India tours discovery guide

June through September make up monsoon or rainy season in India, so consider India tours that are offered outside those months. Whether you plan to join one of our guided tours of India or prefer to let our travel experts help you plan a Customized Tour of the country, the best months to plan travel to India are October through March, which are warmer, drier, and sunnier.

India is home to thousands of grand temples, tombs, mosques, monuments, forts, palaces, and historic landmarks. Here are several to see when you travel to India, with your group, or during your free time on our India: Delhi, Agra & Jaipur tour.

• Taj Mahal. Arguably India’s most iconic landmark, this massive, white-marble mausoleum was built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife.
• Jaipur City Palace. Situated in central Jaipur (a.k.a. “The Pink City”), this architectural marvel was built by, and as a residence for, Sawai Jai Singh, who’s credited with founding the city.
• Hawa Mahal. This eye-popping, pink palace (its name means “palace of breeze”) in Jaipur was built in 1799 as an extension to the Royal City Palace of Jaipur. There, royal ladies observing pardah, or the practice of seclusion from public observation, could watch processions and activities on the street without being seen by the public.
• Amber Fort. This 16th-century palace, located near Jaipur in Rajasthan, is one of the most-visited forts in India. It was the residence of Rajput rulers.
• Humayun’s Tomb. Built in Delhi in the 16th century, this grand, garden mausoleum and UNESCO World Heritage Site inspired several major architectural innovations, including the Taj Mahal.
• Ranthambore National Park. This national park in Northern India is home to a reserve for Bengal tigers, which visitors on tours of India can watch for while on safari.
• India Gate. This sandstone arch towers nearly 140 feet above the Rajpath area of New Delhi and is a monument to Undivided British Army soldiers who died during World War I and the Third Anglo-Afghan War of 1919.
• National Gandhi Museum. On a visit to this cultural site in Delhi, travelers on tours of India can see books, furnishings, and other items that belonged to the famed Indian figure, and learn more about his life from exhibitions, films, and other features.

Check out highlights from staffer Brittany’s trip to India →

Regardless of when you visit India, a few items will be essential additions to your suitcase. They include:

• Comfortable walking shoes. To keep your feet happy and protected whether you’re climbing stairs, walking along busy streets, or wandering through a museum.
• A small tote bag or crossbody bag. India tours include visits to sites that can be quite crowded, and a small bag will keep your daily essentials close by and within easy reach.
• Sun protection. The sun in India can be very strong, so travelers on India trips should bring hats, sunglasses, and SPF.
• Light layers. These will come in handy whether you use them to ward off a late-night chill or to cover your head and shoulders when visiting mosques, temples, and other religious sites.
• Loose, lightweight clothing. Temperatures can soar in India, and light, loose clothes will help keep you cool.  
• Over-the-counter remedies. Delhi Belly isn’t just a myth. It can happen, and when it does, it pays to be prepared with Imodium or other digestive troubleshooters. Air quality can be lacking in parts of India, so consider bringing along eyedrops, and an inhaler if you use one.

Packed with flavor from spices, Indian food is some of the most delicious on the planet if you ask us. Traditional dishes and specialties vary depending on where you travel, but here are a few dishes to try on trips to India when you see them.

• Daal. These dried, split pulses, or lentils, are often simmered with ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, and spices, but different versions are served throughout the country.  
• Butter chicken. Equal parts creamy, savory, and tart, this popular Indian dish consists of chicken that’s cooked in a sauce of butter, cream, and tomato. It’s often eaten over basmati rice.
• Naan. This flat bread, common in the north, is baked inside a piping-hot clay oven and is the perfect vessel for sopping up flavorful sauces.
• Bhel puri. A popular street food in Mumbai, this dish consists of a mixture of crispy puffed rice, tangy chutneys, fresh herbs, ground spices, roasted peanuts, and other texture-rich ingredients.
• Biryani. Regional versions of this mixed rice dish are made with spices, meat, eggs, vegetables, nuts, dried fruit, and potatoes.
• Aloo gobhi. Earthy and fragrant, this popular vegetarian dish consists of tender cauliflower and potatoes cooked together in a masala (think gravy or sauce) of turmeric, cumin seeds, garlic, and other ingredients.   
• Gulab jamun. These crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside fritters are soaked in sweet syrup—the perfect treat at the end of a savory, spicy meal.

At temples, tombs, and other sites, it’s not uncommon for locals, especially those from smaller, more remote villages, to approach Western visitors and ask for a photo together. In most cases, the request is innocent, as locals are only curious about these visitors from afar. If you’d rather not participate, simply politely decline, but don’t be afraid to snap a friendly photo together if you’re up for it.

ATMs can be tough to find in India, so consider bringing cash to exchange when you arrive.

Head here for more tips to know before you go to India →