What to Pack for a Trip to India
With a luggage limit of a 15-pound carry-on and a 7-pound personal item...
I knew packing for seven nights in India—with a 24-hour travel day on either end of the trip—would be tough. But I didn’t realize how hard it would be until I saw that three of my domestic flights had strict weight limits: 15 pounds for a carry-on and 7 pounds for a personal item… At first, I panicked. My itinerary included a tiger safari (article coming to Travel + Leisure later this year), a formal event in Udaipur, and temple visits in Khajuraho. And I wanted the perfect outfit for each occasion.
While the Indian airlines never actually weighed my bags, I did manage to pack accordingly—huge shoutout to this Longchamp duffel bag, which weighs several pounds less than my go-to carry-on bag.
Luggage
Longchamp Le Pliage Original XL Travel Bag
I firmly believe the Longchamp Le Pliage Original XL Travel Bag was the MVP of my trip. It weighs less than a pound, and it easily held a week’s worth of clothing and two pairs of shoes. While I did get tired of lugging it through the airport—I boarded eight planes over the course of nine days—the handles never dug into my hands.
Antler Icon 2-in-1 Tote Backpack
Since one hand was already carrying my duffel, I knew my personal item would need to be a backpack—so I went with my Antler Icon 2-in-1 Tote Backpack. Packed with my laptop, other electronics, and a plastic bag filled with toiletries, it came right in at the 7-pound limit. It also doubled as the perfect safari bag (it doesn’t show dirt or dusty easily).
Dresses
As soon as this trip was booked, I immediately started scrolling through the Mirth website. The brand’s products are partially produced in India, and I knew the light fabrics would be crucial for the hotter days in Udaipur (my city guide will be live on Travel + Leisure soon). This particular style, the Vienna Maxi Dress, also comes with a removable tie belt, an easy way to change up the look on wear No. 2 or 3.
Striped long-sleeve button-down dress
I don’t typically love an Amazon dress, but I have to say: This is one I’m going to buy in more colorways. It’s oversized yet flattering, versatile, and, honestly, higher quality than I expected for the price tag. I wore it several times on the trip as my travel-day dress.
When I saw my itinerary included a formal event, I knew I wanted a dress that could either be casual or elevated; you never know what “formal” actually means. I thought this Figue one was perfect. Fair warning: It is a splurge.
Tops and Bottoms
Left on Friday linen button-down shirt and matching bottoms
I am forever a fan of linen sets for traveling, particularly when I’m headed somewhere warm. This Left on Friday linen button-down shirt and matching bottoms, which can be mixed and matched, caught my eye right before the trip—and I’ll likely be wearing the pants on repeat with a white tank top all spring and summer.
