India is a melting pot of various different cultures, customs, religions and languages.
It is a land of paradoxes where squalor and sophistication, poverty and wealth, tradition and modernity, and different contradictions coexist is absolute peace.
This ancient land had been invaded by numerous raiders from far and near over the centuries, giving it its distinctive cultures that are spread all across India.
Almost every state of India has its own language and culture that is vastly different from its surrounding states.
This makes the country extremely diverse and interesting to explore.
The land is basically divided into northern and southern India.
Most of the invasion happened in north India while the south had strong kings and natural defenses that made it relatively secure.
Nevertheless, you can see the sights, tastes and colors of each region change as you cross the border from one state to the next.
And the variety of food available all across the land makes it a veritable treat for food junkies.
New Delhi is the capital of India and is located a little above the central region of the country.
You can land in New Delhi and then explore the surrounding regions fairly quickly within a span of two weeks.
There are innumerable palaces and fortresses spanning several centuries of medieval architecture.
Temples, mosques and religious shrines abound throughout the land.
You can devote about two days just to visit the most famous sights in and around New Delhi.
You can visit the memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, probably the most famous Indian, who was affectionately referred to as the "father of the nation".
Look around the Qutub Minar from the 13th century and the majestic Red Fort from the 16th century.
You would marvel at the contrast between the splendor of these age old monuments and the modern Edwardian style architecture of the federal buildings dotting the capital.
You can then fly to Varanasi, the religious pilgrimage site situated along the famous Ganges river.
Visit Sarnath where the Buddha is supposed to have given his discourse some 2500 years ago.
Take a boat ride on the Ganges at dawn to watch a magnificent sunrise from the waters.
Take another flight to Khajuraho, a place renowned for its erotic carvings found in sacred temples.
Built several centuries ago, this place still has innumerable carvings and sculptures of gods, goddesses, and heavenly nymphs, along with sculptures of dancers, musicians, animals and scenes depicting everyday life.
Next you can fly to Agra, the place famous for the magnificent Taj Mahal, which Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor built in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
You might want to spend a whole afternoon at the site to savor the beauty and splendor of this medieval edifice.
You can also visit the Agra Fort and the tomb of Akbar the great.
En route to Jaipur, you can drive down to Fatehpur Sikri to visit Emperor Akbar's 16th Century imperial capital.
Once you reach Jaipur, also called the "pink city", you can visit the City Palace and take a look at the royal costumes, rare manuscripts, and miniature paintings.
You can also visit Jaipur's market place to watch street craftsmen create jewelry of gold, silver and semi-precious stones right before your eyes.
Fly to Jaipur's neighboring city Udaipur, the city of lakes, palaces and courtyard gardens.
After a one-day visit, you can fly to Aurangabad to visit the famous Ajanta and Ellora caves known for their man-made caves that contain huge sculptures and religious shrines.
Take a look at the Kailasa Temple which is a monolithic shrine constructed from 3,000,000 cubic feet of rock.
Finally, fly to Mumbai, the financial capital of India.
Here you can visit the Elephanta Island and see incredible stone carvings dating back to the 6th Century.
If you plan well, you can have a whirlwind tour of North India over a span of two weeks.
It is a land of paradoxes where squalor and sophistication, poverty and wealth, tradition and modernity, and different contradictions coexist is absolute peace.
This ancient land had been invaded by numerous raiders from far and near over the centuries, giving it its distinctive cultures that are spread all across India.
Almost every state of India has its own language and culture that is vastly different from its surrounding states.
This makes the country extremely diverse and interesting to explore.
The land is basically divided into northern and southern India.
Most of the invasion happened in north India while the south had strong kings and natural defenses that made it relatively secure.
Nevertheless, you can see the sights, tastes and colors of each region change as you cross the border from one state to the next.
And the variety of food available all across the land makes it a veritable treat for food junkies.
New Delhi is the capital of India and is located a little above the central region of the country.
You can land in New Delhi and then explore the surrounding regions fairly quickly within a span of two weeks.
There are innumerable palaces and fortresses spanning several centuries of medieval architecture.
Temples, mosques and religious shrines abound throughout the land.
You can devote about two days just to visit the most famous sights in and around New Delhi.
You can visit the memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, probably the most famous Indian, who was affectionately referred to as the "father of the nation".
Look around the Qutub Minar from the 13th century and the majestic Red Fort from the 16th century.
You would marvel at the contrast between the splendor of these age old monuments and the modern Edwardian style architecture of the federal buildings dotting the capital.
You can then fly to Varanasi, the religious pilgrimage site situated along the famous Ganges river.
Visit Sarnath where the Buddha is supposed to have given his discourse some 2500 years ago.
Take a boat ride on the Ganges at dawn to watch a magnificent sunrise from the waters.
Take another flight to Khajuraho, a place renowned for its erotic carvings found in sacred temples.
Built several centuries ago, this place still has innumerable carvings and sculptures of gods, goddesses, and heavenly nymphs, along with sculptures of dancers, musicians, animals and scenes depicting everyday life.
Next you can fly to Agra, the place famous for the magnificent Taj Mahal, which Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor built in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
You might want to spend a whole afternoon at the site to savor the beauty and splendor of this medieval edifice.
You can also visit the Agra Fort and the tomb of Akbar the great.
En route to Jaipur, you can drive down to Fatehpur Sikri to visit Emperor Akbar's 16th Century imperial capital.
Once you reach Jaipur, also called the "pink city", you can visit the City Palace and take a look at the royal costumes, rare manuscripts, and miniature paintings.
You can also visit Jaipur's market place to watch street craftsmen create jewelry of gold, silver and semi-precious stones right before your eyes.
Fly to Jaipur's neighboring city Udaipur, the city of lakes, palaces and courtyard gardens.
After a one-day visit, you can fly to Aurangabad to visit the famous Ajanta and Ellora caves known for their man-made caves that contain huge sculptures and religious shrines.
Take a look at the Kailasa Temple which is a monolithic shrine constructed from 3,000,000 cubic feet of rock.
Finally, fly to Mumbai, the financial capital of India.
Here you can visit the Elephanta Island and see incredible stone carvings dating back to the 6th Century.
If you plan well, you can have a whirlwind tour of North India over a span of two weeks.
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