Taj Mahal

“Time spent in India has an extraordinary effect on one. It acts as a barrier that makes the rest of the world seem unreal.”

Tahir Shah

India is a Southeast Asian country that is known for many things–the birthplace of yoga, a diverse landscape, natural beauty, food, culture, it’s dense population, classic dances, Bollywood, elusive catfish like the goonch and so much more.  As the world’s second most populous country India offers something for everyone.

Incredible India is a land of mystery and intrigue. It is a transformative experience.

Enjoy the warm hospitality of Indian citizens and travel vicariously through the stories that will take you from the beach to the mountains, from the desert to urban areas, from farmland to churning rivers and architectural wonders. We promise that you’ll be inspired, transformed and eager to experience the potpourri of  Incredible India on your own.


indian-food-from Kashmir

The Food that Keeps Kashmir Warm

By Sugato Mukherjee

Mehman nawazi (hospitality) is etched in the ethos of Kashmir and her people, a centuries-old legacy of this Northwestern Indian state. Every time I land myself in Srinagar, my friend Mushtaq would pick me up late in the evening, and a half-an-hour bumpy ride through the Srinagar-Ganderbal highway would take … Read more   Read more

India Food & Drink
Jehan Numa Retreat, under a purple evening sky. Courtesy: Jehan Numa Retreat

Jehan Numa Retreat – A Serene Gateway to Bhopal – The City Of Queens

By Bandita Mukherjee

The expanse of the Bhopal sky slowly turns scarlet as we settle into the serene world of Jehan Numa Retreat. A short 30 minute drive from the Bhopal airport has us approaching the 12.5 acres boutique property of the erstwhile Nawabs of Bhopal in the Malwa plateau of Central India.   Read more

India
Darkness descends gently over Rakkh Resort with the inly blue Shivalik Range in the backdrop

Exploring Kangra Valley from Rakkh Resort

By Sugato Mukherjee

A mountainous land in the Northwestern part of India, the state of Himachal Pradesh has long been a paradise for travelers. Colonial-era hill stations, idyllic rural settlements and verdant valleys dot the expanse of this North Indian state that was once a part of undivided Punjab. However, Kangra Valley, in … Read more   Read more

India Off the Beaten Path
Meghalaya - Ri Kynjai is built into the forested slopes of a hill adjacent to the lake

Ri Kynjai — The Abode of Clouds in Misty Meghalaya

By Bandita Mukherjee

Blessed with rich biodiversity and dramatic terrains, this North-Eastern state of India with Assam to its north and Bangladesh to its south is a paradise for nature lovers. The matrilineal state has decked herself up wonderfully for adventure seekers and laid back travelers across the globe.   Read more

India Adventure Architecture
A street in Mumbai's Dharavi Slum--one of the largest in Asia. Photo: Bianca Caruana (with permission from Be The Local Tours)

A Walking Tour Highlighting a Mumbai Slum’s Innovative Industry

By Bianca Caruana

Dharavi, in central Mumbai, is considered one of the largest slums in Asia, but deep within this neighborhood, below the shanty grey roofs, loosely comprised of scavenged, upcycled metal, lives a resourceful and innovative community that plays an imperative role in Mumbai’s city-wide waste management.   Read more

India Off the Beaten Path Social Responsibility
Sunrise over Mahabaleshwar, India

Mahabaleshwar: A Tranquil Getaway in the Western Ghats of India

By Tania Banerjee

Sunlight streamed in as I parted the window curtains of the double-decker luxury bus my husband and I were taking from Mumbai to the popular summer destination of Mahabaleshwar, 264 kilometers East of India’s biggest city. Outside, low-hanging tufts of clouds touched the opulent carpet of green that rolled down … Read more   Read more

India Agritourism Off the Beaten Path History
Whteaway Laidlaw, now Metropolitan Building, stands at the intersection of J.L. Nehru Road and S.N. Banerjee Road in Calcutta. Photo: Sugato Mukherjee

When Calcutta Housed These Retail Powerhouses

By Sugato Mukherjee

In his sleek and self-illustrated volume ‘Jakhan Choto Chilam’ (When I Was a Child), the great Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray vividly portrays kaleidoscopic cameos of Calcutta (now Kolkata) of the interwar years, a city where he grew up.   Read more

India History
Ging Tea House dates back to 1864. Photo: Bandita Mukherjee

Ging: Tea Trails in the Himalayan Foothills

By Bandita Mukherjee

Leaving behind the tourist-filled streets of Darjeeling and the lingering whistle of the steam engine of the Heritage Himalayan Railway, our car enters the Lebong Valley. It is a different world altogether.   Read more

India Food & Drink History
Anietra standing in front of the American flag before catching the last evac flight out of India. Aneitra was sent to India on a fishing assignment to write about the goonch catfish.

Escape from India during COVID-19 (Part 3 Final)

The conclusion of Escape from India during COVID-19 continues with Anietra sharing more of the roller coaster ordeal that took her and Ian from hope to hopelessness and back. Now she is confronted with the memories of the traumatic experience.   Read more

India Experiences
One of many police checkpoints where we got hassled. Photo: Anietra Hamper

Escape from India during COVID-19 (Part 2)

In Episode One of Escape from India during COVID-19, we introduced you to veteran journalist Anietra Hamper who was trying to escape from India after COVID-19 derailed her fishing assignment trip. Anietra and her fishing guide, Ian Henderson, were left stranded in India with only a narrow window to get … Read more   Read more

India Experiences
India - Junction-of-the-Sarayu-River-and-Mahakali-River-famous-for-golden-masheer-fishing.--in-Champawat. Photo: Anietra Hamper

Escape from India during COVID-19 (Part 1)

What was meant to be a four-week writing assignment to Nepal and India for veteran journalist Anietra Hamper, turned out to be an absolute nightmare for her and her traveling companion, Ian Henderson.   Read more

India Experiences
Ancient red house in Lucknow

Lucknow: A Melting Pot of Architecture, Culture and Cuisine

By Bandita Mukherjee

Located by the Gomti river, a major tributary of River Ganga, Lucknow is a paradise for explorers with its time-honored architecture, lip-smacking dishes, lyrical zubaan (style of conversation), and world-famous garments.   Read more

India Food & Drink History
Durgachourone-Roquitte-pavilion-the-iconic-landmark-of-Chandannagar-Strand

When River Ganga Flows by Europe

By Sugato Mukherjee

Upstream along the quiet banks of the Ganga, not far from the bustle of Calcutta, lies a string of towns, where a slice of Europe came to roost long before the British did.   Read more

India History

Offbeat India: A Pilgrimage to the Source of the Ganges

By Trixie Pacis

India cradles an ancient and spiritual culture that draws visitors from around the globe. Spiritual experiences in the country range from temple visits and yoga retreats to 10-day silent Vipassana meditations. While India is best known by tourists for wonders like the Taj Mahal, our six-month sojourn brought us to … Read more   Read more

India Off the Beaten Path Religious Travel History
The College Street Coffee House in Kolkata, opened in 1942, is housed inside an old building with bookshops all around. Photo: Sugato Mukherjee

College Street Coffee House: Where Kolkata Meets the World

By Sugato Mukherjee

I have come to College Street Coffee House, an iconic café in Kolkata, India, after many years. The small but cavernous entrance of this 19th-century building and its dank staircase has remained just the same.   Read more

India Food & Drink