Where to go in India
India is one big collection of cultural curveballs. So, although these are our highlights of where to go in India, it is worth stressing that for every special place or experience, there are another ten just around the corner. Although the Taj Mahal is a highlight for many, there are Mughal marvels such as Biwi ka Maqbara in Aurangabad or Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi that shouldn’t be missed. And while Rathambore National Park is a wildlife favourite, Bandipur National Park, Bandhavgarh National Park, Pench and Panna are beauties. Trekking in the Indian Himalayas around Ladakh is something very special to aspire to, but don’t let these peaks upstage the rambling delights of the Western Ghats in Kerala, where you can chill in the hills followed by a few days of blissing out at the beach. Just keep your eyes and ears open when you are travelling in India and the highlights will happen when you least expect.
Our India Holidays
Kerala tailor made holiday, 11 days
Revitalize in Kerala - A most wonderful and balanced trip
From
£1349 to £1779
11 days
ex flights
North India cultural tour
An adventure to one of the planet's exotic destinations
From
£690 to £940
22 days
ex flights
Kerala homestay tour, India
Stay in homestays in various destinations in Kerala
From
£1610
15 days
ex flights
History, culture & wildlife of India holiday
From the Nilgiri Hills to the beaches of Goa
From
£1336
15 days
ex flights
Rajasthan cycling holiday with Taj and tigers
Enjoy cycling tour in Royal Rajasthan with Taj and Tiger.
From
US $2060
16 days
ex flights
Wildlife holiday in Central India
Best of Indian wildlife with tiger, leopard and sloth bear.
From
£2120
12 days
ex flights
Rajasthan 15 day tour
A well crafted northern Indian and Rajasthani experience
From
£1749
15 days
ex flights
Golden Triangle small group holiday, India
India's 3 most popular destinations, Delhi, Agra & Jaipur
From
£540 to £680
8 days
ex flights
Tiger tour in India, land of the Tiger tour
Wildlife tour through India
From
£2829 to £3379
16 days
inc UK flights
Tiger watching holiday in India
A chance to see the majestic tiger in the wild
From
£825 to £1050
9 days
ex flights
South India tour, Trivandrum to Goa
Head to the beaches and backwaters of southern India.
From
£712 to £960
16 days
ex flights
India small group holiday, a food adventure
2 week discovery of the sights, sounds & flavours of India.
From
£1407 to £1920
15 days
ex flights
North India holiday, mountains and hidden villages
Inspirational Trekking with Indian Culture and Communities
From
£1545 to £1895
14 days
ex flights
Assam and Nagaland photography tour, India
Superb photography in Assam & Tribal villages of Nagaland.
From
£3850
14 days
ex flights
Gujarat holiday and the Rann of Kutch, India
A fascinating mix of local village culture and wild landscapes
From
£2415 to £2750
15 days
ex flights
Cultural and rural tour of North East India
Cultural, rural and tribal holiday in North East India
From
£850 to £1150
12 days
ex flights
Rajasthan cycling holiday
Explore the palaces, temples and wildlife of India's desert state
From
£2099 to £2749
16 days
inc UK flights
Golden Triangle 9 day tour in India
Top Quality Golden triangle Trip at an excellent price.
From
£1099 to £1299
9 days
ex flights
Kerala and tropical India cycling holidays
Beautiful landscapes, fascinating towns and long white beaches
From
£2599 to £3299
15 days
inc UK flights
Binsar to Jageshwar walking holiday, India
Thrilling, tailor-made walking trips in the Indian Himalayas
From
£1205 to £1287
13 days
ex flights
Luxury India Tours, Taj, forts and palaces
Explore palaces,magnificent forts,sleep in the lap of luxury
From
£3400 to £3800
11 days
inc UK flights
Ladakh and Changtang cultural tour, India
Cultural immersive tour ideal for couples and small groups
From
£950 to £1150
10 days
ex flights
Luxury Rajasthan holiday, 14 days
Experience life as a Maharaja in wonderful Rajasthan
From
£4836
14 days
ex flights
Rajasthan tours, India
Discover the evocative northern province of Rajasthan
From
£980 to £1210
15 days
ex flights
Golden Triangle with Ranthambore tour, India
Brilliant experiences including Tigers and Temples
From
£1199 to £1299
11 days
ex flights
India tour, Taj, tigers and Ganges holiday
Experience the essence of northern India
From
£2279 to £2985
13 days
ex flights
Family holiday with volunteering in India
A truly fun & rewarding experience for families of any size
From
US $594
7 days
ex flights
Golden Triangle & tigers holiday in India
Rajathan's palaces, the Taj Mahal & tigers
From
£800 to £950
9 days
ex flights
Walking and cycling holiday in Kerala, India
Walking and cycling through rain forests and grasslands.
From
US $1150
8 days
ex flights
1. Bandhavgarh
2. Chhattisgarh
3. Delhi
4. Goa
5. Gujarat
6. Jaipur
7. Kashmir
8. Kerala
9. Rajasthan
10. Ranthambore National Park
11. Taj Mahal
2. Chhattisgarh
3. Delhi
4. Goa
5. Gujarat
6. Jaipur
7. Kashmir
8. Kerala
9. Rajasthan
10. Ranthambore National Park
11. Taj Mahal
Bandhavgarh
1. Bandhavgarh
Bandhavgarh was once a popular hunting ground for the Maharajas, and it is now one of the last few tiger habitats in the world. Seeing tigers in the wild is tricky, but this national park is one of India's smallest, with the highest concentrations of these big cats. Be heartened that if you don't spot them, you may well see leopards, deer, wild boar, sloth bears and a bevvy of birds to boot.
Chhattisgarh
2. Chhattisgarh
Few tourists are aware of this central-east state with tribal communities such as the Baiga, Gond, Maria, Dhurwa and Bhatra who are starting to share their traditions and lifestyles, many of which haven’t changed for thousands of years, with visitors. Combine with a visit to the nearby state of Odisha to meet the Kondh and Paraja people too. Trekking in the Maikal Hills just adds to the magic.
Delhi
3. Delhi
New and Old, it is the latter that still pulls the punters. And it is seriously old, going back 5,000 years. There are three UNESCO World Heritage Sites - Humayun's Tomb, the extraordinary Qutub complex with its elegant 12th century 72.5 m minaret, and The Red (sandstone) Fort. Walk from here to the Jama Masjid Mosque, take in the views from its minaret, and you’ll have earned lunch at Chandni Chowk market.
Goa
4. Goa
India’s smallest state has so much more than its reputation for backpackers and boozy beach gangs would suggest. Stay clear of raucous resorts of Calangute, Candolim, and Baga and head to spots like Kerim, Ashwem and Anjun for beach bliss. For real action on Goa, not of the party kind, kayak through flowering mangroves of the Sal backwaters, down the Nerul River or cycle along this Konkan coast.
Gujarat
5. Gujarat
Gujarat is a state of dichotomies. As well as having coast and desert in close proximity, it also has one of the most industrialised landscapes cheek by jowl with medieval cultures. Explore the Kutch Desert, home to the nomadic Mir tribe or head to Poshina with its nearby tribal villages of Garacia, Adivacyi and Bharad. And although there are 1,600km of coastline, there are hardly any developed beaches. Yet.
Jaipur
6. Jaipur
Made famous again after the success of 'Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’, set among the flower markets, bazaars, Palace of the Winds and Amber Fort of this more than pretty in pink city. Its old town is a place to let the reality of India seep in. With camels and carts in the streets, monkeys climbing the city walls, fortune tellers, snake charmers and a Maharaja’s palace. Pity there isn’t an Oscar for ‘locations’.
Kashmir
7. Kashmir
Kashmir has long been a disputed area and is now administered by India, Pakistan and China. India’s section is the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Following years of violence, the FCO lifted its ban here in 2012, although still only advises travel to Ladakh and the cities of Jammu and Srinagar. So it is early days for having tourists back into the state as a whole, but a great time to get in there.
Kerala
8. Kerala
Best known for beaches and backwaters, houseboats and homestays, Kerala is also fab on foot, hiking through the splendid Western Ghats mountain range. Or by bike, cycling through spice and coconut plantations or along the backwaters. Avoiding the rash of resorts around Kovalam, head north to Malabar for beach bliss. Hop over the border to states of Karnataka or Tamil Nadu for full on southern Indian trail mix.
Rajasthan
9. Rajasthan
Rajasthan is like walking into both an artist’s palette and imagination. With the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur and all its palaces and prettiness, the devastatingly beautiful dunes of the Thar Desert, the multi-coloured Brahma Temple at Pushkar , the all blue desert city of Jodphur and Udaipur’s Lake Pichola with its purple Aravalli Hills, it’s the whole gamut of gorgeousness.
Ranthambore National Park
10. Ranthambore National Park
Ranthambore feels so much like waking up in Rudyard Kipling’s head, you almost expect Baloo to appear. It is one of the ‘bear necessities’ of a trip to India. And there are indeed sloth bears here, on which Baloo was based, as well as being the habitat of the Bengal tiger, nilgai, sambar and jungle cat, plus crocodile in the lake. All living among a magical mixture of tropical forest and ruined temples.
Taj Mahal
11. Taj Mahal
Three words. Don’t miss it. You can’t fail to fall in love with the white marble mausoleum, built by grieving Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his late wife. It is the icing on the cake of this period of Mughal architectural period. Although Agra is pretty ghastly, stay overnight to see it at sunrise. Don’t miss the Agra Fort and ‘ghost town’ of Fatehpur Sikri.
Our top India Holiday
Kerala tailor made holiday, 11 days
Revitalize in Kerala - A most wonderful and balanced trip
From
£1349 to £1779
11 days
ex flights
Tailor made:
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about India or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
India itineraries
14 day itinerary of Golden Triangle and more
Delhi > Agra > Jaipur > Pushkar > Khimsar > Jodhpur > Deogarh > Udaipur > Delhi
14 day cycling trip
Mysore to Goa > Bangalore > Mysore > Bylakuppe > Belur and Halebid > Mudigere > Chikkamagalur > Koppa > Baindur > Gokarna > Karwar > Goa
21 day India by train (mostly)
Amritsar > Delhi > Agra > Jaipur (by car) > Mumbai > Goa > Bangalore > Mysore and Bandipur National Park (by car) > Ooty (by car) > Coonoor > Ernakulum > Kochi
Travel times in India
The following times give you a rough idea of the travelling times between the main attractions in India.
More about India
In general, India succumbs to a summer season, winter season and monsoon season so read more to find out the best time to go, wherever you're headed...
India is an explosion of colour. The Golden Triangle glistens with culture, Rajasthan has pink and blue cities, and Kerala has lush green Ghat Mountains...
From Ladakh's Buddhist influences, Rajasthan's palaces, and tigers in the national parks, India has no shortage of cultural and natural treats...
The Taj Mahal sets the standard for romance. Learn how to ge there as well as places to see nearby, including the Red Fort and Fatehpur Sikri...
India has 103 national parks. They pack in a host of endangered species, exotic birdlife, dramatic landscapes, and - most famously - tigers...
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It’s underrated when it comes to avian experiences, but India should be on every twitcher’s wishlist.
India is a veritable feast, and exploring it through food will give you the best insight into its culture, history, geography and stuff your faceology...
Experiencing an internationally celebrated event in its country of origin is one of those travelling adventures to tell the grandkids about.
Travelling in India with children is like opening a storybook and sinking into a different page every day, because it is so full of stories for kids...
Here are some of our top India travel tips on what to pack, what not to miss and how to get the most out of this varied and wonderful cultural adventure...
Same sex sexual activity was only briefly decriminalised in India before being made illegal again, but LGBT travellers should not face discrimination...
In a country that is constantly changing, poverty, conservation and animal welfare are areas that are worth reading up on before your India holiday...
Find all of our India guides in one place, for particular places in India such as Rajasthan, Kerala or the Himalayas...
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Photo credits: [Page banner: Uzi Yachin] [Top box - cycling locals: Ravisankar Pandian]
[Bandhavgarh National Park : elkhiki]
[Chhattisgarh : PREM KUMAR MARNI]
[Delhi - Humayun's Tomb: Habeeb]
[Goa: Tanya Dedyukhina]
[Gujarat: nevil zaveri]
[Jaipur: Arian Zwegers]
[Kashmir : koshy koshy]
[Kerala: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra]
[Rajasthan: Premaram67 ]
[Ranthambore National Park: bjoern]
[Taj Mahal: plaits]
[Travel times: Jayakumar Ananthan]
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