Best North Indian Tourist Attractions: Kashmir, Uttarakhand and The Ganges

Kashmir is considered as one of the most beautiful areas of the world. It is a city of mountains, valleys, lakes and rivers, is currently the scene of a political dispute. The area, which borders Pakistan, requires special permission to be visited but whenever that may be, it is worth the visit.

Srinagar is the capital of Kashmir, built in a mythical landscape in a lush valley in the mountains of the northwest. It was created by the Mughal emperors and later became a favorite summer resort of the British colonists. This is the city of medieval times of India is very carefully embedded by green mountains and lakes with lush gardens, lively bazaars, and bridges. This is the place where around 400 years ago, the Mughal emperors created the beautiful Mughal gardens and the Dal Lake surrounded by terraced gardens. Below is the Nagin Lake, where water sports such as skiing, swimming, and sailing can be done. In lakes of Srinagar, a person can rent a houseboat for a few days for longer stays. There you will find in canoes floating markets, where you can acquire things from fruits and flowers, food, carpets, clothes, jewelry and crafts, as in any bazaar or market.

Uttarranchal's capital is Dehradun, covers the mountainous part of the former state of Uttar Pradesh. Mountains contain numerous pilgrimage sites along the river Ganges, amidst fantastic landscapes.

Gangotri, the birthplace of the Ganges, is at high altitude near an impressive glacier. Following the river, where it empties into the plains, is Rishikesh and Hardwar, important places of Hindu pilgrimage. Hardwar is one of four cities where the Kumbha Mela is celebrated, the biggest religious festival of India.

The state of Uttar Pradesh stretches along the plain to the south from the foothills of the Himalayas, covering half the valley of the Ganges. The first site that is often mentioned and is essential to visit is the mausoleum of India "Great Taj Mahal". It is located in the city of Agra, south of Delhi, and was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the seventeenth century and is an impressive piece of architecture in white marble. It is a monument to love which the emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum built for his deceased wife Mumtaz Mahal. But the Taj Mahal is not the only monument in Agra. Also there is the Moti Masjid, the mosque of the world's largest marble, the tomb of white marble ud-Daulah Itim and the mausoleum of Emperor Akbar at Sikandra, on several floors and with four slender minarets. At one hour by road from Agra lies the deserted sandstone city Fatehpur Sikri, the ancient capital of the Mughal. It retains a very strong complex, palaces and mosques.

Also within an hour by road, is the Hindu holy city of Mathura, the birthplace of Sri Krishna. The city was a renowned cultural center filled with historic and religious sites dating back to 1500 years Before Christ. To the east is Lucknow, a city of palaces and gardens and cultural center of Urdu which over centuries old. Allahabad is situated at the confluence of the sacred rivers Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical river Sarasvati. Thousands of pilgrims congregate in this place once a year to make their ablutions in the sacred Ganges, and every 12 years, millions of people visit this place during the festival of the Kumbh Mela, constituting the largest concentration of people on the planet.

Following the course of the Ganges, you come to Varanasi, which is one of the most sacred cities of Hindus. It is an eternally bustling city visited by thousands of pilgrims, is located on the west bank of the river Ghats where pilgrims come to do their ablutions and where you can watch the daily lives of its inhabitants. There, walking calmly and with time, away from the bustling center of town, we can perceive scenes and feelings that will bring to life the traditional sense of India and Hinduism.

On the outskirts of Varanasi is Sarnath, where Buddha gave his first sermon, 2500 years ago, and where there is a complex of modern and ancient Buddhist temples and other religions. This is the birthplace of Buddhism, from where it spread to India and then to other Asian countries. If you like the nature and wildlife, please surely visit the mountains in the Corbett National Park. Here you can see tigers and leopards, elephants and herds of deer, and all types of colorful exotic birds.

The mountain offers a different outlook in India. It is away from the heat and dryness of the plains as well as a place for variety of activities and sports. The hill stations in India include Shimla, Manali, Gangtok, Dharamshala, Darjeeling, Dehradun, Kasauli, Auli, Kashmir, Khandala, Mahabaleshwar, Nainital, Dehradun, Darjeeling, Ooty, Munnar, Kodaikanal which offer accommodations ranging from hostels to hotels and cabins. In some places, there are facilities for skiing and skating rinks. Others offer the tranquility of the lakes. There is also a wide choice for trekking, horse-riding, boat or all-terrain vehicle.

Exclusively Lovable Tourist Attractions to visit in Southern India