India

What to see

Rajasthan

An almost biblical landscape: dust roads populated with carts pulled by loping camels, and rickshaws; fields dotted with women working in vivid saris and men squatting outside small villages where cow pats, used as fuel, dry on the roofs. Explore forts and palaces in the ‘pink city’ of Jaipur and the ‘blue city’ of Jodhpur. The ‘golden city’, Jaisalmer, perches on the edge of the Thar Desert. Romantic Udaipur captivates with fine architecture and a scenic lake palace.

Kerala

The picturesque town of Cochin with its traditional Chinese fishing nets, lies at the coastal fringe of this verdant landscape of idyllic backwaters. Explore spice bazaars and wildlife sanctuaries.

Himalaya

Beuatiful and peaceful McLeod Ganj, or ‘Little Lhasa’ is surrounded by snow covered peaks and home to exiled Tibetans including the Dalai Lama. Catch the Himalayan Queen, also known as the ‘toy train’ from the very English hill station retreat of Shimla. Cool down in the vast tea plantations of Darjeeling and Assam.

Top experiences / sites of particular interest

Taj Mahal

The chaotic city of Agra is the unlikely home of one of the world’s most beautiful buildings. The glistening marble façade of Shah Jahan’s monument to love shines under the moonlight like ‘a tear on the face of eternity’.

Varanasi

Experience religious fervour in perhaps India’s most holy city, on the banks of the sacred River Ganges. Take a boat at sunrise and row past funeral pyres at the burning ghats, and pilgrims washing in the dirty but divine water.

Hampi

Deserted capital of the last great Hindu empire, scattered over a bizarre landscape of giant golden-brown boulders.

Bandhavgarh National Park

Deep in the eastern tracts of Madhya Pradesh, this park is rich in animal and birdlife, including leopards and tigers.

Bollywood

Take in the latest Bollywood blockbuster at one of Mumbai’s mega movie houses, which feature huge screens, wrap around sound and rowdy audiences.

When to go

Weather & Seasons: India has three seasons: hot, cool and wet. Heat starts to build in February, peaking in June. In May there is high humidity prior to the monsoon rains, which start in the south in June and spread north throughout July, ending in October.

Important dates and festivals: Among the manyfestival highlights is Holi, the Festival of Colours, held in March. It’s chaotic and fun with waterfights and coloured dye being hurled everywhere. In Autumn the Festival of Lights, Diwali, is celebrated with particular enthusiasm in Northern India, where fireworks are lit along with candles and oil lamps. The atmospheric camel fair at Pushkar, the largest livestock market on earth, is held in October/November.

Getting there / around

Flights: There are international airports in Mumbai, Calcutta, Delhi, Chennai. The domestic airline network connects over 70 cities.

Rail: India has the second largest rail system in the world.  Always chaotic but surprisingly organized at the same time, it is the best way to experience the country. Express, deluxe and sleeper buses also cover long distances.

Road:Cars can easily be rented with or without a driver (international driving permit required).

Other transport for getting around urban areas includes cycle and auto-rickshaws bargaining is essential.

Potential itineraries

City Breaks: India is vast, and although it has a decent transport network, getting about takes time. Far better that you focus on an area than try to cram too much into too short a period of time.

The Golden Triangle: Travelling from Delhi to Agra and Jaipur before returning to Delhi, is the all-time classic India quick trip. Slightly longer is the circuit through Rajasthan from Delhi to Jaipur, Ajmer, Pushkar, Udaipur, Jodhpur and back to Delhi.

Longer Trips: For a smattering of the north and a taste of the south, take in Delhi, Agra and Rajasthan before flying south to Cochin and the beaches of Kerala. If you have more than a month to spare, you can investigate the north or south more fully, tackle a Himalayan route from Srinagar to Kargil, Ladakh, Leh, Keylomg, Dhanakar and Shimla, or explore Sikkim and the northeast states.

Guides

Language Guides:Indian English Language & Culture from Lonely Planet provides a portable introduction to the country. The Lonely Planet India Phrasebook contains excellent sections on language basics

Overall Country Guides: India guidebooks from Lonely Planet, Rough Guides,Berlitz Handbook and Time Out offer excellent country coverage.

Maps

Country Maps: Gizimaps, ITMB and Reise Know-How produce reliable maps for the whole country.

Regional Maps: Reise Know-How have a series of excellent regional maps andLeomann have a series covering the Himalaya.

Trekking maps:Editions Olizane provide good coverage of Ladakh.

Read More

The Age of Kali: Indian Travels and Encounters for an excellent introduction to a series of subjects, presented here in an anthology of short articles;

City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi for an account of daily life in Delhi or

Look out too for India In Slow Motion, No Full Stops in India and India's Unending Journey by Mark Tully

A Fine Balance is a compelling novel focusing on two friends who leave their lower caste rural lives for the urban opportunities.is a sprawling, gritty saga telling the story of an escaped Australian convict who settles in the Bombay slums and immerses himself in life there. See also The White Tiger and Between the Assassinations by Aravind Adiga, or Under the Banyan Tree by RK Narayan, The Satanic Verses and Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie and A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth.

Local Dishes

Indian foodis different from the rest of the world, not only in taste but also in cooking methods. Influenced by various civilizations, it reflects a perfect blend of various cultures and ages. Dishes are particularly known for their spiciness.

Food in the northreflects strong Central Asian influences. Kashmiri cuisine uses rice as a staple whilstPunjaband Uttar Pradeshrely on chapatis. In west India the desert cuisine is famous for its flavour, with Rajasthan and Gujaratknown for their variety of dals and achars (pickles and preserves). Along the coastline of Mumbai a wide range of fish is available and celebrated dishes include Bombay Prawn. In Goathere is a distinct Portuguese influence with typical dishes including vindaloo, sorpotel and egg molie. In the east, Bengali specialities include a delicacy called Hilsa, which is wrapped in pumpkin leaves and then cooked. In the south the states make use of spices and coconut. Local dishes to try in Keralainclude lamb stew and appams, Malabar fried prawns and dosas. Simply delicious!

Sight & Sound

Film: For an introduction to India watch the films Slum Dog Millionaire, Monsoon Wedding, Ghandi or Earth, Water and Fire.

Music: Listen to The Rough Guide to the Music of India and Pakistan. Keep an ear open also for Asha Bhosle, one of Bollywood’s most prolific and eclectic singers, Nikhil Banerjee, one of the finest sitar players of his generation and Ravi Shankar, India’s most famous musical export.

Language

Hindi is the national language. There are, however, 14 other official languages.

Currency

Rupee (INR) made up of 100 paise

Visas

UK and US citizens require a visa before entering India.

Health issues

Innoculations for BCG, Cholera, Hep A, Hep B, Diphtheria, Typoid and Yellow Fever are recommended. Malaria is also present in parts of the country.

Safety, FO travel advice

Stable and safe if you’re sensible - beware of petty scams and opportunistic theft though.

Useful Telephone Numbers

Indian country representatives can be found

in the UK at