Must-see attractions of North India
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If you want to see everything there is to see in North India, you'll need to plan several trips. Firstly, because the area covered is immense, stretching north of a line from Mumbai to Bhubaneswar. Secondly, because there are so many sites that it is impossible to see everything on a single tour. Remember that forty-three Indian sites are listed as Unesco World Heritage Sites (in 2024); more than half of them are in North India. That just goes to show the wealth of monuments to be found in the northern part of the sub-continent.
A rich culture and history
What is called the "Golden Triangle" is formed by the cities of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. It is the best-known of the North Indian circuits, because it is easy to get to and offers an incredible number of remarkable sites. It features on almost every trip undertaken by first-time visitors to India.
Next on the list is the state of Rajasthan, India's most popular tourist destination. A change of scenery guaranteed for the Western traveller. Former royal cities and stopovers on the caravan route, the cities of Rajasthan offer an incredible number of palaces, forts, temples, wells, merchants' ancient houses, etc..... Right down to the traveller's accommodation, which can be arranged in places steeped in history.
For the traveller looking for the unusual or for sites less favoured by tourists, without going off the beaten track, Northern India offers numerous destinations where equally interesting and surprising attractions can be added to any tour.
As well as the iconic Taj Mahal, there are other major tourist centres steeped in history. Among the best-known are the Ajanta and Ellora caves (Maharashtra state), the Sun Temple at Konark (Odisha), the Brahmaputra valley (Assam), the erotic statues of Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh), and many other wonders of more or lesser renown.
Apart from the historic side of things, there are other places of interest to visit. These include Indian wildlife. Many states have one or more national parks.
Some may also be interested in religious life. Northern India offers many sites where the Western traveller can experience the fervour of Hinduism. Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), Pushkar (Rajasthan), Maheshwar and Omkareshwar (Madhya Pradesh), Haridwar and Rishikesh (Uttarakhand) and Amritsar for the Sikhs (Punjab) are among the country's best-known religious centres.
Must-see attractions are legion
Depending on the traveller, stopovers combining attractions as diverse as culture, nature, architecture, history, gastronomy, forts and palaces, snow-capped peaks and sacred rivers, temples, national parks and nature reserves, tea plantations and much more can be added to any tour. Whatever destination you choose, there will always be a must-see.
The list below is by no means exhaustive, but we'd like to give you an idea of the main tourist sites in North India, those that are a 'must' and must be on your itinerary. The most difficult part of the exercise will be deciding which region to visit, since, once again, a single trip cannot contain all these treasures.
