India Visa

You can apply for an E-Visa with a 30 day stay-limit

https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

If you are visiting India for a longer duration then a 6 month tourist visa could be worth considering but they are more expensive.

In the UK the link is below.

http://www.vfsglobal.com/india/uk/

Medical

Get in touch with your GP well in advance of your departure for latest information on vaccinations and any other medical considerations.

For additional information please visit: https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries

Insurance

Get insured. It is a condition of our trips that you are adequately insured. Policies must cover mountain biking and the potential risks of a mountain bike holiday. If your usual insurance doesn’t cover mountain biking then consider specialist coverage such as

https://www.snowcard.co.uk/single-trip.php

We need a copy of your insurance ready for us on arrival or send us on a copy via e-mail prior to the trip.

Bringing Your Own Bike/Bike Kit

As ever make sure your bikes are in tip-top condition before bringing them out. If you are unsure a part will survive the trip then replace or get it serviced by a bike shop. Performance bike parts are hard to obtain in India but we do have small stocks of spare parts.

Let us know before you come about what bike you are bringing out and if there is anything specific to your bike that we might not have spares for.

Bringing your own bike then bring

Spare Mech Hanger

2 spare sets of brake pads

2 Tubes

Spokes specific to your bike

Multi tool

Trail Pump

Tyre levers

Hydration pack with space to store extra cycling layers.

A waterproof in case of showers.

If you have any doubt on what you need to bring out with you as spares then just let us know.

Bike Rental

We have a range of great bikes available from Nukeproof so contact us now for details with bike hire from £250 for the full tour.

Please bring your own pedals and compatible shoes if you renting one of our bikes and are riding SPD. All bikes are supplied with saddles which might be a bit on the sporty side so it could be worth bringing your own if you have a comfortable saddle that your are used to. Please also bring your own ride kit/helmet/gloves etc.

Cycle Wear

Best to ride in traditional riding attire so that’s MTB all the way along with a mix of long sleeve and short sleeve tops, temps can vary day by day but rarely cold, long sleeve tops can come in handy for sunburn and when sections are lined with brambles. Best to bring shoes that you can also walk in so if your are not riding flats then non-exposed cleats and non- aggressive tread patterns works best; so comfortable for photo stops, the odd walk out to view points and tackling the odd tricky sections if you don’t fancy riding them.

Non ride kit to bring

Head torch in case of power cuts

A set of warm clothes for nights spent in mountains

Light waterproof

Mix of long sleeve and short sleeve riding tops in case of sunburn

Universal electric plug

Mosquito Repellent

High factor sun-cream

Sunglasses

Lip salve

Sandals/flip flops

Food And Drink

South Indian food is a highlight of any trip and will make up the majority of our lunches when we are riding. In the bigger towns there is also a wide choice of western food and north Indian dishes. If you have any specific dietary requirements let us know. It’s easy enough to pick up a beer or two for a post ride drink at all our hotels or there are a range of local drinks including the legendary Toddy that refreshes parts you didn’t realise you had.

Climate

Temperatures on the plains will be around 30c during the day and remain warm at night time. In the mountains it’s usually still warm but nights can be cooler.

Included

All accommodation

All scheduled transfers

All breakfasts/lunches

Vehicle support

Not Included

Personal travel insurance

Snacks, soft drinks etc

Personal expense

Tips, gratuities

Evening meals

Finances

ATM’s are available in all our destinations. Visa is the most widely accepted. Food items, snacks, gift items are all well priced so expect to pay £5 for an evening meal or just over £2 for an alcoholic drink.

Airport exchange rates are usually very poor so if you are exchanging money here then just change small amounts. There are money changing facilities in Fort Cochin/Kumily and Munnar but not in Kuttikanam

India’s Timezone

(GMT +05:30)

Electricity

230/240 volts AC, 50 Hz. 2 pin type.

There are recharging facilities at all the hotels, the electricity supply is not 100% reliable but it is usually only off for short periods of time.

Tips and Gratuities

Our tour driver and local guides do not expect tips from our Mountain bike Kerala guests but they would greatly appreciate them. Feel free to tip at your discretion if you feel the service has been good.

Shop

We have a great range of MTB clothing available including long sleeve and short sleeve tops, t-shirts, buffs, shorts and socks all in our great looking shop. All our riding gear is designed and made by our in-house greenfrogindia.com team and is available both on tour and from our online shop so you can buy anytime before or after the trip. Look out for these and our great range of cycle-recycle products including great looking wallets, passport holders, pouches and phone protectors made from reclaimed inner-tubes.