Money Exchange and Payments in India: A Complete Guide for Foreign travellers
Before you set off on your tiger safari holiday to India, lets us understand a few important points – especially how to handle money. From exchanging your home currency to using credit/debit cards in remote lodges, managing payments will ensure your travel experience far more relaxed.
At Noah Safaris we’ve put together this simple guide on Indian currency, money exchange, credit card use, ATMs, and payment options for your understanding.
The Indian Currency – What one should know??
The Indian Rupee (INR), symbolized as ₹ is the official currency India. Bank notes are available in denominations from ₹ 10 to ₹ 2000, though most daily transactions happen with ₹100, ₹200, and ₹500 notes. Coins of ₹1, ₹2, ₹5, and ₹10 are also common. It is always advisable to carry smaller denominations for tips, local market purchase, and rural areas where card machines may not be available and work properly.
Where to exchange Money??
Your home/foreign currency can be exchanged in International airports, banks, major city hotels, authorized money changers and counters. Always better to get a receipt. At certain remote locations few vendors and unlicensed agents provide this service, but we highly recommend to get it done earlier itself.
Using Credit and Debit Cards during India travel
Major credit and debit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, and American Express, are widely accepted in hotels, lodges, and restaurants across cities and popular tourist areas.
However, remote wildlife lodges, camps are located in rural areas, and may have limited card acceptance and internet connectivity, so it’s smart to carry a mix of cash and multiple cards. Also noticed that some card machines doesn’t accept payments from American Express.
Many safari lodges and resorts also accept digital payments and online transfers. Always inform your bank before international travel to avoid card blocks for suspected fraud.
Our camps and safari lodges, mostly support digital payments and online transfers, making transactions convenient for travellers.
Where to find ATMs in Central India??
ATMs are available in most of the towns, and cities, including landing gateways to popular national parks at Nagpur, Jabalpur, Khajuraho and Raipur. However, on your road transport to these parks few ATMs are available. We suggest to withdraw enough cash before heading to your Jungle lodges and Safari camps.
Most ATMs accept international debit cards linked to Visa, or Mastercard. A small withdrawal fee may apply, so it’s best to withdraw larger sums at once for convenience.
Please note: All bank ATM machines have a daily withdrawal limit, so plan accordingly
How to make Payments to Noah Safaris??
For a seamless experience, Noah Safaris India accepts multiple payment modes for bookings and services:
- Bank online transfers (international and domestic)
- Online payment links (secured gateways)
- Credit/debit card payments via authorized Card machines (at our Head office)
- UPI or mobile payments (for domestic travellers)
All our transactions are transparent and confirmed with official receipts, mailed by our sales team. Guests are required to complete advance payments before arrival to ensure smooth travel arrangements and permit bookings for safaris.