Below you will find Rothschild Safaris’ top 5 reasons why you should visit India!
1. Diversity Abounds: When someone says India, the first thing we think of is elephants, tigers and jungle. But wait! That only a quarter of the entire country. Just thinking of the jungle means you’re ignoring the thousands of miles of coastline, everything from gorgeous sandy beaches to marshy swamps to rocky cliffs. I dare you to not notice the Himalayas to the North, or the Thar Desert in the West. With such a variety of environments, a vastly diverse population of flora and fauna can only be expected. However, don’t forget about the tigers since India is one of the few natural habitats left to this majestic creature. Thankfully, the Indian government has recognized these natural gems and has set aside hundreds of wildlife sanctuaries and thirteen biosphere reserves.
2. Gastronomical Adventure: The most recognizable of Indian cuisine is without a doubt curry. However much like the wildlife goes beyond tigers and elephants, Indian’s food goes beyond curry. As many people eat what they have available, you’ll find more seafood based dishes along the coasts where the ingredients are freshly caught. The tropical Goa region adds a twist the standard sea fare with indigenous spices. Moving north into the Kashmir region, you’ll be able to taste the infusion of a variety of cultures from central Asia. The traditional dishes of each region are heavily influenced by not only the fruits, vegetables and animals raised in the area, but also their location on international trade routes.
3. Intangible Experience: When traveling you can come away with physical souvenirs; pictures, postcards, maybe a mini Eiffel Tower, a Peruvian poncho and maybe even a few bug bites (if you’re unlucky and tasty to local insects). You also come away with memory of the sights, sounds and smells of your destination. India can easily be described as a sensory explosion. Take in the utter quiet of the jungles of Bandhavgarh between the songs of the reserve’s varied bird life. Walk through a bazaar in Delhi or Calcutta and you will be hit by a whirl of colors, smells and sounds of vendors hawking their wares. No picture can completely capture the magic of watching the sun set over Lake Pichola.
4. Religious Festival: Who wouldn’t want to be covered head to toe in brilliantly colored powders? India takes the celebrations of religious festivals to such a grand level that it doesn’t matter if you aren’t Hindu or if you’re from Vermont, the experience is meant to be shared by all. Indian festivals take place throughout the year and around the country, so no matter what time of year you want to go, or what region you want to see, chances are good that it won’t take much to find yourself in the middle of the Diwali “festival of lights” or voting for the most beautiful camel at the Pushkar Camel Fair. Join the locals, dance in the streets and just celebrate life!
5. Diverse People: The sheer number of people in India is almost incomprehensible. As such, there is no limit to the variety of cultures and subcultures you can encounter in India. Traveling throughout India you will experience distinct cultural differences between each region. It’s impossible to make a blanket statement about India, because where you find one thing to be true, somewhere else the opposite is also true. In a land of paradoxes, India still presents itself as a unified people welcoming the curious travel to join in their colorful world.
Contact us to plan your trip to India today!