Question one
"Can you send me the licence card?"
The single most useful question in this category. It costs an operator nothing to send and most do not. A refusal, or a vague answer about privacy, tells you what you need to know.
How to hire a guide
How to hire a tour guide in India, step by step
Six steps, and the whole of the difficulty is in the first and the last: deciding whether you want a guide at all, and checking that the person who arrives is the one you booked. Everything in between is a WhatsApp message. This page includes the parts most operators leave out — what it costs, what to check, and when not to bother.
Notice needed
Same day to 72 hours
Day rate
₹1,200 – ₹3,000
Paid
At the end, not up front
Check first
The licence card
The steps
From deciding to being met at the lobby
Decide whether this monument actually needs one
It is not always yes, and anyone who tells you it is wants your money. Fatehpur Sikri and the Golden Temple are transformed by a guide; Hawa Mahal is a facade you look at for an hour. We have written an honest verdict for each of the ten biggest monuments, including the three where the answer is no.
Pick the language, then the city
This is the order that matters, because the language decides the rate and the notice period. English and Hindi are usually available same-day. The seven foreign languages want 24 to 72 hours, and Japanese, Mandarin and Portuguese are the scarcest.
Decide half day or full day — and whether you want the car
A half day is four hours from pickup and a full day is eight. If you are moving between monuments that are kilometres apart, take the vehicle with it: the guide has no car, and sorting out your own transport between the gates is the part that ruins the day.
Send the dates and get it in writing
City, dates, language, half or full day, and how many of you there are. What should come back is a name, a total, a pickup time and a photograph of the licence card. If any of those four is missing, ask again before you agree to anything.
Check the card against the person
At the lobby, look at the photograph, the licence number, the region and the languages. The commonest problem in this trade is not a forged licence, it is a real licence belonging to someone who is not standing in front of you.
Pay at the end, and tip if you want to
No deposit on a single-day guide booking. Cash or UPI at the end of the day. ₹300 to ₹500 is the customary gratuity on a full day if you were happy, and nobody will ask you for it.
Before you book
The four questions worth asking any operator
Question two
"Is the guide examined in this language, or do they just speak it?"
The card names the examined languages. A guide who "speaks some Spanish" is a different proposition from one examined in it, and you are entitled to know which you are buying.
Question three
"Does the fee change if the day runs long?"
It should not, within reason, and the answer should be a rule rather than a shrug. Ours: a half day extended becomes a full day; a full day running over by an hour is left alone.
Question four
"Do you take commission from shops?"
Ask it directly. In Jaipur and Agra the commission chain around a tourist is long and well practised. A licensed guide on a fixed day rate has no stake in where you buy, and will say so plainly.
How much notice
What each language needs
| Language | Notice | Full day | Half day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hindi — हिन्दी | Usually available at short notice, including same day. | ₹1,200 | ₹750 |
| English — English | Usually available at short notice, including same day. | ₹1,500 | ₹900 |
| Russian — Русский | Book 24–48 hours ahead in the October–March season. | ₹2,500 | ₹1,500 |
| French — Français | Book 24–48 hours ahead in the October–March season. | ₹2,800 | ₹1,700 |
| German — Deutsch | Book 24–48 hours ahead in the October–March season. | ₹2,800 | ₹1,700 |
| Italian — Italiano | Book 48 hours ahead; fewer guides hold this language. | ₹2,800 | ₹1,700 |
| Portuguese — Português | Book 72 hours ahead; the thinnest bench of the ten. | ₹2,800 | ₹1,700 |
| Spanish — Español | Book 24–48 hours ahead in the October–March season. | ₹2,800 | ₹1,700 |
| Japanese — 日本語 | Book 48–72 hours ahead; this is the scarcest of the ten. | ₹3,000 | ₹1,800 |
| Mandarin — 中文 | Book 48–72 hours ahead in the October–March season. | ₹3,000 | ₹1,800 |
Where
Start with the city you are in
Hire a guide in DelhiDelhiHire a guide in AgraUttar PradeshHire a guide in JaipurRajasthanHire a guide in UdaipurRajasthanHire a guide in VaranasiUttar PradeshHire a guide in AmritsarPunjabHire a guide in JodhpurRajasthanHire a guide in RishikeshUttarakhandHire a guide in HaridwarUttarakhandHire a guide in JaisalmerRajasthan
Questions people ask
Hiring a guide
FAQs
English and Hindi guides are usually available same-day or next-day. French, German, Spanish, Italian and Russian want 24 to 48 hours. Japanese, Mandarin and Portuguese want 48 to 72, and more between October and March when the season is at its heaviest. If your dates are fixed and the language matters, book before you fly rather than at the hotel desk.
Still have questions?
Our team is here to help. Contact us for personalized assistance.
Also in the guide line
Where to go next
Send the dates and see what comes back
City, dates, language, half or full day. You should get a name, a total, a pickup time and a licence card — and if you do not, ask any operator why not.
We send the guide’s licence card before you pay anything. Nothing is charged to confirm.