India is an exceptionally large and populous land, which offers adventurous travellers the opportunity to undertake a getaway full of variety, excitement and discovery. It also has an extremely rich cultural heritage that dates back thousands of years, and is relatively cheap to traverse, which makes it the perfect holiday (or study) destination for students looking for a once in a lifetime experience abroad.

The first stop on many students’ Indian itineraries is the bustling metropolis of Delhi; whether they have flown into the city’s international airport, or simply stumbled across the capital in the course of their travels. Arriving in Delhi is usually something of a culture shock for most young travellers however, as the sights, smells, scammers and poverty in some areas can be quite confronting at first. Those that brave their baptism by fire though, find that Delhi has a great deal to offer by way of sights and attractions.

The Red Fort located in Old Delhi is unquestionably the most famous attraction in the city and a definite must-see for student travellers. This massive structure dates back to the mid 1600’s and allows visitors to really connect with India’s colourful history. The multitude of great Museums dotted around the city, including the National Gandhi Museum and the Indian War Memorial Museum are also a treat for history buffs. Travellers looking for something a little out of the box on the other hand, may like to stop by the Museum of Toilets, or Shankar’s International Dolls Museum.

Following Delhi, the next stop on many student travellers “To- Do list” is the well-known world heritage site, the Taj Mahal, which is located roughly 210 kilometres south of the capital. Here visitors have the opportunity to marvel at what is fundamentally a breath-taking marble mausoleum that was constructed in the mid 1600’s by the grief stricken Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife. Whilst this may sound a little morbid, the pure beauty of the building and the surrounding garden is more a celebration of life than an expression of melancholy.

From the Taj Mahal students may choose to head roughly 440 kilometres south to the town of Khajuraho, which plays host to the Khajuraho Group of Monuments; the second most visited place in India after the Taj Mahal. These monuments gained their reputation in part because they are extremely beautiful and unique, although the fact that approximately 10 per cent of the carvings at the site depict graphic, and often strange, sexual activities also seems to add a weird sort of appeal.

Approximately 1200 kilometres to the west of Khajuraho, lays India’s most populous city, Mumbai. Here students can really let their hair down and party in the district of Colaba, before heading down to the docks a little before sunrise to watch as fish are unloaded and sorted directly from the fishing vessels. Elephanta Island, located just off the coast, south of Mumbai, is also a real must-see, as it boasts a series of breath-taking underground temples, one of which is said to house the most impressive temple carving in the whole of India.

From Mumbai, the tourist region of Goa is located roughly 600 kilometres down the coast and is extremely popular with younger travellers. Adventurous students may even enjoy covering the distance between Mumbai and Goa by bicycle, as the scenery along the way is absolutely stunning, although there are no must-see attractions per se.

Once in Goa travellers can really hit the beaches, although which beach is entirely up to the individual, as Goa boasts a magnitude of different coastal locations, each with their own lures. Anjuna Beach for example, was once something of a hippie colony, and whilst the hippies have long abandoned the area, their essence lives on in the flea markets and psychedelic music played at the discos. Agonda Beach in comparison is better suited to visitors who just want to relax and work on their tan, whilst Benaulim Beach is great for people interested in water sports.

Ahmedabad is another one of the best and famouse cities in Gujarat for students traveller, Be it the famouse destination Sabarmati Ashram or the Law Garden know for for street food, shopping, textile collections. Another must visit place for students traveller in Ahmedabad is, taking a heritage walk. Heritage walk starts from Kalupur Swaminarayan Mandir at Kalupur and it ends at Juma Masjid, it starts daily at 8 AM to 10:30 AM. The charges are INR 30 for students

Student travellers who get sick of the ocean may also like to undertake the fascinating 400 kilometre journey east to the village of Hampi, which boasts a plethora of world heritage protected historical and religious sites. These sites include the Vittala Temple complex, the Elephant Stables, the ruins of the 15th century village of Vijayanagar and the Underground Temple, just to name a few.

Regardless of whether travellers choose to visit some of the above mentioned highlights during their time in India, or opt to go completely off the beaten tourist path however, they are bound to have some absolutely unparalleled experiences. Despite the fact that travelling in a developing country may be a little more challenging and daunting than other destinations, as the saying goes “Sometimes you need to get lost to find yourself”, and what better time to do this, than whilst studying.