What to See in India

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

India has over thirty sites listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, primarily cultural sites and monuments, along with around ten natural areas. Among the cultural sites are numerous temples (Hampi, Ajanta and Ellora, Konark, Khajuraho...) as well as various historical complexes (Red Fort in Delhi, Rajasthan fortresses, the Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri...). The natural sites include several national parks in the Himalayas and coastal regions, such as Sundarbans National Park located in the Ganges Delta.

By Region

Each region of India is rich in sites and other places, especially cultural, to discover:

• What to See in Northern India: The Himalayan trekking areas of Ladakh, Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti, Zanskar, and the Great Himalayan National Park. Also, the cities of Amritsar, Dharamsala, Haridwar, and Srinagar, the Hemis Monastery, and many other Buddhist sanctuaries in the region.

• What to See in Western India: Beyond Delhi, primarily Rajasthan with its magnificent cities and their temples, palaces, and fortresses, such as Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Pushkar, and Udaipur. Also worth seeing are the Portuguese ruins in Diu, Palitana with its Jain temples, and natural sites like the Thar Desert and the Rann of Kutch.

• What to See in Central India: Agra and the Taj Mahal, Mumbai, Fatehpur Sikri, Gwalior, Varanasi, the temples of Khajuraho, the caves of Ajanta, Ellora, and Elephanta, tiger reserves and parks, and the Western Ghats mountain range.

• What to See in Eastern India: Beyond a few temples like those in Puri or Konark, there are parks and reserves such as Khangchendzonga, Kanger Ghati, Singalila, Simlipal, and the Sundarbans, Lake Gurudongmar, the Yumthang Valley, and the small northeastern states for their local cultures and traditions.

• What to See in South India: Hampi, Badami, Madurai, Mahabalipuram, the Chola temples, Pattadakal, and Mysore for their temples and other ruins. The Backwaters, the islands (Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep), Goa and its beaches, the Western Ghats with their hill stations, Jog Falls, and Periyar National Park for nature, landscapes, and activities.