11 Countries where you can drive with your Indian Driving License

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There is nothing like exploring the place on your own, no second thought about it and a road trip is the best way to discover a place and be one of its own. With brilliant infrastructure and easily available car rental services, if driving is your passion then, you are in for a treat as these 11 exotic destinations let you drive against your Indian driving license. All you need is a GPS or a map, money for fuel, driving license and zeal to explore!

Australia (Drives on the left)

With varied landscape, Australia ready to surprise you at every nook and corner. One of the most famous drives is the Great Ocean Road which starts from Melbourne. New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Canberra allow you to drive with an Indian Driving License where as in the Northern Territory grants permission with a caveat – a permit that allows you to drive for only three months.  In Australia, you can only drive the vehicles that are allowed on your license.

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Great Britain (Drives on the left)

The awesome British countryside can be best explored while you drive. Great Britain – (England, Scotland and Wales) allows you to drive on Indian license upto a period of one year but only certain class of vehicles are permitted. Do visit the Isle of Man where there are no set speed limits.

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USA (Drives on the right)

The United States of America boasts of some most amazing driving routes in the world. Just land in the country, rent a car and hit the road - No agenda required!! Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica (across the width of the nation), Highway 12, Utah and Pacific Coast Highway through California are few routes that should be in your checklist. You can drive against Indian driving license for a year but it should be in English language. If not, then you need to carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) with translation and I-94 form which shows the date of arrival in the country.

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Germany (Drives on the right)

Indians can drive in Germany for a period of 6 months on their valid Indian driving license. Though not a must, but it is advisable to carry German translated version of your license (that can be obtained from the embassy there) and an International Driving Permit (IDP). The stretches of Autobahns have no speed limit & the German Castle Road has about 70 castles and postcards worthy views, making the route of approx 400kms drive through Bavaria one of the most sought after routes.

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France (Drives on the right)

France allows self drive on a valid Indian driving license for a period of one year provided you also carry the French translated version of the license, obtainable from the embassy. France is known for its diverse scenic locales that range from French Alps to mountain roads of Corsica with sea on one side & challenging hills on the other side and mesmerizing wineries especially the drive from Santé nay to Dijon for some vintage wine.

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Switzerland (Drives on the right)

Bollywood Director Yash Chopra made Switzerland a dream country for many Indians and what is more amazing than driving through the snow capped Alps overlooking the turquoise lakes in a Bollywood movie DDLJ (Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge) style! So miss your train and get behind the wheels for a memorable drive. St.Gotthard Pass joins north and south of the country and should be in the list of routes taken when in Switzerland along with St.Bernard Pass that is 56kms long. A valid Indian Driving license is required in English language for a drive in this captivating country for a year.

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New Zealand (Drives on the left)

The picturesque New Zealand is blessed with charismatic natural beauty which can be best explored by road. The following conditions are must when you want to drive with an Indian driving license.

A) Indian Driving License is valid upto a year

B) You need to be atleast 21 years of age to rent a car

C) If license is not in English, you need to have an official translation of your license by the New Zealand Transport Agency or one of the approved translator

D) You can drive only a type of vehicle according to your licence

Drive on Thames to Coromandel Road, Te Anau to Milford Sound and Christchurch to Marlborough Wine country is a magical experience.

Image Source: newzealand.com

South Africa (Drives on the left)

Dramatic cliffs, unique flora and fauna and beautiful wineries defines the beauty of South Africa which allows you to drive against an Indian driving license provided it is entirely in English and has your photograph and signature on it. Few car rental companies may ask for International Driving Permit, hence it is advisable to carry it with you. Zip down the famous Garden route or drive down the scenic route of Cape Town to Grabouw via Villiersdorp or from Camp’s Bay to Chapman’s Peak, Cape Town which are very sought after routes.

Image Source: southafrica.net

Norway (Drives on the right)

The land of midnight sun, Norway, allows you to drive against your valid Indian driving license and let you explore the amazing fjords for three months provided your license is in English. Take a drive from Oslo to Bergen to experience the most unforgettable drive which will take you through splendid villages, waterfall and fjords.

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Mauritius (Drives on the left)

Make sure you carry your Indian driving license (which is in English) when you travel to the gorgeous volcanic island of Mauritius to be able to drive across the country for upto 4 weeks. Drive along the pristine beaches or the mountain side for a wonderful road trip that you will cherish for years to come. You can only drive certain class of cars according to your home license and carry International Driving Permit for a hassle free car rental process. The drive from Pamplemousses to Pieter is an absolute delight.

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Canada (Drives on the right)

Not only Canada is a lovely host but is also home to some of the most beautiful snow covered landscapes in the world. An Indian driving licence is valid for 60 days and it should be in English. The top three drives on the Canadian surface are: Bow Valley Parkway, Kicking Horse Trail and Viking Trail. So put on your shades, load the music, charge the camera and be ready for the experience of a lifetime.

Image Source: Wikipedia

 Few tips to remember while planning a road trip abroad.

1.       Obtain a valid visa for the country to wish to travel to.

2.      Carry your original driving license and passport.

3.      Always carry an IDP (International Drive Permit) even if it is not mandatory, to avoid any hassles while car renting or driving. It is valid for one year and can be obtained from your local RTO on submitting required documents.

4.      Carry extra copies of your documents along with originals.

5.      Research in advance about car rental providers and their requirements to get the best rate.

6.      Try to rent a car that is GPS enabled or have GPS on your phone.

7.      Like India, some countries drive on the left side while others on the right, it takes a little time to adjust.

8.      Select a car as per your comfort – manual gear or automatic. Mostly all the cars abroad have automatic gears.

The Most Mysterious Places on Earth

The world never stops to surprise us. Although science can explain almost everything but that doesn't mean there is no room for mystery. These places keep many scientists searching for answers and the rest of us flabbergasted by the mysteries the world continues to reveal.

Keep reading to know more about the 7 places we found extremely intriguing. 

Superstition Mountain

This mountain range is located in the East of Phoenix, Arizona. Along with a name that attracts a lot of eyeballs, there are two stories that have been on for ages. According to the legends, a German immigrant Jacob Walts discovered gold mines in the mountains but he never revealed it to anyone until his deathbed upon which he may or may not have shared with one person. Also called the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine, it has not been found till date in spite many expeditions and people say the spirit of those people still haunt the mountain.

It is also believed that the mine is protected by creatures called Tuar-Tums (“Little people”) that live below the mountain in caves and tunnels. Some also believe that the entrance to hell is located in the mountain.

Image Source: Wikipedia

 Blood Falls

The falls are to be found in the breathtakingly beautiful mountains of Antarctica. The sight of the falls is arresting – blood red waterfall staining the snow white face of Glacier Taylor. Glaciologist and Microbiologists concluded that source is a subterranean lake that is rich in Iron and hence the red colour. What is stranger is, as per recent search there are microorganisms living 1300ft beneath the ice and are surviving because of Iron and Sulphur in the water.

Image Source: Wikipedia by Peter Rejeck

Area 51

The secret military base in the Southern Nevada, USA is known as Area 51. It is believed that the fleet of alien’s flying saucers and alien bodies are kept here which was captured during the infamous Roswell UFO Crash in 1947. Although nothing has been proved but is it said that scientists have examined and researched the aliens and have also succeeded in setting meetings with other alien life forms. People also speculate that weather control, secret weapons, time travel, teleportation has also been being developed in this area.

Image Source: Wikipedia

South Atlantic Anomaly

 The Bermuda Triangle in Space situated in the Atlantic Ocean, around 300kms off Brazilian coast, is one of the most dangerous areas of radiations. The SAA is the area where the band of radiation known as Earth’s Inner Van Allen Belt comes closest to Earth’s surface but the scientists aren’t sure how or why this occurs. The place creates havoc with satellites and spacecrafts. The Hubble Telescope is actually turned off from taking observation while passing through this area as Astronauts complains of computer crash. NASA satellites are shut down in this region, i.e while passing over Atlantic between Africa and Brazil. Not just technical problems, some Astronauts have reported seeing “shooting stars” in their visual field as they pass through.

Image Source: Youtube

The Bermuda Triangle

The list of most mysterious places is complete without the mention of this place. For those who are unaware, The Bermuda Triangle is a triangular area in Atlantic Ocean between Miami, Bermuda and San Juan. Over the years, it has left us perplexed with disappearance of ships, planes and people. No one can say what happens here but theories of sea monsters to alien abduction to weather conditions have been doing rounds with no conclusion.

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Lake Anjikuni

Not just few people or things, Lake Anjikuni in Nunavut, Canada took disappearance to next level when the entire village vanished. In 1930, a trapper named Joe Labelle was searching for shelter and was shocked to find not even a single living creature. Though food riffles and everything was intact. Few graves were found open with missing bodies and 6-7 dogs were found starved even when there was no dearth of food. Some versions of the story claimed to have seen strange lights above the sea at the time of disappearance while others include aliens, ghosts and vampires. It is hard to certain what the actual reason was.

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Moguicheng

Moguicheng is a desert in Xinjiang, China. The literal translation of the name is City of Satan or Devil’s City. While walking through the city people have heard exceptionally strange noises and occurrences. Visitors are adamant on their claims that they have heard sound of floating on the breeze, guitar being plucked, crying of baby or tiger roars. These sounds are apparently mystifying with no one being able to find the source.

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