The UK has a longstanding relationship with India and the British have been regular visitors to the subcontinent for years. As the co-founder of GapGuru.com, which specialises in India, do you find that interest in visiting India has changed in the past few years with respect to those looking for gap year destinations?

Yes! It has changed immensely and interest in India is continuing to grow on both a cultural and commercial level.

We’ve seen a continued increase in India’s popularity as a gap year destination since founding GapGuru five years ago. This is because India offers it all to gappers - culture, community, climate and career – an offering that’s only possible due to the country’s unique diversity.

India is set to become one of the superpowers in the next five to ten years, and visits from Prime Minister Brown has kept India in the news. It is a fascinating country and offers a unique experience for visitors.

How does doing a gap year in India differ from spending a few months getting life experience somewhere else, be it France, the US, Australia, South America, Africa, etc.?

India offers a blend of different cultures and religions, and a contrast between rich and poor. Travellers can expect to gain diverse experience of not only 21^st century cities, but also rural villages which have not moved on for centuries. India is the world’s largest democracy, generally very safe and English is widely spoken.  

Travelling visitors can walk in the foothills of the highest mountain range in the world, relax on stunning beaches, drift on the backwaters of Kerala and track tigers and elephants in the jungles.

Aside from cultural, adventure and community projects, GapGuru also provides medical, business and journalism work placements in India. No other country can offer all of this, so for gappers India really does provide everything.

Despite the fast growing wealth, there continues to be desperate poverty in India and therefore there is a wide range of opportunities to help those less fortunate than us.

Other countries offer less choice, provide only ‘holiday’ experiences, or have more safety concerns.

What advice do you (or would you) impart to those heading to India for the first time to spend a few months in the country?

Ensure you maximise your time away. Challenge yourself… try and help in some way through a recognised voluntary project, immerse yourself in the culture and experience local events such as weddings, festivals and elephant processions.

Travel light and shop, shop, shop!!

Follow normal health and safety advice for travellers: eat sensibly, drink only bottled water, know which areas of a city are safe, keep your valuables safe, carry a mobile phone and make sure you have comprehensive travel and health insurance before you go.

Visit Agra (Taj Mahal), experience the Kerala backwaters, visit a tea plantation and spend some time in any of the major cities.

What would you recommend for travellers who want to get a sense of India and see the country - but who are on a tight budget?

In our experience, gappers or travellers who purchase an organised programme actually get better value for money as their full itinerary is covered including travel, entrance fees to monuments, accommodation and local support.

India is a great choice for gappers on a budget compared to other countries anyway, as local transport, eating out, shopping and spa treatments are all great value for money.