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Some of these hikes are well known, some underrated. All are AFAR tested and approved, bringing you closer to the Earth.

Inspired by a Bollywood film, young girls and women in northern India are taking up “kushti”—an ancient form of wrestling traditionally only practiced by men.

The palaces of Jaipur and Udaipur are more than just architectural marvels—they’re a window into India’s cultural history.

The Italian cocktail is celebrating its centenary this year—here’s where to find the best ones from New York to Rome, according to 5 cocktail experts.

Or, proof that one of the best ways to see India is by cruise.

When a traveler faces grief in Varanasi, his perspective on life and death goes up in smoke.

Varanasi is a city of beautiful chaos. Located on the banks of the Ganges River, it’s one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, and also one of the holiest. The river is the pulse of the city and it’s worth setting your alarm so that you can be on the water for sunrise. Locals descend the ghats (the stairs leading down to the banks of the river) to bathe, pilgrims perform Hindu ceremonies, and women wash their laundry then hang it along the stairs to dry. Even more fascinating are the burning ghats that send plumes of smoke and flames into the air as they cremate the bodies of the dead. Anyone visiting Varanasi must read Geoff Dyer’s book “Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi.” It perfectly captures the spirit of the city.

Set aside some time to indulge in a spot of pampering and preening. The lanes of Koregaon Park are home to a number of salons and day spas, many of which are adjacent to each other—so you can enjoy a set of salon treatments before stepping next door for a spa appointment. A good spa to visit is Four Fountains, which offers a full suite of therapies for de-stressing, detox, and beauty. Treatments include aromatherapy, reflexology, Ayurvedic massage, and the intriguing coffee and cane sugar body polish.

Boudhanath, situated on the north east side of Kathmandu, is one of the most significant Buddhist monuments in the world. The stupa’s dome is 43 meters tall and it’s painted-on Buddha eyes survey a flurry of activity in the square below. Pilgrims, monks, devotees worshipping with sun salutations, merchants, craftsmen and tourists mingle in this corner of town which used to be a Tamang village but is now primarily inhabited by the descendants of Tibetan refugees. Look closely and you’ll see evidence of the traditional Nepali painting technique on the white base of the stupa - paint is thrown onto the structure in arcs instead of applied with brushes. Visit some of the monasteries that surround the monument as well - some of them have nice second floor balconies for viewing the great stupa and its crown of prayer flags from a different angle (this photo was taken from one of them).

This tranquil expanse of water in the heart of the city is a place for quiet contemplation. On one side of the lake is the Seema Malaka Temple, connected to the shore by a series of walkways and designed by architect Geoffrey Bawa, who reputedly drew inspiration from the forest monasteries of Anuradhapura. It is used as an inauguration hall for monks from the nearby Gangaramaya Temple.