Agra Fort - Famous Monuments of India

Agra Fort occupies a significant place on the map of Agra.
The foundation of this majestic citadel was laid by Emperor Akbar , the fort is surrounded by a 70-foot high wall. The fort comprises of several buildings inside. The wall has 2 gates, the Delhi Gate and the Amar Singh Gateof which only the Amar Singh gate is now open to the public. The original and grandest entrance was through the Delhi Gate, which leads to the inner portal called the Hathi Pol or Elephant Gate.

Key Attractions of Agra Fort:

Diwan-i-Khas - or Private Audience Hall was adorned with silver leaves on the wooden ceiling. This room was used by the emperor for reception of kings, ambassadors and nobles in private. The Moti Masjid- Also known as the Pearl Mosque was constructed between 1648-54. From outside the structure appears to be made of brick, but inside it is completely made of marble.

Mussaman Burj - A two-storeyed pavilion, where Shahjahan caught the last glimpse of the Taj Mahal before he died.

Other Attractions :

The Agra Fort houses the Royal Pavilions, which were designed to catch the cool breeze across the river. Other attractions comprise of the Macchi Bhawan or the Fish Palace, the Hammam-i-Shahi or the Royal Bath, the Nagina Masjid or the Gem Mosque, and the Zenana Meena Bazaar, where the ladies of the court would browse through goods like silk, jewellery and brocade.

Plan Your Trip:
It will take one full day or maximum two days for you to visit the Agra Fort and the surrounding places.
Climate of Agra:

The climate of Agra is extreme and tropical. Summers are extremely hot and the maximum temperature can be as high as 45 degree Celsius, while winters are cold and foggy. Heavy rains and high humidity mark the monsoon season.

Agra can be visited throughout the year, but one must avoid the extreme hot summers (April-June) and rainy season (July-Sept). The most suitable time to visit Agra is in winters.

Reaching Agra:

» Agra by Air: Agra airport is 7 km from the city center and 3 km from Idgah bus stand. Major Indian airlines operate daily tourist shuttle flights to Agra, Khajuraho, Varanasi and back. It only takes 40 minutes from Delhi to Agra.
» Agra by Road: Idgah bus stand is the main bus stand of Agra, from where one can catch buses for Delhi, Jaipur, Mathura, Fatehpur-Sikri, etc. Buses for Mathura also leave from Agra Fort bus stand.
» Agra by Rail : Agra is well connected by railroad. The main railway station is the Agra Cantonment station. Agra is well connected by rail to Delhi, Varanasi and cities of Rajasthan. Trains like Palace on Wheel, Shatabdi, Rajdhani, and Taj Express are the best choices if you want to reach Agra from Delhi in luxury.

Global Tourist Places - Kodaikanal

Nestled amidst the Palani Hills in the Western Ghats, in the state of Tamil Nadu, 120 km from Madurai, in southern India, Kodaikanal is a precious tourist spot in the Indian subcontinent. Literally meaning ‘gift of the forest’ in Tamil, it is a quaint, unspoilt little hill station, where the air is romantic and dreamy, the landscape exceedingly charming, and tranquility prevails like it was eternal. History of Kodaikanal says that it was set up by American missionaries circa 1845, to seek resort in order to keep the glare of high temperatures and tropical diseases of the plains at bay.

Global Tourist Places

The location of Kodaikanal at 2133 meters above sea level makes it a traveler’s paradise with all its charm and charisma. The best way to utilize your leisure here is to saunter around the area appreciating the landscape. Or else, you can opt to go for facilities like boating, cycling, pony riding, angling, and golf. There are clubs to occupy your spare time in the evenings and you can browse and buy the books in the close by market.
The region around Kodaikanal is replete with breathtaking natural beauty and a tour of the city should be undertaken to absorb the essence of it. Major sites to be visited in Kodaikanal are Kodaikanal Lake, Lutheran Church and King Church, Kodaikanal School, Colonial structure, Bryant's Park, Kodai Club, Green Valley View, Coaker’s Walk, Palani Hills National Park, Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, and Golf Links. Green Valley View (previous name was changed for better appeal to tourists), Pillar Rocks, Silver Falls, Kodai Television tower and the Guna caves are other places of interest in Kodaikanal.
The Kurinji Andavar Temple is renowned for its Kurinji flower which blooms once every 12 years. The blums, Berikke, Kodai milagaay, Red carrot are the commonly grown natural edibles here. Cauliflower, cabbage, chilies and onions are cultivated on the suburbs of Kodaikanal.

There is a brilliant market in Kodaikanal where you can purchase woolen clothing, vegetables, flowers, meats, fruit, handiwork, hot snacks, children toys, oils and medicinal herbs. The multi-ethnic nature of Kodai is obvious at the market place where it is common to bump into Scandinavian backpackers, retired French tourists and people from other corners of India relishing fresh pastries served by Tibetan refugees.

You can avail of the available fixed as well as custom-made itineraries and tour packages for Kodaikanal hill station that helps you in exploring the beauty of Kodaikanal.

Global Tourist Places - Dehradun

Global Tourist Places

This scenic city nestled in the Doon valley is the capital of Uttarakhand , the northern state of India previously known as Uttaranchal. Dehradun is one of the famous tourist destinations in Uttaranchal and attracts a large number of tourists every year.

Location:Dehradun is flanked by the Himalayas in the North, the Shivalik range in the south, the Yamuna river to its west and the Ganges to its east. The city is located in the North western side of the state and adjoins the districts of Uttarkashi, Pauri Garhwal, Hardwar, Nahan (Himachal Pradesh) and Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh).

History: Dehra is a variation of the word dera which means camp, or a temporary abode. A group of Sikhs led by Ram Rai on being ordered by the Mughul emperor Aurangzeb to retire to the forests had pitched temporary tents in this area. Dun is the name of the valley and the word means low land at the foot of a mountain.

The district is part of the Garhwal Himalayan region previously known as Kedar Khand. This region has been under the reigns of many ruling lines including the Katyuris, Gurkhas, Sikhs, Mughuls and the British. The British gained control of the region as a consequence of the treaty of Sugauli signed after the war with Gurkhas in 1816.

Tourist attractions in Dehradun:

Dehradun is a popular tourist spot and a tour to Dehradun includes visits to the many tourist attractions in the city as well as the many tourist spots near Dehradun. The tourist attractions in Dehradun include many academic institutions and research institutes besides many sites of religious important and natural beauty. The major tourist attractions in Dehradun are -

Tapovan: - it is believed to be the location of the ashram of guru Dronacharya , a character of the great Indian epic, Mahabharata.

Robber's cave: - it is a famous view point and a scenic spot situated outside the city.

Tapkeshwar Temple: - an old temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is believed to be associated with the Mahabharata.

Dakpatthar :- it is a popular spot offering splendid views of the Doon valley.

Central Braille Press: - this is the largest producer of Braille text books in India.

Maldevta, Sahasradhara, Lacchiwala, Santhla Devi, laxman Sidh temple and Malsi deer park are some other tourist spots in and around Dehradun. The hill station of Mussorie is 36 kilometers from the city. The famous Sikh pilgrimage center, Pointa Sahib is situated nearby on the banks of Yamuna. Hardwar and Rishikesh are the other two major tourist destinations in Uttarakhand enar Dehradun.

Global Tourist Places - Darjeeling

Darjeeling is also called 'Queen of the hills'. This famous hill station in the state of West Bengal in India is one of the highlights of Indian tourism and West Bengal tourism benefits significantly from the vast number of Indian and international tourists that visits Darjeeling every year.

Global Tourist Places

The town is also the capital of the Darjeeling district which is the northernmost district of West Bengal bordering Nepal. The town offers fantastic vacations in summer as well as winter. The view of the Himalayas, particularly the magnificent view of the Kanchenjunga is one of the major attractions of Darjeeling. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, popularly known as the toy train, has become the symbol of Darjeeling


Major Tourist attractions in Darjeeling
Every nook and corner of Darjeeling fascinates the tourist. The mall, the sloping streets, the beautiful colonial buildings, the pines, temples, monasteries and even the whistling toy train combine to make Darjeeling one of the best hill stations in India. The major tourist spots in Darjeeling are-

Global Tourist Places

Darjeeling Mall
The mall is one of the most popular places in Darjeeling. It is the center of tourist activities in the town and most of the hotels are clustered around the mall. The mall is also the location of the taxi stands from where tourists can hire taxis to the sites in and around Darjeeling. Many shops including old bookshops and curio stores are a major draw in the mall. The first site to welcome tourists at the mall is the local people offering pony rides and photographers clicking pictures of people as they ride the ponies. People tired from walking can take a break and sit on the many benches placed in the mall and sip the excellent tea sold by local tea vendors. There are many restaurants, cafes, and ice cream parlors around the mall. Early morning and evenings are the best time to stroll in the mall.

Ghoom Monastery
Ghoom is the last destination of the famous Darjeeling toy train. Located six kilomerters from Darjeeling, Ghoom is home to the famous Ghoom monastery at an altitude of 2407 meters. The main attraction of the monastery is the 4.5 meter statue of Maitreya Buddha.


Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
This institute is an interesting tourist spot offering information about mountain climbing and the history of mountaineering in the region. Mountaineering gears are on display here along with rare pictures related to Mt Everest and other important mountain expeditions. The institute was established in1954 after the successful conquest of Mt Everest, and offers training in mountaineering and rock climbing.

Bhutia Busti
This beautiful monastery situated on CR Das road was transferred in 1879 from its original location on the observatory hill. The monastery has an interesting library that contains many old Buddhist texts and scrolls.

Observatory Hill
This place is a popular point from where tourists can get a magnificent view of the entire region and Mt Kanchenjunga on a clear, sunny day.

There are many other tourist attractions in Darjeeling. These include the famous tiger hill, Dhirdham temple, Lebong race course, and the handicrafts museum. Kalimpong, Takdah, Mirik, Lava, Lolegaon and Sandakphu are some of the important tourist spots near Darjeeling. A tour of Darjeeling offers wonderful opportunities for shopping and many adventure activities.