India First Timer?
Plan your first time Tour of India
Planning a trip to India can seem daunting. India should be approached much more like visiting a continent than as a single country - think of it (for the purpose of travel) as several countries in one. After all, there is little really in common between Kerala and Sikkim or between Mumbai and Nagaland.
My number one advice for first timers to India is to try and focus on one or two areas of the country and don't try to pack too much in.
Travelling to India can be demanding - distances can be long and it's tempting to try to do much. I try to steer first time India visitors into considering a varied trip, with different aspects, which is paced accordingly - normally not too rushed.
So where to start?
Rajasthan & the Golden Triangle
Most first time visitors to India start with Rajasthan and the so-called Golden Triangle, namely Delhi, Jaipur and Agra (for the Taj Mahal).
Focusing on a tour of Rajasthan on your first trip to India will provide a classic India experience - the iconic sights, palaces, culture, colour. Things are well set-up for tourism in Rajasthan with some of the best hotels in India, including luxury heritage hotels and some great boutique hotels.
A Golden Triangle Tour including Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur is about as good an introduction to India as you will get.
One of my favourite places in India is Jaisalmer, a city on the edge of the desert in Rajasthan. It takes a little bit more effort to get to but it's such a romantic city, with fine old havelis and the chance to explore the edge of the great Thar Desert.
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Tiger Tiger burning bright
Tigers, of course! Everyone wants to see a tiger in the wild, and why wouldn't you - it's quite a special experience, but some planning is in order.
One of my first experiences in going on a 'tiger safari' in India was on the back of a 'canter' - essentially a converted open-top truck with about 20 people. It was nearly enough to put me off going on safari ever again!
We strongly recommend a jeep safari rather than the open-top canter.
Where to see tigers in India will very much depend on how this fits best with the rest of your India itinerary but there are a few options.
The best places to see Tigers in India are the parks of Madhya Pradesh in Central India namely Kanha, Pench and Bandhavgarh. Any of these can be easily added on to a tour of Rajasthan to create a great first time tour of India.
Bandhavgarh is dry and dramatic and offers possibly the best chance of seeing tigers in the wild in India. Kanha is a little more remote and the scenery is quite different, with grassy plains and bamboo forests, whilst Pench is the location which inspired Kipling to write the Jungle Book (although it's harder to see tigers here).
Ranthambore is another good option in Rajasthan for seeing tigers and is the former hunting ground of the Maharaja of Jaipur.
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That Spiritual Feeling
India of course is a place imbued with a deep spirituality, probably more so than any other country in the world.
It can be seen in the never ending flow of people through the temples, in the daily observances and rituals and in the striking architecture. But nowhere encapsulates the soul of India more than Varanasi, the holy city by the holy River Ganges.
To really experience the true spirit of India, I definitely recommend adding on a visit to Varanasi, which can easily be done on a first time tour of India, after the Golden Traingle and Rajasthan.
A visit to Varanasi is often combined with a trip to see the temple carvings at Kajuraho or even with onward travel into Kathmandu and Nepal.
Another couple of options to consider are making the trip up to Rishikesh, a deeply spiritual town in the foothills of the Himalaya, or visiting Pushkar on a tour of Rajasthan, a town famous for its camel fair in October and for being an important pilgrimage site.
Discover some of our most popular Holidays to Rajasthan & The Golden Triangle
The South of India
Although most first time visitors to India start off with the iconic India of the north, if you have a little bit longer, or want a different kind of experience, then you can either add on an extension to the south of India or focus on the south itself.
Again - unless you're prepared for the travelling, don't attempt to do too much.
Kerala is an obvious place to start for first time visitors to the south of India. The landscape is beautiful and there is a little bit of everything in Kerala from the cultural attractions of Cochin, to Tiger Sanctuaries, Hill Stations, Back-Water Cruises and some great beach options.
Kerala can be combined with the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for a longer Southern India Tour, to include Mysore, Madurai or even Pondicherry and Chennai (formerly Madras).
Choosing your Accommodation
India has a great range of accommodation options and although hotel choice is a very personal opinion, I like to recommend mixing a few different options on a first time visit to India.
Rajasthan is famous for its heritage hotels, many of which are converted former Royal Palaces. A stay in one or more of these Heritage Hotels in Rajasthan can really greatly add to your experience.
In the South of India there are some wonderful boutique style hotels in Cochin and the Keralan Hills as well as some great colonial era relics in some of the larger cities. Kerala is also famous for overnight backwater cruises on private houseboats and has a great choice of peaceful retreats as well as some of the best beach resorts in India.
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