The world's most complex travel destination — the Taj Mahal at sunrise, chaotic Mumbai's Bollywood dreams, Kerala's silent backwaters, Rajasthan's painted palaces, and Varanasi's sacred pyres.
- Capital
- New Delhi
- Population
- 1,417,492,000
- Area
- 3,287,590 km²
- Languages
- English, Hindi, Tamil
- Currency
- Indian Rupee (₹)
- GDP
- $4,187,017M
Good to know
Driving side
Left
National dish
No officially announced national dish
Annual visitors
17,914,000 (2019)
Safety
Low (2.82/100k)
Big Mac
$2.51
Avg temp
24.9°C
Religion
Hinduism
Coast
Coastal
☎ Police 101 · Ambulance 102 · Fire 101
Travel guide
India (Hindi: भारत Bhārat), the largest country in South Asia, has many of the world's highest mountains, most populated cities, and longest rivers. As one of the great civilisations of the ancient world, once revered as 'the golden bird', India's heritage and culture are a rich amalgam of the past and present. This vast country, the most populous in the world, offers the traveller a view of fascinating religions and ethnography, a smorgasbord of languages, diverse food, and architectural masterpieces that were built millennia ago and remain intact today. As the nation opens up to a globalised world, India still has a depth of history and intensity of culture that awe and fascinate the many who visit there.
© Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA)
Explore India
Best time to visit
October–March is the best period for most of India. Rajasthan is ideal November–February. Goa beaches: November–February. Kerala: September–March. The Himalayas: April–June and September–October. Monsoon (June–September) floods some areas but turns the south brilliantly green.
Visa
Most nationalities including US, UK, EU, Canada, and Australia must obtain an e-Visa before travel at indianvisaonline.gov.in. Tourist e-Visa allows stays of 30–180 days and is easy to obtain.
Highlights
The Taj Mahal is located on the right bank of the Yamuna River in a vast Mughal garden that encompasses nearly 17 hectares, in the Agra District in Uttar Pradesh. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal with construction starting in 1632 AD and completed in 1648 AD, with the mosque, the guest house and the main gateway on the south, the outer courtyard and its cloisters were added subsequently and completed in 1653 AD. The existence of several historical and Quaranic inscriptions in Arabic script have facilitated setting the chronology of Taj Mahal. For its construction, masons, stone-cutters, inlayers, carvers, painters, calligraphers, dome builders and other artisans were requisitioned from the whole of the empire and also from the Central Asia and Iran. Ustad-Ahmad Lahori was the main architect of the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal is considered to be the greatest architectural achievement in the whole range of Indo-Islamic architecture. Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (54)
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Major cities
Mumbai
India's city of dreams — Bollywood, colonial architecture, the Gate of India, and some of the world's finest street food.
New Delhi
India's capital — the Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb, India Gate, and the magnificent chaos of Old Delhi's spice markets.
Jaipur
The Pink City — home to majestic palaces, amber forts, and the vibrant markets of Rajasthan.
Goa
India's smallest state and most beloved beach destination — Portuguese-influenced, laid-back, and beautiful.
Varanasi
Hinduism's holiest city on the sacred Ganges, a place of ancient ghats, cremation ceremonies, and profound spiritual energy.
Kolkata
India's cultural capital — the City of Joy, with British-era grandeur, Durga Puja festivals, and the best street food in India.
Agra
Home to the Taj Mahal, one of the world's most iconic buildings — also the Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri nearby.
Udaipur
The City of Lakes — floating palaces, sunset boat rides, and the most romantic city in Rajasthan.
Rishikesh
The yoga capital of the world on the Ganges, with white-water rafting, ashrams, and the Beatles' meditation center.
Hampi
A surreal UNESCO landscape of giant boulders and Vijayanagara Empire ruins in Karnataka.
Kerala Backwaters
The network of lagoons, lakes, and canals of Kerala — houseboat stays through paddy fields and coconut palms.