Adventure World

The appeal of a journey to India is the diversity seen in every corner of the country. From the deserts of Rajasthan, the cool hill stations in the Himalayan foothills, the palm-fringed beaches of Kerala, the simple rural villages and sophisticated modern cities all combine to make India a country of tremendous diversity.

This is not just restricted to the land, but is also evident in the people, their culture, religions, language and lifestyle. India has a remarkable 5000 year-old history making it one of the oldest civilizations in the world.

Mighty empires, periods of conquest and religious influences have contributed to the cultural mix that is India today. Wherever you roam in this sizeable land, the fusion of her past is evident all around.

Top Highlights

Delhi: The gateway city to India is easy to get round and is divided into - Old Delhi and New Delhi.

Old Delhi is the 17th century walled city of Shahjahanabad, where you will find the city gates, narrow alleys, the sandstone walls of the Red Fort, Jama Masjid (the largest mosque in India), temples, mosques, bazaars and the famous street known as Chandni Chowk (where Delhi’s railway station is located), and a great way to get around is by cycle-rickshaw.

New Delhi is a planned city of wide, tree-lined streets, parks and fountains. At the heart is the vast traffic circle of Connaught Place, the business and tourist centre and where seven streets intercept. Central Delhi is home to India Gate, a 42m high stone memorial arch, and Humayun’s Tomb, an early example of Mughal architecture.

Agra: The Taj Mahal - described as the most extravagant monument ever built for love was constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Purely decorative white minarets grace each corner of the platform. Closed Friday. Also worth visiting is the red sand stone Agra Fort on the bank of the Yamuna River. Fatehpur Sikri, 40km west of the city, is a magnificent fortified ghost city. Due to the durable red sandstone, the city remains a perfectly preserved example of a Mughal city at the height of the empire’s splendour.

Jaipur: The capital of Rajasthan, this vibrant town is known as ‘the Pink City’ because of the pink-coloured buildings in its old city. Jaipur is situated on a dry lake bed in an arid landscape, surrounded by barren hills and forts.

The walled Old City in the north-east of Jaipur is where you will find most of the tourist attractions - the Johari Bazaar (the jewellers’ market); the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds); Jantar Mantar (observatory).

Eleven kms to the north of Jaipur is Amber, the ancient capital of Jaipur state where on a hillside overlooking a lake, a fort-palace was built.

Udaipur: A romantic city, known as the ‘Venice of the East’, Udaipur is full of palaces, temples and havelis (houses of rich merchants) ranging from the modest to the extravagant. The largest palace complex in Rajasthan is the City Palace, which towers over the lake, is a mix of balconies, towers and cupolas and is now a Museum.

Varanasi: The city of Shiva, located on the bank of the sacred Ganges is one of the holiest places in India. Hindu pilgrims come to bathe in the waters of the Ganges, a ritual which washes away all sins. The city’s famous ghats (steps which lead down to the river) are where the intimate rituals of life and death take place. The old city is situated along the western bank and extends back from the string of riverbank ghats in a labyrinth of alleyways. The best time to visit the ghats is at dawn. A ‘must do’ on a visit to Varanasi, is a boat ride on the Ganges, but be prepared to see the odd corpse floating down the river. Varanasi is known for its silk brocades and Benares saris.

Rajasthan: Jodhpur, the blue city, on the edge of the Great Thar Desert, is towered over by Rajasthan’s most formidable fort, Meherangarh, which is perched on a 125m high sheer rocky cliff overlooking the city. The old city is a mass of winding streets, with shops selling everything from incense to saris and trumpets. Jodhpurs - those trouser-cum riding breeches, are named after the horsemen of this city.

Jaisalmer, dubbed the ‘Golden City’ because of the honey colour imparted to its stone ramparts by the setting sun. This desert fort resembles a gigantic sandcastle and was a strategic post on the camel train routes between India and Central Asia. Within the fort walls are a maze of winding streets, bazaars, temples and havelis. Jaisalmer is where most travellers begin their overnight (or longer) camel safari into the desert. An experience not to be missed. Most tours that visit Jaisalmer include a camel safari.

Bikaner, a sprawling desert town, with an old walled city encompassing dark-red sandstone havelis and exquisitely painted Jain temples. The area is known for its intricate rich gold painting work by Muslim usta artisans.

Wildlife: Bharatpur is renowned for its UNESCO World Heritage-listed bird sanctuary, the Keoladeo Ghana National Park. The best time to visit is between October and late February, when many migratory birds can be seen, including the highly endangered Siberian crane.

Ranthambore National Park is where you are most likely to spot a tiger on safari. Best time to visit is between October and April and safaris take place early morning and late afternoon. Corbett Tiger Reserve, established in 1936 as India’s first national park, Corbett is famous for its wide variety of wildlife and its beautiful location in the foothills of the Himalaya by the Ramganga River. The best time to visit is between April to mid June. Wildlife at the park includes tigers, elephants, langur monkeys, rhesus macaques, peacocks, deer, sambar, hog deer and barking deer. It is also a bird watcher’s paradise; best time to view is mid-December to the end of March. South India’s Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary has an artificial lake and is home to bison, antelopes, sambar, wild board, langur, elephants, tigers and forests.

Palace on Wheels: Train journeys operate weekly and depart from Delhi every Wednesday, between September and April. The trip takes in Jaipur, Chittogarh, Udaipur, Sawai, Madhopur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bharatpur and Agra. A mobile hotel, featuring two dining cars with bar service. Each coach, attended by a costumed captain and attendant contains four air-conditioned coupes (double or twin share) with bathrooms.

Pushkar & Camel Fair: Situated on the edge of the desert, Pushkar is only 11km from Ajmer. Best known for its Camel Fair which takes place in November - a massive congregation of camels, cattle, livestock traders, pilgrims and tourists. Around 200,000 people converge on this small town, bringing some 50,000 camels and cattle for several days of pilgrimage, livestock trading and festivities.

More highlights

Darjeeling, the hill station sprawls over a ridge at 2134m and is surrounded by tea plantations. Darjeeling is host to Buddhist monasteries (like the well-known Ghoom Gompa), tea plantations, colourful markets and handicraft shops. Tea is Darjeeling’s most famous export and the tea plantation Margaret’s Hope produces tea for Buckingham Palace.

Khajuraho is known for its temples with liberally embellished decorations of gods and goddess, warriors, animals and erotic posturing.

Mumbai (Bombay) is an island, connected by bridges to the mainland. It is India’s financial centre and is the heart of the Hindi film industry. India’s giant film studios are located in Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad. The Gateway of India (an arch) is a popular emblem of the city and nearby is where boats depart for Elephanta Island (known for its rock-cut temples).

Ellora Caves, these World Heritage Listed cave temples are about 30 km from Aurangabad. Over five centuries, generations of monks carved monasteries, chapels and temples from a 2km-long escarpment and decorated them with detailed sculptures. There are 34 rock-cut caves, and the masterpiece is the Kailasa Temple, dedicated to Shiva.

The Buddhist caves of Ajanta, 105 km northeast of Aurangabad, date from around 200 BC to AD 650. The 30 caves are cut into the steep face of a horseshoe-shaped rock gorge on the Waghore River.

Goa with its miles of golden sand beaches has its very own unique character and its landscape is made up of white-washed churches, a maze of narrow-winding streets, paddy fields, coconut-palm groves and crumbling forts.

The Kerala Backwaters are a vast network of lagoons, lakes, rivers and canals that wind far inland from the coast. Travelling the backwaters is a highlight of any visit to Kerala, as you cross shallow, palm-fringed lakes and cruise past small settlements.

Kochi (Cochin) is where you find India’s oldest church, winding streets with mosques and 500-year old Portuguese houses, a 16th century Synagogue and a palace built by the Portuguese.

• Country Dialling Code: + 91
• When to Go: The cooler winter months from November to March are the best time to visit India and the Himalaya area April to September.
• Capital: Delhi
• Official Languages: 16 official languages, but English is common to all parts of India.
• Currency: Rupee (Rs) divided into 100 paise.
• Electricity: 230-240V AC, 50 cycles. Three round-pin variety (similar but not identical to European sockets).
• Tipping: Tip 10% in hotels/restaurants if a service charge has not been included. Guides and Drivers Rs50 - Rs70 per half day per person.
• Bargaining in markets/bazaars is expected. Fixed price stores in major cities.
• ATM’s: Most major towns have ATMs but do not rely on them. Some ATMs in smaller towns do not accept foreign cards.
• Credit Cards: Accepted in major tourist centres, but a lot of budget hotels and restaurants don’t accept them. Mastercard and Visa most widely accepted.
• Internet: throughout India, but speed varies from place to place.
• Religious Etiquette: When visiting a sacred site, always dress and behave respectfully - don’t wear shorts or sleeveless tops (men and women) and don’t smoke. Remove shoes, and take a head scarf.
• Geography: India covers 3,287,263 sq kms and the subcontinent lies in south Asia, between Pakistan, China and Nepal. To the north it is bordered by the world's highest mountain chain, where foothill valleys cover the northernmost of the country's 26 states. Further south, plateaus, tropical rain forests and sandy deserts are bordered by palm fringed beaches.
• Air: The national airline, Indian Airlines flys the domestic routes and to neighbouring countries. The international carrier, Air India flys some domestic routes. Other domestic airlines include Jet Airways, SpiceJet, Air Deccan and Kingfisher Airlines.
• Train: A Mail or Rajdhani Express Trains are faster, while passenger trains are slower and normally only 2nd class. The Shatabdi Express is one of India’s top rail services and has two classes - AC executive chair and AC chair.
• Private Car tours with driver and/or guide - can be organised by Adventure World.
• Travelling by car or coach: Road conditions vary throughout the country and journeys between cities/towns are long, which makes for long travel days. Frequent stops are made en route.
• Food & Drink: Rice is the basic Indian staple and found throughout the country, as well as chapati/roti (breads). Dosas, are paper-thin pancakes made from lentil and rice flour and are a great snack - curried vegetables wrapped inside dosa are called masala dosa. Curries can be vegetable, meat (chicken/lamb) or fish, cooked with spices, eg: dhal, vindaloos. Tandoori, food is oven-cooked after first being marinated in a mixture of herbs and yoghurt. Biryani, meat is mixed with flavoured orange-coloured rice. Chai tea, is very sweet and milky, but is cheap. Lassi (yoghurt drink) and mango are also popular, either plain or sweetened.