Highlights of India
- Taste the best of Bengali cuisine in Calcutta
- A cultural hotpot and long-standing centre for learning and philosophy, Calcutta is a fascinating place to explore on a half or full day walking tour. One main aspect of any visit to this thriving city is the wonderful food on offer, and some of the best Bengali cuisine can be sampled here, including the popular kathi roll (kebab wrapped in dough) or any one of the many delicious cheese-based sweets.
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- Visit the colonial hill stations around Darjeeling
- Whilst Darjeeling was originally an army camp at the beginning of the Raj era, it expanded rapidly with the introduction of the tea industry. This region of the Indian Himalaya was popular with the early British colonists largely due to the heat, with hill stations the only escape in the hot summer months. The colonial buildings here really are a feature, whilst in the tea plantations one can relive the way of life of the British Raj.
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- Explore the colourful Meenakshi Temple at Madurai
- The magnificent, imposing Meenakshi Temple in Madurai was built at the same time as the Taj Mahal. It features nine towering gopurams covered in colourful stucco statues and images, and its dark, atmospheric halls are filled with fragrant scents and the soft sounds of worshippers praying to their deities.
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- Watch the sunset over The Backwaters
- A network of palm-fringed canals that lead from the waters of Lake Vambanad, The Backwaters are a haven for wildlife and boast a relaxed charm which makes them so welcoming to visit. Sunsets here are particularly beautiful, as the fiery red sky reflects off the still water to creates a stunning, peaceful vista.
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- Spend time relaxing on the beaches at Goa
- Goa, on India's west coast, is home to some of the country's best beaches and is a popular destination for travellers who are looking for a little rest and recuperation. Apart from stunning white sandy beaches and clear, emerald waters, Goa is also a fantastic place for fine seafood and delicious Indian cuisine.
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- Experience the magic of sunrise at the Taj Mahal
- Whilst the majestic domes and beautifully-carved columns of the Taj Mahal are magnificent at any time of the day, they are at their most breathtaking first thing in the morning as the sun rises and casts a magical soft pink light across its elegant facade.
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- See Delhi's architectural treasures
- Delhi boasts many architectural gems, such as the Baha'i House of Worship and the India Habitat Centre, which combined with the Secretariat, Lutyen’s stately centrepiece, make it one of the world's great architectural capitals.
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- Spot tigers in Ranthambhore National Park
- Explore the adundant wildlife of Ranthambhore in an open-top jeep - a fantastic way to see spotted deer, monkeys, colourful birdlife and, of course, the majestic tiger. There is something truly magical about seeing this beautiful cat emerge from the undergrowth and patrol its territory in stunning, natural surroundings.
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- Take an evening boat ride along the Ganges at Varanasi
- A place of spiritual pilgrimage for thousands of years, Varanasi sits on the banks of the Ganges - India's holiest river. The best way to appreciate the flurry of activity and huge gatherings of people making offerings to the goddess Ganga, or Aarti, is from a sunset boat cruise along the river.
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Our country specialists have travelled the length and breadth of India - here are a few of their favourite things to do
With snowcapped Himalayan peaks, emerald green backwaters, verdant jungles and sweeping desert plains, India's diversity enthrals visitors.
A journey to India leaves lasting impressions of an ancient land populated by an eclectic people whose rich history and traditions are still ingrained in daily life.
Regions of India
In the north of the country the deserts and rolling Aravalli hills remain the realm of the Rajputs, whose ancestral forts and palaces dominate the landscape. Away from the plains the rolling foothills, dotted with colonial hill stations, have long provided respite from the summer heat, while beneath the stunning backdrop of the mountain peaks vast tea plantations grow the 'Champagne of the East'.
The centre of India is a mysterious land with cave temples, lost cities, national parks rich in birdlife and healthy tiger populations, and the unique tribal groups of Orissa. To the south, the Keralites maintain a lifestyle seemingly in keeping with the languid pace of the backwater canals, while the towering temples of Tamil Nadu are a vibrant display of colour and devotion.
Throughout India Mughal monuments, elaborate Hindu temples and imposing colonial architecture contrast with a rural patchwork of villages and farms, making this an inspiring, beguiling and unique country to explore
Popular Places to visit in India
Rajasthan & the North
With shimmering marble domes and towers reflecting in landscaped pools, the Taj Mahal is Agra's highlight and the world's greatest monument to love. Cool and white by moonlight, its elegant façade is at its best glowing pearlescent pink at dawn, but at any time of day this iconic building never fails to take your breath away.
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Mumbai, Goa & Central India
Situated in Madhya Pradesh, and accessed by train to Umaria only 45 kilometres away, Bandhavgarh is the smallest of three parks in the region. Covering an area of 105 square kilometres, it is bordered by a small village where the lodges and camps are located.
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Calcutta & The East
For centuries the hill station at Darjeeling has provided respite from Calcutta’s fierce summer heat and also the ideal climate for tea planters to cultivate the 'Champagne of the East'. The Raj era estates and bungalows can be seen alongside the more recently arrived Tibetan population.
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Rajasthan & the North
Many tours will start and finish in Delhi, India's bustling capital. On the surface it is very much a symbol of modern India - contemporary and developing, but scattered throughout the city lie testaments to Delhi's intriguing past. The vast Red Fort and the Jama Masjid Mosque are some of the architectural splendours of northern India.
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The Himalayas
Although Dharamsala is the better known of these two neighbouring towns, McLeod Ganj is the base for the Tibetan government in exile and their community. The Dalai Lama is often in residence in May and July and may lead prayers at these times.
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Rajasthan & the North
Jaipur, known as the Pink City because of its brightly-painted stone buildings, is a lively and bustling place founded in 1727. The City Palace houses an excellent, if somewhat eclectic, museum, and the magnificent Amber Palace lies on top of a hill just outside the city.
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Kerala & South India
Madurai is a temple town like no other. It is home to the huge Meenakshi Temple, which was built at the same time as the Taj Mahal and is virtually a town in itself.
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Mumbai, Goa & Central India
Mumbai is India’s most cosmopolitan city and its commercial capital, with a progressive and vibrant atmosphere and a wonderful collection of British-built Indo-Saracenic and Gothic architecture.
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Kerala & South India
A large part of Kerala’s considerable charm lies in the Backwaters, a network of canals that lead off Lake Vembanad.
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Rajasthan & the North
A place of pilgrimage since time immemorial, the holy city of Varanasi is set on the banks of the sacred river Ganges.
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Flight time
8 1/2 hours (New Delhi)
