India - any tips or experience

[Summertimesun]

We are looking at doing a trip to India in the Christmas holidays and in the very beginning stages of planning.
We have two teenage DC and like wildlife, history and activities. We’re considering a tour of the golden triangle but having watched Race across the world I’m now wondering whether it’s worth branching out more.
Any tips on India or personal experience would be appreciated!

Two weeks in December I probably would look at Rajasthan and Agra/ Delhi. You don’t have to stick to the golden triangle though. I’d look at Jaipur, Udaipur, Ranthambore national park (although avoid Indian public holidays if you can) and Jaiselmer where you can do an amazing camel safari through the desert.

Agra is worth visiting for the Taj Mahal and potentially Agra Fort only (or you can do Red Fort in Delhi, probably don’t need to visit both), Fatepur Sikri also interesting on the way if you are driving.

Alternatively Kerala and or Goa are nice at that time of year. It will be too cold to go to the mountains.

I haven’t checked any spelling! Sorry about that.

I have done the Golden Triangle and also Kerala. While both were amazing - I was glad I did Kerala first - it was a more gentle introduction to India. We stayed on a houseboat, did some Kayaking along the canals - went to see tea plantations and stayed in one. It was amazing. The food was incredible.

I did a tour of Rajasthan that including staying in a village in an old fort - it felt very much rural India and was probably the highlight of the trip, as was an overnight train journey to Agra. Agra felt just way too crowded for me, I like Delhi and Jaipur. But it's a mad country to visit.

Another vote for Kerala. You could fly into Kochi, spend a few days there (there’s an amazing carnival at the end of December https://cochincarnival.org/) and then head up to Thekkady.

@BadActingParsley
Can I ask are houseboat beds long enough for very tall men?

My DP is Indian, and we go a couple of times a year.

His family live in Mumbai so we go there, and then travel on. I love Mumbai, lots to see and do - I'd recommend Gateway of India, Haji Ali, Global Vipassana Pagoda, Dhobi Ghat (vast outdoor laundry), Chowpatty Beach at sunset for street food (check water used is bottled "Bisleri"). Muhammad Ali Road will give you every food you can imagine.

From there you can fly anywhere, we tend to go for a few days in Mumbai, then a few days somewhere else, and the same again, before a couple of last days in Bombay and home.

Kerala is a short flight from Mumbai - the backwaters are stunning, and the spice trails are amazing. The tea plantations are beautiful, and the sunsets over the hills are breathtaking.

Goa is also an hour flight, or you can take the train from CST station in Mumbai. It takes 8 hours, goes through SO much stunning scenery, and all meals are provided. The conductor welcomed us onto the train personally with a rose. The seats rotate so you can look out of the window too. We travelled first class last December as we had a wedding in Goa, and it cost us £30 a head for everything. We flew back, again, very cheap.

@Flossflower I was with 3 girlfriends and it was a rather basic boat! But I don't remember feeling uncomfortable. I'm sure there are houseboats that could accomodate a tall bloke!

Can't disagree with most of these, although I would have to say that if you want to see India, don't go to Goa. Nice enough place, lovely people (and the original home of vindaloo, invented for pork, which is highly unusual in India) but it really isn't "traditional India". The Portuguese wiped out nearly all the traditional temples and anything else that wasn't Catholic, and the newet replacement are not as evocative for travellers.

The place that hasn't been mentioned so far, and my ABSOLUTE MUST VISIT recommendation would be Hampi. If you want to know what it is like being Indiana Jones - this is the nearest you will ever get. The Vijaya Vittala Temple with it's amazing stone musical pillars (and I mean musical - stone pillars that can sound like woordwind or strings etc when you tap them) is worth seeing all for itself, but even two or three days there is not enough to see all the site. And you can be blessed by (and have selfies with) Lakshmi the temple elephant at the Virupaksha Temple - she will do pretty much anything for a banana offering. You also have to see sunset (and sunrise too) over the site, and the early morning coracles on the river.

https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/en/karnataka/hampi/vitthala-temple-complex

@BadActingParsley thank you. We are thinking of going to Kerala but I think I will have to ask the travel agent about bed size!
OP we really enjoyed the golden triangle. We added on Amaritsar and Rathambore.
A tip: if you are going to Rathambore you want to make sure that you go in a gypsy which are 6 seater 4WD vehicles rather than a Canter. A Canter holds about 20 people and is very very uncomfortable.
We went on a Canter in the morning and afterwards I phoned up and got moved for the afternoon.

Hi.
We're going to India in October spending 3 nights in Mumbai then taking the train to Goa so you're recommendations and enthusiasm are well received. I can't wait.

I would go to the North first and then do a few days in Kerala at the end. The North of the country is much busier and it’s great having a few more relaxed days at the end of a trip. It’s a fascinating country, have a fabulous time.

And can i ask which train you took as can see there are several. I've been looking at the Vande Bharat.

Bring supplies for an upset stomach. I loved India and have travelled a lot in poorer countries but got the worst upset stomach of my life there, and had to use things to stabilize myself enough for travel home. The Delhi belly stereotype was unfortunately true for me. I was unable to eat rich food again for a month after getting home it knocked me out so bad. And the place I think made me sick was a lovely looking rooftop restaurant, we were being careful.

I liked kerella - a few days at the beach, an Aleppy boat trip and cochi.

the Taj Mahal is obvious but a must

You can easily spend 10 days just in Kerala so think about whether you want to do that separately.

If you like looking at historical monuments/architecture I would do the Golden Triangle. Sometimes people tag on Mumbai and Goa too.

If it’s more of a calm vibe/scenic surroundings I would do Kerala and as someone said above, it is a much more gentle introduction to India.

Goa is very nice over the Christmas period, but gets extremely crowded right up to New Year.

Hampi is amazing, but I think it is more second trip as it is not the easiest to get to.

North east India is also spectacular.

You're going to have the best time!

Yes, we took the Vande Bharat. The early start is worth it for the sunrise.

If you go anywhere near Colva I highly recommend Martin's Corner restaurant. The food is insane.

Amazing. Thank you.

Following on from sad rabies death we were very glad we got shots before we went. Cute puppy only playing scratched dh and it took a while to heal. We travelled the Golden Triangle with Exotica, good price, small group, 1 driver, 2 assistants and our guide. Maybe not what you are looking for with children though. However careful you are tummy troubles do need to be planned for.

I've never actually been on holiday to India but I've been on business and seen a bit of the country. If I were to go back on holiday to any of the places I have visited it would be Kerala for sure. I just found it more relaxing and cleaner than any of the other places I've been and the scenery is beautiful. I felt perfectly safe walking through Kochi but I was really on edge in the bigger cities. There were people trying to sell me stuff everywhere but I found that in Kochi if I said "no thank you" that was it, whereas in Delhi I was followed and hassled for ages by some street sellers. I found it a fascinating country and there was nowhere I absolutely wouldn't return but most places were so busy and noisy that I constantly felt a bit overwhelmed, but in Kochi and the surrounding area I actually felt I could relax.

Haven’t read through all the posts yet but thank you so much everyone for all the tips! Excited to get planning now

Rajasthan is amazing, you can do Jaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer by train. See forts and desert. I recommend a Rajasthani dish called Sangri. Udaipur is beautiful too. You could also go north from Delhi to Rishikesh and see a Ganga Aarti, the beaches of the Ganges, a trip up to Kunjapuri Temple for sunset in the mountains. Go further into the moutains to Kanatal or further up to Chopta where you can see snowy mountain peaks. Visit hill station Mussoorie or Landour, insane views. Stop at a mountain daba and have chai and omlette in the glorious clear sunfilled morning light. I love it so much. It would be cold though, even snowy in the higher places, so you would need warm clothes.

Been to Delhi 6 times, love it, pure sensory overload