What to Pack

India is a country with different climates, but on the whole it will be warm and at times you can feel the humidity. The north Indian destinations will be definitely cool from December to February and woollen jackets can keep you warm. Otherwise, lightweight shirts and trousers will be sufficient for your entire trip. You can either plan for an in-house laundry in hotels or local purchases, both will be cheaper than your homeland. If mosquitoes are found to be prevalent in the places of your visit, full sleeves can keep you safe.

The customs and practices in India vary from place to place. Your itinerary may include temples, monuments and palaces. It is recommended to follow the dress code and procedures of the locals as a gesture of respect. Other than the above, wind proof jackets and dark coloured costumes for a wild safari, slip on sandals for temple visits and dresses covering upper arms and legs for ashrams are suggested.

The list of personal items you can bring from your homeland can be an inflatable pillow, a torch light, electrical surge protectors, a small handbag which can hold your camera and other smaller needs.

Things to Do

India is a land of diversity and has a lot to offer its visitors,the selections can be irresistible. The multi-cultural nation gives you an endless list of things to do in India. The vibrant nation offers something for everyone! So, just choose what interests you and be assured that you will surely relish your trip through this imposing nation called ‘India’.

Adventurous Activities

Delve into the fascinating wildlife of India where rare species walks freely or enjoy the serene and breathtaking beauty of nature. Embark on a religious tour with the shrines that are sprinkled in every corner of India. Adventure-seekers can indulge themselves in thrilling water sports at its rivers and beaches and feel the adrenaline rush as they go for scuba diving, water skiing, rock climbing and river rafting.

Fascinating Monuments And Forts

People who are interested in Indian culture and want to know more about this can travel around the ancient ruins of splendid havelis, forts and monuments that reflect the sumptuousness of bygone era. Visit these royal palaces who had ruled over the nation since years.Explore royal places in Rajasthan like Hawa Mahal, Amber fort etc or delve into the beauty of splendid Taj Mahal that will definitely leave you astonished and wordless.

Shopping In India

Are you a shopping freak??? India offers you a wide list of shopping experience that ranges from swanky-ritzy malls to economical markets. If you wish to relish the true experience of Indian shopping,then weekly and streets markets are the best places to shop. From ceramics to clothes,handicrafts to blue pottery, embroidered carpets to gorgeous silk sarees, you can find everything here. Pearls from Hyderabad, shawls from Kashmir, bidriware from Karnataka, silk saris from south etc are some of the must-buys for every shopping freak.

Delicious Cuisines

Tired with shopping journey???? Take a sigh of relief and enjoy some mouth watering dishes available in India. Tickle your taste buds with spicy chaat or sweet dishes in local markets or enjoy continental, Chinese, Italian and continental cuisines in fine dining restaurants. Dig into juicy chicken and meats that are either roasted or curried to perfection and garnished with spices that you won’t find in any other corner of the world.

Colorful Festivals

India not only offers you amazing monuments, wildlife sanctuaries and other sightseeing places, but also rejoices the spirit of unity in diversity in local festivities that adds color to this fascinating nation. Festival of lights- Diwali, colorful Holi, Pongal in South, Baisakhi in North, Christmas, Id-ul-Zuha etc are some of the striking festivals celebrated with full fervor and zeal in every corner of the country!

Health Tips

Every tourist traveling to India will have a different perception on the issues of health and hygiene. It should be purely decided by the individual whether to go for any vaccination or not. There may be lot of inputs from the internet about the various kinds of vaccinations and medications. You can refer to them and based on your opinion and also in consultation with your doctor, a suitable decision can be made accordingly.

Though there are different versions about getting vaccinated, it is advisable to get covered for Tetanus. If your tour extends to many parts in Asia, it is better to take a common vaccine covering both Hepatitis and Typhoid. It is again an individual’s personal decision to take antimalarial drugs because Malaria is not at all a common issue in the tourist destinations. Mere clothing of light colors, mosquito repellants and protection creams can keep you safe. Always carry anti-bacterial hand-wipes with you. Before eating, make sure that you clean your hands with anti-bacterial soap or use an alcohol-based gel. Drink clean water and eat freshly cooked food. All the above points are only guidelines to help you enjoy your vacation to the fullest by staying fit and fine.

Tourist Sights

The significance of India is its multicultural diversity that reflects in every walk of its citizens. Every region of the country will have its own way of portraying its tradition, culture and heritage by way of the temples,monuments and the lifestyles of the people in the respective regions. But, it is highly impossible for anyone to visit all the prominent places of the country at one stretch as they are plenty.
Still, there are some recommendations to be included in your itinerary never to be missed during your trip to India.
Topmost places to explore in India

Taj Mahal - Agra

One of the seven wonders in the world, the monument constructed in 1631 by a Mughal King Shajahan in memory of his wife Mumtaj, the premise which has been enchanting the visitors all through the year is the Taj Mahal in Agra. It tells you the tales of immense love and affection the couple had. The fascinating monument built entirely of white marble transforms into blue at the time of sunset which is the best time to visit Taj Mahal.

Meenakshi Temple - Madurai

he grandest temple in Tamil Nadu, famous for its architectural finesse is the Meenakshi Amman Temple in the sleepless city Madurai. This is one of the very few temples having entrances on all four sides and Madurai is a well-planned city constructed around the temple.The 14 towers and 985 pillars beautifully carved with figurines, the lotus pond are of historical importance admired by every visitor. The paintings on the ceilings of the corridor proceeding to the sanctum will make you speechless wondering the technology our ancestors had deployed. The huge corridors, gateways towers, beautifully carved sculptures make this complex worth for paying a visit.

Pink City - Jaipur

The tints of the colors used in most of the buildings give the name “Pink City” to Jaipur in Rajasthan. The City Palace and the Hawa Mahal are the important monuments telling you the stories of the Kings who have reigned here for many centuries. The markets, monuments, palaces and the delicious cuisines of Rajasthan make your tour complete.

Mughal City - Agra

The city with number of monuments, palaces and mosques standing as testimony for the architectural elegance of the Mughal Empire is Agra. Though , every one gets reminded of Taj Mahal on uttering the word “Agra”, the city on the whole has a high influence of the Mughal Era. The splendid beauty of the Mughal Arhcitecture can be enjoyed while visiting Fatehpur Sikri, Agra Fort, tombs of the Mughal Kings. The beautiful carvings, gateways, carved pillars and the wall paintings in the monuments in the palaces make your visit to Agra very special and enchanting.

Wonderful Beaches

Apart from the temples, monuments, World Heritage sites, India is famous for its finest beaches. India is a subcontinent surrounded by oceans on its three sides. The coastal areas of country have the wonderful beaches especially in the southern part of India. Marina Beach in Chennai, the capital of the south indian state Tamil Nadu is the second longest beach in the world. To name a few, Kovalam in Kerala, Aguada in Goa, Vizag in AndhraPradesh, Juhu in Mumbai will mesmerize you with its captivating beauty and you have choices for many interesting activities as well.

Kerala Backwaters

The place never to be missed by any tourist is the God’s Own Country, Kerala, a South Indian state with number of lagoons, canals and rivers everywhere.The cruise on the traditional boat rides in Kerala is the unique feature of tourism in Kerala. Kollam, Kuttanad, Alappuzha, Kozhikode and Kumarakom are the renowned destinations for Backwaters. Your tour will seem to be incomplete without a ride and an overnight stay in the boats.

Hill Stations

The mountain ranges bordering the country encompass many hill stations which are really the Heavens on Earth. From north to south, visiting the hill stations capped with snowy peaks, green valleys, meadows full of flowers, misty woods and beautiful lakes make your tour doubly perfect and the best alternative to go away from the scorching sun in the plains. Darjeeling, Munnar, Shimla, Srinagar, Ooty, Mount Abu, Nainital and Kodaikanal are the prominent hill stations in India attracting thousands of visitors every day.

Within a short span of time, you may not be able to see all the destinations. till, every tourist destination in India has its own color to give you the richest experience.

Map

Indian Panorama Helps You to Travel India

We welcome your emails at any time. Planning your trip will be full of decisions to make, and we are very happy to provide you with information, ideas or advice at any stage of your travel planning.

Each of our Tour Planners at Indian Panorama has specific knowledge of a different region of India, and we will allocate your enquiry to the most appropriate member of our team.

For general tour-planning assistance Pandian (or)Tim

Where to Go

Enveloped by imposing Himalayan ranges in the north and bordered by a never-ending expansion of golden beaches, India is a vibrant kaleidoscope of royal cities, frosty hill stations, hallowed temples, outstanding historical places, rich culture, and colorful festivities. You are planning a vacation to India, but have no idea about Indian tourism. Let us now discuss in brief about the beauty and timeless mystery of India that can only be experienced by exploring this ancient land.

Sanctified Temples In India

The historical heritage and rich culture has well-preserved in its sacred pilgrim sites and temple architecture. The temples in India ate not just important for the pilgrims, but also for visitors of India. Also the architecture and intricate carvings of Indian shrines are something that will enthrall the tourists to no limit.

South India is sprinkled with mesmerizing temples that can easily clutch your attention. These temples are framed on Dravidian style of architecture. The gopurams and the Vimana are the most special features of the temple in South India. Meenakshi temple, Badami Cave temples, Sabarimala temple, Thousand Pillar temple etc are some of the main shrines in South India.

The temples in North India are simply breathtaking; these are constructed in Nagara style of architecture that has distinctive features like shorter mandapa, taller shrine and captivating shikhara that can be seen in most of the temples. Golden temple, Akshardham temple, Khajuraho temples, Jagannath temple etc are famous temples in North India.

East India on the other side has some of the best holy places of India. These temples are based on various regional style of architecture. Bodhi temple, Lingaraja temple, Patna Sahib etc are the prominent shrines of East India. Tourists explore these sanctified shrines to know more about the various religious traditions and faiths in full mode. West India has also contributed a lot in Indian art and culture. Pilgrim places in West India were swayed by regional styles. Shirdi temple, Somnath temple, Kailash temple etc are the renowned shrines in West India.

Thrilling Adventure Spots In India

India proffers superb opportunities to adventure-seekers. These adventurous places provide you an opportunity to indulge in daring adventure sports. Dive deep into blue sea to have a sneak peek of vibrant and colorful marine life. Or may be conquer over the fleet swirling river as it pours past impressive mountains.

For trekking lovers, India has offers you breathtaking and challenging trekking trails in many places of India like Garhwal, Sikkim, Ladakh, Darjeeling etc. Gear up and explore highest snow-capped mountains by riding your cycle across the mesmerizing mountains. Best places to go for mountain biking are Himachal Pradesh, Kumaon, Garhwal and so on. In addition to adventure travel in India, don’t forget to go for river rafting, which is a best alternative for adventure junkies. Rishikesh, Uttaranchal, Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh are the best destinations for river rafting.

Fascinating Indian Beaches

Feeling tedious with muddled and chaotic life of city, add beaches of Indian in your traveling plan. Soft silken sand, swaying palm trees, melting sun in the arms of enormous sea, the beaches of India offers you the scenic pleasure and attention-grabbing natural views. Explore the beauty of Kovalam beach or walk over the silky sand of Anjuna beach, spend some sluggish moments at Marina beach or feel the finest natural beauty at Mararaikulam beach, Indian beaches are simply tremendous and breathtaking.

Give yourself a treat planning a vacation to Indian beaches, also enjoy mouth-watering sea-food, relaxing spa massage, extensive variety of water sports that you can enjoy at these beaches like wind surfing, water skiing and scuba diving.

Exotic Wildlife In India

The Indian subcontinent is bestowed with diverse landscapes and climatic conditions that provide an abode to wide variety of exotic and rare species. The unique wildlife tourism in India draws attention of numerous wildlife lovers every year. Indian wildlife destinations can easily satisfy your craving to watch the untamed adventure. India is blessed with 23 tiger reserves, 80 national parks and 441 wildlife sanctuaries. White tigers, wild boar, Siberian cranes, leopards, Asiatic lions and other rare animals and birds are preserved in these wildlife places. Apart from this, these wildlife spots are bedazzled naturally with a broad variety of flora and fauna.

Visit Corbett National Park, which is renowned for its Tiger reserve and it is also the first national park in India. Kumarakom bird sanctuary, on the other side is well-known for its exotic birds. Ranthambhore national park, Gir wildlife sanctuary, Kanha national park, Sariska national park are some of the major wildlife destinations that are snuggled in India.

Mesmerizing Forts And Monuments In India

India is a land of stunning forts and enthralling monuments. Several kings ruled over various parts of India and left their impressive marks on history pages in the form of imposing architectural designs. India is blessed with a good number of breathtaking world heritage monuments that portrays amazing intricate work.

From the magnetizing marble beauty of Taj Mahal to the fine intricate work of Ajanta & Ellora caves, the captivating forts in Rajasthan like Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal, Jantar-Mantar and City Palace are an eloquent reminder of bygone golden era. The vivid expressions of diverse culture can be seen in these monuments and tombs.

Shopping

Shopping in India - What to buy

The experience of going for a shopping in India will be the wonderful part of your tourism in the itinerary. From the small roadside shops to the luxurious shopping malls, every place will guarantee you the pleasure of buying things. Every artifact you see in the shop will have a story rooted to the art and craft of our country which has been kept alive from time immemorial. Even an ultra-modern shopping zone will have the ethnic touch reflecting the tradition and long history of the country.

As there are number of festivals celebrated throughout the year, shopping is an inevitable activity of the Indians. During the major festivals like Diwali (Deepavali) or Dusserah or Makar Sankaranthi, the shopping activity itself will be a mini festival. As major shopping centers are situated in the cities, for people in the nearby villages, going for shopping is an exotic experience.

Shopping in India can be a wholly exhilarating experience for every visitor. From bustling city markets to exclusive shopping malls, India gives you an exotic and broad array of shopping alternatives. Since many centuries, India has kept its art & crafts alive in the form of outstanding wood work, blue pottery, exquisite jewelry and an endless list of other items. Every part of India has something special to offer its visitors portraying their regional affinity.

Textiles

Wooden, Pottery And Stone Work Items

These are other remarkable items that visitors can buy. Wooden artifacts,traditional pottery and amazing stone work items that are manufactured in several villages of India. Midnapur in West Bengal is renowned for art & craft and similarly, Karnataka for wooden handicrafts, and Rajasthan for stone work handicrafts.

Metal Ornamentation

Metal craft includes silverware, copperware, brass work and gold enameled jewelry. Visitors can go to Muradabad and Lucknow for beautiful silver and gold jewelry and metal ornamentation work. On the other hand, Kerala and TamilNadu are quite popular for copperware and brass embellishment. To put it precisely, every part of India awaits to enthrall you with a cherished experience of shopping.

Where To Stay

Accommodation in India is not a problem as there are ample of staying options available within the country that can easily suit with every pocket size. In India, visitors can find out a variety of accommodation places with degrees of pockets and luxury as well. From five star hotels that are fully air-conditioned and offers you pool, sauna, gymnasium, in-house shopping, coffee centres and multispecialty restaurants that serves mouth watering delicacies.

Palace Hotels And Heritage Hotels

Heritage hotels are probably an Indian distinctiveness that reflects the magnificence and old glory of India. To feel the warmth of royal era, travelers can stay at these hotels, especially in Rajasthan, where you can see hospitality at its best. Some palaces are converted into hotels and give visitors a close feel of Indian culture and heritage.

Resorts

Resorts are generally found in hill station and beach side areas. Sea side resorts offer you the ideal blend of sun; surf and sand and also a best option to inhale fascinating beauty of nature. These resorts are the best place where one can enjoy some peaceful moments in solitude.

Budget-Friendly Hotels

Also tagged as discount hotels, business hotels and economical class hotel, these staying options can accommodate clients from middle class to upper middle class. The budget hotels come with all the modern amenities for a pleasant and comfortable stay.

Luxury Hotels

Luxury hotels are equipped with high-class facilities. These accommodation places offer you fine dining and lodging experience. Catering mainly for upper class, these hotels provide you amazing lodging experience.

Tourists Bungalows

Tourist bungalows run by state government provide visitors wonderful facilities alongwith good bargain. One can take their pick from single/double rooms with or without air condition. These tourist bungalows are one of the best options to stay while in India and also offer you superb facilities.

So, in India, one can find out a variety of accommodation places for every budget.

Where to eat and drink

India is the only country in the world to portray a multicultural lifestyles. Most important of it is the varieties of delicious food items you can find across the country. Forms of food in all possible ways can be tasted in India. It may be a small road side hotel or a luxurious dining hall, the yummy dishes served on your plate will definitely reflect the tradition of the state where you enjoy your meal.

The endless choices of places to eat will be tricky for you to decide as every dish is different from the other in composition, taste, aroma and health factor. For foodies, Mughalai cuisines will be a better choice. The rich and delicious dishes which were the order of the day for the Kings of the Mughal Empire who ruled India a few centuries ago, will be served to you in its original form and taste. Chicken Tandoori, Mutton Korma and Zafrani Pulao are some of the famous Mughal cuisines which are very spicy and aromatic.

In extreme contrary to this, the South Indian Cuisines will be tangy, less spicy and mostly vegetarian. Dosa is the special and most preferred dish among all the south indian varieties, normally served with sambar and coconut chutney. If you are bread lovers, then you must try ‘Lachha parantha’ ‘Paneer parantha’, and ‘Methi parantha’ for a special treat.

Tea is the staple drink of Indians and most of the Indians start their day with a hot cup of tea. Masala Chai is the most famous chai that is made with mixture of spices boiled in milk. Apart from Chai, sweet lassi and buttermilk are also popular amongst people of north India. In addition to this, people who love to take shots of alcoholic beverages can hit bars and lounges that are available in India.

Besides the Indian cuisines, Indian restaurants are experts in offering the popular international cuisines like Thai, Chinese, Italian, Continental, European. Those who want to give a try a recipe of a foreign cuisine as well for those who want to have a feel of “Home Away From Home”, they can get varieties of Red curries, pasta, chop suey and lasagna.

Not only the traditional items, Indian cities and even small towns have become famous for fast food items to have an eat out. The choices are plenty. You can opt for a Chicken burger served with jiffy, frothy coffee or strawberry capped ice-cream filled cone that brings a smile on your face. Many fast food chains like Pizza Hut, McDonald’s and Dominos Pizza have set up their eat out centers in almost every Indian city.

If you are savvy of tasting a variety of food items, then you have to go to Dhabas as well as fine dining areas. Dhabas are the mini restaurants functioning on the highways. For people in travel, Dhabas are the best choice to eat. Black Dal, Palak Paneer, Shahi paneer, Lassi and variety of paranthas are the special attractions of dhabas. On the other hand, the luxurious fine dining areas are the places where you can see tourists from different countries with different food habits eagerly trying the Indian cuisines which are rich in tradition and taste served in a modern tone.