Destination: India
LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL ITINERARY INFORMATION
Itinerary: Highlights of North India
TWO MONTHS
Kicking off in Kolkata and winding up in Delhi, this scintillating northern journey snakes through the rich and diverse highlights of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttaranchal, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh
Beginning in Kolkata (Calcutta) and ending in Delhi, ensure the last leg of this North Indian journey, at Leh, falls between May and October (when the route is accessible).
Spend a few days lapping up Kolkata's sights and eateries before journeying northwest to Bodhgaya, place of Buddha's enlightenment. Next, stop at one of India's holiest cities, Varanasi, followed by Khajuraho, site of erotic temple sculptures. Continue to Orchha before scuttling southwest to Mandu, breaking the journey at Sanchi. From Mandu, weave west to Gujarat's Vadodara (Baroda) then move southwest to Palitana to see its Jain temples. Subsequent halts on your Gujarati sojourn are mellow Diu, lion-inhabited Sasan Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, Junagadh, Bhuj and, finally, frenetic Ahmedabad (Amdavad). From Ahmedabad, kick off a tour of Rajasthan, beginning in whimsical Udaipur and ending in Jaipur, from where you can whizz to Agra's Taj Mahal via Fatehpur Sikri. Next, drop by Delhi, allowing a few days to relish its sights, restaurants and shops before dashing northeast to cool Mussoorie, stopping en route at Corbett Tiger Reserve. Travel northwest to Amritsar to savour the sublime Golden Temple, pausing at Chandigarh on the way. Get a whiff of picturesque Himachal Pradesh with stops at Dharamsala and nearby McLeod Ganj, residence of the Dalai Lama, before venturing further north to the lofty Himalayan heights of Leh. Make your way back to Delhi via Manali and Shimla.
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