For a true taste of the desert, head to Jaisalmer in western Rajasthan. Surrounded by the barren Thar desert, the ‘Golden City’ is constructed almost entirely of sandstone. Its fort is one of the finest in Rajasthan, containing a maze of narrow streets that will lead you to a palace, temples and traditional mansions.

Heading northeast takes you to Bikaner, a medieval desert town whose imposing fort has some surprisingly delicate carved-marble interiors. Just outside of town is the famous Karni Mata Temple, an important pilgrimage site that is home to thousands of holy rats.

Smack-bang in the middle of Rajasthan is the sacred city of Pushkar. Built around a beautiful lake, the town has over 400 temples, including one of the world’s only shrines dedicated to the god Brahma. It hosts a spectacular camel fair in November, which attracts over 300,000 people and tens of thousands of camels and horses.

Sawai Madhopur is the entrance point to the Ranthambore National Park, one of the best tiger sanctuaries in India. Formerly a hunting ground for Maharajahs, the beautiful park is now dedicated to the conservation of these big cats, as well as countless other wildlife species.

Just 40km from the Taj Mahal at Agra is the ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri. The capital of the Mughal Empire for a mere 14 years, the town was abandoned after Emperor Akbar’s death and still boasts a remarkably well-preserved palace and incredibly beautiful mosque.

Mamallapuram is a relaxed coastal village that is home to some superb World Heritage–listed rock carvings. Dating back almost 1400 years, the reliefs depict everyday life in ancient Tamil Nadu as well as many scenes from the ancient Hindu epics.

The West Bengal town of Darjeeling is a classic colonial British hill station, surrounded by tea plantations and overlooking the massive peaks of the Himalayas. It is a wonderful spot to go trekking or white-water rafting, admire the many Buddhist temples, ride the toy train or just soak up some of the best views in the world.

North of Darjeeling is Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim state and home to the beautiful Enchey Gompa. The gompa (monastery) has some superb statues and painting, as well as unrivalled views of Khangchendzonga – the world’s third highest mountain.

One of India’s most spectacular World Heritage sites, the Buddhist caves of Ajanta are cut into the sheer rock face of a horseshoe-shaped gorge in Maharashtra state. The 30 caves date from between 200 BC and 650 AD, and feature some exquisite paintings and rock carvings. 

Another remarkable cave complex is at Ellora, about 30km from Aurangabad. Buddhists, Jains and Hindus all left their mark here over the centuries by carving gorgeous temples and monasteries into the hillside. The highlight of the 34 caves is the Kaliasa Temple, which covers twice the area of the Parthenon in Athens, and required 200,000 tonnes of rock to be cut out of the mountainside!