Top Tour Destinations in India

India is incredibly diverse country on the planet earth. You get to experience everything that you can think of, including coldest places in Jammu and Kashmir, best places for #meditation and #yoga, wildlife parks in Ranthambore, Bandhavgarh, Sariska, Kanha, Mysore, Kaziranga for wildlife enthusiasts, over 30 World Heritage Sites for history lovers, and beautiful beaches of Goa, Kerala, and Andaman for honeymooners. If you are an adventurer and love hitch hiking then Himlayan ranges can be a great option for you.

It’s a second largest country in the world with over 1.2 billions of people living here, which precisely means that each and every state of India has its own charm i.e., #culture and #tradition, #spoken languages/dialects. It indeed surprises to all foreign travelers, that with such diverse people & geographies how do we operate as one single democratic country!

Now, let me take you through the list of hand-picked top travel destinations in India (alphabetically sorted):

Agra, Uttar Pradesh

Agra is a great place to visit. Taj Mahal in Agra is the prominent tourist attraction of city which is icon image of India tourism. Their are 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Agra i.e. Taj Mahal, Agra Fort or Red Fort, Fatehpur sikri. All three remain on top priority during Agra city tour. In below given table, we have listed some of the important places to see in Agra:

Aurangabad, Maharashtra

Ajantha & Ellora are 28 – 30 rock-cut cave monuments created during the first century BC and 5th century AD, containing paintings and sculptures considered to be masterpieces of both Buddhist religious art and universal pictorial art.

The caves are located just outside the village of Ajantha / Ellora in Aurangabad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

Since 1983, the Ajanta & Ellora Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Darjeeling, West Bengal

Darjeeling in India owes’ its grandeur to its natural beauty, its clean fresh mountain air and above all, the smiling resilient people for whom it is a home. Known for its natural splendor, Darjeeling’s best gift to its’ visitors is the dawn of a new day. The mountains awaken first with a tentative peeking of the sun.

A steep ride, five kilometers from Ghoom, or an invigorating walk up a steep incline, leads sun worshippers to Tiger Hill. The air is chilly with darkness and damp. To the east, a dull orange sun emerged painting the sky with brilliant strokes of magenta, gold, orange and fuchsia. The snow capped Everest, Kabru, Kanchenjunga, Jannu and other peaks slowly emerge from slumber to start a new day. The sun worshippers gasp at the magnificent sight.

And don’t forget to get on ‘Toy Train’ which is as popular as ‘Taj Mahal’ in West Bengal, because its high altitude rail tracks which offers a spectacular bird eye view of the city. Currently 18 rides are scheduled from the morning (starting at 7:40am) till afternoon (the last train being at 4:20pm). So there are ample opportunities to choose your time based on your convenience and plan for the day. The timings and number of rides do change depending on seasonal demands.

In order to book the train ride,

Delhi, Delhi (UT)

Delhi, Capital of India has many attractions like mosques, forts and other monuments that represent India’s history. The important places in old Delhi include the majestic #Red Fort. New Delhi on the other hand houses many government buildings and embassies, apart from places of historical interest.

The Qutub Minar, Red Fort and Humayun’s Tomb have been declared World Heritage Sites.

Gangtok

The capital of the state of Sikkim, Gangtok is an attractive tourist destination, reflecting a unique ambience which derives from its happy blend of tradition and modernity. Alongside the deeply felt presence of stupas and monasteries, Gangtok also bustles like any other thriving town. Some of the key places to visit include Rumtek Monastery, Do-Drul Chorten, Enchey Monastery, Tashi View Point and the local bazaar, Lal Bazaar.

Goa

Goa is Famous for its pristine beaches, infact 90% of all the tourism in Goa is only for its beautiful beaches in coastal areas. In winters, foreign tourists visit Goa to enjoy the splendid climate. And in summers, it’s favorite destinations for people of India to enjoy their holidays.

In 2008 there were more than three million tourists reported to have visited Goa, more than half million of whom were foreign visitors.

Jaipur, Rajasthan

Jaipur is also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Jaipur is a very famous tourist and education destination in India.

Visitors throng Jaipur to view the various forts and monuments in Jaipur which reflect its glorious past. Tourism is a significant part of Jaipur’s economy. Some of the key city highlights in Jaipur are:

Forts & Monuments

• Hawa Mahal
• Amber Fort
• City Palace
• Jantar Mantar
• Jal Mahal
• Rambagh Palace
• Central Museum, (Albert Hall Museum)

Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir

Kashmir was once called ‘Heaven on Earth’, and one of the most beautiful places in the world. However, in last couple of decades, terrorism has faded its charm – a place home to Himalayan Ranges.

The State of Jammu & Kashmir has main three geographical regions known as “The Lesser Himalayas” or the “Jhelum Valley” (Kashmir), “The Inner Himalayas” or “The Indus Valley” (Ladakh & Frontier areas) also called “Trans-Himalayas”, and “The Outer-Himalayas” or “The Southern mountain range” (Jammu).

Kanyakumari, Tamilnadu

Though there are several places of tourist-interest in the town and district, Kanyakumari is especially popular in India for its spectacular and unique sunrise and sunset. The confluence of three ocean bodies – the bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea – makes the sunrise and sunset even more special. On balmy, full-moon evenings, one can also see the moon-rise and sunset at the same time – on either side of the horizon.

Kerala 

Kerala, situated on the lush and tropical Malabar Coast, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Named as one of the “ten paradises of the world” and “50 places of a lifetime” by the National Geographic Traveler magazine, Kerala is especially known for its ecotourism initiatives, Beautiful Backwaters and Alternative healing massages.

Leh / Ladakh

The Ladakh capital city of Leh lies near the eastern parts of Jammu and Kashmir, on the crossroads of the historic “Silk Route” from Sinkiang to West Asia and to the plains of India. The humbling monasteries of Shey, Hemis, Alchi, Thikse and Lamayuru will nurture your spiritual needs, and the landscape of Leh provides for a number of adventure activities including mountaineering, white-water rafting and trekking along the Markha Valley.

Mysore, Karnataka

Mysore is a tourism hot spot within the state of Karnataka and also acts as a base for other tourist places in the vicinity of the city. The city receives the maximum number of tourists during the period of the Dasara festival when festivities take place for a period of 10 days. One of the most visited monuments in India, the Ambavilas Palace (also known as Mysore Palace) is the center of the Dasara festivities.

Hope you have found this Top Tour Destinations in India article interesting. If you have any questions, do drop in a comment.