Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, India

Khajuraho is located in Chhatarpur District of Madhya Pradesh, India.

Khajuraho is a famous tourist place known for its sculptured temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Jain patriarchs. Khajuraho is now a World Heritage Site declared by UNESCO.

These temples were built between 9th and 11th century CE extended over 21 sq.km. And contained 85 temples built by many rulers of Chandela dynasty.

Out of 85 temples 20 are still reasonably well preserved. These temples are richly carved with excellent sculptures internally as well as externally. These temples are popular just because of its extreme depiction of love and sentiments in erotic images. The motto of carving such erotic figures on the walls of temples of khajuraho is to throw light on values and attitude of Hindu religion.

Best time to visit this place is between October and March.

How to reach

Air: Khajuraho Airport is well connected to major cities of India via Delhi, Agra and Mumbai.

Rail: Khajuraho is well connected to major cities by Indian Railway.

Road: Khajuraho is well-connected with major cities o India through National Highways.

Where to Stay

There are many Hotels to suit your budget.

Where to eat

Khajuraho is a small town but you will get enough eateries to feed you.

Attractions

The temples in Khajuraho are broadly divided into three parts: the Eastern group, the Southern group and the Western group of temples of which the Western group alone has the facility of an Audio guided tour wherein the tourists are guided through the seven eight temples.

The Khajuraho temple complex offers a light and sound show every evening and it is held in the open lawns of the temple complex.

The Khajuraho Dance Festival is held every year in February and it features various classical Indian dances set against the backdrop of the Chitragupta or Vishwanath temple.

Diu, Gujarat, India

Diu is a town in Diu district and is part of union territory of Daman and Diu in India. Diu is a lesser known tourist spot.

How to reach

Air: Diu has one airport at Nagoa and is connected by Jet Airways flight from Mumbai daily except Saturdays.

Rail: Diu do not have railway facilities, nearest railway station is Veaval (90 km). The nearest railway station is Delwada, which is 8 km away and is connected with Junagarh and Veraval on a meter-gauge line.

Road: Diu is well connected by road with major cities of Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Places to visit

Diu Fort

Diu Fort is a very large and imposing structure on the coast of the island. The fort is surrounded by the sea on three sides and a canal on the fourth side. The fort offers a magnificent view of sea. The fort now houses a Light House and the Diu jail. You should visit this place in the evening when the fort and the sea provide an amazing landscape.

Fortress of Panikota

Fortress of Panikota is a magnificent stone structure in the sea, built right at the mouth of the creek. You can reach here by a canoe or a motor launch. The fortress offers a very beautiful view whether seen from the jetty, from the fort, from the village of Ghoghla or from Diu proper.

Gangheshwar Temple

Gangeshwar temple is situated 3 km away from the Diu town in Fudam village. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. There are five Lingas which are located in the middle of the rocks on the seashore, and are washed by waves of the sea. It is believed that these Lingas were established here by the five Pandava brothers of the Mahabharat during their exile.

St. Paul's Church

St. Paul's church is dedicated to the Lady of Immaculate conception. The church was built during 17th century.

Jallandhar Shrine

Jallandhar Shrine is located on a hill close to the beach. A stone carved face of the demon Jallandhar can be seen here. Near to this shrine is a temple of Goddess Chandrika.

Diu Museum

Diu museum houses wooden carvings, statues, idols, shadow clocks and other important artifacts collected from various sites.

Naida Caves

The Naida Caves are situated outside the city wall. These caves have an intriguing, overgrown network of square hewn hollows and steps leading off into nowhere.

Shell Museum

The Shell Museum contains amazing shells range from the silver abalone to folding shells collected by a merchant navy captain Devjibhai Fulbaria.

Ghoghla Beach

Ghoghla Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Diu. This beach offers various water sports facilities.

Nagoa Beach

Nagoa Beach is located in the Nagoa hamlet of the Bucharwada village. This long, palm-fringed beach is very beautiful, quite, horse-shoe shaped and stretches about 2 km from one end to other and is very safe for swimming.

Gomtimata Beach

Gomtimata Beach is located on the western end of the island. This is one of the best beaches of the region, long and secluded with natural white sand.

Zampa Gateway

The gateway marks the entrance to the District of Diu. The walls and the gateway have remarkable carvings of lions, priests and angels. Inside the gate is a chapel which was built around 1702 AD and is another beautiful and intricately designed monument. The site is a must for every tourist.

Get best offers on HOTELS

Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India

Jaisalmer is one part of Thar Desert triangle of Bikaner and Jodhpur. Jaisalmer, famous for 'Sonar Kila', is located on the westernmost  border of India in the state of Rajsthan and is close to Pakistan border.

Jaisalmer is a popular tourist destination of domestic as well as foreign tourists.

Like various other cities of Rajasthan, you will discover different facets of Jaisalmer as you explore this wonderful city.

How to reach

Air: Jaisalmer is not connected directly with air. Civil Airport has been constructed and soon it will be inaugurated. At present nearest Airport is Jodhpur about 300 km away.

Rail: Jaisalmer is connected to major cities of India. Famous Train Palace on Wheels also visits this place.  

Road: Jaisalmer is well connected by roads with important cities of Rajasthan and major cities of India.

Local transport: Auto rickshaws are the main mode of commuting within the city. You can also move around within the city on bicycle.

When to visit

The ideal time to visit Jaisalmer is from October to March when weather is pleasant. In summers there are chances you might get affected with heat stroke. A few quite days spent wandering around the city and the surrounding desert can be a wonderful way of unwinding from the chaos of larger cities.

Accommodation

There are many Hotels and Guest houses offering accommodation to suit your budget.

Places of attractions

Jaisalmer Fort

One of the most magnificent attractions is the Jaisalmer Fort, also known as "Sonar Killa", due to the yellow stone with which it was built. There are shops, hotels and age old Havelis (Homes) where families have lived for generations.

Gadisar Lake

It is a rainwater lake which supplies water to the city. The lake is surrounded by temples and tombs of saints. You can enjoy Boat rides. Desert cultural centre is also nearby. A local museum built out of collections of a school teacher is also nearby. This centre conducts puppet shows in the morning and evening.

Jain Temple

There are seven beautifully carved temples built between 12th century to 15th century. All the temples are connected by walkways and corridors. You are not allowed to carry leather articles inside temples. They are open from 8 AM to midday.

Safari in Jaisalmer

If you are a fun loving and adventurous person, you will enjoy safaris in Jaisalmer be it Camel safari or Jeep safari amidst desert where the horizon meets. You can see long stetches of sand dunes as far as your eyes can go. The golden crests and throughs provide you with the sense of limitlessness. A camp in the lap of nature, so barren yet so subtle, you have all the time in the world to spend yourself which you yearned for…

A proper Camel safari in the desert can only experience all these. A large number of travel agents and tour operators in Rajasthan organise Camel safaris and Jeep safaris. Jeep safaris is usually affordable and is generally done on 4x4 open Jeeps.

Get best offers on HOTELS

Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India

Jodhpur is the second largest city of Rajasthan. Jodhpur was founded by Rao Jodha, a chief of the Rathore clan, in 1459. Jodhpur was previously known as Marwar. Jodhpur has expended and a new city has developed outside the 10 km wall surrounding the old city.

The scenic and mesmerizing city of Jodhpur attracts many tourists, Indian as well as foreigner. Jodhpur city has many beautiful palaces and forts such as Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada, Umaid Bhawan Palace and Rai ka Bag Palace. Beside these other attraction are Government Museum and beautiful Umaid Garden. The city is known as the "Sun City" because of its bright and sunny weather throughout the year.

How to reach

Air: Regular flight services connect the city with other major cities in and around Rajasthan. The Airport is 5 km away from the city centre.

Train: Jodhpur city is well connected by railway lines with major cities of India. The famous train "Palace on Wheels" also visits this city of royal spendor.

Road: Jodhpur is well connected by roads with major cities of India.

Local Transport: For commuting within city you can avail services of Taxis, auto rickshaws and city buses. Auto rickshaws are best for commuting in old city.

Accommodation: There are a number of Hotels and Guest Houses in Jodhpur to suit every budget.

When to visit: Jodhpur has typical desert weather. The best season to visit the city is between October and March when the climatic conditions in Jodhpur, India are best.

Places of interest

Mehrangarh

Mehrangarh Fort is situated on a 150 meter high hill. Rao Jodha constructed it in 1459. There are a number of attrations within the fort like several palaces, galleries, a museum, and temples and so on.

Umaid Bhavan Palace

Umaid Bhavan Palace is one of the fascinating palaces of Jodhpur. Maharaja Umaid Singh constructed it in the 20th century. A part of the palace has now been converted into a hotel and a museum.

Jaswant Thada

Jaswant Thada is located to the left of Mehrangarh Fort complex. It I a royal cenotaph made up of white marble. It was built to commemorate Maharaja Jaswant Singh. Some rare portraits of the former rulers of Jodhpur are also displayed here.

Government Museum

The museum is located in the middle of Umaid Public Gardens.

 
Get best offers on AIR TICKETS and HOTELS

Bikaner, Rajasthan, India

Bikaner is situated amidst Thar Desert in  North western part of Rajasthan. Nearest important cities within the state are Jaipur (316 Km), Jodhpur (240 Km) and Jaisalmer (330 Km) and country capital Delhi is 445 Km away. Bikaner is famous for Namkeen, sweets and Papad.

Large number of tourist from India and abroad come here for its picturesque golden sand dunes, red sandstone forts, havelis and for camel safaris. The camel festival is a major tourist attraction.

Bikaner was founded by Rao Bikaji, a ratore prince in 1488 AD on a barren land. Later Maharaja Ganga Singh transformed it into a noteworthy princely state.

The best time to visit Bikaner is in the winter i.e. November to March when the weather is pleasant.

Bikaner is well connected to other parts of the state and the country air, rail and road. The nearest airport is Jodhpur Airport. A new airport at Nal (14Km) near Bikaner has been constructed and will be operational soon.

Accomodation

There are plenty of hotel to suit your budget.

Transport

Unmetered taxis and autorickshaw are available for commuting within city as well as nearby places.

Places to See

Junagarh Fort

This fort was erected in1593 A.D by Raja Rai Singh. The fortress is bounded by a moat and consists of 37 palaces and pavilions including Chandra Mahal, Phool Mahal and Karan Mahal. The museum within the fort encloses priceless miniature paintings and extraordinary antiques that are of great interest for art lovers.

Lalgarh Palace

This majestic palace was built by Maharaja Ganga Singh  in 1902.This architectural wonder was created by the fusion of Rajput, Mughal and European architecture and exhibits superb craftsmanship in the form of striking latticework and filigree work.

Jain Haveli

There are many beautiful Havelis. In fact they are ancient luxurios mansions with big courtyards where affluent people lived. These havelis are owned by Kotharis, Rampurias, Baids and Dagas and are located in the regions like Gogagate, Daddhon Ka Chowk and Daga Mohalla.

Bhandeswari Jain Temple

 This fifteenth century temple is the oldest shrine of Bikaner and is adorned with

mirrorwork, frescos and gold leaf paintings.

Apart from these other major tourist attractions are :

Camel Research and Breeding Farm,

Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum,

Shri Sadul Museum

Deshnoke Temple,

Gajner Palace, and

Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary.

Get best offers on   HOTELS

Darjeeling, West Bengl, India

Darjeeling is a town in West Bengal, eastern part of India. Darjeeling is a tourist destination for Indians as well as visitors from abroad. Darjeeling is also famous because of tea industry.

Darjeeling is connected by rail from New Jalpaiguri. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway runs on narrow gauge and has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. Darjeeling is well connected by road with New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri, Bagdogra, Gangtok and Kathmandu. Nearest airport is Bagdogra.

There are literally hundreds of hotels and lodgings in Darjeeling of all types and categories. Some are great heritage and premium properties while some are mid priced and budget hotels. But the best of the lot are often run by the owners themselves and have traditionally been family run businesses.

There are many places you can get your food. But it depends on so many factors like quality of food, the location of the restaurant, upscale or budget eatery, ambience, cleanliness… there are actually so many things that you wish to have in place before you go for one.

While dining in Darjeeling you must keep in mind that the hill town goes off to sleep by 8:30 pm. Most restaurants, particularly the smaller ones go out of stock by 7:30 pm during high season and stop taking further orders.

Tourist attractions

Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Darjeeling Zoo

The zoo is located in the same premises where HMI is and therefore should be covered at the same time. The unique feature of this zoo is, it houses animals of high altitude and mostly from upper Himalayas. You can see some rare animals here like Red Pandas, Snow Leopards, Tibetan Wolf and lot more.

Tiger Hill

Located at the highest point in the Darjeeling area, Tiger Hill is best known for the dazzling sunrise view of the Kanchenjunga and the snow covered peaks of the entire eastern Himalayan range. On a clear day you can even see the mount Everest from here. Tiger Hill is located 11 KM from Darjeeling Town and takes 40 minutes to reach by car.

Batasia Loop

Located 5 KM from Darjeeling town and just below Ghoom, Batasia Loop as the name suggest, is a loop or a spiral of a narrow gauge railway track where the Toy train negotiates a sudden sharp descent from Ghoom. It's a wonderful viewing place with manicured gardens, streams and falls, from where you can get a wide range view of the Darjeeling's landscape, Kanchenjunga and the other Eastern Himalayan Peaks.

Darjeeling Ropeway

This is one way you can be part of special diverse offerings from the nature and all in one place. From the ropeway of Darjeeling which is also known as the Rangeet Valley Passenger Cable Car, you can have mind blowing view of the valley below, see the spread of lush tea gardens, dense forests, mountain streams in their full flow, waterfalls, and the awesome snow peaks at the background. Get off at a lower station and enjoy the tea estates, walk through the tea gardens, or just relax and enjoy the view around. It's hard to find all these together in one place. 

Darjeeling Mall and  Chowrasta

The Chowrasta or the Mall is the town center in Darjeeling. This is a lovely little flat area, a public square where four roads meet. This public place is where you would like to lounge, bake in the sun, sit and watch the wonderful views of the mountain range and see many locals and tourists hanging around. One side of the mall is lined with pine trees through which you get wonderful mountain vistas, the other side is lined with lovely boutique shops of different kinds. All around the mall, you have benches to sit and relax. 

Rock Garden and Maya Park

These two are scenic parks in wonderful settings located a few miles away from the Darjeeling town. Rock garden is about 10km and Ganga Maya is another 3 km from there. Rock Garden is all about terraced gardens at different levels that have been cut through the rocks having a waterfalls with nice seating arrangements. Ganga Maya is more spread out and has a beautiful stream flowing through it on a valley, has flower gardens, fountains and more. 

Japenese Temple and Peace Pagoda

About 10 minutes by car, you will reach a wonderful area that is symbolic of peace and tranquility. Located in the Jalapahar hill, the Japanese Temple is built in traditional Japanese style where you can join the prayers and feel the spiritual peace amongst humming and chants. Close to it is the Peace Pagoda where there are four large avatars of Lord Buddha. The view from the top is magnificent. You can see the snow peak range from here including the Kanchenjunga. 

Bengal Natural History Museum

What started as a modest effort in 1903 to display butterflies and birds of the Darjeeling district, has grown to house a large collections of mammals, birds, nests with eggs, reptiles, fishes and even insects of wide varieties. The displays are actually specimens of real creatures that had been captured, stuffed and preserved. The Bengal Natural History Museum can be reached by few minutes walk from the Chowrasta Mall. 

Observatory Hill and Mahakal Temple

Rising from behind the Mall, Observatory Hill is an ideal place to get a 360 degree view of Darjeeling and the peaks surrounding it. The Mahakal Temple, the central temple of Darjeeling of all faiths and is located on top of the hill where the original Dorjeling Buddhist Monastery once stood.
Get best offers on  HOTELS  or   PACKAGE

Ooty, Tamil Nadu, India

Ootacamund is better known as Ooty is a town and the district capital of the Nilgiri district in Tamil Nadu of India.It is located 80 km north of Coimbtore.It is situated at an altitude of 2,240 meters (7,350 feet) above sea level. It is a popular hill station located in the Nilgiri Hills.

The town is connected to the rest of India by road and rail, and its historic sites and natural beauty attract tourists Ooty is well connected by road from Bangalore, Mysore, Coimbtore. Nearest airport are Coimbtore which is 96 km away, and Kozhikode (141km) and Bangalore (309km).

Tourist Attractions

Government Rose Garden

The Government Rose Garden ( formerly known as Jaylalithaa Rose Garden, Centerary Rose Park and Nootrandu Roja Poonga) is the largest rose garden in India. It is situated on the slopes of the Elk Hill in Vijayanagaram of Ooty. Today this garden has one of the largest collection of roses in the country with more than 20,000 varieties of roses.

Ooty Botanical Gardens

The 22-acre Ooty Botanical Gardens  is maintained by the Government of Tamil Nadu. The Botanical Garden is lush green and well maintained. A flower show along with an exhibition of rare plant species is held every may. The gardens have around a thousand species both exotic and indigeneous of plants, shrubs, ferns, trees, herbal and bonsai plants. The garden has a 20-million-year old fossilized tree.

Ooty Lake

Ooty lake covers an area of 65 acres. The Boat house is established alongside the lake, which offers boating facilities to tourists, is a major tourist attraction in Ooty.The lake was formed by damming the mountain streams flowing down Ooty valley. The lake is set among groves of Eucalyptus trees with a railway line runnig along one bank. During summer season in May, boat races and boat pageantry are organized for two days at the lake.

Stone House

Stone house is th first bungalow constructed in Ooty. It was built by John Sullivan and was called as Kal Bangala by the tribals (kal means stone in tribal language). Today, it is the official residence for the principal of the Government Arts College, Ooty.

Toda Huts

There are a few Toda Huts on the hills above Botanical Garden, where Todas still dwell. Although many Toda have abandoned their traditional distinctive huts for concrete houses, a movement is now afoot to build traditional barrel-vaulted huts.

Ooty Mountain Railway

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway was built by British in 1908 and was initially operated by the Madras Railway Company. The railway still relies on its fleet of steam locomotives. The NMR comes under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Salem division. In July 2005, UNESCO added the Nilgiri Mountain Railway as an extension to the World Heritage Site of Darjeeling Himalaya Railway, the site then became known as "Mountain Railways of India" after it satisfied the necessary criteria, thus forcing abandonment of the modernization plans. For the past several years diesel locomotives have taken over steam on the section between Coonoor abd Udhagamandalam.. Local people and tourists have led a demand for steam locos to once again haul this section.

St. Stephen's Church

St. Stephen's Church is located on the road to Mysore in Ooty. It is one of the oldest churches in the Nilgiri District.

Wax World, Ooty

A wax museum that houses life size look-alike wax statues of personalities of Indian history, culture and heritage housed in a 142-year-old bunglow located on Ooty- Coonoor road.

Tribal Museum

The Tribal Museum is part of the campus of Tribal Research Centre which is in Muthorai Palada (10 km from Ooty town). It is home to rare artifacts and photographs of tribal groups of Tamil Nadu as well as Andaman and Nicobar Islands and anthropological and archaeological primitive human culture and heritage. The Tribal Museum also displays houses belonging to Toda, Kota, Paniya, Kurumba and kanikarans.

Deer Park

Deer Park is located on the edge of Ooty Lake. It is considered as one of the high altitude Zoo in India aside from the Zoo in Nainital, Uttarakhand. This park was formed to house a number of species of deers and animals for traveler to view.
Get best offers on Hotels or Package for this destnation, click

      HOTELS / PACKAGE

Udaipur, Rajasthan, India

Udaipur city is in the state of Rajasthan, western part ofIndia. It is also called lake city. Udaipur is a famous tourist destination for domestic and foreign tourists.

How to reach
Air: Dabok airport, also known as Maharana Pratap Airport is 20 km from the city and is connected to major cities of India.

Rail: Udaipur is connected by Rail services to most of the cities in India.

Road: Udaipur is well connected by National Highways with major cities of India.
Within city you can commute by Taxis, auto rickshaws and city buses.

Following places you must visit while in Udaipur.
                                                                   City Palace, Udaipur

                                                               
                                                                   Jagdish Temple, Udaipur

                                                               
                                                                   Lake Palace

                                                               
                                                                   Jag Mandir

                                                               
                                                                    Lake Pichola

                                                                 
                                                                   Sahelion-ki-Bare

                                                                 
                                                                   Moti Magari

                                                                 
                                                                   Shiv Niwas Palace

                                                               
                                                                   Gulab Bagh and Zoo

                                                                 
                                                                   City Palace, Udaipur

For booking of your Tickets, Hotels or Packages, Click the Link below

                                        

                                             TRAVEL

Places to visit in Rajasthan, India

Rajasthan is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India, for both domestic and international tourists.
Rajasthan attracts tourists for its historical forts, palaces, art and culture.
The palaces of Jaipur, lakes of Udaipur and desert forts of Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer are most desired destination of tourists. Many old and neglected palaces and forts have been converted into heritage hotels.
Following are few places visited by many of the tourists.

 Lake Palace, Udaipur

Jain Temple, Ranakpur

Ajmer - Popular for shrine of Sufi Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti

Bikaner - Famous for its Havelis, Palaces and Temples.

Jaipur- Also known as Pink City is capital of Rajasthan is famous for Palaces and Temples.

     Hawa Mahal, Jaipur

Jaisalmer - is famous for its golden fortress and some of oldest Jain Temples.

Jodhpur -  is located at the edge of the Thar desert.

Mount Abu - is a popular hill station and is located at highest peak of Aravali range of rajasthan. It is also famous for 11th century Dilawara Jain Temple.

Pushkar - It has the first and one of very few Lord Brahma Temples in the world.

Ranthambore - is located near Sawai Madhopur. It is famous for Ranthambore Fort and Ranthambore National Park.

Since there are many places to visit in Rajasthan it is not possible to cover the destinations in detail in one article, I shall cover them in my future posts.