India , how long ? train or backwater ?

Planning on going to India this June , Of course the Tai mahal is a must was thinking of a train adventure or a backwater tour , want to see the ';real India '; any ideas ? any ideas of cost ?

thanks

India , how long ? train or backwater ?

Yes, the Taj Mahal is a must-see.

Most tourists go to Rajasthan, our desert state, and spend their time seeing palaces and forts and elephants and dancers and snake charmers. In the process, all they do is reinforce every pre-conceived notion they already have about India (originally mostly formed from watching cliched Hollywood films).

The real India can%26#39;t be found either at the Taj Mahal or in Rajasthan. Both these places have been ruined by tourism, in my opinion. The best places to go to are those that don%26#39;t have tourism as a major (or primary) source of income for the population. Go where the cities and villages are still vibrant in ways that have nothing to do with tourist money.

June is too hot for Rajasthan, I think. Even the Taj is going to be hot, but that%26#39;s something you%26#39;ll have to do I guess.

I would bet on an adventure trip to the Himalayas, where the weather is cooler. Go see our mountain railways, go to Darjeeling, Sikkim, Uttaranchal or Leh/Ladakh.

- Deepa

India , how long ? train or backwater ?

June is the beginning of the monsoon season in West India. In the North it sets in mid July so you may be better off starting at say, Delhi to see the Taj Mahal at Agra. The minus side is that it is excruciatingly hot and furnace like in this region right up to the monsoons. If you want a train experience you can take the Delhi Agra train which is a few hours journey.

www.indianrail.gov.in; www.irctc.co.in will give you more information

Delhi has a few monuments which are worth seeing such as the Red Fort, Qutb Minar and Humayuns Tomb. The lotus shaped bahai temple is also different.

You could also visit the sub Himalayan regions of Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal which will be lovely and not crowded at this time. If Delhi is your starting point check vinstring.com for customised trips. Another good option would be the wildlife sanctuaries of northern India such as Corbett, Ranthambore etc. Check whether they are open as some close during summer and others during the monsoons.

June / July are off seasons in India so you ought to get good discounts. Star hotels in Delhi and Mumbai are atrociously priced but you can get good prices at mid range hotels. Try travelguru.com for hotels.

Kerala and Goa get heavy rainfall during the monsoons but they also have their own charm during this season, although undoubtedly you can not enjoy a beach holiday.

The best backwaters are in the Allepey region of Kerala where it could well be raining cats and dogs ! It is however lovely in the rains but be warned that it can rain non stop for days at times.

Avoid big overcrowded cities like Mumbai, except as a gateway to Ajanta and Ellora - very nice in the rains but can get slippery.

For architectural splendour there is nothing to beat the magnificent ancient temples of Tamil Nadu tamilnadutourism.org I think they do a train tour of the main temple towns, you can check their website. Khajuraho and Konark in Orissa are also well known for their erotic temple sculpture.

Hampi, the ruins of the Vijayanagara Kingdom - in Karnataka is also worth a visit. If you are going to Karnataka, you can also visit the Jog falls which are spectacular in the monsoons. Coorg the hilly coffee growing region will be misty and magical at this time and can be combined with a visit to the Nagarhole Sanctuary [check if open].

Sikkim and Bhutan in the sub Himalayan east are also beautiful places worth visiting.

There is so much to see in India, do a google on india tourism to decide on which region or what you would like to see, and then get down to brass tacks.