61 Best Places to Visit in India Before You Turn 40

Best places to visit in India with friends, family or as solo traveler, there are dozens of holiday destinations for every traveler in this ultimate list. Go get inspired | Bucket list places to visit in india

Here is an ultimate list of 61 top places to visit in India before you turn 40. Some places are popular that you must visit atleast once in a lifetime, others are completely offbeat destinations. Heritage, adventure sports destination in India, best family holiday destinations, luxury travel, budget trips in India or honeymoon, you will find answers to your every holiday craving. Scroll down to take a leisurely look at all these destinations or scan through the list here for quick mental tick of all the places you have knocked off your bucket list already. Remember to drop your count in the comments below.

“Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life”

61 Top Tourist Places In India Before You Turn 40

Jodhpur
Delhi
Agra
Goa
Mumbai
Varanasi
Udaipur
New Delhi
Manali
Munnar
Shimla
Alleppi
Jaipur
Bengaluru
Kochi
Ranthambore National Park
Kolkata
Chennai
Jaiselmer
Fatehpur Sikri
Kovalam
Darjeeling
Shanti Bhawan
Khajuraho
Dharamshala
Rishikesh
Puducherry
Mahabalipuram
Hampi
Andaman Islands
Mysuru
Amritsar
Kumarokam
Pushkar
Mussoorie
Kanyakumari
Pune
Ellora Caves
Hyderabad
Kodaikanal
Madurai
Gangtok
Periyar National Park
Thiruvanantpuram
Swaraj Dweep
Mahabaleshwar
Alibaug
Nashik
Bishnupur
Warangal
Nagarjuna Sagar
Ranganathittu
Coorg
Elephanta Caves
Jim Corbett National Park, Nainital
Tranquebar
Yelagiri
Mawasynram
Wayanad
Valley of Flowers Trek
Auli

Travel bucket list INDIA | Must see places in India | Unique places to visit in India

JODHPUR

The blue city of of Jodhpur is famous for its enchanting turquoise rooftops and the mighty Mehrangarh fort but is not famous the world over for Umaid Bhawan, Priyanka and Nick’s Wedding Destination.

DELHI

From Qutub Minar to Humayun’s toom and the magnificent Red Fort, the national capital offers grandiose and nostalgia, like none other Indian destination. Also home to some of the largest and best preserved museums in the country. For the rest there always is shopping.

AGRA

One cannot NOT see the Mughal empire landmark the Taj Mahal before turning 40 ! The best ariel views are from the red walled Agra fort.

The unofficial and official party capital of India. Its best for bringing in the 30^th, the 40^th or annual ritual of beach vacation.

MUMBAI

Bollywoodand all things glitz and glamour

VARANASI

Take a dip in the Sacred Ganges and visit close to 2000 Hindu temples

UDAIPUR

Go to Udaipur, the City of Lakes to see Indian history, Grand Royal Palace, culture, photography, museum, Indian heritage, Architecture, Fortress and more

MANALI

Hot Springs, backpacking, skiing and the awe inspiring HImalayas

MUNNAR

Sprawling tea estates and everyone’s favourite honeymoon destination in the hills.

SHIMLA

The Queen of Hills, also the Summer Capital of British India

ALLEPPEY

Backwater boathouse cruises in Kerala.

JAIPUR

Read colourful palaces and lots of shopping for gem stones, gotta works and meenakari saree.

BENGALURU

Night life, sprawlingbotanical gardens, and feel the pulse of the Indian Silicon valley in Bengaluru

KOCHI

This beautiful port city is home to 16^th century Portuguese Churches and paradesi Synagogues

RANTHAMBORE NATIONAL PARK

For your call of the wild

Kolkata

Famous for art galleries, the rosogullas and the jhal muri and phuchkas, the most authentic ones all year round and not just for Durga Puja. There always is the grandiose of the Era to witness and live the past.

CHENNAI

The marina beach, temples, historical sites, waterfalls and beach front resorts.

JAISELMER

Dominated by the breath-taking Jaisalmer fort, a sandstone citadel that’s home to many jian temples.

FATEHPUR SIKRI

The city rooted in saint’s blessing built by emperor Akbar

KOVALAM

For your regular dose of Sun, Sand and vitamin Sea

DARJEELING

The heart postcard picture perfect Himalayas, Kangchenjunga near Darjeeling is the second highest peak, a bare 125 km away from Mount Everest.

SHANTINIKETAN

Rabindra Nath Tagore’s adobe and a beautiful university complex

KHAJURAHO

The Kama Sutra capital of the world though Chaturbhuj is the only temple in Khajuraho that lacks any erotic carvings making it suitable for family travel too

DHARAMSHALA

Dalai lama, Tibetan monasteries and base camp for mountain trails

RISHIKESH

Yoga, medication resorts and white water rafting in the Ganges

PUDUCHERRY

French Riviera of the East, Pondicherry truly lives up to its image with Mediterranean style mustard colored houses and bakeries in the Old Quarters. Sri Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville draws a huge number of spiritually conscious visitors.

MAHABALIPURAM

Sea front shore temples, from 7-8^th century

HAMPI

Perfect for a photography trail and hipi style vacay in the stonehenge styled expansive 14th century ruins of Hampi, known internationally for bouldering and Ramayana depiction

ANDAMAN ISLANDS

Havelock islands, turquoise Andaman Sea and the best Suba Diving site in the country.

MYSURU

Mysore Palace is one of the most famous tourist attractions after the Taj Mahal. An excellent opportunity to visit the palace of the famous Tipu Sultan and witness the remnants from the sultanate.

AMRITSAR

Amritasi Chole, Kulche and the Golden Temple

KUMAROKAM

Head here for a holiday in the treehouse

PUSHKAR

Hundreds of temples, including the 14th-century Jagatpita Brahma Mandir, dedicated to the god of creation, this sacred town devoted to lord Bramha

MUSSOORIE

Honeymooners, paragliders and adventurers paradise, all at the same time

KANYAKUMARI

Southmost tip of mainland India surrounded by the intoxicating beauty of Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. What’s makes Kanyakumari truly special is that this is the only place where you can wake up to a sunrise on the beach and also see the sunset at the beach.

PUNE

The cultural capital of Maharashtraand also short drive away from adventure destinations like Sinhagad and Kamshet.

ELLORA CAVES

The Ajanta and Ellora caves are separated by about 100km and are famous for Buddhist, Jain and Hindu temples built over 800 years staring from awe insipring 2^nd century BC.

HYDERABAD

The city of Nizams is one of the most wonderful cities in year and has countless experiences to offer to its visitors throughout the year.

KODAIKANAL

Everyone’s favorite summer holiday destination in the hills for last 5 decades or so!

MADURAI

Go here to see the Meenakshi temple, palaces, the Gandhi Memorial, and festivals

GANGTOK

Himalayan trekking base and also home to Buddhist sites.

PERIYAR NATIONAL PARK

Anyone with a love for wild life and wilderness has Periyar high on their bucket list.

THIRUVANANTPURAM

Always been known for its historical monuments, exotic beaches, religious sites, and picturesque landscapes.

SWARAJ DWEEP

This paradise in the Andamans has pure white sandy beaches, rich coral reef and lush green meadows and also an elephant beach.

Mahabaleshwar

Go here to experience strawberry picking, horse riding and living up the Parsi life. Remember to visit to the Mapro’s strawberry jam farms in Mahabaleshwar

Alibaug

Take a ferry from the Gateway of India, sail in the Arabian Sea for half hour or so and get off on the other side, which is Alibaug, where the rich & famous boast of a weekend villa.

Nashik

Home to the famous Kumbh Mela & also the “Wine Capital of India”

Bishnupur

Exquisite Hindu temples made from local terracotta

Warangal

Lined with temples dating back to the 12^th century, this historical town in Telangana is a perfect destination to discover Indian heritage

Nagarjuna Sagar

Explore the Krishan River and the tallest masonry dams in the world here

Ranganathittu

A stone throw away from the historic cities of Srirangapatna and Mysore, Ranganathittu is home to the largest bird sanctuary in the state.

COORG

Coorg offer homestay accommodation. Form a relaxing spa to trekking, bird watching to spicy eye watering curry, there is something for everybody here.

Wagah Border

The ultimate road trip with friends, watch the retreat ceremony, The Wagah border parade which is a must-see spectacle.

ELEPHANTA CAVES

Glorious history of Mumbai that dates much beyond the British era, these caves are from 5-7^th century and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site

JIM CORBET NATIONAL PARK

Leaping leopards and Royal Bengal tigers on the prowl, visualize a first hand encounter with the big cats in this national park in Nainital

TRANQUEBAR

14^th century beach town in the rural Tamil Nadu

YELAGIRI

Charming hill station surrounded by orchids, rose-gardens and lush green valleys bustling with adventure sports.

MAWSYNRAM

Competes with Cherrapunji as the wettest place on earth

WAYANAD

Virgin forests, misty valleys, sparkling waterfalls and pre-historical caves in this hill station situated at the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu

VALLEY OF FLOWERS TREK

Snowcapped mountains as the backdrop, endless miles of green meadows blend seamlessly with white clouds to create a rare connect with mother earth.

61. AULI

Head up to the ‘ski capital of Uttrakhand’ if you are looking at some outdoor adventure. Auli also has the majestic Nanda Devi – India’s second highest peak for a backdrop.

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So FOLKS, how many destinations have you knocked off your bucket list already? I would love to know in the comments below ! Also did my post inspire you to pick your next holiday destination in India, drop in a line with all your shorlisted places!