India defies description. Literally. Since the first days of the Raj, British writers have expended millions of words trying to sum up the country, but have largely failed. How can cold print convey the feast for the senses that is a Keralan marketplace, the glittering purity of the Himalayas, or the chaotic spiritual ecstasy of a temple festival? The only way to understand this immense, complex, seductive riot of a nation is through first-hand experience.

Happily, that’s never been easier. The number of flights from the UK has doubled in the past year, keeping prices low and making more areas accessible. But with so many options, where do you start? The answer is: right here. We’ve created five classic Indian journeys, each one compact enough to make a sensible two-week holiday in itself; if you have more time, you could easily mix-and-match to tailor-make your own trip. Then, let the grandeur, romance and sheer energy of the subcontinent work their magic.

The hotel rates given are for the winter period, which can be double those in the low season. For more information on planning your trip — flights, getting around and when to go — see Planning your trip on page 2.

THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE

Beginners, start here. The Golden Triangle packs some of the country’s most enduring icons and rich experiences into a (relatively) small space and time, making it an ideal taster of what India has to offer. There’s Delhi for the Raj, Agra for the Taj, and Jaipur for forts, festivals and all the romance of Rajasthan.

You arrive in Delhi, and you’ll probably love it, then hate it, then love it again, a dozen times a day. It’s a slightly schizophrenic place. The old city is everything you’d expect: cacophonous, crowded, bursting with colour and bustle. But alongside it stands a very different town, a new one built by the British in 1911; called

New Delhi, it replaced Calcutta as capital of the Raj. It’s outlandishly grand and grandly colonial: for anyone interested in the legacy of empire, and how it lives on in today’s India, this is the place to come. It’s easy to imagine how a house-calling maharaja must have felt as he advanced up the empire’s grandest driveway, the mile-long Raj Path, to the viceroy’s palace.

Of the main sights, the Red Fort is the most famous, but a little underwhelming compared with Agra’s. More intriguing are the tomb of Humayun, a high point of Mogul architecture; the monumental red-and-white Jami Masjid, the biggest mosque in the country; and Birla House, where Gandhi passed his last days, now a poignant museum.

Trains take two hours from Delhi to Agra, but it’s a quicker and more pleasant journey than by road. Visit the Fort’s stunning courtyards and lofty pavilions first, then make for the Taj Mahal. It’s a cold heart that doesn’t miss a beat when approaching. It swarms with tourists clamouring to sit on Princess Diana’s “I want to be alone” bench, and filling a zillion pixels with poses.

However, you only need to sidestep the central pathway, pick a bench and you’ll find plenty of peaceful spots to contemplate man’s greatest monument to love.

The Rajasthani capital, Jaipur, is the third point on the triangle — about three hours by car from Agra. On the way is the fantastical deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri, with delicate rock- carved pavilions and a marvellous hilltop mosque, still in use today. There are fewer tourists here, just sumptuous 16th-century architecture and an atmosphere of melancholy grandeur.

Heading west, the landscape becomes drier, the moustaches more flamboyant, and the workhorses are camels. Hewn from rosy stone, the Pink City of Jaipur blushes best in the evening light. Its famous Palace of the Winds is actually just a wafer-thin facade designed to enable the court’s women to observe processions in style, without compromising their purdah. Nearby are extraordinary astrological devices, erected by Jai Singh about 1730; rarely can anything so antiquated look so modern.

About 11km north, on a hilltop, lies the vast Amber Fort. It’s picture-perfect: crenellated walls marching off into the distance, the maharaja’s flags fluttering from turrets. Arrive in style, on elephant back. Dismount to find mirrored halls and fine views of the surrounding hills.