Travel to India

Long before the words 'tour' and 'tourism' were coined the ancient India has always laid great stress on travel and named it pilgrimage. It brought the people together to broaden outlook and see for themselves the diversity of nature in its unity. By adding the name of spirituality, travel took on a respectful garb discarding any rapacious and plundering tendency of the rich and powerful. The pilgrim went around in a somber mood mixed with joy, respectful towards nature and the localities. There was a custom that the rich would take in their entourage as many as they could accommodate who were not fortunate enough to travel on their own. Moreover it is a living custom even today that if one hears of somebody is going on a pilgrimage then some offering has to be made in the form of subscription. Against this background one can understand tourism in India.

At the click of the mouse one can plan out a tour of India. Tourism in India today has become a thriving industry. There are many types of tours to suit tastes and pockets. It is best to go through an accredited group for hassle free holidays.

Those who are interested in sports will find adventurous activities like - rafting , kayaking, diving, bird watching, angling, trekking, rock climbing and even aero sports like gliding, skydiving, ballooning and bungee jumping. There are innumerable safari trips to venture into the reserve forests that can be undertaken by riding jeeps, elephants, horses or even camels. There are also car rallies and various motor sports.

In summer the tourist can go up to the various hill stations dotted all over India that include Darjeeling, Simla, Srinagar, Ladakh, Kulu, Shillong and Ooty in the South among the many sites where one can forget the sweltering heat of the plains and understand why Simla was the summer capital of the British Empire, why Shillong came to be termed the Scotland of the East and Darjeeling is the Queen of the Hills.

For a taste of the desert one can go to Rajasthan and or Gujarat and view the splendid palaces, caves and heritage sites bordering miles and miles of sand dunes. Eco-tourism is another option. It tries to link the traveler with the locale in a bond of respect. By doing so the local people directly benefit from the arrival of visitors.

Another form of tourism is Mice or meetings-incentives-conventions-events. This section of tourism is growing rapidly by the year and India ranks among the top places for meetings and conferences.

Wellness tourism is also drawing attention since the rise in holistic medicine. Traditional methods of ayurveda are explored to experience yoga, spa and other branches of medi-tourism. In modern medicine also India has won fame and name for world class treatment at affordable prices.

The spiritual tours are the greatest attractions where one can come face to face with a living ancient country either in Varnasai by the River Ganga or up in the snowy retreats of Kedar and Badri. The south is famous for exquisite temples and temple towns for a feel of the wonder that is India.