It is rightly said by some that one lifetime is too less to explore India completely. The vastness of the country makes it both adventurous and time taking and tiring. Having said that, a well-planned Bharat Darshan could be the most memorable journeys ever, and a trip of a lifetime!
Let’s take a look at 26 must-see places in India that every traveller must not miss.
1) Shimmers on the lakes of Ladakh
Appearing heavenly in the evenings, the lakes in Ladakh change forms every hour. Pangong Tso is one of the most beautiful of them all. The light of the sun falling on the lake from the blue skies causes the shimmer and makes it look as if the stars have come down on Earth.
2) Snow-clad mountains of Manali
Himachal Pradesh is home to one of the best ski-tours in the country, with a range of winter adventure sports. The Spiti Valley or the desert mountain valley is the most famous snow spot in India.
3) Hills of Kodaikanal
Famous for its ‘mushrooms’ *winks*, Kodaikanal located in Dindigul district in Palani Hills in Tamil Nadu is blessed with a dense forest cover. The tranquil hills, laidback gardens and giant rock pillars are a treat to the eyes.
4) Araku Valley, Eastern Ghats
A hill station in Andhra Pradesh, around 120 kms away from Visakhapatnam, Araku valley is untouched and mesmerizing. It is famous for the coffee plantations, and for being the best part of the Eastern Ghats.
5) Kashmir
Everything about the valley of Kashmir is amazing and indescribable! It is not called ‘Heaven on Earth’ for no reason. One just cannot find reasons to not go to Kashmir.
6) The islands of Lakshadweep
Laccadive, or Lakshadweep is the tiniest union territory of India. The island is famous for water sports like snorkelling and scuba diving.
7) The holy Ghats of Varanasi
One of the oldest cities in the country, Varanasi is known for its Aghoris, magnificent Ganga Aartis and the Maha Kumbh Mela.
8) The waterfalls of Shillong
One of the places in India with the highest amount of rain, this place is surrounded by huge hills, lush green mountains and beautiful waterfalls. Mawsynram is a small village located on the East Khasi Hills of northeast Meghalaya state, and is one of the most beautiful and green places in the state.
9) A night in the Thar Desert
The Thar desert, or the Great Indian desert is located in Rajasthan, and surrounded by the Aravalli mountain ranges and Great Rann of Kutch. A night amidst the dunes is what one wants on a vacation!
10) The exotic beaches of Goa
Amazingly rich in tourism, Goa is hugely popular for its unique culture, delicious food, cheap booze, and beautiful beaches.
11) The Valley of Flowers, Sikkim
A grazing pasture surrounded by the Himalayas in Sikkim, Yumthang valley or the Valley of Flowers is at a height of 3,564 metres above sea level, and is a view one will never forget.
12) Kanyakumari
Situated at the confluence of The Arabian Sea, The Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean, the weather and the position of the sun changes the colour of the sea in Kanyakumari !
13) Wildlife in the Kanha National Park
This Tiger Reserve is home to a significant population of Royal Bengal Tigers, Indian leopards and Indian wild dogs. It is very rich in wildlife and flora and fauna and is covered with dense bamboo and sal forests.
14) Sunset at the Brahmaputra River
This majestic river is one of the major rivers in North-East India. It originates in Tibet, and flows through Himalayas in great gorges and into Arunachal Pradesh. The sunrays play with the water when the sun meets the horizon during sunset time.
15) Mangroves of Sunderban
The mangroves of Sunderban in West Bengal are one of the largest tidal halophytic mangroves in the world. Sunderban is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and home to a large number of Bengal tigers.
16) Backwaters of Kerala
Rightly called ‘God’s own country’, Kerala is popular for its backwaters. These serve as National Waterways for backwater cruises to link number of towns, cities and facilitate cargo movement and tourism.
17) The temples of Bhubaneshwar
Bhubaneshwar boasts of more than 600 Hindu temples, and is the capital city of the state of Odisha. It is known as ‘Kalinga Nagari’ for the same reason.
18) The tea gardens of Darjeeling
Also known as the Queen of Hills, Darjeeling is located on the foothills of the Himalayas in eastern India. One of the major attractions of this place are its tea gardens, and its tea. In addition to this, its diverse flora, and adventure sports like rafting, trekking and hiking make it a popular tourist destination.
19) The Western Ghats
Running along the entire west coast from the border of Gujarat to Kanyakumari, the Sahyadri ange also known as the Western Ghats is one of the hottest biodiversity spots in the world. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is home to a large variety of flora and fauna along with many undiscovered species.
20) The forests of the North-East
These forests occupy 25 percent of India’s total forest cover and are present in all the seven sister states of India. There are 51 types of forests found in this region classified as deciduous forests, semi evergreen forests, wet evergreen forests, alpine forests and temperate forests.
21) Majuli in Assam
A large river island in the Brahmaputra River in Assam, Majuli’s beauty cannot be described in words. It is one of the less popular places, and hence, is not very exploited.
22) The Great Rann of Kutch
The vast expanse of this white salt marsh covers a huge area of around 10,000 square miles and is positioned between the Gulf of Kutch and the mouth of the Indus River in southern Pakistan. This region is of great ecological importance because of the fact that the area has a desert on one side and the sea on the other provides the Rann of Kutch with a variety of ecosystems, including mangroves and desert vegetation.
23) The tea gardens of Munnar
Another beautiful part of Kerala, Munnar is popular for its enchanting tea gardens, and greenery that basks in the early morning sunshine, and fills the air with the rich aroma of tea.
24) The Taj Mahal, Agra
One of the Seven Wonders of the World, a trip across India is incomplete without a mention of the iconic Taj. This magnificent monument of Love stands in Agra, and is thronged by thousands of visitors every day.
25) Stok Range, Ladakh
At a whopping 20,182 feet, Stok Kangri in Stok Range has is a popular mountain among climbers and mountaineers. It's often considered as a practice run for Everest.
26) The Lonar Sarovar, Maharashtra
The Lonar Lake is a saline soda lake located at Lonar in Buldana district, Maharashtra, India which was created by a meteor impact.
So, let's make a bucket list, shall we?!
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