Home to 1.3 billion people, India covers an immense area, equivalent to much of western Europe. Lucky, then, that the famed tourist loop known as the Golden Triangle is contained in an area smaller than Wales. The 'points' of the triangle are Delhi (your entry point), Agra and Jaipur, all linked by good roads and fast trains, and encompassing some of the most wondrous sights you'll see on a lifetime of travels: the Taj Mahal, the Palace of Winds, the Amber Fort and Chandni Chowk, the most frenetic market you'll ever lay eyes on. If you only visit India once, this is the tour for you.
Fly straight into Delhi and take a few days to acclimatise by ticking off some of the city's main sights including the Mughal-era Red Fort and the beautiful 17th-century Jama Masjid Mosque. Then venture further south to Rajasthan, to explore the ancient Amer Fort and the pink-hued Haha Mahal Palace, and to see the glorious fortified city of Jaisalmer.
Delhi
No matter how many times you've watched The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, nothing will prepare you for the intensity of heat, dust, smell and teeming humanity of the subcontinent. Your first stop should be the Red Fort, the citadel of the Mughal emperors. Next door is the Chandni Chowk market, an ants' nest of alleys selling everything from refurbed typewriters to hand-built laptops and designer fakes. At sunset, head to Humayun's Tomb, the inspiration for the Taj Mahal. No need to go in: the magic is in its exotic gardens. Set some time aside to visit to the magnificent Jama Masjid mosque, built by emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century — a wonderful place to sit and watch India pour past. And don't miss an authentic North Indian dinner at Moti Mahal Delux (Greater Kailash 1): Indian foodies say it's as important a stop as the Taj itself.
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Jaipur
The Pink City of Jaipur: an exemplar of self-ordering chaos that's part traffic jam, part Bollywood extravaganza and part Arabian Nights. You'll see the pink Palace of Winds (from where the Maharajah's harem could observe the life of the city without being seen); the exquisite City Palace (allow at least half a day to explore its gardens, galleries, courtyards and museums); the extraordinary collection of giant astronomical instruments at the Jantar Mantar observatory; and, a half-hour's drive out of town, the Disneyesque Amber Fort. Don't forget to try Jaipur's incandescent speciality, laal maas. It's made from mutton, ghee, yoghurt and an extraordinary amount of chillies.
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Goa
Look in the wrong places and Goa is going, going, gone: scarred by cheap tourism, raves and flatpack hotels. But north and south of the offending bits (Calangute, Candolim), the boho vibe that pinned it to the map in the '60s is alive, and lazing over good wine and nicely spiced prawns. Take a rickshaw to Anjuna for its sprawling flea market, a crucial hippie-Goa stop. Get into Goa's boho-chic vibe on the virgin sands of Ashwem Beach, 15km north along roads lined with tall palms. It's the tranquil antithesis of Vagator and Anjuna, with rudimentary loungers staked out by elegant French, Russian and Italian bronzers. Take a car-trawl of the beachy south, almost desert-island-remote in parts. If you find the parasols and lunch shacks of Palolem and Agonda too lively, hit the Cola Beach tented resort for lunch (or a few nights) and you could be back in the Goa of the '60s: hammocks, yoga, whispering shallows and solitude.
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Mumbai
Mumbai is a detour you make on purpose. If you were setting off on India's most popular trip — the north-focused Golden Triangle — you'd fly into New Delhi. Heading for beachy Goa or tranquil Kerala, you'll likely have to connect flights in the capital too. But this sea-breezed city, India's creative, pleasure-driven entertainment capital, a hotbed of crush-forming food, film, fashion and design should be the first or last bit of earth you step on here. Miss it and you're missing India now — a big, loud, delicious dose of what's on trend. Its blend of celebrity glamour and down-to-earth tradition infuses you with energy and curiosity. You might start your day squeezing past mounds of okra and papaya at a centuries-old food market and end it spying Bollywood stars at hot nightspot Su Casa. It has suave restaurants and chic boutiques to rival any current favourite metropolis and, given that Indian chefs are the most inventive, daring and flavour-driven on Earth — its food scene will blow that current fave out of the water. On top of which, it's easy on the eye, hugging a half-moon scoop of beach and shaded by gnarled banyan and coral-blossomed Gulmohar trees. Even the vividly painted buses are photogenic.
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Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh
India has 50 tiger reserves and between them, they're home to about 2,225 of the beautiful animals. Bandhavgarh is one of the best, with an estimated 70 tigers, but finding them isn't easy. Vehicles are allowed in twice a day: for five hours at dawn and three in the afternoon. Game drives involve following rutted tracks through dense, dry sal forest, over rocky hills, past lakes and ancient ruins, eyes straining to spot a predator designed to be invisible. Radios are banned, but the guides use their mobiles to keep in contact and if one gets lucky, he'll share the intel with his mates. But getting lucky is so rare that to pin your hopes on actually seeing a tiger is to set yourself up for almost certain disappointment. Guides will emphasise the importance of focusing on the birdlife, the wild dogs, the deer and the incredible scenery.
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