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Guide to Popular India Tours

Discover India on These Popular India Tours

By , About.com Guide

India can be a challenging country to travel around independently, so many people prefer to take a tour. To help you plan your sightseeing, this guide to popular India tours brings together some of the various tours that are on offer across the country.

Delhi Tours

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If you want to see Delhi on a tour, here are five different options from $21.50, all bookable over the Internet with Viator. Tours include small group tours and private tours, and range from tours through Old Delhi to culural nights in Indian family homes. Lowest prices are guaranteed, tickets are provided on line, and reviews are also provided on the tour website. It's a really hassle free way to book a Delhi tour.

Delhi to Agra Day Tour

Sharell Cook

Another hugely popular private Viator tour, which has been given a five star rating by customers, this tour is perfect for those who don't want to take the train to Agra. You'll be chauffeur driven in an air conditioned car from your hotel in Delhi to Agra, see the Taj Mahal and Red Fort, and return the same day. Cost is from $118. Entrance fees and local guide are included in the price.

Four Day Golden Triangle Tour

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This private Viator tour will take you on a journey through India's most popular tourist circuit, The Golden Triangle. Comprising Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, it gets its name from the triangle that these cities form. Attractions include the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Sikandra, Fatehpur Sikri, Amber Fort, Jaipur City Palace, and Hawa Mahal. Cost is from $589. Entrance fees, local guide, and accommodation in a three star hotel are included in the price.

Mumbai Tours

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Multi-faceted Mumbai is a city that requires you to dig below its surface in order to properly appreciate it. Unfortunately, many visitors leave Mumbai without touching the city's soul. These fascinating Mumbai tours offer unique opportunities to really get to know the city. See everything from the heart of Mumbai's largest slum to the insides of Bollywood.

Walking Tours

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One of the best ways of exploring India is wandering through the streets on foot. It will give you a unique insight into daily life. This five page guide to walking tours in India will provide you with some ideas of where to go and what to see. There are tours in cities all over the country!

Tribal Tours

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India, along with Africa, has the largest tribal population in the world. The lives of the tribes in India are closely tied to nature, and they inhabit some of the most pristine and picturesque environments in the country. Largely unaffected by the modern world, they're very simple and often curious people, who have retained their rituals and customs. Here are five of the best places to tour tribal India, and get an unforgettable insight into their existence.

Luxury Tourist Trains

Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation
Exploring India on a luxury train has become extremely popular. It's an excellent way to see the country without having to compromise on comfort. These luxury tourist trains, which offer every indulgence imaginable right down to customized cutlery, inject glamor and romance into seeing some of India's best tourist attractions. All meals, tours, and entrance fees to monuments and cultural sites are included in the price. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the regal experience. Travel at night and explore new destinations during the day!

Bharat Darshan Tourist Train

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If costly tours aren't for you, the Bharat Darshan train is a great budget alternative. Operated by Indian Railways, it takes passengers on all inclusive tours to some of the most popular destinations in India. It provides an affordable option for people to see the country, as costs are kept as low as possible. Travel is in un airconditioned sleeper class carriages. Tours are conducted by students from reputed tourism and hotel industry colleges.

Buddhist Tourist Train

Mona Lisa
The Mahaparinirvan Express is a special tourist train that takes passengers on a spiritual tour through Buddhist India, where Buddhism originated more than 2,500 years ago. The train gets its name from the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, which contains the Buddha's final explanation of his teachings. Its sacred journey includes visits to the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites of Lumbini (where the Buddha was born), Bodhgaya (where he became enlightened), Varanasi (where he first preached), and Kusinagar (where he passed away and achieved nirvana).

Winery Tours

Sharell Cook

Wine tourism is the new buzzword in Nasik, around four hours from Mumbai. There now almost 50 wineries in and around Nasik, and excitingly for wine lovers, many Nasik vineyards now have tasting rooms that are open to the public. The vineyards fan out in all directions from Nasik though, so you'll need a car to reach them. Either that, or take a wine tour. Black Grape Holidays and Unity Wine Tours both run reputable tours to Nashik vineyards from Mumbai.

High Altitude Spiti Tours

Sharell Cook

Trekking, yak safaris, excusions to villages and monasteries, moutain biking,  and white water rafting are just some of the adventures possible in high altitude Spiti. All these activities can be arranged by Ecosphere Spiti, a highly recommended and award winning organization, based in Kaza. Ecosphere has a committed focus on conservation, responsible tourism, and sustainable development.

Camel Safaris

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One of the most unforgettable and enchanting experiences you can have in India is to ride through the rippling, windswept desert on camel back and camp out under the stars. Taking a camel safari will also give you the opportunity to witness the rustic, rural desert life of India.

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