines – Including anything you take regularly, such as Birth Control
• Antihistamines – You will be exposed to allergens that you are not used to, so it’s best to be prepared if you have allergies
• Pepto-Bismal – For nausea, mild diarrehea
• Immodium – For moderate to more serious diarrehea 
• Probiotics – These a great for keeping things regular, I like to use this brand
• Charcoal Tablets – For gas and mild stomach discomfort
• Anti-Malarials – Visit your doctor for a prescription for these
• Rehydration Salts – These are great for anyone who does wind up suffering from diarrhea to keep you from getting dehydrated 

Beauty Items

As you pack your beauty items, keep in mind that you should keep them to a minimum, if possible. You’ll probably be sweating

Makeup

Since it is so hot, you are likely to sweat off makeup throughout the day. I recommend just packing the essentials:

• Foundation or BB Cream
• Mascara 
• Lip Color (I love this one by Glossier)
• Eye Liner
• Setting Powder (great for blotting away oily skin)
• Lipstick

Hair Essentials

The basics include:

• Comb
• Brush
• Bobby Pins
• Hair Ties
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Hair Styler 

If you have curly hair like me, you should bring a few additional items:

• Leave-In Conditioner – Kinky-Curly Knot Today is still my go-to
• Hair Gel – I LOVE this one by Uncle Funky’s Daughter
• Edge Control – I typically use Design Essentials’ version

RELATED: For more tips, check out my post on Traveling with Natural Hair. 

Electronics

Cell Phone – This goes without saying. You may also want to look into getting a local SIM card if you are staying in the country for an extended period of time. 

iPad or Laptop – Depending on what you need to do while there, you may bring your iPad or Laptop (or both). 

Headphones – So you can have a jam session whenever you need one ;). You might want to opt for noise-cancelling headphones if you have trouble sleeping with noise. 

Travel Adapter – I LOVE this one by Conair and have used it for years!

Chargers – Bring your iPhone / iPad / Laptop chargers and whatever else you need to bring with you that needs charging.

Portable Charger – I recommend brining one of these or a travel case for your phone so that you never have to worry about running out of battery life while on the go.