Guide to Central India

Most visitors to this region will be travelling to see the tigers at one of Madhya Pradesh's many reserves -- and for good reason. The tiger parks at Kanha, Bhandavgar and Pench are among the best in the country.

But this region has a great deal more to offer than just tigers. For a start there are more UNESCO World heritage sites in this part of India than any other -- perhaps the most famous being the erotic temples at Khajuraho.

From Khajuraho there's a wonderful route, through the fascinating town on Orchha, packed with its magnificent ruined temples and palaces, to Gwalior. Not only is this home to one of the most magnificent forts in all India, it's also home to some fairly curious trinkets...

From here you can head south to Bhopal, a place best known for the 1984 Union Carbide disaster, but one that is in fact a fascinating city with a pretty old town and some great sites including the world heritage Buddhists stupas at Sanchi.

Heading further south you come to the world heritage rock shelters at Bhenbetka -- site of some of the oldest rock art anywhere in the world -- before visiting the quirky former British hill station of Panchmari and Satpura National Park.

From here you can either take a train down to see the ancient Buddhists caves at Ellora and Ajanta near Aurangabad, or fly to one of the truly must see towns in India, Hyderabad, capital of Andra Pradesh. Hyderabad is a place renowned for its palaces, its pearls and it chicken biriyani. It's also home to the family that were the richest in the world, in fact according to Forbes the 6th Nizam of Hyderabad was the 5th wealthiest person of all time with an estimated wealth at today's levels of over $200 billion.

And if that isn't enough from here you can travel through the 15th century kingdom at Bijapur, home to some stunning architecture including the second largest dome in the world, and on to the rock caved temples at Badami, Pattadkal and Hampi before hitting the beaches at the iconic traveller destination of Goa.

We have a number of group tours that travel through the region, with A Passage to India starting in Mumbai, heading through Ellora and Ajanta, the stunning riverside fortress hotel at Ahilya -- as favoured by Mick Jagger no less -- and on north to Kashmir. The Land of the Kama Sutra links Gwalior, Orchha, Khajuraho and Varanasi with Calcutta. But perhaps the most in depth group trip is the Heart of India tour which really ticks all the boxes: Bhopal, Satpura, Hyderabad and Goa.

And of course, back in our offices in London and Delhi, we have specialist travel planners that can help you create the most perfect Central India tailor-made experience.

To be honest, with the exception of Goa, few travellers take this routing. In a way that's a shame, for there is so much to see. (VO) Although varied there is some of the nation's best accommodation, most interesting cuisine, great wildlife and some of her most stunning views.

But this is also one of the great attractions, as for the committed Indophile, Central India is one of travels best kept secrets.