For a lot of travelers in India, New Delhi is the capital of everything that they need to get away from as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, the town has some wonderful secrets that I would like to share with you.

New Delhi's hidden corners

In the local dialect, "Apani Dhani" means "Our Hamlet", an affectionate name given to the place by Ramesh C. Jangid, founder of the ecolodge and a pioneer of a form of militant tourism in India, especially in Rajasthan and his own native region of Nawalgarh.  

Get off the beaten track in India with a stay at Apani Dhani Ecolodge

Udaipur is a pearl in the heart of Rajasthan. Its numerous palaces, many of which are now hotels, help give the town a unique feel. 

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Udaipur

A mountain town that will appeal to hikers and visitors interested in Buddhism.

Standing in front of this breathtakingly beautiful town, which sits on a bank, in a peaceful part of a country that tends to be noisy, you won't be able to stop yourself from falling under Srinagar's charm !

Srinagar

A beautiful monastery perched up high, the oldest in Ladakh. 

Lāmayūrū

Chennai

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The capital of Tamil Nadu is not seductive; you have to look past its terrible traffic, its endless noise, and the crowd that never stops, without forgetting its year-long overwhelming heat,to be able to appreciate it. However, there is a lot to do in Chennai, one of the Indian cities that is home to the most Western expats with outsourced companies. Its urban waterfront, Marina Beach, claims to be the second longest in the world. It takes a little more than 15 minutes to reach the sea, where Indians bathe fully dressed. I love to go there in the evenings, when the temperature drops, when it's a gathering place for friends and families. People picnic there in happiness and good spirits, and you can get food, sweets, and trinkets from street vendors. You'll also find Chennai's most interesting monuments along the waterfront, notably the Memorial of War and the MGR Memorial, dedicated to Marudhur Gopalan Ramachandran, a famous Chennai actor. Moreover, if Bollywood is the most famous for Indian cinema, it knows Chennai is its direct competitor with Collywood, the Indian action film studio.

A lively city with discreet charms.

India's fourth biggest city, Chennai, is the industrial and economic powerhouse of southern India. The first time I came to Chennai, the city seemed ugly, dirty, and noisy to me. I didn't find any of the charm or captivating atmosphere that I'd felt in Calcutta and Bombay.  Chennai does, however, have beautiful beaches, which are great places to take long walks in the evening. Make sure you take a look at the second biggest beach in the world, Marina Beach. A memory from <a href="/india/">my stay in India</a> ? Once your feet hit the sand, do like the Indians do and buy a kite, a glass of chai, and a dish of kebabs or vegetables from one of the many street sellers, and watch the sun set over the ocean.

The bustling capital of Tamil Nadu, located on the southern coast of India.

For my <a href="/india/">trip to India</a>, I'd chosen Chennai – err no, Madras – as my arrival destination. It was going to be the departure point for a two-month complete tour of the whole country. I have been left with only one memory from the time I spent there: it was distressing. Let me describe it to you. By the way, is it Chennai or Madras? It has been Chennai since 1996. Madras was the name used during the time of colonization by the Portuguese, Dutch and English. The trip from the airport to the hotel was a real shock. Scenes of the kind of misery it would be difficult to describe passed before my eyes. The pavements along the sides of the road were "inhabited" by thousands of people. In the space of just a view minutes, I saw more misery than I'd seen in my whole life up to that point. There were rows of dozens of Indians, backsides in the air, going to the toilet in full view of the passing vehicles. There were crippled people, amputees, lepers and handicapped people too numerous to count. There were whole families together there. When sitting in traffic at one point, I saw a child defecate on the pavement and a dog then come and lick the child's backside. I'm still sometimes haunted by this scene, and I'm simply unable to describe the rest of that journey. I next went for a little tour around Marina Beach, next to the Indian Ocean. There are families in their hundreds strolling around the fish and fruit stands there. Some of them eat picnics, others get kites out to fly. Very few go bathing. I left the ocean's edge to go and visit Fort St George I had my second shock of the day on the way there. Passing the bridge that crosses the Cooum River, I found myself assaulted by the most pestilential smell in the world. It was unbelievable. It was a stink that invaded my nostrils and got me in the throat. I felt sick and it seemed if each intake of breath was poisoning me. There's also the visual horror to add to this odor. The river is full of filth. Effluent flows into the thick, grey water and children paddle in it. Men wash themselves there, and women do their laundry in it. What a first day! Chennai does not hold any good memories for me. Perhaps you'll manage to discover a more favorable side to it.

Lying 160 km from Pondicherry, Chennai, aka Madras, is the main city of the Tamil Nadu region.

Local travel agencies in India that specialize in family vacations with kids

Family tour ideas in India

The hustle and bustle of India, as well as the colorful sights and interesting history make it an ideal place for a<a data-mce-href="https://www.evaneos.net/where-to-go/family-vacations/" href="https://www.evaneos.net/where-to-go/family-vacations/" target="_blank">&nbsp;family trip</a>&nbsp;that goes beyond a standard vacation. Immerse yourselves in local culture as you wander through markets experiencing all the sights, sounds, and tastes that have been mesmerizing&nbsp;visitors for centuries. For a truly cultural trip, take a family cooking class on one of our&nbsp;<a data-destination-id="48" data-internal-link="destination" href="https://www.evaneos.co.uk/india/" data-mce-href="https://www.evaneos.co.uk/india/" style="font-weight: 400;" data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;">tailor-made India tours</a>, or learn how to make traditional kites before taking them for a spin.&nbsp;<h3>Best things&nbsp;to see and do in&nbsp;India with kids</h3>For a classic family trip, The Golden Triangle, perhaps India’s most well known area for visitors, is very child-friendly, with activities to entertain any age.&nbsp;It may be a popular tourist destination, but for good reason, as&nbsp;it's home to the&nbsp;breath-taking Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World. The Golden Triangle is the route between&nbsp;<a data-place-id="102" data-internal-link="place" href="https://www.evaneos.co.uk/india/holidays/places/102-102/" data-mce-href="https://www.evaneos.co.uk/india/holidays/places/102-102/">Delhi</a>, Agra and Jaipur, where you can visit the India gate in Delhi, stopping off in Connaught Place for delicious local food to get your family’s taste buds ready for the incredible tastes that you will encounter on your trip.&nbsp;Visit Old Delhi for a true taste of the Indian culture, or Nahargarh Fort in Jaipur, to feel as though you’ve been transported back in time. While in&nbsp;<a data-place-id="10741" data-internal-link="place" href="https://www.evaneos.co.uk/india/holidays/places/10741-10741/" data-mce-href="https://www.evaneos.co.uk/india/holidays/places/10741-10741/">Jaipur</a>, visit Chowki Dhani for an experience of Rajasthani culture before heading on to Agra.&nbsp;In&nbsp;<a data-place-id="110" data-internal-link="place" href="https://www.evaneos.co.uk/india/holidays/places/110-110/" data-mce-href="https://www.evaneos.co.uk/india/holidays/places/110-110/">Agra</a>, why not visit a market and try your hand at finding some good deals to take back as souvenirs? Himachal Pradesh is also a great choice for outdoorsy families, with everything on offer from kayaking, to paragliding, or a jeep safari for younger kids.&nbsp; In Himachal Pradesh you can go on a family yak ride, which is always popular and visit the Solang Valley for a range of adventurous activities such a paragliding. A&nbsp;train ride through a sprawling tea plantation is a fantastic way to see more of the vibrant Indian countryside.&nbsp;To relax after a busy few days of sightseeing and adventure, visit the tropical beaches and coral reefs of the Andaman and Nicobar islands where you can play, run, swim or simple bask in the sun in a relaxing island atmosphere. Safaris are also a great activity for any family travelers and children, teenagers and adults will love seeing tigers, elephants and so much more on an unforgettable 4x4 drive with an experienced guide who will be able to tell you and your family all about the animals you will encounter.&nbsp;For families, we recommend&nbsp;Ranthambore National Park, home to one of India's biggest populations of Bengal tigers, not to mention a host of other big cats and wildlife.&nbsp;Once you’ve experienced a safari and 4x4 drive in Ranthambore, you can swap the car for a camel on a desert trek to see the sun set before enjoying a delicious local dish with your little ones. <h3>Best time to visit&nbsp;India as a family</h3>India’s weather can be hugely varied and is certainly not something to be taken lightly when planning your trip here. Monsoon season is perhaps the biggest factor when deciding&nbsp;<a data-document-id="3096" data-internal-link="article" href="https://www.evaneos.co.uk/india/holidays/when-to-go/" data-mce-href="https://www.evaneos.co.uk/india/holidays/when-to-go/">what time of year to visit</a>&nbsp;with your family. Monsoon generally falls between May and July and downfall can be extremely heavy, even it is is brief. In the jungle regions, this can lead to flash flooding and a lot of disruption and so, for this reason, traveling during monsoon season is generally to be avoided. In the South, the monsoon-like weather can return around October to soak the country for a second time but if you plan on sticking to the North of the country during this time then this shouldn’t be a problem. During high summer, temperatures can peak and become scorching, at which time it is best to be in higher altitudes where the air is cooler and the heat isn’t quite so overpowering. August and September are the best times for active families looking to head into the mountains, and this is the height of trekking season when the Himalayas are at their best. All in all, the best time for families to visit India is between October and March, with more specific times depending on where you and your family would like to travel and what you would like to do there.&nbsp; <h3>Family&nbsp;vacation tips for traveling to&nbsp;India</h3>With a little research and knowledge you can ensure that you are as prepared as possible for your family trip to India, here a few tips and tricks to ensure that everything runs smoothly on your vacation. <ul><li style="font-weight: 400;" data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;">India can be chaotic and while this is a great experience for kids (and adults too) to be taken a little out of their comfort zone, it can be worth considering a higher range hotel so that can be sure that you and your family have a comfortable and chaos free place to enjoy some downtime.</li><li style="font-weight: 400;" data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;">Be flexible. This tip is crucial to your goal of enjoying a stress free trip with you kids and if you can go with the flow and learn to embrace the occasionally hectic nature of India then you are all sure to have a great time.</li><li style="font-weight: 400;" data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;">Foreign children in India, particularly those with blonde hair and blue eyes will quickly become little celebrities and may be approached by people asking for pictures or selfies. This can be amusing at first but it quickly becomes tiresome for younger kids and their parents, if it bothers you, just politely say no and be firm.</li><li style="font-weight: 400;" data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;">For families with very young children, bring a baby carrier to avoid having to exhaust yourselves pushing a pram around busy streets or unsuitable terrain.</li><li style="font-weight: 400;" data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;">As with any visit to a foreign country, check with your GP before leaving whether there are any vaccinations or medicines that you need to get. Bring along plenty of mosquito spray too, to avoid the annoyance of itchy bug bites throughout your trip.</li><li style="font-weight: 400;" data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;">Lastly, be aware of your surroundings, especially in crowded areas where pickpockets are rife. Keep cash and any important documents in a safe a hidden place.</li></ul>

Start planning your family vacation in India

The best {nb_iti} India tours for families with children, created by a local travel agency. Plan and book tailor-made vacations at local prices.

Plan your family tour with a local travel agency in India

India family vacations

Family tours

Family Vacations in India - Tailor-Made Travel

The best local travel agencies in India for food tours

Tour ideas to experience India's gastronomy

The best food tours and gastronomy experiences in India, created by a local travel agency. Request a local expert to create your perfect trip.

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