Come with us on a visual journey through our India photos. We spent 4 weeks in India on a whirlwind itinerary visiting 6 different regions yet only really scratching the surface of this complex and diverse country.
India is raw, wild, diverse and incredible. Nowhere have we traveled that has tried our patience and senses while also producing such wonderful photographic opportunities.
People ask us about our visit to India all that time and we typically don’t hesitate to tell them that everything they have ever heard about India is true. All of it.
Don’t leave home without: Lonely Planet India (Travel Guide)
21 India Photos That Will Blow Your Mind
Delhi Photos
We would find ourselves in Delhi 3 times over the course of the month. Never staying long so I don’t really have a lot to say about this city other than it is an abrupt introduction to India.
The day that we arrived our luggage was lost and we waited 8 hours for it to be found and delivered to our hotel room.
That night, someone was murdered outside our hotel and an angry mob ran up and down the streets screaming and torching things.
Read more 21 Incredible Things to Do in Delhi, India
Jama Masjid is the largest mosque in India, with a courtyard capable of holding 25,000 devotees. It was begun in 1644 and ended up being the final architectural extravagance of Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort.
It stands in the Old Delhi and by visiting near closing time, we were able to enjoy it without the crowds.
Himachal Pradesh, India Photos
As the regional name suggests, this area is rife with nature and mountains near to the mighty Himalaya range.
We made our way from Delhi into the far north with long drive days, winding roads and frigid air stopping in Rishikesh, Shimla, and Dharmsala.
While it was Dharmsala and our interest in the Dalai Lama and Tibet correlation that drew us to this area, we actually enjoyed our time in Rishikesh the most.
Read more 6 Best Places to Visit in North India
Rishikesh surprised us and the minute we arrived we instantly regretted not staying longer. There is just something about a clean, crisp mountain air that speaks to us.
We gazed at the total beauty of the Ganges in contrast to the shores even though at the time we didn’t know that the further south it runs, it becomes the most polluted river in the world.
Check out: Haunted Places In India You Were Not Aware Of!
After our visit to Tibet during our travels in China, we knew we had to make the long trip up to Mcleod Ganj during our time in India, the town that the Tibetan government-in-exile calls home.
The Dalai Lama himself resides here when he is not out traveling and speaking. Literally, on the foothills of the Himalayas, the Tibet flag flies proudly all around the town.
Punjab, India Photos
One of the most prestigious regions in India, we couldn’t visit India without a visit to the Golden Temple. We also made our way to the Waga border where India meets Pakistan and witnessed a border closing ceremony.
At this point, we were 5 days into our India travels and the reality of it was just starting to sink in. India is an intense place to travel.
Read more 9 Best Things to Do in Amritsar, India
At the heart of faith in India is the Golden Temple of Amritsar. A visit to this temple is worth the wait once you cross through the gates and capture your first glimpse of the pool and buildings.
It’s an incredibly holy place to the Indian people and we spent the better part of 2 hours walking the interior and mingling with the local people.
Every single day the border guards at the Waga border, between India and Pakistan, perform a border closing ceremony that huge crowds gather to witness.
There is an incredible display of peacock-like behavior between the two sides making it worth the waiting to witness.
Rajasthan, India Pictures
The most visited region of India is undoubtedly Rajasthan and for good reason. There are so many little gems here that you could spend a whole month here alone.
It is here you can see Jaipur, Udaipur, Pushkar, Jodhpur and get a taste for the Thar Desert.
You can even go on a safari in Ranthambore for a chance to see some of the last wild Tigers that exist in the world.
Read more 10 Best Places to Visit in Rajasthan
Known as the “Palace of Winds” or “Palace of the Breeze” this landmark of Jaipur was built as a high screen wall so the women of the royal household could observe street festivals while unseen from the outside. Standing under it and looking up gives it an almost infinite look.
Check out this great guide on backpacking Northern India
Snake charming is an old tradition in India and today, it is rare to see any of them on the streets anymore. I came across these two guys after we entered the Amber Fort in Jaipur.
I think the best part of visiting the Amber Fort was taking the elephant trail back down the hill instead of the road. It provided for some beautiful backdrops when photographing the elephants.
We couldn’t visit Rajasthan without taking a camel trek into the Thar Desert.
We didn’t have the time to visit Jaislamer, so the next best thing is Pushkar, a town that resides right on the edge of the great desert. Nothing quite like enjoying a sunset in the desert.
We were sitting at a tiny cafe in Udaipur, enjoying a Chai when all of a sudden there was a large crowd of people marching down the streets.
The noise echoed up the street and I rose instantly sending my chair crashing to the floor. Luckily, we had a front-row seat.
Uttar Pradesh, India Pictures
Many people assume that Agra, home to the Taj Mahal, resides in Rajasthan but the reality is that it belongs to the region of Uttar Pradesh.
Between the holy city of Varanasi and the Taj Mahal, this region easily sees the bulk of India’s tourism by numbers.
These are easily some of our favorite India photos from our travels in the country.
The stunning Taj Mahal is everything you can hope it to be. A true marvel of the modern world and a place we consider ourselves lucky to have seen with our own eyes.
One thing I loved about India was the color. It is everywhere and makes for a great contrast when out photographing. I couldn’t resist this line of people walking to the Taj Mahal in Agra.
Varanasi was a place of shock and a little bit of awe for us. Incredibly dirty, it is the holy epicenter of India.
The banks of the Ganges are typically lined with Holy men performing rituals or asking for money from tourists who want to take photos.
Read more 9 Epic Places to Visit in Varanasi, India
The city is compact with narrow streets and resembles a maze. Navigating it on foot is challenging and at times frustrating however most streets eventually either end up on the main road or at the river.
Once reaching the river, you traverse one of the large ghats to reach the water as seen above.
A common scene in India when renting buildings to set up shop are not an option. Haircuts are cheap (think 50 cents) and we often saw long lines of people waiting their turn.
While wandering the narrow streets of Varanasi, we decided to cut down an alley to explore a different area. It was only then that we came across this beautiful green wall with a pack of dogs curled up peacefully together.
Madhya Pradesh, India Photos
Much less visited and very rural, this province gives way to desolate and beautiful sites like Orchha and Khajuraho.
Our days driving through this area were long but we were able to see a side of India that very few visitors see.
Rural life is simple, quiet and way less crowded. The shanty houses sit in the middle of open areas with small families maintaining the area and tending for their animals. Life is simple here.
The Khajuraho temple complex is beautifully maintained with perfectly groomed lawns and manicured gardens along the walkways. The flowers were in full bloom making the visit very peaceful and full of color.
The site is also heavily monitored and secured with a perimeter fence, meaning it stays clean and everyone must go through security before they can enter.
The main draw of a visit to Khajuraho is their famed sex temples. Featuring a wide range of graphically depicted Kama Sutra poses, the erotic art at Khajuraho is considered to represent the pinnacle of love and passion.
We had heard plenty about them but will never forget just how surprised we were by how realistic they are when we first laid eyes on them.
Holi Festival Photos
It wasn’t a coincidence that we ended up traveling in India during the time of year that the Holi Festival is celebrated. The festival of colors is a bucket list-worthy festival and our trip was planned around it.
We ended up celebrating in the beautiful city of Jaipur tossing colors and playing with the locals.
These are some of our favorite India photos from the festival. It’s a memorable experience and something we highly recommend to anyone wanting to visit India.
Our favorite part of Holi was being able to observe the locals celebrating. While I wasn’t able to join in on the dancing, David joined them and had an incredible time.
Jaipur made such a beautiful backdrop to the Holi celebration with the orange-toned buildings.
After celebrating in the streets we made our way to a private party where they lined tables with colors for play. I couldn’t help but watch this little girl who insisted on grabbing a bowl and raiding all the colors.
She would then walk to the middle of the dancing crowd and throw the color into the air.
India is an incredible country to visit and extremely photogenic. Our time in India filled more gigabytes of hard drive space then I care to admit and choosing from that to represent a country of such diversity was a task.
It is our goal to show you travel through our eyes and encourage more people to chase the wanderlust. Have you ever visited India?
If you liked our photos and are into travel photography, be sure to check out our Ultimate Travel Photography Gear List.
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The golden temple picture looks in perfect symmetry. Thanks for the great pictures.
India is the Awesome Country for travelling , there are many places for enjoying and fun, your post is very interesting , thank you for sharing.
How did you guys arrange your transport to the various places
Hi Richard, we hired a car for the duration of our trip. While there are a variety of options, this ended up being the best for us and we were easily able to achieve the itinerary we wanted. Planning a trip to India?
India is the land of culture, history and beauties. Beautiful snaps. Kudos to the photographers.
It sure is! We found it a difficult place to travel but very rewarding. Thanks for the kudos, all photos are ours. 🙂 Cheers!