Welcome to soul-stirring, exotic India
Maybe India is top of your travel wishlist for 2019 but you are not the lucky winner of our competition. Well, you can still make your dream a reality. To tempt your senses, here’s some more information about this vibrant destination.
a country big enough to be a continent, India is bursting with sights, sounds and flavours to stir the senses. It’s a destination where ordinary life is extraordinary, with painted trucks, fluttering saris and exuberant, multi-coloured stalls to catch your eye at every turn.
India’s landscape ranges from towering, snow-capped mountains to palm-fringed beaches, and from overflowing cities to impenetrable jungles and swamps.
you could spot tigers at Ranthambore National Park; visit the giant fortresses of Rajasthan; wonder at the flawless splendour of the Taj Mahal and relax in a colonial hill station. India has all this to offer and more.
YEAR-ROUND VISITING
beCaUSe of India’s sheer size, its weather is extremely varied, so the best time of year to visit depends a lot on where exactly you want to go. If you’re heading for the north, the ideal months to visit are generally between November and March, when the monsoon rains are over but the heat of summer has yet to arrive. While it is always hot and humid in the south, December to March is the peak season. If you’re planning to trek in the Himalayas, though, you should aim for March to June or September to November.
SPICE OF LIFE
INDIa has both a rich cultural heritage and a rich culinary one. Indeed, the fascinating history of the sub-continent is best digested over a traditional meal.
by trying the different foods from across its regions, a narrative of the past reveals itself with every bite.
a dining experience in Rajasthan, for example — especially in Jaipur — involves a regal ceremony from the moment you walk through the doors of a restaurant, with extravagant gold and silver thalis (round serving platters) filled with popular dishes such as Dal Baati
Churma (lentils and wheat rolls), an aromatic Rajasthani curry, and
Mawa Kachori (an exotic dessert filled with rich dry fruit).
For something more familiar, the Punjab serves up many of the curries that are popular in britain, while travellers seeking a traditional street-food experience may prefer the lively hawkers of Mumbai, and seafood fans will love the flavoursome fish dishes of Kerala.
SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE
IN aN incredible country with so many different cultures, religions and traditions, it’s no surprise that festivals are plentiful in India.
When a big festival takes place, life explodes from India’s rich tapestry, from the smallest villages to the busiest cities, spilling out onto the streets in a united display of happiness and spirituality.
One of the most famous festivals is Diwali, the festival of lights, which takes place for five days between October and November.
For this, candles and lamps are lit to ward off evil and the sky is set ablaze with fantastic firework displays that take place across the whole country.