India is only the 22nd most visited nation in the world and is seeking to expand and improve its tourist infrastructure. This should be easy to do since the nation has a long history, a fascinating culture, and exciting places to see not found elsewhere. However, people often do not know where to go in India. To assist with this process, The Traveling American suggests seven interesting experiences and destinations to visit on an initial trip to India: 

1. INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO INDIA WITH A STAY IN UDAIPUR

People visiting India for the first time can experience a sensory overload. The best way to avoid this is to resist starting your vacation with a visit to the “Maximum City” of Mumbai or the crowded capital of Delhi. There are exciting and fun things to do in both of those places, but we recommend starting out in a quieter location and then exploring selected parts of the country from there. The lakeside city of Udaipur is an excellent place to do this. Udaipur has several “heritage hotels” such as the sparkling white Lake Palace which was featured in a James Bond movie and appears to float on the water. However, India’s leading hoteliers have also built modern palaces around Lake Pichola using the architectural style of the Mughals while adding modern amenities, technology, and resort accoutrements. The highly rated Leela Palace sets the tone for new arrivals with a relaxing welcoming ceremony. It starts with a chauffeured drive from the airport to the lake, continues with a leisurely boat ride across the lake to the hotel’s pier, and ends with the hotel staff greeting you in traditional attire with musicians and a tossing of rose petals. Rooms in the Leela have an excellent view of the area including the City Palace located on the banks of the lake which is five times the size of the White House. In addition to the view, the Leela has a waterside dining room with a huge breakfast buffet and daily meals featuring both Indian and continental cuisine. There is also an elegant pool and a relaxing garden with gazebos and fountains. Once you have settled in, consider exploring Udaipur for three days by taking a sunset boat cruise of the lake and visiting the City Palace and Jagdish Temple along with seeing the museums and shops in the city. With this introduction behind you, you will be ready to move onto the “Golden Triangle” destinations of Jaipur, Agra, and Delhi, as well as other places around the country.

Read about why staying in Udaipur provides a great introduction to India here and here.

2. SAVOR THE BEAUTY AND SPLENDOR OF THE TAJ MAHAL

The city of Agra was the capital of the Mughal empire during much of the 16th and 17th centuries. Centrally located on the Yamuna River along an important trade route, the city was known then for its palaces, gardens and mausoleums built with the region’s distinctive red sandstone. All these structures were supplanted, however, by the unique beauty and splendor of the Taj Mahal completed by the respected Emperor Shah Jahan in 1648 as a monument to his beloved and deceased wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Using the best craftsmen from India, Persia, and Turkey, he supervised the construction of a perfectly proportioned mausoleum with four symmetrical sides dedicated to her with a white marble exterior, inlaid gold, and jewels, tall minarets, and a huge onion-shaped dome on the top. The structure is constructed on top of a rectangular marble platform which runs along the river with a red sandstone mosque at each end of the platform. Surrounded by elaborate gardens and pools of water, the majesty and beauty of the site outlived both Shah Jahan and his rebellious son Aurangzeb who imprisoned his father in the nearby Agra fort until he died. Shah Jahan was interred by his daughter in a tomb next to his wife. No one can visit the Taj without being taken in by its magic.

The full story of the Taj Mahal is explained here.

3. EXPLORE THE WARRIOR FORTRESSES OF RAJASTHAN

For almost one thousand years, Rajasthan was made up of about twenty independent Hindu kingdoms. They sometimes fought, occasionally united, and often resisted the efforts of outsiders to conquer the region. One of the ruling dynasties with a reputation for resistance at all costs was the Maharana of Mewar. His people built the huge Chittorgarh Fort on a plateau high above the surrounding plains in the eighth century. They used its sturdy walls, gates, and strategic location to keep out invaders until finally falling to Mughal Emperor Akbar and abandoning the site in the 16th century. In addition to gazing out across the land from the heights, there are temples and monuments at Chittorgarh celebrating the Rajput’s military conquests and great leaders. The most notable ones are the finely engraved Victory Tower and a lakeside villa reputedly used by the legendary Queen Padmini, who refused to surrender herself to the Sultan of Delhi and end his siege of the fort in 1303. Other great Rajasthan forts maintained as national monuments and frequented by visitors include the Kumbhalgarh Fort constructed at a height of 3500 feet and surrounded by 22 miles of interlocking walls, the Amer Fort near Jaipur built by renowned ruler Man Singh I in 1592 which served as the capital of the Kachwaha kingdom for centuries, and the Mehrangarh Fort built in the desert city of Jodhpur on top of a sheer rock cliff.    

Read more about the legends of India’s great battles and rulers.

4. WATCH THE PLAYFUL MONKEYS OF JAIPUR

One distinctive characteristic of India is the way in which humans and animals coexist on streets, in public parks and around temples. This is partially because of the sacred status of cows and other animals in the Hindu and Jain religions. Nevertheless, visitors will be surprised to see so many monkeys going about their business each day alongside people in large cities like Jaipur. Such close contact has led to conflicts as groups of macaque monkeys will sometimes move into unoccupied buildings, raid the food markets each day, and fight for turf with shopkeepers. Tourists are often encouraged to visit a Hindu temple outside Jaipur known as the Galta Temple to see the monkeys in action. They bath in the temple water tank, devour food offerings left by worshipers, and make a general nuisance of themselves. Some people love the show while others find it to be an artificial and sometimes dirty habitat for watching the monkey troops. A better alternative is to visit the small lake, dam, and park behind the Amer Fort with a guide to see monkeys, cows and people enjoy the water together and go about their daily affairs more naturally and harmoniously. If monkeys are not your thing, there are beautiful buildings and shopping areas to visit in popular pink city of Jaipur. These include the distinctive Hawa Mahal palace built for the women of the royal court in 1799 and the Jantar Mantar astrological observatory built to study the cosmos and the weather. 

Read more about the challenges of coexisting with monkeys and visiting the pink city of Jaipur here and here.

5. DINE IN A MAHARAJA’S PALACE

Many palaces in India once used as royal residences for maharajas, sultans and princes have been restored as heritage hotels. They offer luxurious accommodations to guests while preserving the historic architecture of the buildings and artifacts from prior rulers. Even if not booking a room, it is worthwhile to make a reservation for lunch or tea in one of these palaces and take in the scenery during the visit. 

One experience that is tough to beat is to book high tea service at the Falaknuma Palace located on a mountaintop in Hyderabad which served as a family residence of the Nizam during the 20th century. The Nizam was believed to have been the richest person in the world during the 1800s and celebrities and world leaders visited the royal family at the palace over the years. High tea at Falaknuma includes a sumptuous serving of both English and Indian food selections and desserts followed by a private guided tour of the public areas of the palace. One of the premier palaces in Rajasthan open for guests is the Rumbaugh Palace in Jaipur operated by the Taj hotel chain which features elegant meals served in a lavish dining room by waiters wearing traditional palace garb. The palace entertained dignitaries from around the world during the middle of the 20th century many of whom came to see Queen Gayatri Devi, a beautiful and stylish royal who created a modern role model for Indian women. 

Read more about this unique experience here.

6. WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF GANDHI IN DELHI

The history of how the Indian subcontinent became divided into three separate nations is complex. Nevertheless, most people understand the key role which Mahatma Gandhi played in encouraging freedom and tolerance for all Indian people during the 20th century. He is remembered in memorials and museums throughout the country but most poignantly at a museum in New Delhi known as Gandhi Smriti. The museum is located at an estate where Gandhi lived a modest life as a guest of a friend in 1948. Visitors to the museum can see interesting displays that explain Gandhi’s life and the non-violent political revolution that he led seeking independence and equality for all Indians regardless of their class or ethnic caste. In addition to viewing pictures and mementos of his exploits, visitors can see the bedroom where he slept and retrace the footsteps he took on his final walk to the garden for daily prayers before being assassinated. It is a moving experience which complements visits to the other historic and cultural sites in Old Delhi, New Delhi, and other parts of the city. 

Read more here.

7. MARVEL AT MAMALLAPURAM’S INTRICATE CARVINGS AND SEASIDE RUINS

One unique and interesting place to visit in southern India is the seaside temples and ruins of Mamallapuram located on the coast south of the major city of Chennai. Mamallapuram flourished as a seaport and major city of the Pallavas rulers of the southeast during the fourth to seventh centuries. In addition to building a religious, educational, and silk production center in nearby Kanchipuram which remains to this day, the Pallavas were great traders and mariners who interacted with the Arab world, Southeast Asians and later the Europeans. There are two striking aspects of the site. First, ruins are located right on the shoreline of the Bay of Bengal including an ornate Shore Temple with statues of bulls dedicated to the Hindu gods Vishnu and Shiva. Second, there are elaborate stone carvings a few hundred yards inland of which depict chariots and animals. Most popular is a 50-foot-high rock face known as Descent of the Ganges which has incredible workmanship of humans and animals crowded around the river in harmony. This site along with the colonial landmarks, sandy beaches, and cultural attractions of the Tamil Nadu region make it one of India’s lesser-known epic destinations. 

Read about the sites worth exploring here.