The places we know by heart

India's classic first journey — Mughal tombs, the Taj Mahal at first light and the pink palaces of Jaipur, linked by easy expressway drives.

Hilltop forts, lake palaces, painted havelis and the golden Thar Desert. The most romantic road trip in India.

Colonial Shimla, apple valleys of Kullu and Manali, and the Tibetan quarter of McLeod Ganj under snow peaks.

Yoga on the Ganga in Rishikesh, aarti in Haridwar, lake towns, tiger country at Corbett and the Char Dham shrines.

Houseboats on Dal Lake, alpine meadows of Gulmarg and Pahalgam, and the lunar monastery landscapes of Ladakh.

The Golden Temple at dawn, the great community kitchen, and the drama of the Wagah border ceremony.

Ganga aarti on the ghats of Varanasi, Krishna's Mathura and Vrindavan, and the carved temples of Khajuraho.