India Highlight

Famous Tourist Attractions in India

Explore the 100 best tourist attractions in India that every traveler must visit. This list covers a wide range of attractions including hill stations, temples, monuments, and much more — so there's something for every kind of traveler.

  • Achalgarh Fort
    Fort in Mount Abu
    At roughly 5,650 feet above sea level, Achalgarh Fort commands the highest reaches of Mount Abu, Rajasthan's only hill station. Most travelers come here for the Dilwara Temples or the sunset point, then drive back down without ever climbing to the fort that predates nearly everything else on this mountain. Their loss. What remains of Achalgarh is fragmentary — walls interrupted by sky, gateways that open onto nothing but wind — yet these ruins tell a more honest story than any polished restor...
  • Adhai Din Ka Jhopra
    Mosque in Ajmer
    Two and a half days. That's what the name claims — Adhai Din Ka Jhopra, the "shed of two and a half days" — supposedly the time it took to build this twelfth-century mosque on the western edge of Ajmer. The story is almost certainly a myth, or perhaps a nod to a fair once held here. What stands today is something far stranger and more compelling: a Sanskrit college torn apart by conquering armies in 1192, hastily reassembled as a mosque, and left to weather eight centuries of dust, rain, and...
  • Adil Shah Palace Gateway
    Tourist Spot in Old Goa
    Most gateways lead somewhere. The Adil Shah Palace Gateway in Old Goa leads to an absence — a grand Sultanate palace that no longer exists, dismantled and repurposed centuries ago by Portuguese colonizers who found the structure more useful as building material than as a monument. What remains is the gateway itself, a solitary arch of laterite stone standing in the tropical heat, framing nothing but sky and the ghosts of a Muslim dynasty that once controlled this sliver of the Konkan coast. I...
  • Aerial Ropeway
    Aerial Ropeway in Nainital
    The cable car lurches forward, and within seconds the ground drops away. Below you, Naini Lake shrinks into a crescent of green glass pressed between ridges of oak and pine. The town itself — all stacked rooftops and narrow lanes — looks improbable from up here, a hill station clinging to the mountainside as though it might slide into the water at any moment. This is the Nainital Aerial Ropeway, and it does something no lakeside stroll or hilltop drive can replicate: it lifts you clean out of...
  • Agrasen ki Baoli
    Monument in Central Delhi
    Hidden within the modern metropolis of New Delhi, India, you can find an ancient structure called Agrasen ki Baoli. Dating back roughly to the 10th century, this landmark's name translates to King Agrasen's water reservoir. With its ornate architecture and fascinating history, visiting Agrasen ki Baoli on your next vacation should be a priority. Exploring the Site's Historical Significance Truthfully, the landmark's origins are still being unveiled today through modern archaeolo...
  • Ajmer Government Museum
    Museum in Ajmer
    The Ajmer Government Museum occupies Akbar's Palace, a sixteenth-century fortress where the Mughal emperor once held court during his Rajasthan campaigns. That alone makes it unusual. Most museums occupy buildings designed to hold collections; this one occupies a building that is itself part of the collection. The thick sandstone walls, the wide central courtyard, the heavy arched gateways — they carry as much weight as anything displayed inside them. You'll find it in the heart of old...
  • Ajmer Sharif Dargah
    Pilgrimage Site in Ajmer
    The scent hits you first — rose petals crushed underfoot, sandalwood smoke curling from brass burners, and the unmistakable sweetness of itr oil sold by vendors who've worked these lanes for generations. Then comes the sound: qawwali singers pushing their voices toward something unreachable, the rhythmic clap of hands, a tabla holding it all together. Ajmer Sharif Dargah doesn't reveal itself slowly. It engulfs you. This is the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, the 12th-century...
  • Alappuzha Beach
    Beach in Alappuzha
    The first thing that hits you isn't the sight of the sea — it's the wind. A warm, salt-laced breeze rolls off the Arabian Sea and tangles through the coconut palms before it reaches your skin, carrying with it the faint scent of dried coir and roasting banana chips from a nearby stall. Welcome to Alappuzha Beach, the golden-sand heart of a town the world has nicknamed the "Venice of the East." But this stretch of Kerala coastline is no mere postcard. A 160-year-old pier juts into the waves, a...
  • Alappuzha Lighthouse
    Tourist Spot in Alappuzha
    The wind hits you first — warm, salt-laced, carrying the faint rhythm of waves crashing somewhere below. Then you look up, and there it is: the Alappuzha Lighthouse, its bold red and white stripes cutting against a sky so blue it almost hurts. Standing sentinel along the golden shoreline of Alappuzha Beach, this 19th-century beacon has guided ships through the Arabian Sea for generations — and today, it pulls travelers upward through 140 spiraling steps toward one of Kerala's most breathtakin...
  • Amarnath Cave Temple
    Temple in Sonamarg
    At roughly 12,756 feet above sea level, inside a limestone cave in the western Himalayas, a stalagmite of ice forms each summer. It grows from the cave floor, fed by water dripping through the rock above, and reaches heights of up to six feet before slowly receding. Hindus worship this ice formation as a natural Shiva Lingam — a manifestation of Lord Shiva himself. No sculptor shaped it. No priest ordained it. The mountain simply produces it, year after year, and millions consider it among th...
  • Ambalapuzha Sree Krishna Swamy Temple
    Temple in Alappuzha
    The first thing you notice isn't the temple itself — it's the aroma. Sweet, milky, impossibly rich, the scent of slow-cooked Palpayasam drifts through the morning air like a whispered invitation. Follow it past the ancient compound walls, through the eastern gopuram, and into one of Kerala's most beloved sacred spaces: the Ambalapuzha Sree Krishna Swamy Temple. Nestled in the Alappuzha district, this temple dedicated to Lord Krishna has drawn devoted pilgrims and wide-eyed travelers for...
  • Anamudi
    Mountain in Munnar
    At 2,695 metres, Anamudi Peak doesn't just dominate the Western Ghats — it dominates the entire landmass south of the Himalayas. Let that register. Every ridge and summit across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka stands shorter than this single point in the Eravikulam National Park outside Munnar. And yet, unlike so many famous peaks, Anamudi doesn't announce itself with jagged drama or snow-dusted grandeur. It's a rounded, grassy dome — elephantine in shape, which is fitting, since its name t...
  • Anasagar Lake
    Lake in Ajmer
    Anasagar Lake doesn't announce itself. You arrive expecting another municipal water body and instead find an artificial lake built in the 12th century by Anaji Tomar — grandfather of the warrior-king Prithviraj Chauhan — that still anchors the city of Ajmer eight hundred years later. The water shifts colour through the day: pewter at dawn, hammered silver by noon, then a strange dusty rose when the sun drops behind the Aravalli foothills. Pedal boats bob near the eastern bank. Pigeons rise in...
  • Anguri Bagh
    Garden in Agra
    Most visitors to Agra Fort rush past the Anguri Bagh with barely a downward glance, eyes fixed on the marble pavilions and imperial chambers that line its edges. That's a mistake. This geometric garden — its name translates to "Grape Garden" — is one of the most deliberately designed outdoor spaces in Mughal India, a living grid of stone pathways and sunken flowerbeds that once held grapevines imported at enormous expense. The grapes are long gone. The geometry remains, sharp as the day it wa...
  • Anjani Mahadev Temple
    Temple in Manali
    Hidden within the rolling hills of Solang Valley, Himachal Pradesh, the Anjani Mahadev Temple stands as a humble symbol of Hinduism. Because it's open year-round, this landmark is popular for religious followers and curious travelers. To get the most out of your visit, learn more about the spiritual and natural highlights at the Anjani Mahadev Temple today. Visiting During the Spring and Summer With daytime temperatures between 10 and 25 degrees Celsius, visiting the Anjani Maha...
  • Arjun Gufa
    Ancient Cave in Manali
    Less than an hour away from Manali is Arjun Gufa or Arjuna's Cave. This rocky outcrop resides on the left side of the Beas River, which makes it a moderate challenge to hike for passionate trekkers. If you're interested in exploring this ancient cave, discover the state of Himachal Pradesh on your next vacation. Understanding the Cultural Significance The cave is named after Arjun, who was a warrior found in an ancient Sanskrit text called Mahabharata. Legends tell a story of ho...
  • Aru Valley
    Valley in Pahalgam
    Eleven kilometers from Pahalgam, where the tourist buses thin out and the road narrows to something barely wider than a suggestion, Aru Valley opens up like a secret someone forgot to keep. At roughly 2,400 meters above sea level, the air carries a sharpness that wakes you in a way coffee never could. Pine and birch forests frame meadows so green they look digitally enhanced, though nothing here has been touched by anything more sophisticated than snowmelt and sheep hooves. This is Kashmir's...
  • Ashapuri Mata Temple
    Temple in Kangra
    The scent of incense curls through the mountain air, mingling with the distant echo of temple bells and the rustle of deodar pines. Somewhere above, the snow-draped Dhauladhar peaks catch the morning light. Below, nestled in the folds of Himachal Pradesh's Kangra Valley, the Ashapuri Mata Temple has been quietly answering prayers for centuries. Its very name — "the one who fulfills desires" — carries the weight of countless whispered hopes. Whether you arrive as a pilgrim or a curious wandere...
  • Ashtamudi Lake
    Lake in Kollam
    The backwaters of Kerala get all the postcards, but Ashtamudi is the one that actually rewards your time. Eight arms of brackish water fan out from a central basin — "Ashtamudi" means "eight-braided" in Malayalam — reaching into coconut groves, fishing villages, and the edges of Kollam town. It's the second-largest wetland ecosystem in Kerala, and unlike its more famous cousin in Alappuzha, it hasn't been turned into a houseboat traffic jam. You'll see working fishermen casting Chinese nets a...
  • Attukad Waterfalls
    Waterfall in Munnar
    Between the fifth and sixth hairpin bends on the road from Munnar to Pallivasal, the tea plantations simply stop. The road pinches tight, the hillside splits open, and a column of white water hammers down through a rocky gorge with enough force to vibrate in your sternum before your eyes even find it. This is Attukad Waterfalls. It doesn't ease you in. During monsoon, the cascade swells into something almost hostile — a churning, single-minded torrent that throws mist clear across the tarmac...
  • Bagh E Bahu
    Tourist Spot in Jammu
    Overlooking the city of Jammu is a symmetrically designed garden called Bagh-e-Bahu. Initially, visitors might notice it's different than other gardens around the world. As a Mughal garden, Bagh-e-Bahu reflects its historical significance and beauty with intricately designed walkways, water features and more. For a relaxing time along the Tawi River, visit Bagh-e-Bahu on your next trip to Northern India. Discovering the Classic Mughal-Style Garden Dating back to the 17th and 18t...
  • Baglamukhi Mata Temple
    Temple in Kangra
    The first thing that hits you isn't the sight of the temple — it's the scent. Turmeric, marigolds, and burning incense swirl together in the mountain air as you approach the Baglamukhi Mata Temple in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. Dedicated to Goddess Baglamukhi — one of the ten powerful Mahavidyas in Hindu tradition — this striking yellow-drenched shrine pulses with an energy that's hard to find at the region's bigger, busier pilgrimage sites. Here, ancient tantric rituals aren't behind glass or...
  • Bahu Fort
    Fort in Jammu
    With a history dating back 3,000 years, the Bahu Fort is a testament to the founder's respect for this region. Remarkably, the city of Jammu and the Bahu Fort are forever linked in time because they were constructed almost simultaneously. During your Northern India vacation, stroll through the Bahu Fort as you immerse yourself in the local legends and history. Learning About the Legend Long ago, Raja Jambu Lochan visited this area on a hunting journey. Along the Tawi River, this...
  • Baijnath Temple
    Temple in Kangra
    Built in the early 1200s, the Baijnath Temple stands tall today as a place of meditation and worship. Remarkably, this landmark is known as a rare location for worshiping the Demon King Ravan and Lord Shiva. On your next trip to Himachal Pradesh, India, discover the Baijnath Temple and its fascinating background. Learning About the Temple's Legend According to ancient tales, this temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. In Sanskrit, this term translates to radiant sig...
  • Baisaran Hills
    Tourist Spot in Pahalgam
    About five kilometers from Pahalgam's cluttered main bazaar, the pine forest thins and the ground opens into a wide alpine meadow that looks improbably green against the dark surrounding ridgeline. This is Baisaran, sometimes called Mini Switzerland by Indian travel brochures — a comparison that does it no favors and misses the point entirely. Baisaran doesn't need to be Switzerland. It's a high Kashmiri meadow at roughly 2,500 metres, where the grass grows thick between deodar cedars and the...
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100 Famous Tourist Attractions in India | Things to Do & See