I went to India in July - August 2010 with Girlguiding UK for a community project. We stayed in one of the World Guiding Centres called Sangam. We did a lot of activities during the first week, but afterwards, we took a tour of India for the next two weeks, which were the best.
I do recommend travelling to this country. If you do go, plan it well! India is the second country to have the highest population. I suggest doing a bit of research first and use a travel agency to plan out your journey. Go in a group of 4 people, but you can go on your own if you wish. Furthermore, you will need to take vaccinations before you go - make sure to speak to your GP about this and Malaria. Other than that, enjoy India!
Attractions
1. Taj Mahal
I recommend visiting the Taj Mahal, especially early in the morning where you can see the Taj Mahal during the sunrise. The view is fantastic. The Taj Mahal is phenomenal not in the beauty alone that shines forth, but in the planning and design that went into it's making and the ethereal idea of immortalizing love.
2. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary was a fantastic experience. We had a ride on the elephants, which was a bit bumpy but it was awesome. We then fed and washed them. Finally, they showered us as the elephant’s trunk fills up with water and throws it towards us.
There was also a nature walk and went on a boat looking at the wildlife, trees, and landscapes.
3. Houseboats in Alleppey
Spend a night on one of these. The houseboats look stunning. We started our journey, and we also visited the villages during the boat trip. We had a relaxing afternoon, while the staff were driving the boats to the islands, and then moored for the night.
4. Amber fort in Jaipur
Amber fort is one of the famous forts of Rajasthan and has influences of both Hindu and Muslim architecture. This piece of architecture is worth seeing and is about 11km from Jaipur. It also has an appealing background history.
5. Agra Fort
Agra Fort is another attraction worth seeing after visiting Taj Mahal and learning about the impressive history. The great Mughal Emperor, Akbar built this world heritage monument in red sandstone as a military citadel.
6. New Delhi and Old Delhi
Visiting India's Capital city is highly recommended. Go on the tricycles to tour around New Delhi and Old Delhi, they are so much fun, and at the same time, we learned the background of these two cities.
7. Visiting Periyar
Periyar is an excellent place for wildlife enthusiasts to visit the nature reserve. At the nature reserve, you might see elephants, bison and birds from the artificial lake. We also learned different types of spices made in the south of India. They also have Martial Arts show in Periyar, which was phenomenal and would recommend going.
8. Fatehpur Sikri
Fatehpur Sikri is another world heritage site built by the Mughal Emperor during 1564 A.D., and it's a fantastic site to visit. The beautiful marble tomb of Sheikh Salim Christi attracts thousands who seek blessings of the revered Saint.
9. Visiting Fort Cochin
I recommend visiting this place too. Visit the Jew town, the Synagogue, the Spice Markets, Dutch Palace, St Francis Church and Chinese Fishing nets. I have learnt so much about the history and religion of Fort Cochin.
We also went to see the Kathakali performance in the theatre, which was astonishing.
10. Folk heritage of River Nila (Cochin)
We went to see Folk artists showcasing the folk heritage of River Nila. They were singing and dancing, and they produced lovely crafts. It was brilliant, and we got to join in with their performances.
11. Masters at Kalamandalam
We went to visit the Masters at Kalamandalam, which is an interaction with the students and masters of classical dance and music school of Kerala. It was very inspiring, and the culture here is very different compared to other countries.
12. Workshops
We visited the Potters workshop and the Bell Metal workshop. We get to see the potters weave magic on clay. During the visit to the bell metal workshop, they showed us through the unique craft that is determined to a few families in the region. They have made traditional teapots and different door locks.
Food
The food was lovely. It was mostly curries with naan bread, poppadums, dahl as sides. Most of the hotels and restaurants were buffets, so we helped ourselves into what type of curries we want. Some of them were hot, but they were delicious. I can remember one of the hotels serving a delicious carrot cake.
Accommodation
The hotels we stayed at were unbelievable! The hotels were River retreat Ayurvedic Resort, Grande Residencia-Boutique, Elephants Court, Mandawa Haveli, Agra Grand Imperial and Delhi Iris Park. I would recommend these hotels. The rooms were well cleaned, well air-conditioned and had beautiful views.
Transport
We had a coach for most of the journey. We have used the plane to travel from Pune to South India and from South India to North India. I would recommend riding in a tuk-tuk rickshaw.
If you ever come to India, you will be surprised by their transport rules. I won't explain more. However, be careful when crossing roads or taking local city buses - you are not in the UK!