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India Tourist Attractions Travel Tips

India, the number one backpacking destination

From 2000 onwards backpacking has been in the increase as a business as well as a lifestyle. Low cost travel mode of air lines and budget accommodations have enabled backpacking an easy adventure for many.

Backpacking means the bunch of people who travel to new lands in search of knowledge or new experience and to lead life in a new way for a considerable period of their lifetime. This mode of travel does not include large expenses. There is no need for costly hotels and formal transport modes.

Marine drive mumbai
Marine drive mumbai

The backpacker simply carries the bare minimum necessities so that long distances can be covered easily. They mostly live in the country as native people do. They use the public transport, stay in the youth hostels and meet the local people and become their friends. Sightseeing is also included as they move from one part to another part. It is usually the people, especially the youth, who have no special responsibilities and duties in their life and who are free from personal bondage.

India is the most suitable country to do backpacking.  People who are in search of adventure and new type of experience have plenty to expect from India. Since backpacking is an attempt to see the underlying truth and the original face or soul of the country, India perfectly fits into the definition.

Backpackers can select any part of the vast country to begin their search. They have many wildernesses and also countless number of people with whom endless interactions can be established. The variety of lifestyles and the types of cultures along with the different set of people offer a convenient and comfortable starting for the backpackers in their exploration.

Of course travelers can prefer to go in the luxury mode of traveling and accommodation.  India has the finest hotels and number one luxury accommodation with international quality and international cuisine. However, it is just an ordinary trip to sightseeing the place. Only through backpacking, the entire beauty of India and its people can be found out.

India is the land of rich traditions and highly developed culture that backpackers very easily discover. On the surface Indians are rough and tough but on mingling with them only the true identity and the mental aspects of an Indian is revealed and can be experienced.

Backpackers have a chance to experience the rich moral values of India that is intricately mingled with each and every aspect of Indian life. The great family system and the fantastic affection and care each family member possesses for the other are something to be realized and cherished.

Family members have special duties and responsibilities that from early childhood they are being prepared for performing their duties. It is not an easy thing for an Indian to do anything he likes. Individual freedom is given secondary preference only. Lots of sacrifice and adjustments are being done by the Indians to satisfy their kith and kin.  All these things cannot be understood by the travelers who come, stay in the ordinary hotels and return to their native places. Backpacking in India throws sufficient light on these social aspects of Indian way of life and this is not an ordinary thing in life to miss.

Another reason for backpacking in India is the possibility for enjoying the cheapest accommodation and food in the world. Lodgings charge only £0.70 per night and can procure very decent meals for half the amount. On the whole people can find everything like beer, transport, accommodation, food and sightseeing for less than £70 per week. The transport system in India is really far good that the traveler can go to any remote place easily.

India is capable of providing unbelievably nice experiences for the backpackers.

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Travel Tips

Facts about the top most adventure spots of the World in off season

Many of us will love to visit the world’s top adventure spots during the season.  However it is better to visit such places during off season which will indirectly gain you lot of money as the seasonal demand will be very less as well same as the crowd.

Hippo -The Green Season safari, Botswana

Basically, the Botswana green season safari is very costly place to visit. The cost of the lodges where people stay will go to maximum $1000 for one person for one night stay.  But the tourist who wants to visit the place during November to April called as the ‘Green Season’ can bargain and ask for a discount.  They can approach the lodge owners as a large group with a person as their head.    During this season, frequent rainfall will be there leading to green vegetation.  The myriad birds and many animals will give birth to younger ones and others will turn around in search of food.

Proper vaccination like Prophylaxis should be taken as Malaria is common disease found in many parts of Botswana like Okavango Delta, Chobe National parks and Moremi.

Winter grey wolf tracking in the Yellowstone National Park, USA 

During winter just 140,000 will visit the Yellowstone National Park USA when compared to 3 million people in summer.  In winter the temperature will be minus 20 C and some of the roads will be closed.  Even then the tourist can enjoy the beauty of wild animals like bison, bighorn sheep and elk wandering on the ice filled land just at a distance in the lower elevations.  The footsteps of the grey wolf can be followed exclusively in the sparkling landscape of snow.

You can enjoy the ski trails over the snowy areas of Canyon, Mammoth, Tower and Old Faithful.  This touring package will cost $15 for half a day.

Trekking during Monsoon season in Western Ghats, India

The month from June to September is a season of heavy rainfalls with floods.  The inland which is 100 kms from Sahyadri Mountains is a portion of the larger side of the Western Ghats and it is the playground with wet weather for the tourist.  The rivers and waterfalls will be at full swing with more green scenarios. With the effect of cool temperature you can enjoy the home stays and make a visit to ruined forts and ancient paths.

chembra peak
Chembra peak

You can also visit a familiar trekking place 154 km away from Mumbai known as Malshej Ghat famous for flamingo flocks that come for migration.

Iguacu Falls in Brazil, Argentina

During the rainy season this Iguacu, meaning the ‘big water’ showcases itself as the 275 separate waterfalls rushing into the jungle with 6500 cu m water flowing per second near its peak.  A 3km wide and 80m high spillage waterfall serve as the border for both Brazil and Argentina.  During the summer, the tourist cannot see the force of water in the peak of the mountain as the waterfalls will get shrinked during dry season.  To enjoy the full fledged waterfall view, you have to plan your visit during December to February. DO not forget to bring your waterproof jacket.

The Panoramic view of the falls is found from Brazil and the close view can be seen from Argentina.

Venice in Italy during winter

All the alleys of the Venice including St. Mark’s Square are empty. No tourists but only the cold, damp atmosphere. Just get the thrill of wading through the water through the silence. Without the usual crowd just drink a hot coffee in one of the warm café.

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India National Parks

South India National Parks to Visit without Missing

The greatest tourist attraction in India is due to its vast spread of flora and fauna. India can be considered as the best place for the people who are very much interested in viewing the beauty of the nature and for those who want to go for a national park tour. The greatest heritage of India, that is the wildlife, can be witnessed to its core when we travel to the wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves and the national parks. There are many national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in south India.

indira gandhi national park
Elephant at Indira Gandhi National Park in Tamil Nadu

To the south of India we have the state of Tamil Nadu which has five main national parks of India including one marine national park. The Guindy national park is the eighth smallest national parks in India which was established in the year 1977. It is one of the national parks in India situated in the city of Chennai. Then we have the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park in the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu which was established in 1976. This is the best among the wildlife sanctuaries in India and located in the Anaimalai hills. It is also known as the ‘Top slip’. Further we have the Mudumalai national park and the Mukurthi national park in the Nilgiri hills. They were established in the year 1940 and 2001 respectively. The Mudumalai Tiger reserve is one of the established Tiger Reserves of India while the Mukurthi national park is famous for the Nilgiri Tahr. Finally in Tamil Nadu we come to the marine national park known as the Gulf of Mannar Marine national park which comprises of 21 islands.  It is situated in the Indian Ocean and was established in 1986. Tamil Nadu is a best place to select for your wildlife holiday

Kerala houses the famous national parks in India. We have the Eravikulam national park, the Mathikettan Shola national park and the Periyar National park which is located in the Idukki district of Kerala. These national parks provide you a great platform for your national parks trip. We can witness the Anamudi peak from the Eravikulam national park.

Eravikulam National Park
Eravikulam National Park entrée fee list

The Mathikettan Shola National park was established in the year 2008. The Periyar national park is a well-established Tiger reserve as well as an Elephant reserve. It is also one of the wildlife sanctuaries in south India. It was established in the year 1982. Finally we have the Silent valley National park which is located in the Palakkad district of Kerala. It was established in 1980. Kerala is also the best place for holiday in national park

The next state of south India is Karnataka. Here we have the Anshi national park. It isTiger at Anshi National Park located in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. It was established in the year 1987. The Anshi national park is a part of the Dandeli wildlife sanctuaries. Next is the Bandipur national park which is located in the chamarajanagar district of Karnataka. It was established in the year 1974. The Nagarhole national park is located in the Kodagu district of Karnataka. It is also known as Rajiv Gandhi national park. It was established in 1988. Karnataka has the best national parks in India. Moreover you can plan your wildlife India tours in this state.

In Andhra Pradesh, Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park located in the Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad is one of the important national parks in India. Inside this national park, there is the Chiran palace covering 24 acres. This park is a great relief to the busy city people of Hyderabad. It houses more than 600 species of plants, 140 species of birds and more than 30 varieties of butterflies. Many students include this national park in their Wildlife trip. The next important national park in Hyderabad is the Mahavir HarinaVanasthali national park. This park was established in the year 1975 to commemorate the 2500th birth anniversary of Mahavir, the Jain Saint. Another important National park that has to be included in any national parks is the Sri Venkateswara national park. This is a part of Seshachalam Hills which is been declared as the biosphere reserves of India. More than 1500 plant species, 178 species of birds and many rare animals are preserved in this national park.

Moreover, Andaman and Nicobar islands have around nine National Parks such as Campbell bay national parks, Galathea national park, Mahatma Gandhi marine national park, Middle Button Island national park, Mount Harriet National Park, North Button Island National park, South Button Island National park, Rani Jhansi marine national park and Saddle Peak National park.

All the national parks in India are interesting places for the students and scholars to study and research. The need to have these national parks and to preserve them is very much pressing in the highly polluted and endangered atmosphere of the modern world. It is the duty of educational institutions to conduct national parks tour every now and then to inculcate the importance of the biodiversity and the living things around us.

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Attractions of Goa Beaches India Culture & Heritage

Enjoy the Excitement of Shigmo Festival in Goa

India is a land of festivals. Festivals are part of Indian life… Here people celebrate many types of festivals like regional, cultural and religious all through the year one after the other. Each and every corner of India, which ever small part it may be, people never miss to celebrate festivals which are in abundance. Especially people who follow Hinduism have lots of Hindu festivals. Their calendar is marked full with Hindu festivals. It is very difficult to find a month when there is no Hindu festival.

processions and floats at the Shigmo Festival.
processions and floats at the Shigmo Festival.

Goa is a beautiful tourist place of India. It is located 607 km from Mumbai. Tourists throng the place all through the year for its fantastic beaches, fun activities and the age old churches. It is a colorful place where you can find all types of people from all parts of the world. Since it is a land of mixed culture, there are various types of festivals getting celebrated in Goa all through the year. All the Hindu festivals such as Navratri, Shivratri, Ramnavami, Dasara, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc., are celebrated in a much galore due to the number of Hindu residents.

Among the popular festivals that are celebrated to depict the Goa Hindu culture, the Music festival, Feast of Three Kings and the Feast of Our lady of Candelaria are organized by the State each year.  The natives of this place celebrate the Shigmo festival in a grand manner as a part of Goa Hindu culture. It is celebrated in the month of Phalgun which is the starting of the spring season. This festival is a colorful one when people treat each other with color powders and color waters. Usually this festival will take place for a fortnight.

goa shigmo festival

Shigmo festival, one of the Hindu festivals, begins just before the full moon day of the Falguni month. It ends exactly at the full moon day. It may fall around March and April also. In a deeper sense, the people of Goa celebrate two types of Shigmo. One is known as Dhakto Shigmo which is celebrated by the farmers and rural people while the other one, Vhadlo Shigmo is celebrated by all other people in general. Shigmo festival depicts the Goa Hindu culture.

This festival is to welcome the spring season. This is equivalent to the Holi festival which is popularly celebrated all through North India. Goa residents and all the tourists who visit the place participate in the Shigmo festival irrespective of their religion and culture. During the fortnight of this celebration, Goa people will not eat non-vegetarian food. This token of self-restriction is known as ‘Naman’ reflects the Goa Hindu culture.

From the first day itself, that is on the 11th moon day till the 15th moon day, people wear new clothes, decorate their homes and pillars called ‘Dwajas’ and arrange colorful flags and ribbons. The scene is a typical one of the Hindu festivals. All people gather in front of the temple or in the temple courtyard and indulge in various cultural activities. They will sing and dance the folk tales, enact the mythological stories and dance to the beat of the drums. Everyone will be playing with the color water.

The last day is the Shigmo festival is the main day of the attraction. There will be a huge parade depicting the Goa Hindu culture where each and every Goan will participate. A line of processions with people throwing red color powder and flowers, artists wearing the costumes of Hindu gods, goddesses and other important mythological characters, enacting small scenes from mythological events, masks, jewels, etc., are in the parade. This entire festival mood is catchy. Some people will just enjoy and choose to walk to the drum beats on the side of the procession.  Some group of people will come dancing under the colorfully decorated umbrellas. This type of grand parade will be conducted in the last days.

Particularly on the very last day, there will a grand procession. It will have huge floats of complete figures of deities denoting the Goa Hindu culture. For all these pains and interest shown by the people, they are awarded prizes for the best and interesting floats. This is really an opportunity to demonstrate the talents of the local people and the artists to make some money. Apart from the earning, this is a great cultural revival of the past to the next generation.

Many foreign tourists visit Goa regularly at the same time of the year to enjoy the Shigmo festival. Students and research scholars, who are interested in the Hindu festivals and their cultural background, visit this festival to study in deep. Shigmo festival is an example of Goa Hindu culture which entertains the mind and the spirit simultaneously.

Dates for Shigmo Float Parade 2013
28/03/2013 – Ponda
29/03/2013 – Pernem
30/03/2013 – Panjim
31/03/2013 – Mapusa
01/04/2013 – Vasco
02/04/2013 – Bicholim
03/04/2013 – Sanquelim
04/04/2013 – Valpoi
05/04/2013 – Curchorem
06/04/2013 – Sanguem
07/04/2013 – Margao
08/04/2013 – Quepem
09/04/2013 – Cuncolim
10/04/2013 – Canacona

 

 

Categories
Emerging in India India Tourism Growth India Tourist Attractions India Tourist Spots Uncategorized

India Tour – The Best Emerging Tourist Spots

India Tourism is responsible for 6.4% of the total GDP in 2011 and has provided 7.9% in total employment. Each year the arrival of foreign visitors for touring purposes has grown 8% more than the previous years. With its vast diversity of topography, the best tourist places in India have a never ending charm over the visitors. From the world famous Taj Mahal in the North to the Vivekananda Rock at the tip of the subcontinent and from the Scintillating Jaisalmer of Rajasthan in the East into the dense forest of Arunachal Pradesh in the West, India Tourist attractions are many. Other than the usual popular tourist destinations, there are plenty of fantastic travel destinations in India offering heavenly experiences to the visitors.

maps of North India
maps of North India

One of the travel destinations in India is the Khajjiar in Himachal Pradesh. It is a lovely hill station popularly known as the ‘India’s Switzerland’. It is situated among the Deodar forest. Surrounded by the Deodar forest, this plateau is carpeted with the green meadow offer a serene beauty and charm to the residents who stay there. The tourist is bewitched with the lakes, forests and the pastures of this mini Switzerland. This heavenly place has the potential of the best tourist places in India.

After experiencing the hustle and bustle of the cities and towns, if ever the tourist wants a secluded place to be calm and be free from worries, Malana is the ideal place for it. It is located in the Kullu valley of Himachal Pradesh. This small village has no more than around 100 houses. This place is popular for its Malana Cream, the finest of its kind. The uniqueness of this village is its superior nature both geographically and psychologically. The chandrakhani hills with its majestic peaks shadow the entire village. Apart from this, people here consider themselves as the descendants of Alexander the great and they follow an independent life with a separate indigenous system. Malana, one of the emerging India Tourists attractions, is the ‘Little Greece in Himachal Pradesh’.

Foreigner Arrival Statics
Foreign Traveller Growth rate over Jan-Jun2011.

There is the mysterious palace of Gravity Defying Palace located at Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh the best among the emerging travel destinations in India.  This palace was built by NawabAsaf-ud-Daula in the 18th century. The architecture of this building is a combination of European and Arabic style.  The main hall is around 50 meters long with three stories height. This Palace is an architectural wonder built without any pillar or beam for support. Moreover, it is popular for its ‘Bhulbhulaiya’ or the ‘dense maze’. There are more than 1000 staircase passages which are very narrow and are very difficult to get anywhere without the official help. Beautiful gardens and mosques prove this place one of the India Tourists attractions. 

For the adventure loving tourists, Zanskar, the frozen lake, will be immensely pleasurable travel destinations in India. The tourist can walk on the frozen lake along the Chadar Trek, the visitors can reach the Buddhist monasteries of the Ladakh region. This will be an unforgettable experience in between the magnificent Himalayan and karakoram ranges.
The next travel destinations in India for trekking are at the altitude of 3,636 metres in the Darjeeling district. This Sandakphu peak, the highest one in this region,  is the most dangerous trekking route. Though this route is the more adventurous one, the splendour in the atmosphere and the great experience is worth for all the difficulties faced. It is rightly called as the ‘Paradise of Trekkers’. The successful trekker can see the other highest peaks of the Himalayas -Everest, Makalu, Kangchenjunga and Lhotse from this peak. This really is one of the best tourist places in India for those who seek adventure sports.

Another best tourist places in India is the Valley of Flowers in Uttaranchal. The enchanting natural beauty with its exotic flora and fauna houses numerous medicinal plants in an area of 87.50 sq. Km. This is the most colorful National Park having all sorts of flowers including the rarest ones.  Orchids, marigold, poppies, daisies and many more make this place one of the India Tourists attractions.

 

Kasara in Mumbai has the best travel destinations in India with its 120 feet Vihigaon falls. This Western Ghats Falls is the ideal waterfalls where water rappelling, canyoning, down climbing and river tracing are possible. Kila in Raipur conducts Rural Olympics every year where horse racing, tent pegging, cut throat competitions between buffaloes, dogs, camels, mules and other animals takes place. Large crowd including many foreigners visit this place in the time of February especially to witness this ‘Rural Olympics’. This is a typical India Tourists attraction.