Things to Do in Uttar Pradesh

Visitors to Agra who want to experience the culture, color, traditions and diversity of real India, not just the iconic Taj Mahal, will find all of this and more in Korai Village. 

Travelers can escape the tourist route and venture into old world India as they wander the dirt roads of this picturesque village. Learn about local life, interact with villagers, and gain an insider’s look at the rituals of daily life for dozens of families living here. 

This grandeur was short-lived, however, as in 1585, Akbar moved the capital to Lahore in his campaign against Afghan tribes. By 1619, the city had been completely abandoned and would remain so until archaeologists began exploring it in 1892.

Today, Fatehpur Sikri is a ghost town of beautiful sandstone arches, buildings and courtyards exhibiting Persian, Hindu and Jain design elements. Since Akbar was the only emperor to reside in the city for a significant amount of time, it’s considered one of the purist examples of the great emperor’s design aesthetic. Most visit the city on a day trip from Agra, but spending a night in nearby Fatehpur allows you to visit the city at dawn or dusk, when it is at its most peaceful and beautiful.

Named after the Hindu goddess, Ganga, the Ganges River is the second largest river on the Indian subcontinent, flowing through some of the most densely populated regions of India and Bangladesh. The Ganges is a much-revered and holy river in Hindu culture and is widely regarded as the epitome of India’s traditions and lifestyle.

The Ganges River starts in the Himalayas and empties into the Bay of Bengal, supporting many rural and urban communities along the way. It is of course known for being highly polluted, yet pilgrims come from far and wide to purify themselves in the waters they consider sacred. Whether for spiritual reasons or to simply enjoy the sights from aboard a boat ride, people are drawn to the banks of the Ganges River from all over the world.

Between Malda and the Bay of Bengal, a distributary of the Ganges River named the ‘Hooghly River’ passes the towns and cities of Murshidabad, Nabadwip, Kolkata and Howrah. Sagar Island is an island in the Ganges that lies on the continental shelf of the Bay of Bengal and is home to Ganga Sagar – an important Hindu pilgrimage site. Taking a day trip from Kolkata to Ganga Sagar is a popular attraction for many visitors to Kolkata.

The famed British Residency is an ideal place for history-loving travelers who want to experience the haunting beauty of historic ruins. Located in the heart of Lucknow, this former home of a British war general was built in the late 1700s. Travelers can wander the crumbling structures tucked amid lush greenery and explore the decrepit walls destroyed by cannon fire. A nearby cemetery is the final resting place of some 2,000 people who died during India’s war for independence. While travelers will certainly learn much about the history of this site while exploring the grounds on their own, an evening light show brings the British Residency’s history to life each night and it not to be missed.

The Chaukhandi Stupa is an important Buddhist stupa originally built as a terraced temple to mark the place where the Buddha and his first disciples met when traveling from Bodhgaya to Sarnath.

Built during the Gupta period (4th-6th centuries), the stupa’s octagonal top tower was said to be added much later by Govardhan, the son of Raja Todarmal, in 1588 during the Mughal era. He built the additional tower to commemorate the visit of Humayun, the great Mughal ruler. 

The stupa stands amid beautifully maintained gardens and serves as the gateway to the Buddhist city of Sarnath. It is just a short walk from the structure to the Sarnath Museum nearby, and also close to the other sites and attractions of Sarnath.

Park of Noida’s Entertainment City, Worlds of Wonder comprises two separate parks, an amusement park and a water park. Visitors to the amusement park section have their choice of 20 rides and attractions, ranging from kid-friendly chair swings, paddle boats, bumper cars and a mini train to more thrilling options, like roller coasters and a drop tower.

The Worlds of Wonder Water Park has 26 slides and water features. Highlights include a free fall body slide, toboggan racers, a family raft ride and a wave pool.

Both parks offer a few different dining options, like North Indian specialties at Punjabi Dhaba, South Indian cuisine at Madras Cafe and, for those looking for something more familiar, North India’s largest McDonald’s.

Dasaswamedh Ghat is one of the busiest, oldest, and most important ghats in Varanasi. It's the site of a number of Hindu temples and shrines and a place where pilgrims come from all over the world to perform religious ceremonies and rituals. Many devotees visit the ghat at sunrise to pay homage to Lord Shiva and bath in the holy waters of the Ganges, while evening aarti, which see thousands of floating lamps immersed in the river, attracts huge crowds from far and wide.

Literally translated, Dasaswamedh means ‘the ghat of 10 sacrificed horses.’ According to Hindu mythology, ten horses were sacrificed by Lord Brahma to allow Shiva to return from a period of banishment. Despite its age, Dasaswamedh Ghat is attractive, colorful, and relatively clean, and even non-devotees are attracted by its atmosphere, daily rituals, and beautiful riverfront views.

The Pillars of Ashoka refer to a number of columns inscribed with edicts by the Mauryan king, Ashoka, during his reign in the mid-3rd century BC. The pillar at Sarnath near Varanasi bears the inscriptions: "No one shall cause division in the order of monks."

The original column at Sarnath was 50 meters tall and was carved out of a single block of polished sandstone. It features four images of lions known as the Lion Capital of Ashoka, which stand back to back and were originally mounted atop a cylindrical abacus. The abacus was built over a bell-shaped lotus, with the figures of four running animals – an elephant, a bull, a horse, and a lion – separated by 24-spoked Dharma wheels. These four mammals are believed to symbolize the four different phases of Gautama Buddha's life. 

However, the pillar at this site was broken in the midst of a past invasion, with the remains in three pieces now kept in a glass cage nearby. The lion figurehead can be found in the Sarnath Museum nearby.

Manikarnika Ghat is one of the oldest and most sacred ghats in Varanasi. It is the main cremation ghat in the area, with the bodies of devout Hindus being burned here before their ashes are carried away by the holy waters of the Ganges. 

Hindu mythology links this ghat with Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. It’s said that those cremated here will attain moksha (salvation). Bodies are brought to Manikarnika Ghat via a stretcher made from bamboo and covered in red cloth, before being consigned to flames amid prayers that their souls rest in peace for eternity.

There is a sacred well at the ghat called the Manikarnika Kund, which is said to have been dug by Lord Vishnu at the time of creation. Lord Vishnu was said to have meditated for many years at the ghat, and it’s believed that his charana paduka (footprints) can be seen here in a circular marble slab. Manikarnika Ghat is also famous for the temple of the Lord Shiva and Mata Durga, which was built here in the mid-1800s.

Keoladeo National Park (AKA Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary) is a former royal duck-hunting spot that today hosts some 350-odd of species of migratory birds throughout the year. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is lush and expansive; depending on when you visit, you may spot everything from pelicans to osprey to elusive Siberian cranes.

 

Keoladeo is a wide, flat expanse with multiple ponds and marshes and lots of thick deciduous plant life. While the park can be explored on foot, many visitors opt to hire a bicycle rickshaw to take them on a ride through the park; the drivers, who are quite adept at spotting birds, often act as de facto guides. Many Golden Triangle tours also stop here, and going with a guide can be particularly useful if you aren't an experienced birdwatcher yourself.

 

 

The park is located in the Rajasthani city of Bharatpur, right off the main strip where many of the area’s mid-range hotels are located. Getting to the Taj Mahal city of Agra takes an hour to 90 minutes, while Delhi is around 3.5 hours by train or four hours by road. Jaipur is a 2.5-hour drive away.

 

The park is open throughout the year, and the best time to visit depends on what type of birds you want to see. Local species tend to hang around the park in August and September, while migratory bird season starts in October and continues through March. Note that May and June can get very hot—for people and birds alike. 

 

No matter when you visit the park, you're likely to see birds: lots of them, from hornbills to warblers to eagles and cranes. However, there are also plenty of other non-avian species that call the park home. There are all sorts of turtles here along with frogs, lizards, bats, and porcupines. Like most natural areas in Rajasthan, there are also plenty of monkeys, along with civets, mongooses, deer of various varieties, hyenas, and even leopards.

The Golden Temple, known locally as Kashi Vishwanath, is situated in Varanasi on the west banks of the River Ganges. It’s dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the 12 jyotirlinga sites – the holiest and most sacred of Shiva shrines.

This important temple was built in 1780 by the Maratha monarch and is a fine example of ancient Hindu architecture. It has a huge golden spire and its domes are said to be made from pure gold. Inside the complex there are a series of smaller shrines situated along a small lane called the Vishwanatha Galli. To the north of the main temple, there is a small well called the Jnana Vapi (Wisdom Well), where it’s believed that the jyotirlinga was hidden at times of invasion. 

Kashi Vishwanath is a main pilgrimage site for Hindus visiting Varanasi and can become incredibly busy as it welcomes thousands of people every day. A visit to the temple and a bath in the River Ganges is believed to lead devotees to moksha (liberation), meaning Hindus from all over the world aim to visit the holy site at least once in their lifetimes.

The Dhammek Stupa is a giant cylindrical Buddhist stupa situated in Sarnath, near Varanasi. This huge structure was built on the site where the Buddha was said to have given his first sermon to his disciples after attaining enlightenment. As such, it is one of the most important and revered sites for Buddhist pilgrims within India.

The Dhamek Stupa was constructed in 500 CE to replace an earlier structure, and has been enlarged on several occasions over the years. It has been constructed from a mixture of stone and brick, and measures 28 meters in diameter at its base and almost 44 meters in height.

The stupa sits within beautifully manicured gardens, providing the ideal place for pilgrims and visitors to enjoy their surroundings and reflect on the life of the Buddha. The Dhamek Stupa’s immediate vicinity also features a number of half-ruined monasteries and the remains of much smaller stupas.

Varanasi’s ghats (Banaras Ghats) descend from the city down the banks and into the waters of the holy River Ganges. There are almost 100 individual ghats lining the river’s edge in this region, their steep steps making access to the river possible during both the wet and dry seasons. The oldest and most famous ghats in the area are Dashashwamedh, Manikarnika, and Harishchandra. Others include Assi Ghat, Scindia Ghat, Lalita Ghat, and Kedar Ghat.

As the religious capital of India among Hindus, Varanasi sees pilgrims and other visitors drawn to the Banaras Ghats in their droves. Visitors can absorb the atmosphere by taking a sunrise boat-ride along the river, while marveling at the colorful temples and religious activities lining the water’s edge.

Devout Hindus aim to travel to the Banaras Ghats at least once in their lifetimes, and most hope to die and be cremated within the city in order that their ashes be swept away by the Ganges. The cremation fires here burn all day every day, with the main cremation ghat being Manikarnika. Some ghats are simply used for prayers and bathing.

Home to the Kedarnath Temple, not to mention serene scenes of the sun rising from the holy waters of the Ganges, Kedar Ghat in Varanasi is one of the most important and picturesque ghats in the region. Popular among Bengalis and South Indians, the Kedareshwar Temple here is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the presiding deity of Varanasi, and is a fine example of Hindu architecture. There’s also a Parvati Kund nearby, a small pool of water that’s believed to have highly medicinal properties.

The approach to Kedar Ghat is through a maze of narrow alleyways bustling with cattle, devotees, and operators organizing River Ganges boat rides. The steps down to the water are high and steep, with the upper steps brightly painted in stripes.