Breakaway Destination Guides (International)

A place of infinite variety, fascinating with its ancient and complex culture, dazzling contrasts and breathtaking physical beauty. The Indian culture has persisted through the ages precisely for the reasons of antiquity, unity, continuity and the universality of its nature.

India has the second largest base of bio diversity in the world, with 441 Wildlife Sanctuaries and 80 NationalParks, which have become destinations for visitors from all around the world. India's obsession with wildlife can be traced to its 330 million gods and goddesses. The earliest indication, the Harappan seal of Pasupati or the Lord of the Animals, goes as far back as 2500 BC. In the 3rd Century BC, the Indian emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism and soon after issued India's first known conservation law 'The 5th Pillar Edict', forbidding the slaughter of animals and burning of forests. Perhaps it is such interlinking of religious beliefs and animals that lends an air of sanctity to wildlife in India.

Ajanta Caves: (This is a 'World Heritage Site') - The Buddhist caves at Ajanta contain some of India's most magnificent paintings. The 29 caves were excavated beginning around 200 BC, but they were abandoned in 650 AD in favour of Ellora. Five of the caves were temples and 24 were monasteries, thought to have been occupied by some 200 monks and artisans. The Ajanta Caves were gradually forgotten until their 'rediscovery' by a British tiger-hunting party in 1819.

Ellora Caves (This is a 'World Heritage Site') - The Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves at Ellora, carved between 600 and 1000 AD, include 34 monasteries and temples dug side by side in the wall of a high basaltic cliff not far from Aurangabad. It seems that the caves were started by the Buddhist builders of Ajanta when they deserted that site, but later non-Buddhist caves were created simultaneously in a flowering of creative competition between the different religions.

  Breakaway's Agra Fort: (This is a 'World Heritage Site') - While most people visit Agra to see the Taj Mahal, Agra, once the capital of all of India, has more to offer. Less than 2 kilometres from the Taj Mahal, on the same river bank, you'll find the impressive Agra Fort. The foundation was laid by emperor Akbar in 1565 AD, this huge fort is made of red-sandstone. It houses the Pearl mosque and many other noteworthy structures such as the Jahangir Palace or the Khas Mahal, built by Shah Jahan.

  Breakaway's Taj Mahal: (This is a 'World Heritage Site') - The Mogul emperor Shah Jahan had this immense funerary mosque of white marble built between 1631 and 1648 in memory of his favourite wife.

Bandhavgarh National Park - The national park is situated at 197 km away north-east of Jabalpur. This wild life park derived its very name from an ancient fort in the area.

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary - One of the finest bird parks in the world, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is a reserve that offers protection to faunal species as well. Nesting indigenous water-birds as well as migratory water birds and waterside birds, this sanctuary is also inhabited by Sambar, Chital, Nilgai and Boar.

Corbett National Park - was India's first national park that was set up in 1936, and has the proud distinction of being chosen as the venue for the inauguration of Project Tiger in India.

Ranthambore National Park - Ranthambore was decalred a wildlife sanctuary in 1955 and became part of Project Tiger in 1973. Internationally acknowledged as one of the last remnants of the once great virgin jungles in central India. Situated in India's northwestern state of Rajasthan.

Srivilliputhur Giant Squirrel Sanctuary - home to grizzled giant squirrels. The sanctuary is composed of dry deciduous forests and a mix of tropical evergreen, semi evergreen forests, moist mixed deciduous forests and grasslands.

Kanha National Park - Lush sal and bamboo forests, grassy meadows and ravines of Kanha provided inspiration to Rudyard Kipling for his famous novel "Jungle Book"

Nagarhole National Park - The Nagarhaole National Park in Karnataka shares its boundaries with the famous Bandipur National Park in Karanataka

Idukki National Park - The Idukki sanctuary is located in the forest land between the Cheruthoni river and the Periyar river. There is a beautiful lake around the Idukki sanctuary, surrounded by a captivating cover of tropical evergreen and deciduous forests.

Simlipal National Park - A unique sanctuary of its kind and also under Project Tiger Reserve. The natural beauty of the park is unsurpassed with gorgeous hills, dense foliage and waterfalls. It is home to about 95 tigers.

Sasangir National Park - Last remaining home of the Asiatic lion, this park in Gujarat is a 11,412 sq km hilly tract of mixed dry deciduous and teak forests in terspersed with grasslands. It is also one of the parks where one can spot leopards. Besides these chital, sambar, nilgai, chausingha, grey langur, hyena, painted sandgrouse, peacocks and paradise flycatchers may be spotted on an early morning drive.

Kaziranga National Park (World Heritage Site) - In the heart of Assam, this park is one of the last areas in eastern India undisturbed by a human presence. It is inhabited by the world's largest population of one-horned rhinoceroses, as well as many mammals, including tigers, elephants, panthers and bears, and thousands of birds.

Sariska National Park - Sharp cliffs of hills and narrow valleys of the Aravallis dominate the landscape of Sariska, whose forests are dry and deciduous. Within the Sariska wildlife sanctuary there are the ruins of medieval temples of Garh-Rajor, belonging to the 10th and 11th centuries. A 17th century castle on a sharp hilltop at Kankwari, provides a panoramic view of flying Egyptian vultures and eagles. The area was declared a sanctuary in 1955 and became a National Park in 1979.

Periyar National Park - This amazingly beautiful national park incredibly owes it's natural existence to nature as well as mankind. The park is at it's picturesque best in the winter months, with the branches of the submerged trees rising out of the cold morning haze. The human population in the area still consists of a couple of tribal sects. These are the Manans and the Ooralis. These tribal folk are some of the best guides that can be hired in the area.

Indira Gandhi Sanctuary - This Tamil Nadu sanctuary was earlier, and is still, better known as the Anamalais Wildlife Sanctuary. These are the lion-tailed macaque, nilgiri langur, bonnet macaque, common langur, Malabar giant squirrel, elephant, gaur spotted deer, wild boar, barking deer, wild dog and sambar.

Vallanadu Blackbuck Sanctuary - Vallanadu Black Buck Sanctuary boasts of a number of other animal species besides the black buck that makes it famous. There are the spotted deer, macaques, jungle cat, mongoose and wild hares. Among the birds you can expect to spot the Whistling Thrust, Emerald Dove, Green Pigeon, Tickell's Flower Pecker and Rufus Wood Pecker, Rose Ringed Parakeet and the Black Eagle. Bird watchers are advised to take a bird guide along who has a wealth of info about the habitats and the behavior of the birds. While some birds are residential, the others visit this place only in summer or winter.

(UNESCO World Heritage Site 1984) - The magnificent Sun Temple at Konark is the culmination of Orissan temple architecture, and one of the most stunning monuments of religious architecture in the world.

(UNESCO World Heritage Centre 1985) - This group of sanctuaries, founded by the Pallava kings, was carved out of rock along the Coromandel coast in the 7th and 8th centuries

Churches and Convents of Goa (UNESCO World Heritage Centre 1986) - These monuments were influential in spreading forms of Manueline, Mannerist and Baroque art in all the countries of Asia where missions were established.

Group of Monuments at Khajuraho (UNESCO World Heritage Centre 1986)

(UNESCO World Heritage Centre 1986) - The princes of Hampi built many Dravidian temples and palaces between 14th to 16th centuries that gained the attention of the travelers. The Muslim invaders however raided and ransacked the city for over six months before abandoning it.

(UNESCO World Heritage Centre 1986) - Fatehpur Sikri was Akbar's capital for approximately 12 years. Akbar selected Sikri as the seat of his government believing it to be auspicious for himself.

(UNESCO World Heritage Centre 1987) - This town is famous for its group of monuments that are the culmination of earliest experiments in vesara style of Hindu temple architecture, built in 680.

(UNESCO World Heritage Centre 1987) - The Elephanta island is located 10 km away from the Gateway of India at Mumbai. These caves house rock cut temples dating back to the 5th century CE.

Sundarbans National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Centre 1987)

(UNESCO World Heritage Centre 1988) - The Nanda Devi National Park is situated near the Nanda Devi, the second highest mountain peak of India. The national park has some of the unique high altitude flora and fauna in the world. The park offers breathtaking sceneries, wooded environment and richness of biosphere.

(UNESCO World Heritage Centre 1989) - The glory that was Sanchi, an ancient seat of Buddhist learning and place of pilgrimage, can still be experienced in its complex structures where many Buddhist legends found expression in the rich sculpture.

Humayun's Tomb Delhi

(UNESCO World Heritage Centre 1993) - The architecture of the tomb is amazing. Looking through the gate that leads to the tomb, you can see the similarities with the Taj Mahal

Qutab Minar and associated monuments Delhi

(UNESCO World Heritage Centre 1993) - It is not only an important tourist spot in Delhi, it is also an excellent example of early Islamic architecture in India. The area around Qutab Minar has a number of important monuments and together they constitute the Qutab complex.

(UNESCO World Heritage Centre 1999) - The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is lovingly called the "Toy Train". The journey to Darjeeling is regarded as among the most spectacular in the world. Travellers are awed by both the scenery as well as the railway line which is truly an engineering masterpiece and without doubt one of the wonders of the world.

(UNESCO World Heritage Centre 2002) - The Mahabodhi temple at Bodhgaya is located on the spot where the Buddha attained enlightenment. The temple's principle relic is a distant descendant of the Bo tree under which the Buddha sat when his enlightenment took place.

(UNESCO World Heritage Centre 2003) - The site spread over 10 km in length and about 3 km in width has more than 700 rock shelters, of which over 400 have paintings. The earliest human activities are known from the numerous stone tools including handaxes, cleavers and also the pebble tools.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus

(UNESCO World Heritage Centre 2004) - Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus), is better known by its acronym CST or VT.

(UNESCO World Heritage Centre 2004) - The sites include a hill fortress of an early Hindu capital from the 16th century in the state of Gujarat complete with palaces, temples, residential precincts, agricultural structures and water installations.

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