TAJ to RAJ

From desert-dry north to tropical south, the Indian subcontinent delivers a deeply immersive, perspective altering experience, writes Andrew Conway.

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Where do I begin? The obvious place is Agra's iconic Taj Mahal, bathed in the pale pink light of dawn, followed by the breathtaking beauty of Udaipur's Lake Pichola in the heat of the day and the desert dunes, Rajput fortresses and vibrant colours of Rajasthan at sunset.

I could, of course, wax lyrical about Mumbai's vast metropolis; Delhi's stately monuments; Varanasi's burning ghats on the sacred River Ganges; the languid beaches of Goa; Kerala's whimsical houseboats or the ancient holy temples of Tamil Nadu.

And how could I forget searching for elusive, but majestic, Bengal tigers in Ranthambore or Panna National Park, riding camels at the annual Pushkar Fair or being blessed by a pandit (Hindu priest) in the historic 'Pink City' of Jaipur - all of which barely scratches the surface of India's monumental cultural landscape.

North, south, east or west, the Indian subcontinent delivers authentic, deeply immersive and perspective-altering experiences, best seen on a Tailor-Made or Small Group Journey with A&K's expert guides to lead the way.

This extraordinary destination is a complex, unrestrained and wildly engaging land of contrasts with no halfmeasures and a propensity to get under your skin, just like it has with mine.