Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, is the heartland of the Ganges plain and home to the Taj Mahal in Agra, the ghats of Varanasi, the Buddhist site of Sarnath and the Nawabi culture of Lucknow. Its cities hold some of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world, Mughal-era monuments, major Hindu pilgrimage towns such as Ayodhya and Mathura, and a distinctive food tradition of kebabs, chaat and sweets.
Uttar Pradesh receives very large numbers of domestic and many foreign visitors each year, and the main tourist circuits of Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Mathura, and Prayagraj are used daily without incident. The common problems are touts and commission scams, petty theft in crowds, road accidents, winter air pollution, and heat and humidity.
Current safety advisory
Low
Exercise normal precautions in the main tourist areas of Uttar Pradesh. National advisories for India apply, with extra care at crowded pilgrimage events, on highways in winter fog, and when travelling alone after dark. No state-specific tourist advisory for Uttar Pradesh was found at the time of writing, so check current national advice before departure.
Last updated: 2026-10
Official advisories
Guidance from national travel-advisory services.
National advisory applies
India carries a general advisory with higher risk in specific border and conflict regions; Uttar Pradesh tourist cities are not among the named restricted areas, but travellers should check the current advisory.
National advisory applies
UK guidance lists 112 as the emergency number for ambulance, fire, and police, and advises care against petty crime, scams, and road accidents.
Essential safety tips
Practical advice that applies everywhere.
Keep digital and paper copies of the passport, visa, and travel insurance separate from the originals
Use prepaid taxis, Ola, Uber, or inDrive instead of unmarked cars offered at stations and airports
Drink only sealed bottled or filtered water; tap water in Uttar Pradesh is not safe for visitors
Be cautious of touts at Agra, Mathura, and Varanasi stations who claim a hotel is closed or full
Agree prices for boat rides, rickshaws, and guides before starting
Dress modestly at temples, mosques, and dargahs by covering shoulders and knees
Take care at crowded events such as Magh Mela, Dev Deepawali, and aarti ceremonies where pickpocketing and crowd-crush risk are higher
Watch for monkeys in Vrindavan, Mathura, and Agra; keep food, glasses, and phones out of sight
Avoid driving at night on highways, where winter fog, unlit trucks, and stray animals cause crashes
Do not swim in the Ganga or Yamuna near the ghats because of strong currents and water quality
Keep small notes (₹10, ₹20, ₹50, ₹100) for rickshaws, donations, and tips
Do not accept food or drinks from strangers on trains or buses
Carry travel insurance with medical cover; the best hospitals are in Lucknow, Noida, Agra, and Varanasi
Avoid drone use and photography near military zones, railway bridges, and security installations
Check local news before travelling during major religious gatherings, when roads and bridges close
Common scams to avoid
Recognise and sidestep tourist-targeted scams.
Hotel Closed or Full
Rickshaw or taxi drivers at Agra, Varanasi, or Mathura stations claim the booked hotel is closed or full and divert visitors to a commission hotel
How to avoid: Phone the hotel before arriving and insist on going to the confirmed address
Taj Mahal Guide and Photographer Pressure
Unlicensed guides and photographers near the Taj Mahal gate offer low fees, then add charges for photos or shop stops
How to avoid: Use approved guides, agree the full price in advance, and decline shop detours
Shop Commission Detours
Drivers take visitors to marble inlay, carpet, or gem shops that pay commissions, and prices are inflated
How to avoid: State up front that no shopping stops are wanted and compare prices at more than one shop
Varanasi Ghat Blessings and Boat Overcharging
Touts offer flower offerings, blessings, or boat rides at the ghats and demand high payment afterwards
How to avoid: Decline unsolicited offers, agree the boat price and duration first, and pay only at the end
Fake Tour Agencies Near Stations
Offices near railway stations present themselves as official tourist services but sell inflated packages
How to avoid: Book through UP Tourism, IRCTC, or hotels with established reviews
Meter and Fare Games
Auto-rickshaw drivers refuse the meter or quote high fares to foreigners, especially at stations and airports
How to avoid: Use prepaid counters or ride-hailing apps
Health considerations
Staying healthy on your trip.
- Vaccinations
- Recommended: Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Tetanus, and routine vaccines; consider Hepatitis B, Rabies, and Japanese encephalitis for rural stays. Consult a travel clinic before departure.
- Water
- Tap water is unsafe; drink sealed bottled water or filtered water and avoid ice in small eateries
- Food
- Freshly cooked hot food is generally safe; avoid pre-cut fruit, uncooked salads, and street items that have sat out in the heat
- Facilities
- Good private hospitals exist in Lucknow (SGPGI, Medanta), Noida, Agra, and Varanasi (BHU Trauma Centre); district hospitals are more basic, so travel insurance with evacuation cover is advised
Safety for specific travellers
Tailored advice for different groups.
Solo travellers
Uttar Pradesh is manageable for solo travellers on the main circuit. Book reviewed accommodation, share the itinerary with someone at home, use app-based taxis after dark, avoid empty ghat lanes late at night, and keep a charged phone with offline maps.
Female travellers
Women travelling alone should take extra care. Dress modestly, avoid isolated roads and ghats after dark, use women-only coaches on trains where available, and use hotel-booked or app taxis at night. Staring and unwanted attention are common in crowded places; moving to a busy area and responding firmly is usually effective. Helplines include 112 and 1091 (women helpline).
Families
Families travel widely in Uttar Pradesh. Main concerns are heat, crowded temples, food and water hygiene, and traffic. Carry oral rehydration salts, keep children close in crowds, and choose hired cars with working seat belts.
LGBTQ+ travellers
Same-sex relations have been legal in India since the 2018 Supreme Court ruling, but social acceptance is limited, especially in smaller towns and pilgrimage cities. LGBTQ+ travellers should be discreet with public affection and at religious sites.
Emergency contacts
Numbers to know before you go.
- Police
- 112 (single national emergency number; 100 also works in many areas)
- Medical
- 108 (ambulance in Uttar Pradesh; 102 is also listed for ambulance)
- Embassy
- US Embassy New Delhi: +91-11-2419-8000; UK High Commission New Delhi: +91-11-2419-2100
- Tourist Police
- 1363 (Ministry of Tourism multilingual tourist helpline; not an emergency line, call 112 first for emergencies); women helpline 1091