India rewards travellers who plan a little and wander a lot. Most first trips start with the Golden Triangle — Delhi’s markets, the Taj at sunrise, Jaipur’s forts — and it’s still the best introduction I know. From there the country splits into moods: Kerala for slow houseboats and tea hills, Rajasthan for desert forts and blue cities, Goa to wind down at the end.
Distances are bigger than they look, so a good trip picks two or three regions — not six. Trains beat flights for the experience, October to March beats everything for weather, and every route on this page is one I’ve travelled myself.
