India Travel

City and regional tours in Delhi

Related Properties from Gurgaon

Tour operators in Australia and New Zealand

Abercrombie and Kent go Bridport St, Albert Park. Victoria 03/9699 9766. Specialist in individual mid- to upmarket holidays, away from the main tourist trails. Adventure World 73 Walker St, Sydney 02/9956 7766, toll-free 1800/221 931, plus branches in Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth; 101 Great South Rd, Remuera, Auckland 09/524 5118. Tailor-made air and accommodation packages, rail passes and regional tours. NZ agents for Peregrine Classic Oriental Tours, 4th Floor. 491 Kent St,Sydney 02/9266. Wide choice of tours ranging from three-day city breaks to22-day itineraries, with some adventure options. Peregrine Adventures 258 Lonsdale St. Melbourne 03/9663 8611; offices in Brisbane, Sydney. Adelaide and

City transport and guided tours to the Lucknow in Central UP

Multi-seater tempos and Vikrams, their diesel engines sounding like hundreds of loud rattles, have more or less taken over from city buses, plying regular routes such as from Charbagh to the GPO, with depots at Janpath Market, Clarks Avadh Crossing and the Chowk. Adding to the chaos are legions of reasonably priced cycle rickshaws, more common than auto-rickshaws and charging around Rs5 from the station to Hazratganj. Cars can be rented from various operators, including Hotel Clarks Avadh, UP Tours at the Hotel Gomti, 6 Sapru Marg, and Aliza Tours Ltd, 4-A Saran Chambers, 5 Park Rd. Comprehensive daily city tours,

Andhra Pradesh Guided tours

India Touring operates a number of guided tours. All times quoted below are when the tours set off from the Secunderabad office; pick-up time in Hyderabad is 45 min later. The better of the two city tours (daily 8am-5.15pm; Rs130) includes Husain Sagar, the Birla temple and planetarium, Qutb Shahi tombs (not Fri), Salar Jung Museum (not Fri), Charminar and Golconda. There are also shorter morning and afternoon city tours and one to Golconda Fort's sound and light show (daily 4.15-9.15pm); Rs 100 including entrance fee), which also drives past Hi-Tech City. Ramoji Film City, 35km south, also has its own

Practicalities of Dehra Dun in Uttaranchal

The railway station is on Gandhi Road, just south of the City Bus Stand and the post office, which is next to the Clock Tower in the centre of town. The State Bank of India, Convent Road (Mon-Fri 10am—2pm, Sat 10am-noon) changes travellers' cheques, as do several of the state banks that line Rajpur Road. Dehra Dun is the best place in the state for internet access as the region's only server is here; there's a cybercafe in the mall at 17 Rajpur Rd (daily 7.30am-11pm; Rs50/hr). The helpful Regional Tourist Office, at the GMVN Hotel Drona, 4 Gandhi Rd (Mon-Sat

Information in Delhi

There are reasonably helpful tourist offices at the inCernational and domestic air por Cs, railway stations and bus tetminals, and the Government of India tourist office at 88 Janpath, just south of Connaught Place (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-4.30pm), is a good place to pick up information on Delhi's sites, city tours, shopping, cultural events and accommodation. They also provide free maps of che city; you'll find the same ones sold in the streets at negotiable prices.The information counter at the less busy DTTDC (Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation) office, Bombay Life Building, Middle Circle (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-lpm; )

Flights from regional airports and Ireland

No direct flights to India are available from regional British airports. From Manchester your best bet is to fly with Emirates or Gulf Air to Delhi or Mumbai via Dubai for £420-550, depending on season. You can also pick up KLM flights to India by flying first to Amsterdam; either fly KLM from Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff or Manchester (for the same price as from London), or KLM UK from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Humberside, Leeds/Bradford, Norwich, or Newcastle. Similarly, Air France flies to Paris from Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh and Glasgow; in general, both KLM and Air France beat BA by

Old Delhi and north of Connaught Place in Delhi

If you find Paharganj too much of a travellers' hang-out, or Connaught Place too impersonal, head for Old Delhi, where foreign tourists seldom stay. Here you'll find yourself swamped by the noise and smells of the least modernized area of the capital. Prices are low and standards not very high, but the hotels are well sited for visits to the Red Fort and Jami Masjid, and you can guarantee constant activity on the crowded streets, excellent food at long-established restaurants and superb sweets from roadside stalls. If the noise of Chandni Chowk proves too much, you could opt for a

Arrival and information in Delhi

Delhi is India's main point of arrival for overseas visitors, and has two airports, one domestic and one international. State buses from all over the country pull into the Inter-state Bus Terminal in Old Delhi, while private buses stop in the more central location close to New Delhi railway station. Trains arrive at the railheads in Old or New Delhi, both well connected to Connaught Place, the commercial centre of the city, by rickshaw and taxi. For a summary of the kinds of accommodation available in different areas of the city, which may well determine where you head first, see p.

Information, websites and maps

The Indian government maintains a number of tourist offices abroad, where you can pick up a range of pamphlets. Their main purpose is to advertise rather than inform, but they can be extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Other sources of information include travel agents (who are in business for themselves, so their advice may not always be totally unbiased), and the Indian Railways representatives listed. Inside India, both national and local governments run tourist information offices, providing general travel advice and handing out an array of printed material, from city maps to glossy leaflets on specific destinations. The Indian government's tourist department,

City transport of Udaipur in Rajasthan

Rickshaws and taxis are the usual means of transport. Rickshaw prices are relatively high and it's worth renting a bicycle; try Heera Cycle Store, at 86 Gangaur Ghat Rd. whose rates are the lowest at Rs25 per day.The same firm also has a fleet of well-maintained Scooty 50cc mopeds (Rs200/day) and a couple of 150cc Vespa-style motorcycles (Rs250/day) - ideal for trips outside the city. RTDC, based at the tourist office, offers car rental and tours around the city (daily 8am-lpm; Rs74), and to Haldighati, Nathdwara and Eklingji (daily 2-7pm; RslO5). In addition, some of Udaipur's travel agencies - mostly located

Information about Calcutta

The efficient and friendly Government of India Tourist Office, Shakespeare Sarani (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-lpm, is your best bet for information on Calcutta,'West Bengal and destinations further afield, and can assist with itineraries and booking tours.The Government ofWest Bengal Tourist Bureau. 3/2 BBD Bagh East, arranges tours of Calcutta and package trips around West Bengal. They also issue permits and book tours and accommodation at the Sunderbans and Jaldapara wildlife parks. Tourist information counters at the airport and Howrah Station offer the same services. English-language newspapers such as the

Information on Calcutta

The efficient and friendly Government of India Tourist Office, 4 Shakespeare Sarani (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-1 pm;) is your best bet for information on Calcutta, 'West Bengal and destinations further a field, and can assist with itineraries and booking tours. The Government of West Bengal Tourist Bureau, 3/2 BBD Bagh East (©033/248 8271), arranges tours of Calcutta and package trips around West Bengal. They also issue permits and book tours and accommodation at the Sunderbans and Jaldapara wildlife parks. Tourist information counters at the airport and Howrah Station offer the same

The City in South Delhi

Delhi is both daunting and alluring, a sprawling metropolis with a stunning backdrop of ancient architecture. Once you've found your feet and got over the initial impact of the commotion, noise, pollution and sheer scale of the place, the city's geography slowly slips into focus. Monuments in sandstone and marble, which stand in assorted states of repair, make Delhi a veritable museum of Indo-Islamic architecture, seen at its best in the frenetic streets of Old Delhi and the venerable sites of South Delhi. Delhi today, however, as experienced by its many thousands of visitors, centres very much around the imperial

Arrival and information in Maharashtra

Daily Bights from Delhi and Mumbai arrive at Aurangabad's airport, Chikal Thana, 8km east of the city. Metered taxis are on hand for the trip into town (around Rsl50 to Station Road East or West), and courtesy minibuses whisk away guests booked into the nearby five-star hotels. The mainline railway station stands on the southwest edge of the city centre, within easy reach of most hotels, and a 2.5-kilometre ride south down Station Road (West) from the bus stand - the hectic arrival point for all buses. A counter at the airport (open at flight arrival times) provides arrival information, while

Getting to and from Corbett National Park at Uttaranchal

Ramnagar is served by frequent buses to and from Nainital and Ranikhet, 112km north. Buses arrive every halt-hour or so after the eight-hour trip from Delhi; Delhi Transport Corporation run a semi-deluxe service (Rs90), and most of the alternatives are pretty basic. The only direct train to Delhi leaves it 8pm and arrives at 6.30am, with interminable stops along the way. For faster trams and connections to other parts change at Moradabad. The nearest airport, at Pantnagar, 80km southeast, is rarely used. The closest of the various gates into the park, lkm from central Kamnagar, is Amdanda on the road to

Packages and organized tours

A large number of operators run package holidays to India, covering such activities as trekking and safaris as well as sightseeing and sunbathing. Specialist minority-interest tours range from steam locomotives and war history to religion and food. Even if you book a general sightseeing tour, most firms have a good range of options, usually including the "Golden Triangle" of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur; a tour of Rajasthan; or a southern tour taking in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kochi. Some also offer wildlife tours; the Palace on Wheels train journey; take in Nepal or Bhutan; or have various combinations of all

Sawai Madhopur and Ranthambore National Park Practicalities East of Jaipur in Rajasthan

Sawai Madhopur is served by trains on the main Mumbai-Delhi line, and is thus easily accessible from Bharatpur, Agra, Jaipur and Delhi, as well as destinations further south, such as Kota. The train tracks divide the main residential side of town to the north from the industrial zone, known as Sawai Madhopur City, to the south (where you arrive when travelling from Shivpuri). The station is midway between the two, close to the bus stand and bustling Bazriya market area, near the cheapest lodges. About 100m southwest along the train lines (toward1; Mumbai and Jaipur) is a flyover carrying the

Arrival, information and city transport of Udaipur in Rajasthan

Daily flights connect Dabok Airport, 25km east of Udaipur, with Mumbai, Delhi, Aurangabad and Jaipur. Taxis run to the city itself for around Rs200. Trains from Delhi and Ahmedabad pull in at Udaipur City Station a little to the south of the town centre (don't get off at Udaipur Station, much further north).The bus stand is a few hundred metres north of here, directly opposite Udai Pole, the easternmost gate of the old city. The easiest way to get into town from either is to jump in a rickshaw or conga. The town's grand but largely ineffectual tourist office (Mon—Sat )

Information of Chennai in Tamil Nadu

At the highly efficient and very helpful Government of India Regional Tourist Office (GOIRTO) at 154 Anna Sala, (Mon-Fri 9.15am-5.45pm, Sat 9pm-1pm) you can pick up maps and leaflets, and arrange accommodation. They also supply the names of reliable tour agents for car rental, and keep a list of approved guides you can arrange for a private tour of the city, either for a full day ((350-750), or half-day (Rs250-500). The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC), 4 EVR Periyar Rd (Mon-Fri 10am-5pm), outside Park Station, a ten-minute walk northeast of Anna Salai, can only book accommodation in dieir own hotels

Some history of Ujjain in Western Madhya Pradesh

Excavations north of Ujjain have yielded traces of settlement as far back as the eighth century BC. The ancient city was a major regional capital under the[vlaurvans (Ashok was governor here for a time during the reign of his father), when it was known as Avantika and lay on the main trade route that linked northern India with Mesopotamia and Egypt. According to Hindu mythology, Shiva later changed its name to Ujjaiyini, "He Who Conquers With Pride". to mark his victory over the demon king of Tripuri. Chandra Gupta II, renowned for his patronage of the arts, also ruled from