DEVGAMAN

188 destinations · 36 states & UTs

188 places to visit in India

भारत के गंतव्य — पहाड़, नदी, मंदिर और शहर

Every place on this page is one we would actually take you to, written up by hand with the month to come, the days it deserves and what to eat while you are there. Filter it down to your India, then tell us how many days you have.

188Destinations
36States & UTs
7Regions
12Themes

188/188

  • The narrow palm-covered island of Agatti surrounded by a turquoise lagoon in LakshadweepIsland
    Themes:NatureAdventureOffbeatRomance

    Lakshadweep

    Agatti

    Lakshadweep's airstrip island ringed by an electric blue lagoon

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to May; the sea is closed by monsoon swell from June to September
  • The Taj Mahal in Agra seen across its garden and long reflecting poolHeritage
    Themes:HeritageRomancePhotographyFood

    Uttar Pradesh

    Agra

    The Taj at dawn, and a city that outlives it

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; the Taj is closed on Fridays and open on five nights around each full moon.
  • The horseshoe cliff of rock-cut Buddhist caves above the Waghora river gorge at AjantaCave
    Themes:HeritageCultureSpiritualPhotography

    Maharashtra

    Ajanta & Ellora Caves

    A thousand years of India carved out of basalt

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    November to March; July to September makes the Ajanta gorge green but very humid
  • A kettuvallam houseboat on the palm-lined backwaters at Alappuzha in KeralaBackwater
    Themes:NatureFoodRomanceFamily

    Kerala

    Alleppey (Alappuzha)

    Kettuvallam nights on Vembanad and paddy below sea level

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    November to March; the snake boat race falls on the second Saturday of August
  • The Golden Temple, Harmandir Sahib, reflected in the sacred pool at AmritsarTemple
    Themes:SpiritualFoodCultureHeritage

    Punjab

    Amritsar

    The Golden Temple, the langar, and the border drums

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; November and February are the most comfortable
  • A Bengal tiger walking through the grassland and sal forest of Bandhavgarh National ParkWildlife
    Themes:WildlifeNatureAdventurePhotography

    Madhya Pradesh

    Bandhavgarh

    Tiger country beneath a 2,000-year-old fort in the Vindhyas

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to June; November to March for comfort
  • Palm-fringed sand and a shallow turquoise lagoon on a Lakshadweep coral islandIsland
    Themes:NatureRomanceWellnessAdventure

    Lakshadweep

    Bangaram

    Uninhabited teardrop atoll of turtles, dolphins and empty sand

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to May; December to March for the calmest lagoon
  • The tall brick spire of the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya rising above pilgrims and prayer flagsTemple
    Themes:SpiritualHeritageCultureWellness

    Bihar

    Bodh Gaya

    The tree under which a prince became the Buddha

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; the Dalai Lama often teaches here in December or January
  • Nohkalikai Falls plunging 340 metres off the Sohra plateau near Cherrapunji, MeghalayaWaterfall
    Themes:NatureAdventurePhotographyOffbeat

    Meghalaya

    Cherrapunji (Sohra)

    Waterfalls off a rain-carved plateau and living root bridges below

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to May for trekking and clear views; June to September for the falls at full force
  • The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway toy train running down a narrow street past shops in DarjeelingHill station
    Themes:NatureCultureFoodPhotography

    West Bengal

    Darjeeling

    Toy trains, first-flush tea and Kanchenjunga at first light

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    March to May and October to early December for clear mountain views
  • Humayun's Tomb in Delhi, a red sandstone and white marble Mughal garden tombCity
    Themes:HeritageFoodCultureSpiritual

    Delhi

    Delhi

    Eight cities stacked on one river plain, still being built

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to March; winter fog can delay flights in late December and January.
  • Gangtok's houses stacked along its ridge in Sikkim with mountains behindCity
    Themes:CultureSpiritualNatureFood

    Sikkim

    Gangtok

    Prayer flags, ridge streets and Kanchenjunga above a mountain capital

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    March to May and October to early December for clear Kanchenjunga mornings
  • Snow-covered meadow and gondola cables at Gulmarg with pine forest and the Pir Panjal rangeHill station
    Themes:AdventureNatureRomanceFamily

    Jammu & Kashmir

    Gulmarg

    A bowl-shaped meadow, one of the world's highest gondolas, Himalayan powder

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    December to March for snow and skiing; May to September for meadows and the gondola
  • The stone chariot of the Vittala temple among the boulders of HampiHeritage
    Themes:HeritagePhotographySpiritualOffbeat

    Karnataka

    Hampi

    Vijayanagara in ruins among boulders, banana groves and one river

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    November to February; the Deccan sun from March onwards is punishing by nine in the morning
  • The white sand arc of Radhanagar Beach on Havelock Island backed by rainforestIsland
    Themes:NatureAdventureRomancePhotography

    Andaman & Nicobar Islands

    Havelock (Swaraj Dweep)

    Radhanagar sand, coral walls and India's finest scuba diving

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to May; visibility for diving peaks January to April
  • The four minarets of the Charminar lit at dusk above the old city bazaars of HyderabadCity
    Themes:HeritageFoodCulturePhotography

    Telangana

    Hyderabad

    Qutb Shahi arches, Deccan biryani and Irani chai mornings

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to February; Ramzan evenings
  • Hawa Mahal, Jaipur's five-storey pink sandstone facade of honeycomb windowsCity
    Themes:HeritageCultureFoodPhotography

    Rajasthan

    Jaipur

    Pink-walled planned city of astronomers, jewellers and Rajput kings

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to March
  • Jaisalmer Fort's golden sandstone bastions above the desert town at sunsetDesert
    Themes:HeritageAdventurePhotographyCulture

    Rajasthan

    Jaisalmer

    Golden sandstone fort alive on a Thar desert ridge

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to February; the Desert Festival is held in February around the Magh full moon
  • Mehrangarh Fort rising above the blue-painted houses of old JodhpurFort
    Themes:HeritageCultureFoodPhotography

    Rajasthan

    Jodhpur

    Blue houses beneath Mehrangarh, the desert's most commanding fort

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; the Rajasthan International Folk Festival at Mehrangarh falls in October
  • Barasingha swamp deer grazing on a misty meadow edged by sal forest in Kanha Tiger ReserveWildlife
    Themes:WildlifeNatureAdventurePhotography

    Madhya Pradesh

    Kanha

    Sal forests, swaying meadows and the barasingha brought back from the brink

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to June; November to March for weather
  • Greater one-horned rhinoceros grazing in the tall grass of Kaziranga National ParkWildlife
    Themes:WildlifeNaturePhotographyFamily

    Assam

    Kaziranga

    One-horned rhinos grazing the Brahmaputra's tall-grass floodplain

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    November to April; January to March for the best sightings
  • Kandariya Mahadeva temple at Khajuraho with its clustered sandstone spires against a blue skyTemple
    Themes:HeritageCulturePhotographySpiritual

    Madhya Pradesh

    Khajuraho

    Chandela temples where stone breathes desire, devotion and daily life

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; February for the dance festival
  • The hill town of Kohima in Nagaland with tin-roofed houses on steep slopesCity
    Themes:CultureHeritageFoodOffbeat

    Nagaland

    Kohima

    Naga hills, a war cemetery and December's Hornbill drums

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to April
  • The white marble Victoria Memorial in Kolkata seen across its formal gardensCity
    Themes:CultureFoodHeritagePhotography

    West Bengal

    Kolkata

    Colonial mansions, clay goddesses and the best street food in India

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to March; Durga Puja falls in late September or October
  • A carved stone chariot wheel on the plinth of the Konark Sun Temple in OdishaHeritage
    Themes:HeritageCulturePhotographySpiritual

    Odisha

    Konark

    A stone chariot for the sun god, twenty-four wheels wide

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to February; the Konark Dance Festival runs in early December
  • The green floor of Yumthang Valley in North Sikkim below snow-covered ridgesValley
    Themes:NatureAdventurePhotographyOffbeat

    Sikkim

    Lachung & Yumthang Valley

    Rhododendron valley and hot springs under North Sikkim snow

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    Late March to mid-May for rhododendrons; October and November for clear cold days
  • Leh Palace above the old town of Leh with the bare mountains of Ladakh behindCity
    Themes:AdventureSpiritualCulturePhotography

    Ladakh

    Leh

    Ladakh's high desert capital of palaces, gompas and prayer flags

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    May to September for open roads and clear skies; January to February for the Chadar trek and frozen lakes
  • Circular floating phumdi fishing rings on Loktak Lake in ManipurLake
    Themes:NatureWildlifePhotographyOffbeat

    Manipur

    Loktak Lake

    Floating islands, fishing rings and the last sangai deer

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March
  • The painted stucco figures covering a gopuram tower of the Meenakshi Amman Temple in MaduraiTemple
    Themes:SpiritualCultureFoodHeritage

    Tamil Nadu

    Madurai

    Temple city that has not slept for two millennia

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; April brings the Chithirai festival and Meenakshi's celestial wedding
  • The twin granite towers of the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram standing above the Bay of BengalHeritage
    Themes:HeritageCulturePhotographyFamily

    Tamil Nadu

    Mahabalipuram

    Pallava seaport carved into granite beside the surf

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    November to February; December and January add the open-air Mamallapuram dance festival
  • Wooden boats and sandbanks on the Brahmaputra at Majuli river island, AssamIsland
    Themes:CultureSpiritualOffbeatPhotography

    Assam

    Majuli

    The Brahmaputra's shrinking island of satras, masks and monsoon light

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; November for the Raas Mahotsav
  • Manali town and the Beas valley below snow-covered peaks of the Pir PanjalHill station
    Themes:AdventureNatureFamilyRomance

    Himachal Pradesh

    Manali

    Beas river, deodar temples and the road over the passes

    Ideal stay
    4 days
    Best time
    March to June for orchards and open passes; October to November for gold larches and clear skies; December to February for snow and skiing at Solang
  • The Gateway of India arch on the Mumbai waterfront with boats in the harbour behind itCity
    Themes:CultureFoodHeritagePhotography

    Maharashtra

    Mumbai

    Seven islands, Art Deco seafront and India's loudest appetite

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    November to February; the monsoon from June to September is dramatic but floods the streets
  • Clipped tea bushes covering the hills around Munnar in KeralaHill station
    Themes:NatureRomanceAdventurePhotography

    Kerala

    Munnar

    Clipped tea hills, Nilgiri tahr and the highest peak down south

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    September to March; June to August brings heavy monsoon and landslide-prone ghat roads
  • Amba Vilas Palace in Mysuru, the Indo-Saracenic seat of the Wodeyar kingsCity
    Themes:HeritageCultureFoodFamily

    Karnataka

    Mysuru

    Wodeyar palaces, sandalwood bazaars and a hill of ten-day Dasara

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to February; the ten-day Dasara falls in September or October
  • Beach shacks and palm trees along the sand at Baga in North GoaBeach
    Themes:NatureFoodAdventureCulture

    Goa

    North Goa

    Beach shacks, flea markets and Indo-Portuguese village lanes

    Ideal stay
    4 days
    Best time
    November to February; December is peak and the monsoon closes most shacks
  • Bundela chhatris of Orchha rising above the Betwa river at sunsetHeritage
    Themes:HeritageSpiritualPhotographyRomance

    Madhya Pradesh

    Orchha

    Bundela palaces, riverside cenotaphs and a god who reigns as king

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March
  • Turquoise water of Pangong Tso with barren brown mountains and blue sky in LadakhLake
    Themes:NaturePhotographyAdventureRomance

    Ladakh

    Pangong Tso

    A 134 km lake that changes colour by the hour

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    May to September for open roads; late January to February for the frozen lake
  • The brick wings of the Cellular Jail radiating from its central watchtower in Port BlairCity
    Themes:HeritageCulturePhotographyFamily

    Andaman & Nicobar Islands

    Port Blair

    Colonial prison town and gateway to the Andaman archipelago

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to May; December to March is driest
  • The white salt crust of the Great Rann of Kutch stretching to a flat horizon at duskDesert
    Themes:NaturePhotographyCultureOffbeat

    Gujarat

    Rann of Kutch

    White salt desert that glows under the Kutchi full moon

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    November to February
  • Suspension bridge over the green Ganga at Rishikesh with temples and forested hillsRiver
    Themes:SpiritualWellnessAdventureFood

    Uttarakhand

    Rishikesh

    Where the Ganga leaves the Himalaya and the world comes to breathe

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    Late September to December and February to April; rafting runs mid-September to June; the International Yoga Festival is in the first week of March
  • Christ Church and the Ridge in Shimla with snow-capped Himalayas behindHill station
    Themes:HeritageFamilyCultureNature

    Himachal Pradesh

    Shimla

    The Raj's summer capital, a toy train and a cedar-scented Ridge

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    March to June for clear skies and rhododendron; late September to November for crisp air; December to February for snow on the Ridge
  • Key Monastery stacked on a hill above the Spiti river valley under a deep blue skyValley
    Themes:AdventureSpiritualOffbeatPhotography

    Himachal Pradesh

    Spiti Valley

    A cold desert of thousand-year-old gompas at 4,000 metres

    Ideal stay
    7 days
    Best time
    Mid-June to September when Kunzum and Rohtang open the Manali route; October for gold poplars; January to March only for snow-leopard expeditions entered via Kinnaur
  • Shikara boats on Dal Lake in Srinagar with the Zabarwan hills behindLake
    Themes:RomanceCultureFoodHeritage

    Jammu & Kashmir

    Srinagar

    Houseboats on Dal Lake, Mughal gardens and chinar-shaded autumn light

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    April to October for gardens and lakes; late October to November for chinar autumn; December to February for snow
  • Whitewashed walls and golden roofs of Tawang Monastery above the Tawang Chu valleyMonastery
    Themes:SpiritualAdventureNaturePhotography

    Arunachal Pradesh

    Tawang

    A seventeenth-century monastery guarding a high Himalayan valley of prayer flags

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    March to June and September to November; December to February for snow if Sela stays open
  • The tall granite vimana of the Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur rising above its courtyardTemple
    Themes:HeritageSpiritualCulturePhotography

    Tamil Nadu

    Thanjavur

    Chola capital of bronze, granite and the Brihadisvara vimana

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    November to February
  • Udaipur's City Palace and Lake Pichola seen across the water at golden hourLake
    Themes:RomanceHeritageCulturePhotography

    Rajasthan

    Udaipur

    Marble palaces mirrored in Lake Pichola beneath Aravalli hills

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    September to March; the monsoon months of July and August fill the lakes and turn the hills green
  • Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi, lined with pilgrims and boats on the GangaRiver
    Themes:SpiritualCultureFoodPhotography

    Uttar Pradesh

    Varanasi

    The oldest living city, waking on the Ganga

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to March; Dev Deepawali falls on Kartik Purnima in November.
  • The domes and arcades of Ujjayanta Palace in Agartala, TripuraCity
    Themes:HeritageCultureFoodSpiritual

    Tripura

    Agartala

    Manikya palaces, a lake pavilion and Tripuri kitchens

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March
  • The carved stone tree-of-life jali of Sidi Saiyyed mosque in AhmedabadCity
    Themes:HeritageCultureFoodPhotography

    Gujarat

    Ahmedabad

    India's first World Heritage City, of pols, mosques and mills

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    November to February; mid-January brings the Uttarayan kite festival
  • Houses of Aizawl stacked down a steep ridge in MizoramCity
    Themes:CultureNatureFoodOffbeat

    Mizoram

    Aizawl

    Ridge-top city of choirs, Sunday quiet and bamboo dances

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; Chapchar Kut falls in the first week of March
  • The marble domes and gateway of Ajmer Sharif Dargah crowded with pilgrimsHeritage
    Themes:SpiritualHeritageCultureFood

    Rajasthan

    Ajmer

    Sufi city of the Chishti dargah, Ana Sagar and Chauhan forts

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to March; the Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti falls in the Islamic month of Rajab and draws huge crowds
  • Dry Aravalli forest and hills inside Sariska Tiger ReserveWildlife
    Themes:WildlifeHeritageNatureOffbeat

    Rajasthan

    Alwar & Sariska

    Aravalli tiger reserve with hill forts, lakes and a cursed ruin

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; some Sariska safari routes close in the monsoon
  • Lit stalactite formations inside the Borra Caves on the Eastern Ghats road up to Araku ValleyValley
    Themes:NatureOffbeatCulturePhotography

    Andhra Pradesh

    Araku Valley

    Coffee slopes, tribal markets and a railway of tunnels

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March
  • Snow-covered ski slopes of Auli with the Nanda Devi range on the horizonMountain
    Themes:AdventureNatureRomancePhotography

    Uttarakhand

    Auli

    Ski slopes and oak meadows facing Nanda Devi

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    Late December to March for snow and skiing; May to June and September to October for the Gorson meadows and clear views of Nanda Devi
  • The ghats of Ram ki Paidi in Ayodhya, lit along the Saryu river after darkTemple
    Themes:SpiritualCultureFamily

    Uttar Pradesh

    Ayodhya

    Ram's city on the Saryu, rebuilt and radiant

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to March; Deepotsav on the eve of Diwali and Ram Navami in March or April draw the largest crowds.
  • Chalukyan rock-cut cave temples in the red sandstone cliff above Agastya lake at BadamiCave
    Themes:HeritagePhotographyOffbeatAdventure

    Karnataka

    Badami, Aihole & Pattadakal

    Chalukyan sandstone where South Indian temple building was invented

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    November to February; the sandstone radiates heat from March onwards
  • Brightly painted Badrinath temple on the Alaknanda with snow peaks behindTemple
    Themes:SpiritualNatureAdventure

    Uttarakhand

    Badrinath

    Vishnu's painted temple between Nar and Narayan on the Alaknanda

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    May to June and September to October; the temple opens in late April or May and closes around mid-November; monsoon landslides make July–August risky
  • Teak forest and a safari track in Bandipur National Park, KarnatakaWildlife
    Themes:WildlifeNaturePhotographyFamily

    Karnataka

    Bandipur & Nagarhole

    Teak forest, Kabini water and the largest elephant herds in Asia

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to May; March to May is dry and best for sightings at the Kabini backwaters
  • A narrow mangrove creek lined with stilt roots on the boat route to the Baratang limestone cavesCave
    Themes:NatureAdventureOffbeatPhotography

    Andaman & Nicobar Islands

    Baratang

    Limestone caves, mud volcanoes and mangrove creeks by speedboat

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to May; caves are hard to reach after heavy rain
  • A weekly tribal haat in Bastar with villagers trading under sal treesVillage
    Themes:CultureOffbeatNaturePhotography

    Chhattisgarh

    Bastar

    Tribal heartland of the world's longest Dussehra, haats and dhokra

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to March; late September to October for Bastar Dussehra
  • The laterite ramparts and observation tower of Bekal Fort on the Kerala coastFort
    Themes:HeritageCultureNatureOffbeat

    Kerala

    Bekal & Kannur

    Laterite ramparts over the sea, and Theyyam gods in the groves

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    November to April; the Theyyam season runs roughly from December to April
  • The carved soapstone outer wall of the Chennakeshava Temple at BelurTemple
    Themes:HeritageCulturePhotographySpiritual

    Karnataka

    Belur & Halebidu

    Hoysala soapstone carved with the patience of ivory work

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to February
  • Bangalore Palace, the Tudor-revival residence of the Wodeyars in BengaluruCity
    Themes:FoodCultureHeritageFamily

    Karnataka

    Bengaluru

    Garden city of rock outcrops, filter coffee and cool plateau evenings

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to February
  • The forest gateway at the entrance to Betla National Park in Palamu, JharkhandWildlife
    Themes:WildlifeNatureOffbeatAdventure

    Jharkhand

    Betla National Park

    Sal forest, wild elephants and two forts in Palamau's tiger country

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    November to March; the park usually closes during the monsoon
  • A painted stork, the bird that fills Keoladeo's monsoon heronries at BharatpurWildlife
    Themes:WildlifeNaturePhotographyFamily

    Rajasthan

    Bharatpur & Keoladeo

    Wetland of painted storks, sarus cranes and a Jat iron fort

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to February for migratory birds; August to October for nesting; water levels depend on the monsoon
  • The pink domes and minarets of Taj-ul-Masajid in Bhopal reflected in waterCity
    Themes:CultureFoodHeritageFamily

    Madhya Pradesh

    Bhopal

    City of lakes, begums, mosques and India's finest tribal museum

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March
  • The sandstone tower of the Lingaraja Temple in Bhubaneswar rising above the old townCity
    Themes:HeritageSpiritualCultureFamily

    Odisha

    Bhubaneswar

    Temple city of Kalinga, from Jain caves to Ashoka's remorse

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to February
  • The Italianate clock tower of Prag Mahal above the old palace quarter of Bhuj in KutchHeritage
    Themes:CultureHeritageOffbeatPhotography

    Gujarat

    Bhuj

    Mirror palaces, earthquake memory and the crafts of Kutch

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    November to February
  • Junagarh Fort in Bikaner with its red sandstone ramparts and carved balconiesCity
    Themes:HeritageFoodCultureOffbeat

    Rajasthan

    Bikaner

    Camel country of red sandstone forts, bhujia and rat temples

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; the Camel Festival is held in January
  • Paragliders descending over the tea gardens and monastery roofs of Bir in the Kangra valleyVillage
    Themes:AdventureSpiritualOffbeatWellness

    Himachal Pradesh

    Bir Billing

    India's paragliding capital, with Tibetan monasteries and tea gardens below

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    Mid-September to November and March to mid-June for flying; the monsoon from July to mid-September shuts the launch site
  • The Radha Shyam temple at Bishnupur, a square laterite shrine crowned by a single towerTemple
    Themes:HeritageCulturePhotographyOffbeat

    West Bengal

    Bishnupur

    Terracotta temples, Baluchari looms and a dhrupad gharana

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; the Bishnupur Mela runs in late December
  • Taragarh Fort and the Garh Palace rising above Bundi's blue-washed old townHeritage
    Themes:HeritageOffbeatCulturePhotography

    Rajasthan

    Bundi

    Stepwells, painted palaces and blue lanes below Taragarh Fort

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; Bundi Utsav falls in November
  • The pillared Jama Masjid of Champaner with its twin minarets below Pavagadh hillHeritage
    Themes:HeritageSpiritualPhotography

    Gujarat

    Champaner-Pavagadh

    A lost sultanate city under a Shakti Peetha hill

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    November to February; the hill is greenest right after the monsoon in September and October
  • Sculpted figures and waterfalls in Nek Chand's Rock Garden of ChandigarhCity
    Themes:CultureNatureFamilyFood

    Chandigarh

    Chandigarh

    Le Corbusier's planned city with a lake and a rock garden

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; February for the Rose Festival
  • Fishing boats and early morning walkers on the wide sands of Marina Beach in ChennaiCity
    Themes:CultureFoodHeritageSpiritual

    Tamil Nadu

    Chennai

    Filter coffee, Carnatic ragas and a thirteen-kilometre beach

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    November to February
  • A pillared Chettiar mansion facade with carved teak doors on a village street in ChettinadHeritage
    Themes:HeritageFoodCultureOffbeat

    Tamil Nadu

    Chettinad

    Merchant mansions, Athangudi tiles and India's boldest curries

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    November to February
  • Coffee plantations and forested hills around Chikmagalur in KarnatakaHill station
    Themes:NatureAdventureFoodOffbeat

    Karnataka

    Chikmagalur

    Where Indian coffee began, under Karnataka's highest peak

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    September to February
  • An aerial view of the wide brackish water and low islands of Chilika Lake in OdishaLake
    Themes:NatureWildlifePhotographyOffbeat

    Odisha

    Chilika Lake

    Asia's largest brackish lagoon, dolphins and a million winter birds

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    November to February for migratory birds; dolphins are seen year-round
  • The horseshoe-shaped Chitrakote Falls on the Indravati river in full monsoon flowWaterfall
    Themes:NaturePhotographyOffbeatAdventure

    Chhattisgarh

    Chitrakote Falls

    India's widest waterfall, a horseshoe of the Indravati in Bastar

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    July to October for full flow; October to February for boats and clear views
  • Vijay Stambh, the carved nine-storey Victory Tower inside Chittorgarh FortFort
    Themes:HeritageCultureSpiritualPhotography

    Rajasthan

    Chittorgarh

    Mewar's fortress of victory towers and three legendary sieges

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to March; the fort is exposed and very hot from April to June
  • Tungnath stone temple on its ridge above Chopta with snow peaks beyondMountain
    Themes:SpiritualAdventureNaturePhotography

    Uttarakhand

    Chopta & Tungnath

    The highest Shiva temple, and a summit facing Nanda Devi

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    March to June for rhododendron and meadows; September to November for clear peaks; December to February for snow treks
  • Mist over the coffee estates and forested ridges of Kodagu in KarnatakaHill station
    Themes:NatureFoodCultureRomance

    Karnataka

    Coorg (Kodagu)

    Coffee ridges, Kodava kitchens and the source of the Kaveri

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to March; the June to September monsoon is heavy enough to close estate tracks
  • Khajjiar meadow with its small lake ringed by deodar forest near DalhousieHill station
    Themes:FamilyNatureRomanceHeritage

    Himachal Pradesh

    Dalhousie & Khajjiar

    Victorian churches, a deodar-ringed meadow and Chamba's ancient temples

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    March to June and October to November; December to February for snow at Dainkund and Khajjiar; Chamba's Minjar fair in late July or August
  • Wooden boats appearing to float over the crystal-clear Umngot river at Dawki, MeghalayaRiver
    Themes:NatureAdventurePhotographyRomance

    Meghalaya

    Dawki & Umngot River

    Boats that float on air above the clear Umngot river

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    November to March
  • The shikhara of the Baidyanath jyotirlinga temple at Deoghar crowned with its five iron tridentsTemple
    Themes:SpiritualCultureHeritageFamily

    Jharkhand

    Deoghar

    Baidyanath jyotirlinga and the longest pilgrim walk in India

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; the Shravan Mela runs through July and August
  • McLeod Ganj houses climbing the ridge with the snow-covered Dhauladhar range aboveHill station
    Themes:SpiritualCultureAdventureFood

    Himachal Pradesh

    Dharamshala & McLeod Ganj

    The Dalai Lama's hill town, Tibet in exile beneath the Dhauladhar

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    March to June and mid-September to November; Losar in February–March; avoid the July–August monsoon
  • The wide sand and shallow surf of Mandarmani sea beach on the Bay of Bengal in West BengalBeach
    Themes:FamilyFoodNatureRomance

    West Bengal

    Digha & Mandarmani

    Bengal's own seaside, red crabs and hilsa off the boats

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; monsoon months bring the best hilsa but rough seas
  • Dirang valley with the Kameng river and Monpa houses in West Kameng, Arunachal PradeshValley
    Themes:NatureCultureOffbeatFamily

    Arunachal Pradesh

    Dirang & Bomdila

    Monpa valleys of kiwi orchards, hot springs and black-necked cranes

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    March to May and October to November; November to February for cranes at Sangti
  • The Portuguese sea fort at Diu with cannons on its ramparts above the Arabian SeaBeach
    Themes:NatureHeritageFoodFamily

    Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu

    Diu

    Portuguese fort, hoka palms and Saurashtra's easiest island days

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March
  • The five-storey Dwarkadhish temple with its tall flag above the Gomti ghat at DwarkaTemple
    Themes:SpiritualHeritageCulture

    Gujarat

    Dwarka

    Krishna's sea-facing city and one of the four Char Dham

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    November to February; Janmashtami in August or September is the biggest festival
  • The rolling dwarf-bamboo floor of Dzukou Valley on the Nagaland borderValley
    Themes:AdventureNaturePhotographyOffbeat

    Nagaland

    Dzukou Valley

    Bamboo-grass hills and the Dzukou lily above Kohima

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    June and July for the lilies
  • The Buland Darwaza, the red sandstone victory gate of Fatehpur Sikri near AgraHeritage
    Themes:HeritagePhotographySpiritual

    Uttar Pradesh

    Fatehpur Sikri

    Akbar's red sandstone capital, abandoned after fourteen years

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to March; avoid midday from April to June when the ridge bakes.
  • An Asiatic lion resting in the dry teak scrub of Gir National Park in GujaratWildlife
    Themes:WildlifeNaturePhotography

    Gujarat

    Gir National Park

    The last wild Asiatic lions, in dry teak forest

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    December to March for comfortable safaris; April and May are hot but give the best sightings
  • The entrance to the Mahabaleshwara temple in the pilgrim town of Gokarna, KarnatakaBeach
    Themes:SpiritualNatureOffbeatAdventure

    Karnataka

    Gokarna

    Pilgrim town and cliff-walk beaches on the Karwar coast

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to March; the sea is rough and most shacks close from June to September
  • The wide open beach and shore of Gopalpur-on-Sea on the Odisha coastBeach
    Themes:RomanceOffbeatNatureFood

    Odisha

    Gopalpur-on-Sea

    A forgotten colonial port with wide sand and no crowds

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to February; olive ridley arribada usually falls in February or March
  • Beehive-shaped shikhara of the Kamakhya Temple on Nilachal Hill, GuwahatiTemple
    Themes:SpiritualCultureFoodHeritage

    Assam

    Guwahati & Kamakhya

    The Brahmaputra's gateway city, crowned by the Kamakhya Shakti Peetha

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; June for the Ambubachi Mela
  • The Man Mandir palace of Gwalior Fort with its blue-tiled walls and round bastionsFort
    Themes:HeritageCultureFoodPhotography

    Madhya Pradesh

    Gwalior

    A hill fort that has watched over the heartland for fourteen centuries

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; December for the Tansen Samaroh
  • Pilgrims gathered at Har Ki Pauri ghat on the Ganga in HaridwarRiver
    Themes:SpiritualCultureFoodPhotography

    Uttarakhand

    Haridwar

    The gateway of the gods, where lamps float down the Ganga

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March for cool days and clear evenings; Kanwar Yatra crowds in July–August; Ardh Kumbh 2027 and Kumbh 2033
  • The western gate of Kangla Fort in Imphal with its white Kangla Sha figuresCity
    Themes:CultureHeritageFoodOffbeat

    Manipur

    Imphal

    Kangla's ramparts, a mothers' market and polo's birthplace

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; the Sangai Festival runs in late November
  • Boats on the green Narmada between the white Marble Rocks cliffs at BhedaghatRiver
    Themes:NatureHeritageFamilyPhotography

    Madhya Pradesh

    Jabalpur & Bhedaghat

    Marble cliffs, a thundering Narmada and a hilltop ring of yoginis

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; Sharad Purnima for moonlight boating
  • Wild elephants crossing the Ramganga grasslands in Jim Corbett National ParkWildlife
    Themes:WildlifeNatureFamilyPhotography

    Uttarakhand

    Jim Corbett National Park

    India's first national park, where Project Tiger began on the Ramganga

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    November to June; Dhikala zone is open mid-November to mid-June; April to June gives the best tiger sightings; Jhirna and Dhela run year-round
  • Kalimpong town spread along its Himalayan ridge with terraced slopes and cloud belowHill station
    Themes:NatureCultureOffbeatFamily

    West Bengal

    Kalimpong

    Orchid nurseries, Tibetan scrolls and a slower Himalayan ridge

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    March to May and October to December
  • The Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Thiruvalluvar statue on rocky islets off Kanyakumari at sunriseBeach
    Themes:SpiritualNaturePhotographyFamily

    Tamil Nadu

    Kanyakumari

    Where three seas meet and the sun rises and sets

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to February; the Chitra Pournami full moon in April brings sunset and moonrise together
  • Parvati river rushing through the pine-forested Parvati Valley near KasolValley
    Themes:AdventureOffbeatNatureFood

    Himachal Pradesh

    Kasol & Parvati Valley

    Hot springs, pine forests and a river that never sleeps

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    March to June and mid-September to November; the July–August monsoon brings landslides and a dangerously swollen river
  • The calm lagoon and palm-lined shore of Kavaratti, the capital of LakshadweepIsland
    Themes:CultureNatureHeritageAdventure

    Lakshadweep

    Kavaratti

    Lakshadweep's capital of carved mosques and a glassy lagoon

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to May; May and October can be humid before and after the monsoon
  • Kedarnath stone temple with snow-covered Kedar Dome rising behind itTemple
    Themes:SpiritualAdventureNature

    Uttarakhand

    Kedarnath

    A stone temple to Shiva beneath the glaciers of the Mandakini

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    May to June and September to mid-October; the temple opens around Akshaya Tritiya
  • Kinner Kailash range rising above the Sutlej gorge and apple orchards of KinnaurValley
    Themes:NatureAdventureOffbeatPhotography

    Himachal Pradesh

    Kinnaur

    Apple villages and Kinner Kailash on the old Hindustan–Tibet Road

    Ideal stay
    4 days
    Best time
    April to June and September to October; October is apple harvest and the clearest month; heavy snow from December to March
  • Cantilevered Chinese fishing nets on the Fort Kochi waterfront at duskCity
    Themes:HeritageCultureFoodPhotography

    Kerala

    Kochi

    Chinese nets, a Dutch palace and five centuries of harbour trade

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; the Biennale runs through winter in alternate years
  • Mist drifting over the star-shaped Kodai Lake and wooded slopes at KodaikanalHill station
    Themes:NatureRomanceFamilyPhotography

    Tamil Nadu

    Kodaikanal

    Shola forests, a star-shaped lake and cliff-edge walks

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to May
  • Clear shallow water and fishing boats on the beach at Tarkarli on the Konkan coastBeach
    Themes:NatureFoodAdventureOffbeat

    Maharashtra

    Konkan Coast

    Sea forts, Alphonso orchards and Malvani fish thalis

    Ideal stay
    5 days
    Best time
    November to February for calm seas; April and May for Alphonso mangoes
  • The striped lighthouse above the crescent bay at Kovalam beach in KeralaBeach
    Themes:WellnessFamilyFoodRomance

    Kerala

    Kovalam

    Three crescent bays, a striped lighthouse and serious Ayurveda

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to March; September is quiet and green
  • Canoes and coconut palms on the Vembanad backwaters at Kumarakom, KeralaBackwater
    Themes:NatureWellnessRomanceWildlife

    Kerala

    Kumarakom

    A heronry on Vembanad, and the village of Ayemenem next door

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    November to March for the lake and its migrants; June to August for monsoon Ayurveda
  • Kumbhalgarh Fort's long stone wall winding over the Aravalli hillsFort
    Themes:HeritageAdventureNaturePhotography

    Rajasthan

    Kumbhalgarh

    Thirty-six kilometres of wall around Maharana Pratap's birthplace

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to March; the monsoon months of July to September bring green hills and mist over the walls
  • Brahma Sarovar, the vast sacred tank at Kurukshetra in HaryanaTemple
    Themes:SpiritualHeritageCulture

    Haryana

    Kurukshetra

    The battlefield where the Bhagavad Gita was spoken

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to March; the International Gita Mahotsav is held in late November or December.
  • Lamayuru Monastery perched on a rocky ridge above the eroded moonland valley in LadakhMonastery
    Themes:SpiritualHeritagePhotographyOffbeat

    Ladakh

    Lamayuru

    One of Ladakh's oldest gompas above a valley they call moonland

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    May to October; June or July for the Yuru Kabgyat festival
  • Carved granite pillars of the Veerabhadra Temple at Lepakshi with painted Vijayanagara ceiling muralsTemple
    Themes:HeritagePhotographyOffbeatSpiritual

    Andhra Pradesh

    Lepakshi

    Vijayanagara frescoes, a hanging pillar and a giant Nandi

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to February; arrive early
  • The stone bastions of Lohagad fort on the Sahyadri ridge above LonavalaHill station
    Themes:NatureAdventureFamily

    Maharashtra

    Lonavala & Khandala

    Sahyadri edge of chikki, monsoon cloud and rock-cut caves

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    June to September for waterfalls and cloud
  • The Rumi Darwaza, the great Nawabi gateway of LucknowCity
    Themes:FoodHeritageCulture

    Uttar Pradesh

    Lucknow

    Nawabi grace, slow-cooked kebabs and the city of tehzeeb

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; the Lucknow Mahotsav in November and the winter kebab season.
  • The Savitri valley seen from Arthur's Seat viewpoint at MahabaleshwarHill station
    Themes:NatureFamilyRomanceFood

    Maharashtra

    Mahabaleshwar

    Strawberry plateau, Krishna's source and deep valley views

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to February for clear views
  • The ghats and fort walls of Maheshwar rising from the Narmada river at duskRiver
    Themes:SpiritualCultureRomanceHeritage

    Madhya Pradesh

    Maheshwar

    Ahilyabai's riverside capital of ghats, temples and handwoven sarees

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March
  • Grassland and forested Bhutan foothills in Manas National Park, AssamWildlife
    Themes:WildlifeNatureOffbeatAdventure

    Assam

    Manas National Park

    Bhutan's foothills, golden langurs and a river the colour of jade

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    November to April; December to February for cool mornings and clear Bhutan skylines
  • Jahaz Mahal at Mandu with its domed pavilions reflected in the monsoon-filled Munj tankHeritage
    Themes:HeritageRomancePhotographyNature

    Madhya Pradesh

    Mandu

    A monsoon city of ship palaces and Rani Roopmati's pavilion

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    July to September for the monsoon; October to February for cool
  • A red laterite forest path and viewpoint on the plateau edge at MatheranHill station
    Themes:NatureFamilyRomanceOffbeat

    Maharashtra

    Matheran

    Asia's only car-free hill station, reached by toy train

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to May
  • The ISKCON Krishna Balaram temple at Vrindavan in the Braj country near MathuraTemple
    Themes:SpiritualCultureFoodFamily

    Uttar Pradesh

    Mathura & Vrindavan

    Krishna's birthplace and the groves where he played

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; Holi in March and Janmashtami in August or September are the great festivals.
  • Flower-lined lane with bamboo dustbins in Mawlynnong village, MeghalayaVillage
    Themes:CultureOffbeatNatureFamily

    Meghalaya

    Mawlynnong

    Asia's cleanest village, with a root bridge and a Bangladesh view

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to April; October and November for green hills after the rains
  • The Siyom river winding through the pine-fringed Mechuka valley in Arunachal PradeshValley
    Themes:OffbeatAdventureNatureSpiritual

    Arunachal Pradesh

    Mechuka

    A remote valley of Memba monasteries and hanging bridges near Tibet

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to November and March to May; December to February for snow
  • Nakki Lake at Mount Abu with granite hills and boats in the evening lightHill station
    Themes:SpiritualNatureHeritageFamily

    Rajasthan

    Mount Abu

    Rajasthan's only hill station, with Dilwara's marble Jain temples

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March for clear
  • Mussoorie town spread along its ridge with the Doon valley below and the Himalaya behindHill station
    Themes:HeritageFamilyRomanceFood

    Uttarakhand

    Mussoorie

    Queen of the Hills, with Landour's cedar lanes and Ruskin Bond's bookshop

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    March to June for clear skies and rhododendron; September to November for post-monsoon views; December to February for occasional snow in Landour
  • Naini Lake in Nainital ringed by hills and colonial-era buildingsLake
    Themes:FamilyRomanceNatureHeritage

    Uttarakhand

    Nainital

    A green lake in a bowl of hills, with Kumaon beyond

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    March to June for boating and clear peaks; September to November for the Nanda Devi fair and autumn light; December to February for occasional snow
  • Red-brick monastery ruins and the tiered stupa of Sariputta at the Nalanda Mahavihara siteHeritage
    Themes:HeritageSpiritualCulturePhotography

    Bihar

    Nalanda

    Red-brick ruins of the world's first residential university

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to March
  • Dense rainforest and the Noa-Dihing river in Namdapha National Park, Arunachal PradeshWildlife
    Themes:WildlifeAdventureOffbeatNature

    Arunachal Pradesh

    Namdapha

    India's wildest forest, from river bed to snow line in one park

    Ideal stay
    4 days
    Best time
    November to March; October and April are drier shoulder months
  • Pilgrims on the Godavari river ghats at Ramkund in Panchavati, NashikCity
    Themes:SpiritualFoodHeritageCulture

    Maharashtra

    Nashik

    Godavari ghats, Kumbh crowds and India's wine valley

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to February; January to March is grape harvest season in the vineyards
  • Shallow turquoise water and the natural coral bridge at Laxmanpur Beach on Neil IslandIsland
    Themes:NatureOffbeatRomanceFamily

    Andaman & Nicobar Islands

    Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep)

    Slow bicycle island of coral shallows and vegetable farms

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to May; low tides for the Natural Bridge are best in winter mornings
  • Pine plantations along a road on the Netarhat plateau hill station in JharkhandHill station
    Themes:NatureOffbeatRomancePhotography

    Jharkhand

    Netarhat

    Sal forest, mist-filled valleys and Jharkhand's finest sunrise and sunset

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; September and October for the fullest waterfalls
  • Bactrian camels on the sand dunes of Hunder in Nubra Valley with mountains behindValley
    Themes:AdventureCultureNatureOffbeat

    Ladakh

    Nubra Valley

    Sand dunes, double-humped camels and monasteries beyond Khardung La

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    May to September; apricot blossom in April
  • The laterite facade of the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old GoaHeritage
    Themes:HeritageSpiritualCulturePhotography

    Goa

    Old Goa

    Baroque churches standing alone where an empire's capital stood

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    November to February; the feast of St Francis Xavier falls on 3 December
  • Omkareshwar temple and ghats on Mandhata island rising above the Narmada riverTemple
    Themes:SpiritualNatureCultureOffbeat

    Madhya Pradesh

    Omkareshwar

    An island shaped like Om, holding a Jyotirlinga in the Narmada

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to March; August to September for a full
  • Tea slopes and blue-green hills of the Nilgiris around Ooty in early morning lightHill station
    Themes:NatureRomanceFamilyPhotography

    Tamil Nadu

    Ooty

    Blue Mountain tea slopes, shola forest and a rack railway

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    March to June for clear mountain weather
  • Forested sandstone ridges of the Satpura hills around Pachmarhi under a monsoon skyHill station
    Themes:NatureAdventureFamilySpiritual

    Madhya Pradesh

    Pachmarhi

    Satpura's only hill station: waterfalls, Pandava caves and Dhupgarh sunsets

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to March; April and May as a summer escape
  • The Lidder river running through pine forest at Pahalgam in KashmirValley
    Themes:NatureAdventureSpiritualFamily

    Jammu & Kashmir

    Pahalgam

    Lidder river, pine valleys and the road to Amarnath

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    April to June and September to October; July and August for the Amarnath Yatra; December to February for snow
  • The Golghar, the beehive-shaped brick granary of 1786 that stands above the Ganga in PatnaCity
    Themes:HeritageCultureFoodSpiritual

    Bihar

    Patna

    Ancient Pataliputra on the Ganga, now Bihar's loud, layered capital

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; Chhath Puja in late October or November is extraordinary
  • The Kanchenjunga range seen at sunrise from Pelling in West SikkimHill station
    Themes:NatureSpiritualHeritagePhotography

    Sikkim

    Pelling

    Sunrise on Kanchenjunga above Sikkim's old royal capital

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    March to May for rhododendrons
  • A tiger crossing a dusty forest track between teak trees in Pench National ParkWildlife
    Themes:WildlifeNatureFamilyPhotography

    Madhya Pradesh

    Pench

    The real Jungle Book forest along a lazy river

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to June; March to May for sightings
  • A quiet French Quarter street in Pondicherry with ochre walls, shuttered windows and bougainvilleaCity
    Themes:CultureFoodRomanceWellness

    Puducherry

    Pondicherry

    French streets, Tamil bazaars and a seafront promenade

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to March; February and March are dry with a steady sea breeze
  • Boats gathered at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj where the Ganga meets the YamunaRiver
    Themes:SpiritualCultureHeritage

    Uttar Pradesh

    Prayagraj

    Where three rivers meet and the Kumbh gathers

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    November to February; the Magh Mela runs from mid-January to late February and the Kumbh every twelve years.
  • The spiked Delhi Darwaza gateway of Shaniwar Wada fortress in PuneCity
    Themes:CultureFoodHeritage

    Maharashtra

    Pune

    Peshwa forts, monsoon Ganpati and the country's best misal

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to February; Ganeshotsav in August or September is the city at full volume
  • The tall tower of the Jagannath Temple at Puri rising above the town's rooftopsTemple
    Themes:SpiritualCultureHeritageFood

    Odisha

    Puri

    Jagannath's town of chariots, sand and the Mahaprasad kitchen

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to February; Rath Yatra falls in June or July
  • Pushkar Lake with its ghats and temples seen from the hills above the townTemple
    Themes:SpiritualCulturePhotographyWellness

    Rajasthan

    Pushkar

    Brahma's lake town of ghats, malpua and the camel fair

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; the Camel Fair is in the week before Kartik Purnima
  • The white Vishwa Shanti Stupa on Ratnagiri hill above the wooded valley of RajgirHeritage
    Themes:SpiritualHeritageNatureFamily

    Bihar

    Rajgir

    Magadha's hill-ringed first capital, holy to Buddhists and Jains

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; the Rajgir Mahotsav is held in late October or November
  • The long pillared corridor of the Ramanathaswamy Temple at Rameswaram receding into shadowTemple
    Themes:SpiritualHeritagePhotography

    Tamil Nadu

    Rameswaram

    Island shrine where Rama is said to have prayed

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October
  • Carved white marble pillars and domed ceiling inside Ranakpur's Chaumukha Jain templeTemple
    Themes:SpiritualHeritageNaturePhotography

    Rajasthan

    Ranakpur

    Fifteenth-century Jain temple of 1,444 carved marble pillars

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to March; the valley is green and cool in the monsoon
  • Hundru Falls near Ranchi dropping in stages down a dark basalt gorge in JharkhandWaterfall
    Themes:NatureAdventureFamilyPhotography

    Jharkhand

    Ranchi

    Plateau city where rivers fall off the edge in white sheets

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    September to March; waterfalls are fullest just after the monsoon
  • A Bengal tiger walking through dry deciduous forest in Ranthambore National ParkWildlife
    Themes:WildlifeNaturePhotographyAdventure

    Rajasthan

    Ranthambore

    Tiger country of dry forest, lakes and a tenth-century fort

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to June; sightings peak in the April to June heat
  • The gilded Buddha statue of Tathagata Tsal above Ravangla in South SikkimMonastery
    Themes:SpiritualNatureCultureOffbeat

    Sikkim

    Ravangla

    A 130-foot Buddha, tea gardens and Maenam's ridge walk

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    March to May for flowers and October to December for views; Pang Lhabsol falls in August or September
  • Strangler fig roots covering the ruined British church on Ross Island near Port BlairHeritage
    Themes:HeritageCulturePhotographyOffbeat

    Andaman & Nicobar Islands

    Ross Island (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep)

    British headquarters swallowed by banyan roots and deer

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to May; go on the first morning ferry for soft light
  • The Great Stupa of Sanchi with its carved stone torana gateway in morning lightHeritage
    Themes:HeritageSpiritualCulturePhotography

    Madhya Pradesh

    Sanchi

    Ashoka's Great Stupa and India's oldest surviving stone gateways

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to March; late November for the Chethiyagiri Vihara festival
  • Mist over the forested Dang valleys seen from a viewpoint at Saputara hill stationHill station
    Themes:NatureFamilyOffbeat

    Gujarat

    Saputara

    Gujarat's only hill station, greenest in the Dang monsoon

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    July to September for the monsoon green
  • Excavated brick monasteries beside the Dhamek Stupa at Sarnath near VaranasiHeritage
    Themes:SpiritualHeritageWellness

    Uttar Pradesh

    Sarnath

    Where the Buddha first turned the wheel of dharma

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to March; Buddha Purnima in May draws pilgrims despite the heat.
  • Rabindranath Tagore's house in the Uttarayan complex at ShantiniketanHeritage
    Themes:CultureHeritageOffbeatPhotography

    West Bengal

    Shantiniketan

    Tagore's open-air university among red earth and sal trees

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; Poush Mela in late December and Basanta Utsav at Holi
  • Frescoed facade of a merchant haveli in Shekhawati painted with figures and floral bordersHeritage
    Themes:HeritageCultureOffbeatPhotography

    Rajasthan

    Shekhawati

    Open-air gallery of frescoed Marwari havelis in the Thar

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; the Shekhawati Festival is held in February
  • Tin-roofed houses and pine-covered hills of Shillong, capital of MeghalayaHill station
    Themes:CultureFoodNatureFamily

    Meghalaya

    Shillong

    Pine-scented Khasi capital of cafes, choirs and colonial bungalows

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to May; October and November for cherry blossoms and clear skies
  • The white Samadhi Mandir of Sai Baba in Shirdi with pilgrims outsideTemple
    Themes:SpiritualCulture

    Maharashtra

    Shirdi

    Sai Baba's village, its dhuni still burning after decades

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to February; Ram Navami
  • Sal forest and rolling hills inside the Simlipal tiger reserve in Mayurbhanj, OdishaWildlife
    Themes:WildlifeNatureAdventureOffbeat

    Odisha

    Simlipal

    Sal forest, two great waterfalls and India's black tigers

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    November to March; the park closes for the monsoon from mid-June
  • The Somnath temple in pale sandstone standing above the rocky Arabian Sea shore in GujaratTemple
    Themes:SpiritualHeritageCulture

    Gujarat

    Somnath

    First Jyotirlinga, rebuilt six times on the Arabian Sea

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to February; Mahashivratri in February or March is the temple's biggest night
  • The Sindh river and green meadows of Sonamarg with snow peaks aboveValley
    Themes:NatureAdventurePhotographyFamily

    Jammu & Kashmir

    Sonamarg

    Golden meadow at the foot of Zoji La and the Thajiwas glacier

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    May to October; July to September for the Kashmir Great Lakes trek
  • The palm-lined crescent of Palolem beach with wooden huts in South GoaBeach
    Themes:NatureRomanceFoodFamily

    Goa

    South Goa

    Long empty sands, spice hills and grand Goan mansions

    Ideal stay
    4 days
    Best time
    November to March
  • The 182-metre bronze Statue of Unity of Sardar Patel rising above the Narmada riverHeritage
    Themes:HeritageFamilyPhotographyNature

    Gujarat

    Statue of Unity

    The world's tallest statue, facing the Narmada and its dam

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    November to February; avoid Mondays
  • A Royal Bengal tiger on a mangrove bank in the Sundarbans tiger reserveWildlife
    Themes:WildlifeNatureOffbeatPhotography

    West Bengal

    Sundarbans

    Tidal mangrove forest where tigers swim between the islands

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    November to February for cool weather and birds; March and April for tiger sightings
  • A tiger walking through dry teak and bamboo forest in Tadoba Andhari Tiger ReserveWildlife
    Themes:WildlifeNaturePhotographyAdventure

    Maharashtra

    Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve

    Teak, bamboo and the most reliable tigers in Maharashtra

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    February to May for the best sightings; November to February for pleasant weather
  • Dead tree trunks standing in the Periyar lake inside Periyar Tiger Reserve, KeralaWildlife
    Themes:WildlifeNatureAdventureFamily

    Kerala

    Thekkady & Periyar

    A drowned valley, spice country and guides who were once poachers

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; April and May are hotter but concentrate wildlife at the lake
  • Caparisoned elephants and silk parasols during the Thrissur Pooram festival in KeralaCity
    Themes:CultureSpiritualHeritagePhotography

    Kerala

    Thrissur

    A hill of teak, a ring road and Kerala's loudest festival

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; the Pooram falls in April or May and Athirappilly is fullest after the rains
  • River and forested slopes of the Great Himalayan National Park at the head of Tirthan ValleyValley
    Themes:NatureOffbeatAdventureWellness

    Himachal Pradesh

    Tirthan Valley

    Trout streams, kath-kuni towers and the Great Himalayan National Park

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    March to June and September to November; snow closes Jalori Pass from December to February
  • The gilded Ananda Nilayam vimana over the Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirumala, TirupatiTemple
    Themes:SpiritualHeritageFamily

    Andhra Pradesh

    Tirupati

    Seven hills, a gold vimana and India's busiest darshan

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    September to February; the nine-day Brahmotsavam festival falls in September or October
  • The gopurams of the Arunachalesvara Temple with Arunachala hill rising behind at TiruvannamalaiTemple
    Themes:SpiritualCultureWellness

    Tamil Nadu

    Tiruvannamalai

    A hill of fire, a girivalam road and Ramana's cave

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    November to February; the Karthigai Deepam beacon is lit in November or December
  • The deep blue water of Tso Moriri lake with snow-topped mountains on the Changthang plateauLake
    Themes:NatureWildlifeOffbeatPhotography

    Ladakh

    Tso Moriri

    A high blue lake on the Changthang where nomads still graze

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    June to September; July to August for Korzok Gustor and nesting birds
  • Tsomgo Lake in East Sikkim ringed by snow-streaked ridgesLake
    Themes:NatureAdventurePhotography

    Sikkim

    Tsomgo Lake & Nathu La

    A sacred glacial lake and the old Silk Route border pass

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    April to early June and September to November; snow and ice from December to February
  • The Sri Krishna Matha temple tank and tiled roofs at Udupi on the Karnataka coastTemple
    Themes:SpiritualFoodNatureFamily

    Karnataka

    Udupi & Murudeshwar

    The Krishna that turned around, and a Shiva above the sea

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; Paryaya falls in January of even-numbered years
  • The spire of the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple in Ujjain rising above pilgrimsTemple
    Themes:SpiritualCultureFoodHeritage

    Madhya Pradesh

    Ujjain

    Mahakal's city where the day begins with ash and drums

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March; avoid or embrace the Shravan crowds in July and August
  • The giant rock-cut Unakotishwara Kal Bhairava head carved into the hillside at Unakoti, TripuraHeritage
    Themes:HeritageSpiritualOffbeatPhotography

    Tripura

    Unakoti

    Giant Shiva faces carved into a Tripura hillside

    Ideal stay
    1 day
    Best time
    October to March; Ashokashtami mela falls in April
  • The Trikuta mountains above Katra, where the Vaishno Devi shrine sits in a cave near the summit ridgeTemple
    Themes:SpiritualFamilyCulture

    Jammu & Kashmir

    Vaishno Devi

    Trikuta hills pilgrimage to the Mother Goddess in a cave

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    March to April and September to November; Navratri is the busiest and most festive time; avoid the July to August monsoon
  • Alpine meadows in bloom in the Valley of Flowers with mist on the peaks aboveValley
    Themes:NatureAdventurePhotographySpiritual

    Uttarakhand

    Valley of Flowers

    A monsoon meadow of blue poppies and Brahma kamal above Ghangaria

    Ideal stay
    4 days
    Best time
    Mid-July to mid-August for peak bloom; the park is open from June 1 to October; Hemkund Sahib opens late May to early October
  • The red laterite cliff above Papanasam beach at Varkala in KeralaBeach
    Themes:WellnessSpiritualNatureRomance

    Kerala

    Varkala

    Kerala's only sea cliff, with springs, ashes and yoga above it

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to March; the sea is dangerous and most cliff cafes shut in the monsoon
  • The curve of Visakhapatnam's beach road with the Eastern Ghats rising behind the Bay of BengalBeach
    Themes:NatureHeritageFoodFamily

    Andhra Pradesh

    Visakhapatnam

    Eastern Ghats meet the Bay in a working port city

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to March
  • A carved Kakatiya stone gateway standing among ruins inside Warangal FortHeritage
    Themes:HeritageCulturePhotographyOffbeat

    Telangana

    Warangal

    Kakatiya gateways, a thousand pillars and Ramappa's floating stone

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    October to February; summers on the Telangana plateau are punishing
  • Green hills, paddy fields and coffee estates in Wayanad, KeralaHill station
    Themes:NatureAdventureWildlifeOffbeat

    Kerala

    Wayanad

    Neolithic petroglyphs, coffee slopes and elephants across the border

    Ideal stay
    3 days
    Best time
    October to May; the June to September monsoon is heavy and the slopes are landslide-prone
  • Phugtal Monastery built into a cliff cave above the Tsarap river in ZanskarValley
    Themes:AdventureSpiritualOffbeatNature

    Ladakh

    Zanskar

    Cliff monasteries, a frozen river walk and Ladakh's remotest valley

    Ideal stay
    5 days
    Best time
    July to September for roads and festivals; late January to February for the Chadar trek
  • Green paddy terraces and pine-covered hills of the Apatani plateau at Ziro, Arunachal PradeshValley
    Themes:CultureOffbeatNaturePhotography

    Arunachal Pradesh

    Ziro Valley

    Apatani rice terraces, pine ridges and a music festival under open sky

    Ideal stay
    2 days
    Best time
    March to May and September to November; late September for the Ziro Festival of Music

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