India is vast, each state is like a different country, there are countless ways to travel it and for it to meet your expectations and yet everyone just wants to visit the Golden Triangle, but what about if you want something more? India is also colourful, loud, unfathomable and can be overwhelming, so just how do you plan the perfect trip? I’ve specialised in travel to India since 1998 and I lived there for 14 years. Here are some of my tips to help you on your way….
Part 01 – Planning your trip.
Think about why you really want to visit India and what interests you.
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t is very easy to follow a cliched program in India, following the masses just because everybody does it. If it is a first time, then most people want to see the Taj Mahal and therefore will follow the basic Golden Triangle plan. The reality is that Delhi, Agra and Jaipur are big, dirty overcrowded cities and yes, house impressive monuments but, particularly the way most agents sell India, do not showcase the best that India has to offer. Beyond the Taj, there are countless possibilities; is it culture, architecture, trekking, rafting wildlife, culinary, adventure, spa and wellness, deserts, mountains, or rural tourism that interests you? Think about why you want to visit and then plan accordingly.
Slow it down
India is busy and overwhelming; most people rush around trying to tick as many places as possible off 
their lists. Most trips are planned like an endurance trip, torturously early mornings and long days sightseeing amidst the crowds, dinner, bed and move on. It all becomes an exhaustive blur. Even if you do want to do the main circuit, there are many other highlights which can be included, if you take the time to do them; food tours, cycling tours, photo tours, exploring textiles, enjoying a hot air balloon safari. Staying an extra night or 3, discovering one place well and gaining an understanding of the culture as well has having time to meet the local people can be far more rewarding than dashing around following a tick list.
It is also important to take some time out to process what you are witnessing, there isn’t a minute that doesn’t offer something noteworthy. Extend your stays in a destination, Jaipur can easily be 3 or 4 nights, there is enough to do in and around Cochin, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Bhopal for example to make them 3 night stays. A holiday is about relaxing too and remember it is a fact is that you will never be able to cover all you want to in India in one trip, but plan well and gain the best out of one trip, and guaranteed, you will want to come back for more.
Get off beat
Most people perceive that if you go off beat, you will encounter poverty and get sick. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The extremes of poverty are in the cities, which is hardly surprising in a country with a population of almost 1.3 billion. The cities are fun, there is never a dull moment but it’s also nice to escape and experience somewhere more off beat or rural. These areas for me are where the true heart of India lies. For years, I have been persuading people to get off beat and without fail, this experience has always come back as the highlight of the trip. These rural stays, which can also be in forts or palaces also provide for some relaxation and time to absorb all you have seen before throwing yourself back into the mayhem.
Choose your travel agent carefully.
If you are planning on using an agent, it is easy to pick one of the larger companies as one feels more secure but my recommendation is to go with a specialist company. These are people who operate from a passion point and truly get to know each destination they sell and want you to come back loving the destination as much as they do. Of course, booking another trip with them wouldn’t go amiss, but they have will have a much better understanding of you, what you want and will match this to the right hotels and experiences in the destination. They may not always be the cheapest, as, being experience based, they tend not to go down the shops and commissions route but this also means that you shouldn’t get dragged into every tourist shop as you go along.