Cultural Tours of India

India is a subcontinent with many layers of history and culture. Each region in India has its own unique history and traditions. The different linguistic and ethnic groups from the various states of India come together like multicoloured threads to create the fabric of a unified country. Every cultural strand is woven together to create a vibrant tapestry of colourful India.

India's cultural heritage can be seen in its grand monuments built by various rulers in different periods of time. On your India travel itinerary you can see forts, palaces, Temples, Mosques, tombs, stupas, Gurudwara, cave paintings and exquisite sculpture and carvings.

India has a range of marvellous monuments - the best known of which is the mesmerizing Taj Mahal in Agra. The grand monuments of the Mughals in Delhi, such as the Qutab Minar, the Red Fort, the Jama Masjid and Humayun's Tomb are historic sights made of red sandstone and marble and are stunning examples of the Indo Islamic style of Architecture.

Agra, the imperial capital of the Mughals, with the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah, and Akbar's tomb at Sikandra is a treasure trove for a historian or student of Mughal architecture on a cultural tour of India.

The cities of Rajasthan are known for their magnificent palaces and forts. Built by the rulers of princely states the grand buildings including the Amber Fort, city palace and Jantar Mantar (astronomical instruments) in Jaipur, the Jaisalmer Fort in Jaisalmer, the Mehrangarh Fort and the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur and the fabulous lake palaces in lake Pichola in Udaipur, are all worth seeing on your India travel itinerary when you take a cultural tour of India.

When in central India the cultural influences of Buddhism can be seen in the frescoes on the walls of the Ajanta Caves and in the sculptures of the Buddhist, Jain and Hindu temples at the Ellora Caves near Aurangabad, in Maharashtra, India. The Hindu temples of Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh are world-famous for their sculptural excellence, which includes detailed erotic sculptures on the walls of these temples, which are a UNESCO world Heritage site.

As you travel south on your cultural tour of India, in Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh you will find the cultural legacy of the Nizams of Hyderabad. The magnificent Golconda Fort, the landmark Charminar, the beautiful Falaknuma Palace and the serene Qutub Shahi Tombs are examples of the cultural aesthetic of the Islamic architects who built these fine monuments, which you will see on your cultural tour of India.

In Karnataka you will find the temples of Halebid and Belur, built by the Hoysala dynasty. The exquisite carvings on these temples have led to being described as poetry in stone. The temples of the Vijayanagar Empire in Hampi and the spectacular temples of South India including the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, the Kailashnatha temple at Kanchipuram, the rathas or chariot shaped temples in Mahabalipuram and the thousand-pillared temples in Rameshwaram are all stunning examples of the living cultural heritage of south India.