India
So far as I am able to judge, nothing has been left undone, either by man or Nature, to make India the most extraordinary country that the sun visits on his round […] perhaps it will be simplest to throw away the tags and generalize her with one all-comprehensive name, as the Land of Wonders.
Mark Twain
There are some parts of the world that, once visited, get into your heart and won't go. For me, India is such a place.
Keith Bellows, National Geographic Society
India is a country that has to be seen to be believed. It is simply indescribable, except in generic terms of wonderment (Lonely Planet, for example, calls it ‘Bamboozling’).
But why is this?
Perhaps the answer lies in its incredible diversity. India is a melting pot of different cultures, landscapes, religions and economic circumstances, woven together as intricately as one of its famous textiles.
It is at once a place of snow-topped mountains and sun-kissed beaches; teeming metropolises and lamp-lit villages; imposing skyscrapers and ancient markets. The last juxtaposition, in particular, shows the way ancient and modern co-exist like two sides of a ten-rupee coin.
That’s the beauty of India.
We genuinely believe that the unparalleled range of amazing - often contradictory - experiences on offer makes it the best country on Earth in which to travel.
You might start your day with a hike through the hills of Panchgani, or a swim in the sapphire blue sea of Goa. You could follow that by shopping for designer brands in Bangalore’s luxurious UB City, or by visiting the awe-inspiring Taj Mahal in Delhi.
Lunch could consist of traditional Indian cuisine, or the best Chinese you have ever tasted. The afternoon might involve watching a Bengal tiger tussle with its prey in one of the national parks, or seeing Sachin Tendulkar take on England’s bowlers in the latest Test.
The evening’s festivities could just as easily take place in a sleek, glass-adorned bar in manic Mumbai, or around a campfire in one of the country’s rugged rural outposts.
The truth is: it’s up to you. India is whatever you want it to be.
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