- Spoken language: India has 22 official languages, but the most widely spoken is Hindi
- Official unit of currency: Indian rupee
- Population in India: 1.3 billion
- The capital city is Delhi
- Tourist numbers to India: 10 million in 2017; 8.89 million in 2016, a growth of 15.6%
- India is a federal parliamentary democratic republic in which the President of India is the head of state and the Prime Minister of India is the head of government.
- India is the seventh largest country in the world, covering more than three million square kilometres
- India has 38 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Agra Fort, Jaipur City and the Western Ghats
- 23 official languages are spoken, along with more than a thousand minor languages and dialects. Hindi is the language of more than 40% of the population; English is also widely spoken.
- Indian Railways is India’s largest employer, with around 1.4 million workers
- Producing 1,900 movies each year and turning over US$4 billion, India’s film industry is the largest in the world.
Where to go in India
India has 29 states, with major Mughal Empire landmarks and mountain ranges in the north, and palm lined beaches and jungles in the south.
It’s unlikely that you will travel to India and cover the whole country in your first visit. It’s better to focus on a couple of regions and do them justice, in order to make the most of your time. You can decide what sort of pace you want and go to particular areas accordingly.
Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur, Hyderabad and Chennai are undoubtedly adrenaline-fuelled, upbeat places. But it is possible to travel around India for a long time without setting foot in one, instead meandering through the more relaxing, rural areas.
The Golden Triangle is the most travelled circuit in the country, taking you from impressive monuments to serene landscapes. Here you’ll cover Delhi, the Pink City of Jaipur and Agra, home of the Taj Mahal.
The state of Rajasthan is often the most popular with travellers, thanks to its mix of mesmerising desert landscape and unique cities, but there are plenty of other areas of India to discover for the second- or third-timer or travellers with more time on their hands.
On the other side of the country, the palm-fringed coast lines of Goa draw crowds of international and domestic tourists to their lively beach resorts. Just down the coast, the quieter Kerala offers some of India’s best tropical beaches, tea and spice plantations and national parks housing elephants, tigers and monkeys.
Best time to travel to India
Deciding when to travel to India can be complicated, due to its extremely varied weather. India’s seasons are split into the wet, humid monsoon season, and the dry, cool season.
The monsoon season takes place from May until September. It has a huge influence over travelling in India as it works its way northeast through the country, from the Keralan coast. During this time the south still has a couple of months of cloud, rain and humidity.
Therefore, the best time to visit India is November to March, when the majority of the country is at a comfortable temperature with good weather. Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan and Varanasi are perfect for a visit to India in this period, while Goa and the centre of the country is a little cooler but still comfortable.
The south can get very hot and while it’s always intense, the months of May and June are unbearable, so it’s best to avoid them during this time of year - Kerala or Tamil Nadu are the best places to be January to March.
If you’re looking to experience the Himalayas, the best time to go is from March onwards, with peak hiking season in August and September - the rest of the country at this time is very wet. Find more detailed information on when to go to India.
How to get to India
Most travellers visiting India fly into the country and it’s not difficult to find good flights: there are multiple direct services from the UK, a few from the US and Canada, and two from Australia. There are many airlines that fly to India, and these flights usually arrive into Delhi or Mumbai. From the UK you can also reach Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru without any stops.
As with any destination, fares vary with the seasons. For travel in India fares are highest from November to March, typically when it’s the best time to visit most of the country.
The shoulder seasons of April to May and August to early October are cheaper, and you’ll get the best flight deals during the low season of June and July. Bear in mind that air fares are higher during India’s main festivals and events, such as Diwali in October/November time. For more detail, visit our page on getting to India.
How to travel around India
Once in India, getting around is another thing to wrap your head around and requires some forward planning. Intercity transport in India isn’t considered the most comfortable, quick or efficient, but it is affordable. Wherever you need to go, there’s most likely a route there. The main options are train or bus, but also occasionally plane or boat, and within cities, there are also rickshaws and metro systems.
For longer distances, make use of the cheap long-distance trains, on which journeys are an experience in themselves. If you’re willing to pay a little more for the higher classes of carriage, you can expect to have a reasonably hassle-free and comfortable journey.
Cheap short-haul flights are another good option for India travellers. For more information about travelling in India, visit our getting around page.
Top 10 best places to visit in India
- Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer is the quintessential desert town, located in the western Rajasthan. Amid the Thar desert, the golden sandstone architecture towers over the landscape, explaining the nickname of the “Golden City”. While commercialism has increased in recent years, it remains one of India’s most popular and worthwhile destinations to visit, with its bazaar still lively and engaging and unique location.
- Gokarna
North of Mangaluru, Gokarna is a town between beautiful beaches and the foothills of the Western Ghats. It’s always been a pilgrimage destination for Hindus, with sacred sites like Mahabaleshwar Temple, but since the 1990s has attracted visitors for its charm and beaches and as an alternative to nearby Goa.
- Taj Mahal
The site recognised world-over, the Taj Mahal is one of the world’s greatest buildings and the ultimate symbol of love. Emperor Shah Jahan was the mind behind the grand design in order to enshrine his favourite wife, Arjumand Bann Begum, also known as Mumtaz Mahul, “Chosen One of the Palace”. The best time to see the Taj Mahal is in the early morning with relatively few crowds while the palace is drenched in a soft red glow.
- Varanasi
Varanasi is known as the City of Light and is one of the oldest living cities in the world. Its history is steeped in Hinduism and it remains a place of holy significance - in its location alongside the Ganges river, thousands of pilgrims and residents come for their daily ablutions to the large stone ghats.
- Amritsar
The Sikh holy city, Amritsar contains the Golden Temple, a spectacle to behold and the biggest attraction. It’s the largest city in Punjab, so can get noisy and congested, but the old town is lively and a must-see.
- Hampi/Vijayanagar
Once the capital of the Hindu empire, Vijayanagar was devastated in the 16th century and now all that remains is the ruined “City of Victory”, a surreal landscape of golden boulders, ancient sculptures and banana fields. It’s now better known as Hampi, the name of the main local village.
- Palolem
The best place to visit if you’re looking for some sun and relaxation, Palolem is the closest thing to paradise in peninsular India. South of Margao, the crecsent-shaped bay is lined with palms and famous for its dolphins and local alcoholic spirit, feni.
- Manali-Leh Highway
This route to Ladakh is also one of the most spectacular drives. Taking you through the Himalayas, the Manali-Leh Highway crosses some of the highest mountain passes in the world.
- Dharamsala
Dharamsala is famous for being the home of the Dalai Lama and Tibetan government in exile. It’s also a great jumping off point for exhilarating hikes around the Himalayas. Actually two separate towns, Dharamsala and McLeod Ganj, the latter has had an influx of Tibetan refugees, resulting in many temples, monasteries, meditation centres and more.
- Boating the backwaters of Kerala
Kerala is divided between the mountains of the Western Ghats and lush plains of rice paddies, rivers, canals and lagoons. It’s these backwaters that make Kerala such a beautiful place to travel in India, on tranquil boat rides through the tropical surroundings.
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