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               Known as the Niagara of India, the Hogenakkal Falls on the Kaveri River is located in the Dharampuri district of Tamil Nadu. It is known for medicinal baths and boat rides, projecting itself as a major tourist attraction.

               The waterfalls cannot be reached via road; a boat-ride from the last point takes you near the waterfall. Carbonatite rocks at this site are considered to be the oldest of its kind in South Asia, and one of the oldest in the world.

               The falls are a perfect visual treat with the gushing waters of the River Kaveri, and the lush green hilly area. The best time to visit the Hogenakkal Falls is from August to May right after the monsoon. The monsoon months should be avoided.

               Boating in Hogenakkal is allowed during the dry-season, as the waterfalls are not strong enough to disrupt passage of the boats. Boating is the main source of income for boat operators here.

               Araku Valley popularly known as Araku is a scenic hill station in the Vishakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. The hill station has retained its pristine charm. At an elevation of about 975 metres, Araku is famous for its coffee plantations surrounded by beautiful gardens. Streams waterfalls and valleys that are covered with lush green forests. Being a mountainous region, trekking is a popular activity, and the area offers several interesting trails.

               Araku is located in the Eastern Ghats, and is inhabited by different tribes. The Araku Valley can be reached by a road that goes through thick forests which is an adventure in itself. More than 40 tunnels and a number of bridges on the way welcome the tourists warmly. The ascent up to the hill is gradual, providing views of waterfalls, orchards, gardens and forests enhancing the immense and incomparable beauties of this valley.

               Other major attractions are the Tyda Park, Borra Caves, Ananthagiri, Gosthani River, Tribal Museum, coffee plantations, Katiki Waterfalls, and the Chaparai Waterfalls.

Picture credit: google

               Almora, Uttarakhand, is a popular tourist destination in the lap of the Himalayas. Almora was founded in 1568 by King Kalyan Chand. The River Kaushiki and Shalmali encircle the town. Considered the cultural centre of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, Almora is a popular hill station 316 km from the state capital Dehradun.

               Situated close to popular pilgrimage sites like Nanda Devi and Jageshwar are located near Almora, and fairs held at these temples attract thousands of devotees from across the world.

               Almora was the seat of power of the Chand dynasty that ruled the land of Kumaon for almost a millennium. Almora also serves as the starting point for many treks to places like Mornaula, Mukteshwar, Binsar, and Ranikhet among others. Almora is also a good place to catch up on history.

               The Govind Ballabh Pant Museum houses a rich collection of artifacts belonging to the Katyuri and the Chand dynasty.

               Located at the base of the Aravalli mountain range, Udaipur has several nicknames - ‘city of lakes’ and ‘Kashmir of Rajasthan’ being the most popular. Udaipur is situated in south west Rajasthan. Udaipur was the historic capital of the former kingdom of Mewar in Rajputana. It was founded in 1553 by Maharana Udai Singh of the Sisodia clan of Rajputs.

               Lake Pichola, Fateh Sagar Lake, Udai Sagar and Swaroop Sagar in this city are some of the beautiful lakes. Besides lakes, Udaipur is also popular for its massive historic forts and palaces, museums, galleries and gardens, architectural temples, as well as traditional fairs, festivals, and structures.

               The famous Lake Palace, located in the middle of Lake Pichola, is one of the most beautiful sights of Udaipur. The beautiful City Palace and Sajjangarh (Monsoon Palace) add to the architectural beauty and grandeur of the city.

               Coonoor is one of the most beautiful hill stations you will come across in the country. At a distance of 18 km from Ooty, Coonoor is a lovely hill station, known for its production of Nilgiri tea.

               Coonoor is located at an altitude of 1,850 metres above sea level. It is the second largest hill station in the Nilgiri hills after Ooty. It is an ideal base for a number of trekking expeditions leading into the Nilgiris.

               Sim’s Park is an important sightseeing destination in Coonoor. This botanical gar-den houses more than 1000 species of different plants and trees which are scattered all over the sprawling park providing a unique view. The botanical garden is partly developed in the Japanese style, and derived its name from J. D. Sim, the secretary of the Madras Club in 1874. The key attraction of the park is the annual fruit and vegetable show, held in May.

               Dolphin’s Nose Viewpoint is 10 km from Coonoor and is known to provide the most panoramic view of the Nilgiri Hills and Catherine Falls.

               Hyderabad, the city of pearls, is the capital of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and named after Hyder Mahal, wife of the ruler Quli Qutb Shah. More than 400 years old Hyderabad today is the fifth largest metropolis in India, and is known for its history, culture, heritage, monuments, crafts, and dance.

               The Charminar is as much the signature of Hyderabad as the Taj Mahal is of Agra or the Eiffel Tower is of Paris. Quli Qutb Shah, the founder of Hyderabad, built the Charminar in 1591 at the centre of the original city layout. Much of Hyderabad is situated on hilly terrain around artificial lakes.

               Hyderabad is also home to the Telugu film industry, popularly known as tollywood. Tollywood is the third largest in India by the number of films produced annually.

               Ramoji Rao Film City, Golconda Fort, Hussain Sagar Lake and Srisailam, are some of the tourist places you could visit here.

               The Sundarbans is one of the most attractive places remaining on Earth, a truly undiscovered paradise. It contains the world’s largest coastal mangrove forest with an area of about 10000 sq km. Sundarbans delta spread over India and Bangladesh. The part of the forest within the Indian Territory is called Sundarbans National Park.

               The forest has a large number of Sundari trees, and it is said that the forest derived its name from these trees. The delta is densely covered by mangrove forests, and is one of the largest reserves for Bengal tigers.

               Sundarbans has been a wildlife sanctuary since 1966. Sundarbans National Park was proclaimed as the core area of Sundarbans Tiger Reserve in 1973. It is estimated that there are now 400 Royal Bengal tigers and about 30,000 spotted deer in the area.

               Apart from viewing the wildlife from boat safaris, visitors also visit the Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project, Jambudwip, Buriidabri Tiger Project, Haliday Island, and Sajnekhali Bird Sanctuary.

               Renowned as the residence of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, the Himalayan hill town of McLeod Ganj is situated in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. Situated in the Dhauladhar mountain range, it is a suburb of the Dharamsala region. It is also known as Upper Dharamsala.

               The Tibetan government-in-exile is headquartered in McLeod Ganj. Tibetans started settling in Dharamsala in 1959, when the Dalai Lama fled from Tibet. McLeod Ganj is a well-known learning centre of Tibetan culture, rituals, and Buddhism. It is known as ‘Little Lhasa’ or ‘Dhasa’ because of its large population of Tibetans.

               Tourism is an important industry in McLeod Ganj. The town is also known for Tibetan handicrafts, thangkas, Tibetan carpets, garments, and other souvenirs. Its major attractions are the Gangchen Kyishong, Nechung Monastery, and Norbulingka Institute. The 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, lives near Dharamsala, in Gyuto monastery in Sidhbari. The Tibet Museum also attracts a lot of people.

               Did you know that Delhi has so much to make your holidays exciting? A fusion of politics, social and cultural activities, rich history alongside modern life, can be well experienced in Delhi. Being a globally known city, it attracts hordes of tourists from different parts of the world every year.

               This imperial city casts magical spells on its visitors, and acts as a merger between the glorious past and the present. Old Delhi depicts the past, taking you through the typical streets, exploring forts, monuments, mosques and markets. Tours of New Delhi will allow you to have glimpses of modernity in the large structures, beautiful streets, giant shopping malls etc.

               There are numerous tourist attractions in Delhi, both historic and modern. The Qutb complex, Red Fort and Humayun’s Tomb are among the finest examples of great architecture.

               Another prominent landmark of Delhi is India Gate, a war memorial, built in 1931 to soldiers of the British-Indian Army who died during the First World War.

               The Andaman and Nicobar Islands offer once in a lifetime holiday experience. Once used as a settlement for penal punishment, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have now become a major tourist attraction.

               The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, one of the seven union territories of India, are a group of islands at the juncture of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. The tropical rainforests and waters of the Bay of Bengal are home to a vast collection of plants, animals, and marine life.

               Topographically, the islands are hilly in places, fringed with coconut palms, covered with tropical jungle, and interspersed with flat stretches of crescent shaped beaches.

               The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are developing into a major tourism hub, with wonderful opportunities for adventure sports like snorkeling and sea-walking.

               The biggest river island in the world, Majuli, is located on the river Brahmaputra in Assam, and is formed by the Brahmaputra in the south and the Kherkutia Xuti joined by the river Subansiri in the north. Since it is home to many migratory birds, it makes you feel at peace with nature. In 2016, Majuli became the first island to be made a district in India. The island is around 400 kilometres east of the state’s largest city, Guwahati.

               Among one of the most surreal places in India, mostly inhabited by tribals, the culture of Majuli is unique and quite interesting, and is one of the key reasons why people love this place so much. Majuli has been the cultural capital of the Assamese civilization since the 16th century, and its main village, Naghmar, hosts all the important events, festivals, and prayers.

               Majuli offers typical Assamese cuisine to visitors. The popular items that you might find here include Khar, Laksa, and Tenga. This island is a popular tourist attraction in Assam.

               Jaipur, popularly known as the ‘pink city’ is an important tourist destination in Rajasthan. This walled city, famous for its vibrant culture, is one that you shouldn’t ever miss. From forts and havelis to traditional delicacies, this city shares its strongholds with its past. The heritage of the city is well portrayed through its wonderful architecture.

               This city has stood as a pillar of astonishment for every traveller. Jaipur was named after Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who founded the city on November 18th, 1727. Jaipur is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Jantar Mantar and the Amer Fort. Jaipur serves as a gateway to other tourist destinations in Rajasthan, such as Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur and Mount Abu.

               At the city’s heart, the City Palace continues to house the former royal family. Jaipur along with Delhi and Agra forms India’s Golden Triangle, which is the most popular tourist circuit in India. Visitor attractions include the Hawa Mahal, Jal Mahal, City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Nahargarh Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Galtaji, Sanganeri Gate and the Jaipur Zoo.

               If you are seeking an exciting wildlife adventure in India, Jim Corbett National Park is full of thrills.

               Tour around the Corbett Park, with stunning wildlife locations and huge tiger population, along with vast number of endangered species of flora and fauna, will provide a haven to all the wildlife lovers. It is among the few tiger reserves in India that allows overnight stays in the lap of the National Park.

               Jim Corbett National Park, which is a part of the larger Corbett Tiger Reserve, lies in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand. It was named after Jim Corbett, who played a key role in its establishment. The magical landscape of Corbett is well known, and fabled for its tiger richness.

               Established in the year 1936 as the Hailey National Park, Corbett has the glory of being India’s oldest and most prestigious National Park. It is also being honoured as the place where Project Tiger was first launched in 1973.

               The star attractions of the Corbett tours are sambar, wild boar, leopard and the majestic Royal Bengal Tiger.

               Situated 46 km from Bhopal, Sanchi is a small village in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh. It is best known for its stupas and other Buddhist monuments.

               It is an excavated site which was rediscovered by a British Indian officer General Taylor in 1818, but actual restoration work was initiated from 1912 to 1919 under the supervision of Sir John Marshall. The stupas of Sanchi were built by Emperor Asoka in the 3rd century BC. This stupa is considered to be the oldest stone structure of India. Originally commissioned in the third century BC, this huge hemispherical dome consists of a central chamber where the relics of Lord Buddha are placed.

               This stupa was originally a low structure of brick, half the diameter of the present edifice and hemispherical in shape with raised terraces at the base. It was enclosed by a wooden railing, and a stone umbrella at the top.

               This great stupa served as a nucleus to the large Buddhist establishment during the later period.

Picture credit: google

               With beautiful monuments, both big and small, revealing tales of battles between kings and emperors, Orchha deserves a trip of its own. This place showcases an exquisite range of archaeological monuments.

               Orchha is the erstwhile capital city of the Bundela rulers. The town is steeped in history, and is famous for its palaces and temples, built in the 16th and 17th centuries. The architectural splendour of the monuments in Orchha reflects the glory of its rulers. The Betwa River, on whose banks Orchha lies, and the forests around it, attracts tourists to this place.

               The Orchha fort complex is the biggest tourist draw of this small town. It houses a large number of ancient monuments consisting of the fort, palaces, temple and other edifices. The fort and other structures within it were built by the Bundela Rajputs starting from the early 16th century, by King Rudra Pratap Singh.

               Despite being a small town, Orchha has various spots that attract tourists. Attractions like the Rai Parveen Mahal, Lakshminarayan Temple, Jahangir Mahal, Ram Raja temple, Raja Mahal, and Phool Bagh are worth visiting.