Budget travel | International destinations you can visit in less than Rs 35,000

Check Covid-guidelines for entry before booking flight/hotels.

(Flight cost not included for Cape Town and cities in Kenya).

1. Cape Town (South Africa)

While in Cape Town, South Africa, visit Table Mountain for a breathtaking view of the city. (Image: Reuters)

Accommodation: Deluxe Twin Rooms Private Ensuite at 91 Loop: INR 1,408 per person/day including free breakfast, WiFi, city walking tours. Other great accommodation options near city centre with dorms averaging INR 1,000 per person/day include MoTown Backpackers, CurioCity Cape Town, Mojo Hostel & Market.

Food: Free breakfast is usually available at the accommodation. Lunch and dinner at mid-sized restaurants cost under INR 500 per person per meal (inclusive of tax and tips).

Wi-fi: Free Wi-Fi can be accessed at most hostels, B&B, cafes, restaurants and public libraries across the city.

10 low-cost activities:

Pick a few of these as well as free attractions (below), to stay on budget:

• Bo-Kaap: Walk with a local (INR 1,146);


• Kayaking (INR 2,344);


• Constantia Wine Tasting Tour (INR 3,385);


• Taste Malay dishes with a home chef (INR 3,640);


• Buki Culture Tours (INR 1,302);


• Make jewellery in Woodstock (INR 1,805);


• Horse riding in the vineyards (INR 2,526);


• Cape Town Water Biking Ocean Adventures (INR 3,385);


• Cape of Good Hope Tour (INR 3,541);


• Amazing Cape Town in a Day (INR 4,947).

• Hike up Lion’s Head or Signal Hill;


• Swinging At Sea Point Promenade;


• Visit the Two Oceans Aquarium;


• Swing In Your Hammock at De Waal Park;


• Visit waterfalls in Cecilia Forest;


• Go Surfing At Muizenberg Beach;


• Listen to Live Music at Bay Harbour Market;


• Join a Free City Walking Tour;


• Visit a Gateway of Fun at the V&A Waterfront;


• Head Down to Kalk Bay Harbour – ranked one of the coolest neighbourhoods by Forbes.

Currency: 1 South African Rand = INR 5.22

2. Bhutan

Dancers get ready for a performance during the Thimphu Tshechu festival in Bhutan.

Entry: Drukair and Bhutan Airlines fly into Bhutan. All three land border crossings (Phuentsholing, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar) are along the Indian border.

Backpacking: It is cheaper in lean season (peak season is March-May and September-November).  As a solo backpacker, travelling to Bhutan can get expensive; tag along with other backpackers to minimise costs.

6D/5N flight-inclusive trip to Bhutan by Women on Clouds is priced at Rs 58,500+ tax (twin sharing).

Accommodation: Village home stay (VHS) is the most reasonably priced option; prices start at Rs 1,500 per night. There are 158 VHS properties across 13 districts in Bhutan.

Festivals: The 2021 Thimphu Tscechu festival is from September 16-18, 2021. For tentative festival dates in 2022, see this document.

Plan Your trip on the official Bhutan Tourism website

Currency: 1 Bhutan Ngultrum = INR 1.00. Indian currency (except Rs 2,000 notes) are widely accepted in Bhutan.

3-4. Nairobi & Masai Mara (Kenya)

Leopard at the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.

Accommodation:

(4 nights, Nairobi CBD): Inks Hotel: INR 3,503+; Medina Hotel: INR 5,971+; Elysium Studio Apartments: INR 7,165

(4 nights, Masai Mara): Masai Mara Sunset Samp: INR 7,013; Aspervia Apartment: INR 11.942. Check entry fee for Maasai Mara National Park.

More accommodation options, and Safari options, are available.

Travel tip: Credit cards might not be accepted in smaller/rural towns, so keep cash handy.

Beer: USD 1 for local brand, USD 2-3 for foreign brands.

Plan Your trip on official Kenya Tourism website

Currency: 1 Kenyan Shilling = INR 0.69

5. Kathmandu (Nepal)

Accommodation: Overall Best Hostel in Kathmandu: Alobar1000; Best Hostel for Solo Travelers: Zostel Kathmandu; Best Cheap Hostel: Wander Thirst Backpacker Hostel.

4 nights (excluding taxes): Hotel Blue Horizon (Rs 6,600); Thamel Grand Hotel (Rs 7,100); Thamel Home (Rs 1,494); Rest Up Kathamandu Hotel (Rs 1,100)

Breakfast is usually cheaper than lunch/dinner.

Check for Wi-Fi; Wi-Fi connections are very patchy.

Trek: 6-day Annapurna base Camp Trek cost per person: USD 599 (all meals included); 8-day Everest base Camp Trek cost per person: USD 999 (all meals included)

Plan Your trip on official Nepal Tourism website

Currency: 1 Nepalese Rupee = INR 0.63

6-7. Colombo & Kandy (Sri Lanka)

Accommodation:

(5 nights, Colombo): Seconds Hostel: INR 2,220+; Stay Lost & Found (Colombo):  INR 8,853+; Hotel 111: INR 5,598+.

(5 nights, Kandy): Central City Hostel: INR 746; White Rose Hostel: INR 1,493+; Kandy City Rest House: INR 2,015.

A 5D/4N sight-seeing tour of 2-3 cities starts at INR 18,500. 7D/6N Adventure tour package across 5 cities starts INR 28,000.

Average meal cost is USD 1-3; coffee: USD 3; beer USD 1; bus tickets start at USD 3.

Plan Your trip on the official Sri Lanka Tourism website

Currency: 1 Sri Lankan Rupee = INR 0.37

8. Dubai

Accommodation: There are five hostels in town that cost 55-146 AED ($15-40 USD) per night. Price for 5 nights: Gulf Inn Hotel: INR 3,881+; Bed in Dormitory: INR 3,950; Global Hostel: INR 4,369; Bed Space for Females: INR 4,609. There’s a very active couch-surfing community.

Free activities:

• Visit Aquaventure at Atlantis, The Palm hotel for free on your birthday;


• Visit Coffee Museum;


• Check out the art at AlSerkal Avenue;


• See the Ras Al Khor flamingos;


• AiroTour offers free walking tours around the city for 2-20 people at a time.

Metro: Avoid taxi, use the metro (AED 8) that cuts through the middle of the city, also goes to the marina, airport, and Old Dubai.

Discount: Check Groupon Dubai for discounts.

Plan Your trip on official Dubai Tourism website

Currency: 1 UAE Dirham = INR 20.29

9. Maldives

Despite Maldives being known as an expensive holiday destination, you can do it on a shoe-string budget, as little as  USD 50 a day: $30 a day on a private room in a guesthouse; $10 a day on food; and $10 a day on activities.

Accommodation for 4 nights (excluding taxes): iHaven Thulusdhoo (INR 6,4490); Dhiffushi Inn (INR 8,956); Galaxy Sunrise (INR 9,673); Summer Villa Guest House (INR 9,852)

There’s a very active couch-surfing community. Check that if you do not want to spend a penny on accommodation.

Most accommodations serve a large free breakfast spread.

Local ferries cost USD 2-4 for a 3-hour journey.

Local trip cost (per person): Fishing trips (USD 50); sand banks (USD 25); island hopping around the atoll (USD 50)

Covid guideline: All passengers, except one-year-old children, will have to produce a negative RT-PCR before arrival for entry. Fully vaccinated travellers will be exempted.  You will have to submit a Health Declaration on the Maldives immigration portal 24 hours before arrival. Mandatory to download the Maldives contact tracing app TraceEkee.

Plan Your trip on official Maldives Tourism website

Currency: 1 Maldivian Rufiyaa = INR 4.82