The most controversial rumors are circulating about this country, and no less contrasting reviews. Someone considers it incredibly beautiful, exciting and encouraging to search for their own destinations, and for some, India means large crowds of tourists, thousands of pilgrims, begging and extreme hygienic living and dining conditions.
Before you go on a tour of India, it is worth getting acquainted with the opinions of people who have already been there. Such information will help determine not only the route or search for a hotel, but also protect your finances and protect your health.
Why india
What is it about this country that travelers from all over the world pack their bags and cross thousands of kilometers to visit it? If you believe their words, then there are several reasons to go on such a long road.
- The first thing they note in their reviews is the ancient history of the country and its culture. In order to get acquainted with temple complexes and ancient architecture, you should buy a tour to India, which includes a visit to the Taj Mahal, Temples of the Sun and Shiva, Agra Fortress, Hanging Gardens and other attractions. You can not ignore the city of Delhi. Especially it will appeal to those who do not like to be an outside observer, since it is in it that you can daily become a participant in festivals, a craft fair or volunteer - a taster in a culinary show.
- The second reason to go on a trip to this country is the magnificent nature, climate, beaches and entertainment. Well, who did not hear about delicious tours to Goa in India? Ordinary tourists talk about this place, rolling their eyes and breathing. As for the representatives of various subcultures, this small Indian state is for them as a "native home".
- The third reason why you should buy a tour to India is an introduction to the ancient knowledge of yoga. Do not think that only those who have already reached nirvana or at least sleep on nails go on such a trip. In fact, even someone who knows nothing about yoga can go on such a trip. Here are wonderful teachers who in a short time will be able to instill a love for this unique method of self-knowledge.
Let us consider in more detail what travel destinations the agencies offer, and what needs to be done to get into this exotic country from the point of view of an inexperienced traveler.
How to apply for a visa
India is not much different from other countries, limiting the length of stay of travelers on its territory. To get into it, you need a visa. Since we are talking about tourism, we will consider this category of entry document.
If you have to buy a tour to India from Moscow, St. Petersburg or Vladivostok, then the residents of these cities are incredibly lucky, as they can apply either to the visa center or to the Consulate General of the country. What do the rest do? Today, an electronic version of the visa is available for Russians, the presence of which greatly facilitates entry into cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and others. Briefly about the difference between an electronic and a paper visa for a tour to India.
The first is issued only for a month and you can draw up a similar version twice a year with a break of 6 months between visits to the country. To receive it, it is enough to fill out an online application form, pay a fee and print a paper version for presentation at the airport in India.
The second type is formalized through official channels, that is, the Consulate General or visa centers, if any, in the city. The procedure may take some time, but the visa itself is valid for 6 months.
As travelers note in their reviews, if there is a usual tourist trip in order to get acquainted with the country or to relax, then the electronic version of the document is quite enough.
The Golden Triangle + Goa
The distant mysterious country has become closer. Tours "Golden Triangle of India + Goa", designed for 10 days, provide an opportunity to visit the most significant sights and relax on the magnificent beaches.
How do tourists describe their impressions? They like:
- Route. It includes cities: Delhi (visiting the tomb of Humayun, the Red Fort, the Presidential Palace and much more), Jaipur (elephant ride to Fort Amber, visiting the Palace of the Winds), stopping at Fatehpur Sikri (abandoned city), Agra (Taj Mahal and the famous Fort). Return to Delhi and flight to Goa.
- Accommodation It offers 4 and 3 star apartments of different budget categories. Excellent conditions and food provide a good mood for the whole day.
Advice from the experienced: many travelers recommend traveling to India, acquiring tours with guided tours. This will facilitate movement along the route and protect inexperienced tourists from overpriced ticket prices and street "molesters" who are ready for money to deceive those poor fellow who dare to ask them for directions.
"Love and forts"
How attractive is the tour to India, the homeland of the Kama Sutra. On such a trip you need to go with your soulmate. According to travelers, the impressions of the trip will last for several years, especially after visiting the “Temples of Love” in Khajuraho.
The following cities and attractions are included in the tour itinerary:
- In Delhi, a visit to the Lotus Temple and the famous stainless column.
- Jaipur is a city as if descended from the pages of fairy tales “1001 Nights”. The magnificent palace complex in Fort Amer, which will ride on elephants. Here, the ancient masters erected pavilions of Wind and Water, from which the court ladies could watch the street processions without betraying their presence.
Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Orchha and Khajuraho are the next stops provided by the tour. Travelers note that the splendor of these places and the atmosphere of love, in which the ancient Indians knew a lot, manifested themselves in architecture. An example of this is the “Temples of Love” in Khajuraho.
Advice from the experienced: experienced travelers are advised not to buy food and drinks in local stalls, so as not to catch any infection. This does not mean that such dishes are necessarily of poor quality, but what is good for the locals, for the "non-seasoned" organism can cause malaise.
"Legends of the Himalayas"
If you want to go to India in March, the Himalaya Legends tour is what you need. You can plunge into the history of the country only by living there for a long time. An excursion to the places of legendary battles from Mahabharata and a visit to the sacred lake is a small fraction of what this tour offers.
As noted by those who visited it, this is a kaleidoscope of events, holidays, religious processions, incredibly tasty food and a ton of information. Some tourists say that they were tired of the number of impressions so that they wandered to the room, barely moving their legs in the literal sense of the word.
Tour program
What awaits the lucky in these unforgettable 13 days:
- Departure from Delhi to Kurukshetra, where visitors are expected to visit the battlefield between the Pandavas and the Kauravas described in the Mahabharata, and Jotisar is a sacred place in which Krishna introduced Arjuna to the Bhagavad Gita.
- The Sikh Center in Amritzar is a must visit to the Golden Temple floating in the center of the sacred lake Amrit Sarovar.
In addition to these shrines, travelers are expected by Pragpur, Dharamsala, Palampur, Naggar, Manali, Manikaran, Mandi, Revalsar and Shimla - the cities that keep relics sacred for every Indian. Touching them means getting a piece of blessing, as many tourists think.
Advice from the experienced: in search of easy money, some dishonest Indians give travelers false information, for example, about the price of travel by transport or visiting attractions. It’s better not to fend off the group and not look for adventures “on the side”.
"Magnificent Rajasthan"
Lucky for those who get a last-minute tour to India "Magnificent Rajasthan." Plunge headlong into an ancient fairy tale represented by the magnificent architecture of the 13th-17th centuries, what could be better, and even with a 30% discount? Magnificent stone carving, the most beautiful palace and temple complexes - this is what, according to tourists, expects travelers on this tour.
Colored cities in the desert, unsurpassed luxury of stone, silk and gems of the Mughal palaces, impregnable fortresses will meet on the way from Delhi to Pushkar with visits to the cities of Kota, Chitorgarh, Udaipur, Ranakpur and Jodhpur. Each of them is a pearl of Indian culture, living in its own rhythm from festivals, enchanting shows, religious holidays and exquisite works of art.
As experienced travelers note, accommodation in first class hotels on the entire route of this tour makes the rest not only rich in impressions, but also comfortable.
Advice from the experienced: you should not pay attention to the statement of the Hindu conductors that at the ticket office of the railway station, train tickets are exclusively for local ones. They "tear" from inexperienced travelers exorbitantly, while at the box office travel cards are on sale at a very low price.
Divine Karnataka
It’s unlikely that there are really cheap tours to India, but you can visit the sacred places in the Blue Mountains, the “golden city” of Kachipuram with its thousand temples on the best beaches of the southern coast of the country, starting from the price of $ 665 in the Divine Karnataka program.
As noted by those who have already been on this tour, it’s worth choosing hotels that have the concept of a buffet familiar to Russian tourists. Otherwise, you can either stay hungry without having to pronounce the name from the intricate Indian cuisine, or eat something too exotic even for a picky stomach.
Advice from the experienced: in India, the metro is a national pride, but you should be prepared that there are wagons for women in the train, which men are risky to enter, because the ladies, defending their rights, beat the poor fellow with what comes to hand.
VIP India
It turns out that in this country there are travel programs designed for VIP clients who prefer to combine the study of ancient culture and architecture with visiting SPA and living in the best rooms of 5 star hotels.
This category of travelers reviews, as a rule, does not write, so as not to advertise their income once again, but in fact, it is not at all necessary to be an oligarch to afford such a luxury.
For example, a 10-day tour from the Oberoi Hotel Group is both pleasure and comfort, and impressions from visiting the sights of cities such as Delhi, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Jaipur and Udaipur. The route and cost can be discussed when ordering a ticket. By the way, who has already spent time in such luxury, it is recommended to add a tour of Goa (India) to the route.
Yoga and travel
Today, many hotels in the country began to offer yoga classes to their clients as events. Well, supply and demand are the same in this case. But if you want to join the real mystery of this philosophy, you should buy a yoga tour to India in Rishikesh. This city is rightly called the spiritual capital of all those who are seriously engaged in self-knowledge.
Ashrams (training centers) of yoga offer courses here for both clumsy beginners as well as for "advanced" followers of the teachings. In their reviews of this tour, travelers say that you should be prepared for vegetarian food, quitting alcohol and smoking, if you choose to stay in the ashram. Purification of the body and consciousness, magnificent nature, outdoor activities, excursions and immersion in meditation - this is what a yoga tour is.
Conclusion
India is too “motley" country to visit it once. As those who have already experienced its influence on themselves say, the desire to return will be stronger from day to day. It’s good that in our time you don’t need to be Columbus to get to India, but you can rediscover it with each round for yourself.