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 traveling in India and the highlights will happen when you least expect.
Our India Vacations
Kerala tailor made vacation, 11 days
Revitalize in Kerala - A most wonderful and balanced trip
From
£1349 to £1779
11 days
ex flights
Southern India small group vacation
Discover the two southern most states of India
From
US $1879 to US $2179
14 days
ex flights
India wildlife and culture tour, Rajasthan
Your stay in Jungle core, erstwhile hunting lodge of king.
From
£1270 to £2150
18 days
ex flights
Rajasthan 15 day tour
A well crafted northern Indian and Rajasthani experience
From
£1749
15 days
ex flights
South India tour, Trivandrum to Goa
Head to the beaches and backwaters of southern India.
From
US $1165 to US $1400
16 days
ex flights
History, culture & wildlife of India vacation
From the Nilgiri Hills to the beaches of Goa
From
£1336
15 days
ex flights
Golden Triangle small group vacation, India
India's 3 most popular destinations, Delhi, Agra & Jaipur
From
US $795 to US $1015
8 days
ex flights
Tiger tour in India, land of the Tiger tour
Wildlife tour through India
From
US $2949 to US $3279
15 days
ex flights
India small group vacation, a food adventure
2 week discovery of the sights, sounds & flavours of India.
From
US $2295 to US $2605
15 days
ex flights
Rajasthan cycling vacation with Taj and tigers
Enjoy cycling tour in Royal Rajasthan with Taj and Tiger.
From
US $2140 to US $2360
16 days
ex flights
Tiger watching vacation in India
A chance to see the majestic tiger in the wild
From
£825 to £1050
9 days
ex flights
Wildlife vacation in Central India
Best of Indian wildlife with tiger, leopard and sloth bear.
From
£2120
12 days
ex flights
North India cultural tour
An adventure to one of the planet's exotic destinations
From
US $1205 to US $1430
22 days
ex flights
North India vacation, mountains and hidden villages
Inspirational Trekking with Indian Culture and Communities
From
£1545 to £1895
14 days
ex flights
Karnataka and Kerala vacation
A remarkable trip through the splendeurs of South East India
From
£2300 to £2675
14 days
ex flights
North East India tour, Nagaland & the Hornbill Festival
The unique festivals of the tribes of remote Northeast India
From
£2450
15 days
ex flights
Central India Buddhist heritage tour
Buddhist trails and caves, ancient temples, village life
From
US $1100 to US $1500
12 days
ex flights
Luxury Rajasthan vacation, 14 days
Experience life as a Maharaja in wonderful Rajasthan
From
£4836
14 days
ex 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
India luxury 16 day tour
India Made Incredible - Be ready to be amazed!
From
£5999 to £6999
16 days
inc UK flights
Walking and cycling vacation in Kerala, India
Walking and cycling through rain forests and grasslands.
From
US $1150
8 days
ex flights
Rajasthan small group tour, India
Discover Rajasthan in depth
From
£1855 to £1975
16 days
ex flights
Kerala small group tour, India, 15 days
Exploring the Real culture and beauty of South India.
From
US $1895
15 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
Kanha tiger safari & cycling tour, India
Safaris plus gentle cycling in the heart of rural India
From
£2500 to £3000
14 days
ex flights
Rajasthan and Taj Mahal tour
Authentic experience of live like Royals of history.
From
£900 to £1650
12 days
ex flights
Kayaking in the Keralan Backwaters
Experience local life kayaking through Kerala backwaters .
From
US $670
5 days
ex flights
Southern India tour
Enter a world where time feels like it has stood still forever
From
US $1120 to US $1499
14 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 Vacation
Kerala tailor made vacation, 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 vacation 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 traveling times between the main attractions in India.
More about India
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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...
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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 travelers should not face discrimination...
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In a country that is constantly changing, poverty, conservation and animal welfare are areas that are worth reading up on before your India vacation...
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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