Getting to Know India - Discover India's Magic with Insights 2 India®

Few countries hold as much variety as India. Its people, faiths, languages, dress, food and customs change from one region to the next, and so does the land itself. From the highest Himalayan peaks it sweeps down through great plains to three seas, with long sandy coastlines, the golden dunes of the Thar Desert, the backwaters and rainforests of the south, mangrove deltas and alpine meadows. Busy modern cities thrive alongside villages and tribal communities whose way of life has changed little over centuries.

Civilisation here goes back more than 5,000 years, to the cities of the Indus Valley. Today India is home to over 1.4 billion people and to Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Jews. Each wave of rulers left its mark, so a single journey can take in Buddhist stupas, Hindu and Jain temples, Rajput forts, Mughal palaces, Portuguese churches and the grand buildings of the British Raj.

India’s calendar is packed with festivals, and being part of one can be the highlight of a trip. Joining in the colour of Holi, the lamps of Diwali or a village fair, you stop being a spectator and share in living traditions.

Hospitality runs deep. An old saying holds that the guest is like a god, and visitors are often welcomed with a garland, a tilak on the forehead or the lamp ritual of aarti. Watch a classical dance, taste the food of a festival, or meet the craftsmen who still work by hand, and you will feel the warmth of a culture that has welcomed travellers for thousands of years.

With such varied geography, India’s climate ranges more widely than almost any other country’s. Desert days in Rajasthan can be hot in summer, though the evenings are usually cool, while winter in Ladakh brings deep snow and freezing temperatures. The Andaman and Lakshadweep islands stay warm and tropical all year, and Mawsynram in Meghalaya is often named the wettest place on earth.

In general, summers are warm and winters pleasant to cool. In the hottest months, the hill stations make a refreshing escape, and with air-conditioned cars and hotels, the great historic sites of the plains remain comfortable to visit too.

History is everywhere in India. From the 17th-century Taj Mahal to the ancient painted caves of Ajanta and the rock-cut temples of Ellora, from the soaring temples of the south to the palaces and forts of Rajasthan, and from Hindu and Islamic monuments to colonial landmarks, every town tells a story.

India’s living arts are just as rich: classical dance and music, calligraphy, handloom weaving, marble inlay, enamel work, carpet making, embroidery, woodcarving and the work of gold- and silversmiths, all waiting to be discovered.

The Himalayas, among the youngest and the highest mountains on earth, are only the start. India also has the vast Thar Desert, deep forests, the Sundarbans (the world’s largest mangrove forest), lakes, rivers and a long coastline washed by three seas.

It is a superb playground for active travellers. Trek or camp in the mountains, raft Himalayan rivers, ride a camel across the dunes or float over them in a hot-air balloon. Try paragliding, kayaking, snorkelling and scuba diving, and in winter go skiing, or even heli-skiing, in the Himalayas.

India protects its wildlife in more than 100 national parks and over 570 wildlife sanctuaries, many easy to reach and with comfortable lodges. Here you may see the Bengal tiger, the one-horned rhinoceros, the Asiatic lion, Asian elephants, the Indian bison or gaur, and, high in the Himalayas, the elusive snow leopard, Himalayan tahr and Kashmir stag. The rare brow-antlered deer of Manipur and the wild ass of the Rann of Kutch are found nowhere else.

Birdwatchers are spoilt too, with more than 1,300 species, including the rare great Indian bustard and huge flocks of winter migrants such as bar-headed geese and demoiselle cranes.

India offers every kind of place to stay: international business hotels in the big cities, resorts in popular holiday spots, characterful heritage hotels in former palaces, forts and havelis, jungle lodges near the national parks, and small, charming guest houses in places off the beaten track.

There is a choice for every budget, from five-star luxury to simple, comfortable lodgings, and the better hotels match international standards. We choose and book every hotel for our clients, so you can be sure of the right comfort and location.

India is a food lover’s paradise, and Indian cooking is loved worldwide. Every region has its own dishes, spices and styles. North Indian food is rich and full of flavour, with creamy curries and the famous tandoori dishes, eaten with breads such as roti and naan. The south is lighter, with a great variety of vegetarian dishes based on rice, lentils, coconut and yoghurt, such as dosa and idli.

Goa is known for its fiery seafood curries, Lucknow and Hyderabad for their refined royal cuisine and biryanis, and Bengal and the east for their love of fish and sweets. Don’t miss the street snacks of each region for a true taste of India.