Tourism official compile listing the Alabama road trips

The Alabama Department of Tourism needs to support people to take "road trips" inside the state and has compiled a list of 100 such journeys.

The department has in progress the promotion by release the driving itineraries for the first 10 suggested trips.

The first 10 trips include taking a road trip to watch eagles at Lake Guntersville, driving the Selma to Montgomery civil rights trail, taking a walking tour of downtown Birmingham and visiting Monroeville to see sites mentioned in the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird."

State Tourism Director Lee Sentell said he expects the itineraries will make it easier for travelers to plan their trips.

Sentell said the itinerary would also be included in the 2012 Alabama Vacation Guide.

The Virgin Island of Lakshadweep

Lakshadweep or the Laccadive Islands is a group of small islands scattered in the Laccadive Sea. The precise location of these islands would be somewhere around 300 kms of the coast of Kerala (South West State of India).

These tiny islands make up the smallest Union territory of India and cover a total area of 32 square Km. What seem so tiny are actually the tops of an enormous undersea mountain range in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.

The literal translation of the word Lakshadweepa in Sanskrit is one hundred thousand Islands.

When to Visit
While visiting a place you should always do a little bit of a searching on your and try to figure out what the best time to visit would be. The recommended best time to visit the islands of Lakshadweep is anywhere from October to mid May. The resorts of Lakshadweep are open all year round but the rains make the ship ride a little more difficult. The rains in Lakshadweep occur mostly from mid May to September.

If the monsoons are the time you are looking to visit then you could take a flight and the reach the islands of Agatti and Bangaram which are open even during the monsoons. The monsoons maybe be a difficult time to reach but if you do manage, you get to experience the joy of witnessing vast green patches of vegetation and clear water.

The resorts of Mnicoy, Kadmat and Kavaratti are not easy to access during the monsoons since the only way to reach them is by ships.

So much to see and so much to do
Water sports enthusiast will have a blast with an array of water sports and a beautiful surrounding; these virgin islands provide a perfect setting for experiencing the best of it. You could rent yourself a Kayak or a canoe and sail in the open sea. The glass bottomed boats give you the pleasure to see the best the sea has to offer. Deep sea fishing is also one of the highly recommended water sport even more because of the gifted sea water which breeds fishes like Sail fish, Triveli, yellow fin-tuna and the Baracuda.

Adventure Sports in LakshadweepIf you like to pre plan your trip you could get in touch with the Dolphin Dive Center at Kavaratti, the Minicoy Dive center or the Kadmat Scuba diving center.

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2012 W.Va. travel guide available by request

The 2012 West Virginia Official State Travel Guide has arrived and is available at no cost by request or at Welcome Centers statewide, courtesy of the West Virginia Division of Tourism.

Travelers will find all the information they require at their fingertips. Shopping, dining, lodging, outdoor recreation and entertainment is suitably arranged by travel area. The guide also contains a 2012 calendar of events occurring statewide. Start planning your journey today and discover what makes West Virginia so wild and amazing.

The guide features interviews with well-known West Virginians, a list of what’s new in West Virginia, articles on the new Boy Scout camp and the 150th anniversary of the Civil War and more.

The guide’s compact size makes it easy to carry in a backpack, glove box or saddlebags. In addition, smart phone users can gain instant access to online information via QR codes on select ads.

Tulum beach

A vacation in Tulum beach is all about escaping the Hi-Tech “connected” world, and getting back to nature and the beach is the perfect place to do this. Enjoy a comforting massage while you watch the waves crashing offshore on the 2nd largest barrier reef in the world, go snorkeling or diving in the warm turquoise Sea, explore the jungle and the hidden beaches or simply kick back, relax and soak up the warm afternoon sun; whatever you decide to do, it’s guaranteed that after a beach vacation in Tulum you will feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

The Tulum archaeological site is relatively solid compared with many other Maya sites in the locality, and is one of the best-preserved coastal Maya sites. Its nearness to the modern tourism developments along the Mexican Caribbean coastline and its short distance from Cancun has made it the most popular Maya tourist site in the Yucatan. Daily tour buses bring a constant stream of visitors to the site. The Tulum ruins are the 3rd most-visited archaeological site in Mexico, after Teotihuacan and Chichen Itza. It is popular for the picturesque view of the Caribbean and a location just 128 km (80 mi) south of the popular beach resort of Cancún.

A large number of cenotes are located in the Tulum area such as Maya Blue, Naharon, Temple of Doom, Tortuga, Vacaha, Grand Cenote, Abejas, Nohoch Kiin and Carwash cenotes and cave systems The tourist destination is now divided into four main areas: the archaeological site, the pueblo (or town), the zona hotelera (or hotel zone) and the biosphere reserve of Sian Ka’an.

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Halloween the Sensational Gut Feeling

Guys get ready it’s time to celebrate the Halloween party.
Have you chosen your invites???? Has the planning for Halloween started???
Get access to stuff that you had never thought about in your lifetime…..
Choose a costume that is more edgy and just rock on………..

Halloween is a chance for restrained people to let loose and turn spooky, wild, wicked, and naughty almost to do things that are stupid. So this time make sure that Your Halloween is more enjoyable and it will be, but only if you plan for something unusual rather the same dress up. Halloween is known for the dreadful dress up rather anything else. Here you can find few tips concerned with the Halloween costumes for all age groups and some ideas to give an awe factor. Make sure that the makeup and costumes which you wear has a mixed effect of art and science such that it is dreadful.

Dressing up completely different attires is basically fun however finding the simplest and right kind of outfit for Halloween is sort of powerful task. Ton of your time is needed to hold out through analysis then solely you'll return up with the simplest attires. You can go with the cloth primarily based on your style and preference. When it involves wear enticing costume, you've got to be little artistic to consider some special outfits to wear in party.

Interesting information to you “One quarter of all the candy sold annually in the U.S. is purchased for Halloween” isn’t it exciting to know???

Though infants know nothing about the Halloween party it is fun dressing up for them and presenting them in the cutest way. While selecting infant Halloween costumes make sure that you opt for the one which your baby feels comfy. You can check out the various sites which offer the infant costumes and opt for the best one.

When it comes to women there are quite a lot of costumes like princess, bat girl, horror witch, and skeleton with bleeding-heart. While selecting for Halloween women costumes make sure that you opt the best costume suitable for you in varying styles and persona that will help you to look your "best" while you enjoy the partying.

Movie characters are great ideas for boys who wish to dress up for Halloween parties. When it comes to Boy’s costumes in Halloween, harry potter is in the trend. One of the main advantages in dressing up like a movie character for your Halloween party is it will help the onlookers to make out the character.

Adults are the one who make the most of from the Halloween party and they tend to blast off and enjoy off the charts to have a splendid time. When it comes to adult, costumes are available in a wide range like vampire look, deviled egg and many more.

On the whole, the best part of Halloween is that you could become anyone you wanted to be, even if was for one night.
Jackson is a Expert author for Halloween costumes and Women Costumes.He has written many articles like Boy’s costumes. For more information visit our site http://www.costumecenterusa.com.
Contact him at ccusamaster@gmail.com

California's travel and tourism industry sees job expansion

Despite reports that the California job market has screech to a halt, jobs in travel and tourism continue to rise – providing billions of dollars and a million jobs to the state. During August, the leisure and hospitality industry gained 1,500 jobs while the state’s unemployment rate raised to 12.1%.

“California’s economy is ever varying and businesses across all sectors have been experiencing challenges,” said Caroline Beteta, President and CEO of Visit California. “The fact that the travel and tourism industry is holding strong despite a common economic downturn demonstrates that the state is a premier domestic and international destination. People come here looking for the

California experience.”This summer, the leisure and hospitality industry continued to play a important role in California’s labor force and revenue.

During the summer months of June, July and August, the number of hotel rooms sold in California raised by 5% compared to the year before.

• These figures come on top of a seven% growth in hotel demand and a seven% increase in total travel spending in the state during the 2010 calendar year.
• Overseas travel has grown in 2011 – through June, point of entry arrivals into California grow 14% from 2010. Overseas visitors are particularly important to the state’s economy because they typically stay longer - 11.3 nights - and spend more - US$1,200 per journey - than do domestic visitors.

WHAT WAS STONEHENGE?

The Megalithic Stone structures, which exist not only in this country but also throughout the Continent of Europe, are a special feature of that period known as the Neolithic Age. As has already been shown, Stonehenge represents a very late type, erected at a time when the bronze culture had begun to overlap that of polished stone (Neolithic).

These stone structures can be roughly divided into three classes.

1. Single upright stones, or menhirs (Celtic = "high stone"), which may be commemorative of some great event or personage.

2. Dolmens (Celtic = "table stone"), in which a stone slab is set table-wise on three or four uprights.

3. Cromlechs (Celtic = "stone circle"). Circles enclosing barrows or dolmens.

Stonehenge is a highly specialised example of this last class. Round these cromlechs popular myth and superstition have crystallised themselves into tales of the devil and his works (as in the case of Stonehenge), ogres, giants, dwarfs, Sabbath breakers, and infidels, turned to stone. In nearly every case there is some story of the supernatural, which cannot be accidental, but which must have its root in past religious observance.

It is a recognised fact that the worship of stones is more widely distributed than any other primitive cult. Its almost universal distribution can be referred to the tendency of the half savage mind to confuse persons and things, and from seeming likeness of the inanimate to the animate, to endue the lifeless object with the virtue and power of the living object. This mental outlook is better understood in practice than in theory. A Melanesian native may come across a large stone, lying upon the top of a number of smaller stones. It suggests to him a sow with her litter of pigs, and he at once makes an offering to it, in the hope that he will secure pigs. In determining the function of Stonehenge, therefore, it will be useful to compare it with similar existing stone circles. The largest of these in this country is Avebury, not many miles distant from Stonehenge. Unluckily, to-day it is so ruined that its former greatness is hardly to be distinguished by the unskilled observer. Formerly comprising some hundreds of unhewn Sarsen stones, barely a score remain in position at the present day. In Avebury, as it was, can be found the early typic model of which Stonehenge is the final product. The use of the circle as a basic form is common to both. In Avebury the Sarsen is a rough unhewn monolith; in Stonehenge it is squared, dressed, and crowned with its lintel. All evidences of a slow evolution from Neolithic to Bronze culture. But whereas the circle alone is used at Avebury, Stonehenge has in addition the horseshoe series of Trilithons and foreign uprights, and in this particular differs from all other Cromlechs in this country. It is the climax of the Megalithic monument, and its use very certainly must have been connected with the religion of the race which set it up. It was, in short, a religious structure, probably used for the observation of the sun, and possibly connected with "nature worship."

The fact that the sun rises over the Hele Stone on the Summer Solstice, and that it can be observed in direct alignment with the centre of the Great Trilithon, can hardly be due to accident. Chance might bring two stones into such a position on the Solstice, but, in this case, the entire monument is so arranged as to place the rising sun in a due line with its axis on this particular day.

It will be well to consider the facts which must have been within the knowledge of the builders of Stonehenge, and to trace as far as may be their reasoning in the building of it.

To begin with, it is almost certain that at the time of building, there existed some primitive form of priesthood, or body of "wise men." This is quite compatible with the culture of the period. The existence of the Neolithic Long Barrows is sufficient evidence that man had, by this time, arrived at that particular culture which grasps the existence of a "spirit."

Death only terminated the existence of the body, and not that of the spirit. It was even able to return and enter another body, say that of a new-born infant, an animal, or tree. And being after the manner of human beings, spirits could understand human language and become accessible to human petitions. Thus a spirit might even prove a powerful friend or enemy. And the dwellings of these spirits would be those great powers which meant so much to a primitive people; the sun, moon, stars, rivers, forests, and clouds; from which arose the two great classes of spirit, the "ancestral" and the "spirit of nature." From this general body was developed a regular hierarchy of good and evil spirits, gradually ascending to the conception of one great creative spirit, or superior deity.

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Earth's Largest pyramid

Built by:Pharaoh khufu

Date:circa 2550 B.C

Location:Giza

Height:481 feet(147 meters)


WONDER OF THE WORLD
Khufu, son of Snefru and second ruler of the 4th dynasty (time line) moved the royal necropolis to Giza, north of modern-day Cairo. According to ancient Greek historian Herodotus, Khufu (aka Cheops) enslaved his people to build his pyramid. But archaeologists have since disproved his account (see "Who Built the Pyramids?").

On the Giza Plateau, Khufu's builders oriented his pyramid almost perfectly north. The largest pyramid ever built, it incorporates about 2.3 million stone blocks, weighing an average of 2.5 to 15 tons each. It is estimated that the workers would have had to set a block every two and a half minutes.

The pyramid has three burial chambers. The first is underground, carved into bedrock. The second, aboveground chamber was called the queen's chamber by early explorers. We now know it was never intended to house one of Khufu's wives but perhaps a sacred statue of the king himself. The third is the king's chamber, which held a red granite sarcophagus placed almost exactly at the center of the pyramid.

The king's chamber is accessed via the 26-foot-high (8-meter-high) Grand Gallery, which was sealed off from thieves by sliding granite blocking systems.

The Great Pyramid was the centerpiece of an elaborate complex, which included several small pyramids, five boat pits, a mortuary temple, a causeway, a valley temple, and many flat-roofed tombs for officials and some members of the royal family.

CLASSIC FACT: Several mystery shafts extend from the king's and queen's chambers. Neither airshafts (they were sealed) nor hallways (they are too narrow), they may have been designed to allow Khufu to travel to the stars in his afterlife. A blocked shaft from the queen's chamber was penetrated in 2002.

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United and Continental airlines working out details of merger

United loads passengers in window seats first. Continental boards from the back. And United has a specific way to load dogs onto a plane — always tail-first as they ride up the conveyor belt in carrier cages. On Continental, there's no strict policy.

These are just three of the thousands of differences in the daily practices and policies of United and Continental airlines. But soon they will have to act as one.

The two airlines are close to completing a $3-billion merger that next year will create the nation's largest carrier, with more than 86,000 employees and nearly 1,200 jets. Federal regulators approved a final clearance to the merger this week.

But over the last year and a half, a team of managers and staff from the two carriers has made about 2,000 decisions about how the new hybrid airline will operate. The trick has been trying to preserve the most popular practices of each without alienating devotees of either.

One merger decision — whether to have a fleet-wide audio channel to let passengers hear pilots talk to air traffic controllers — even sparked an online campaign by fans of the channel.

"If the acquiring airline has an open mind, it will examine both carriers' business practices and pick those that offer a combination of better service for the traveler and improved savings or efficiency for the airline," said Henry Harteveldt, co-founder of Atmosphere Research Group, a San Francisco travel marketing and technology research firm.

It's a time-consuming process. When Delta Air Lines merged with Northwest Airlines last year, airline officials said they had so many decisions to make that they started by writing the topics on yellow Post-it notes that covered an entire wall.

"It only made sense that they would do that," said Bob McAdoo, an airline analyst for Avondale Partners in Nashville. "That is the kind of stuff that makes a merger work."

Airline executives from Delta and Northwest opted to keep the Delta name but adopted some of Northwest's most popular menu choices in the first-class section, including adding Twix candy bars and fresh fruit. It also adopted Northwest's policy of offering pretzels in coach.

When United and Continental begin to operate as one, the new airline will fly with United's name but with Continental's globe symbol and a new motto — "Let's Fly Together."

In weighing which system of boarding passengers to use, airline executives chose the United method. Post merger, customers with window seats will be first to get on the plane, followed by those in middle seats and finally passengers in aisle seats.

Industry studies have shown that the United process reduces boarding time, allowing the airline to squeeze in more flights per day.

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MEP firm AE Arma-Elektropanc is closing in on the final work on the upcoming Rixos Palm Jumeirah Dubai in a fast-track job for the hotel chain, a fellow Turkish company.

The engineering firm will be able to handover the project next month after a six-month mandate to complete the full MEP package for the upcoming Dubai hotel, the latest from the Antalya-based Rixos Hotels. Main contractor is another Turkish company, Sembol Construction Company (SML), a sister company of Rixos.

“We’ve been working on the project for the last six months and will be able to finish next month,” Burak Kizilhan, business development manager for the Middle East and North Africa told CW this morning.

“This was a fast track project, and we have about 1,500 people working on site and about 50-60 engineers. The client wanted to be able to handover the hotel by the beginning of next year, so we’ve been able to help them do that.”

The hotel consists of 204 rooms and will cover only around 30% of the total developed area. The remaining 70% will consist of gardens and a beach promenade. It is the first for the hotel company in the region.

“Middle Eastern markets have always presented an invaluable investment opportunity for developing countries like Turkey and as a major hotel brand, we concentrate on key hotel and residence projects,” Fettah Tamince, chairman of Rixos Hotels, said earlier this year.

AE Arma-Elektropanc, which works through a joint venture with Bin Belaila locally, is one of the most international MEP companies of its kind, with a presence in many Middle Eastern markets as well as Cyprus, Ukraine and Russia among others.

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What’s between NYC and DC?

Who will say No for a vacation in NYC and DC? When you plan to visit these two places, you might want to know about the places that you could visit on the way. Would you miss the natural beauties and places of importance that lies on the way from NYC to DC? Many of us prefer to take a flight straight to our destinations, enjoy the sights there and return home with those memories. The main enjoyment of a trip to a place actually lies in the travelling. You get to see and feel a lot of places and their specialties. If you try a NYC to DC bus service and spend a little extra time travelling, you could see a lot of scenic beauties on the way. There are numerous NYC TO DC BUS services these days that makes things even easier. You don’t have to struggle finding one or have a bad road travel as all those services are able to provide a high class service.

The above suggestion was for the ones who don’t want to step out of the bus or stop in between while travelling if they happen to see something interesting. One of the most enjoyable methods to take full advantage of a trip is by getting down in between and it might turn out to be a trip full of adventures. When you decide to take an unplanned vacation along with your friends and family that does not involve children or elderly these unplanned trips are pleasant. When you want a happy unplanned trip that allows you to get on and get off wherever you feel like, it is advisable not to take children along with you. Children cannot adjust long tips and tiring journey and might spoil the whole vacation mood. When you want to have an unplanned trip to NYC to DC the best thing that you could do is to note the place that you could stop by or could visit that lies between them. These iconic American Cities are separated by about 225 miles approximately. If you are all set to enjoy the scenic beauties that lie between these two cities, road ways is the only best choice here. Here is a list of places that you can visit during your trip through the various NYC to DC bus services that are available.

1. If you wish to get a glimpse of American history, you need to visit the Independence National Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Here you will also love to see the Bowman Hill's Wildflower Preserve which is the house of nature lovers.

2. Wilmington, Delaware is there to offer an exciting pirate sail on board Wilmington's Kalmar Nyckel. Wilmington Blue Rock's Frawley Stadium and Brandywine Zoo are the other places to visit here.

3. Baltimore, Maryland is where you can find the remarkable American Visionary Art Museum. You could also enjoy hiking or biking in the 15 miles long Gwynns Falls Trail.

A truly beautiful time for rugby fans and travellers to make the trip to New Zealand. & enjoy worldcup

The 7th Rugby World Cup comes to New Zealand in September 2011 much to the delight of rugby-loving New Zealanders the world over. Rugby is a passion for so many New Zealanders, that the world cup is coming down under to a real 'spiritual home'. The much anticipated tournament kicks off on Friday 9 September at Eden Park in Auckland and finishes in the same venue on Sunday 23 October.

Visitors to New Zealand following the rugby will experience the length and breadth of the country, as pool matches will be played in 12 different venues across New Zealand. Best of all, rugby fans will be in New Zealand during Spring, a truly beautiful time of year for rugby fans and travellers to make the trip to New Zealand.

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Top 10 Tourist Destinations in India

Agra

Agra’s Taj Mahal is one of the most famous buildings in the world, the mausoleum of Shah Jahan’s favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is one of the New Seven Wonders of the world, and one of three World Heritage Sites in Agra.

Completed in 1653, the T?j Mahal was built by the Mughal king Sh?h Jah?n as the final resting place for his beloved wife, Mumt?z Mahal. Finished in marble, it is perhaps India’s most fascinating and beautiful monument. This perfectly symmetrical monument took 22 years (1630-1652) of hard labour and 20,000 workers, masons and jewelers to build and is set amidst landscaped gardens.

Jaipur / Udaipur

Lots of people flock to Jaipur to view the various forts and monuments in Jaipur which reflect its glorious past. Tourism is a significant part of Jaipur’seconomy. Some of the world’s best hotels are located here.

Forts & Monuments

• Hawa Mahal
• Amber Fort
• Jaigarh Fort
• Nahargarh Fort
• City Palace
• Jantar Mantar
• Jal Mahal
• Rambagh Palace
• Chandra Mahal, The City Palace, Jaipur
• Diwan-e-Aam, City Palace
• Central Museum, (Albert Hall Museum)

Goa

Goa is Famous for its pristine beaches, infact 90% of all the tourism in Goa happens only for its beautiful beaches in Coastal Areas. Goa has two main tourist seasons: winter and summer. In the winter time, tourists from abroad (mainly Europe) come to Goa to enjoy the splendid climate. In the summertime (which, in Goa, is the rainy season), tourists from across India come to spend the holidays.

In 2008 there were more than three million tourists reported to have visited Goa, more than half million of whom were from Foreign visitors. Infact, many foreigners have made Goa as there home for its laid-back and relaxed lifestyle !

Kashmir

Kashmir was once called Heaven on Earth, and once of the most beautiful places in the world. However, in last couple of decades, terrorism has faded its charm – A place home to Himalayan Ranges.The State of Jammu & Kashmir has main three geographical regions known as “The Lesser Himalayas” or the “Jhelum Valley” (Kashmir), “The Inner Himalayas” or “The Indus Valley” (Ladakh & Frontier areas) also called “Trans-Himalayas”, and “The Outer-Himalayas” or “The Southern mountain range” (Jammu). The area of Jammu & Kashmir is 2, 22,236 square kilometers.


Kanyakumari
Though there are several places of tourist-interest in the town and district, Kanyakumari is especially popular in India for its spectacular and unique sunrise and sunset. The confluence of three ocean bodies – the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea – makes the sunrise and sunset even more special. On balmy, full-moon evenings, one can also see the moon-rise and sunset at the same time – on either side of the horizon.

Kerala (Backwaters)

Kerala, situated on the lush and tropical Malabar Coast, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Named as one of the "ten paradises of the world" and "50 places of a lifetime" by the National Geographic Traveler magazine, Kerala is especially known for its ecotourism initiatives, Beautiful Backwaters and Alternative healing massages.

Old Delhi

Delhi, Capital of India has many attractions like mosques, forts and other monuments that represent India’s history. The important places in Old Delhi include the majestic Red Fort. New Delhi on the other hand houses many government buildings and embassies, apart from places of historical interest.The Qutub Minar, Red Fort and Humayun’s Tomb have been declared World Heritage Sites.

Ajanta Ellora

Ajantha & Ellora are 28 – 30 rock-cut cave monuments created during the first century BC and 5th century AD, containing paintings and sculptures considered to be masterpieces of both Buddhist religious art and universal pictorial art.

The caves are located just outside the village of Ajantha / Ellora in Aurangabad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

Since 1983, the Ajanta & Ellora Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Darjeeling

Darjeeling in India owes’ its grandeur to its natural beauty, its clean fresh mountain air and above all, the smiling resilient people for whom it is a home. Known for its natural splendor, Darjeeling’s best gift to its’ visitors is the dawn of a new day. The mountains awaken first with a tentative peeking of the sun.

A steep ride, five kilometers from Ghoom, or an invigorating walk up a steep incline, leads sun worshippers to Tiger Hill. The air is chilly with darkness and damp. To the east, a dull orange sun emerged painting the sky with brilliant strokes of magenta, gold, orange and fuchsia. The snow capped Everest, Kabru, Kanchenjunga, Jannu and other peaks slowly emerge from slumber to start a new day. The sun worshippers gasp at the magnificent sight.

Mysore

Mysore is a tourism hot spot within the state of Karnataka and also acts as a base for other tourist places in the vicinity of the city. The city receives the maximum number of tourists during the period of the Dasara festival when festivities take place for a period of 10 days. One of the most visited monuments in India, the Ambavilas Palace (also known as Mysore Palace) is the center of the Dasara festivities.

Hope you have found this Top Ten Tourist Destinations in India article interesting. If you have any questions, do drop in a comment

What are you waiting for – Go ahead and book your travel tickets right now :)

All of us need to reward ourselves over a time for the stress toll taken both physically and mentally by us. One of the best ways to chill out is to take a vacation and here are some amazing worldwide vacation rentals you can consider booking for your vacations

TYPES OF SAFARIS IN INDIA

Man, machine and animals:
That rugged jeep had seen enough of your garage, take it out and hit the roads. Bikers roar your cruiser-buddy. Indian streets are winding, wooded, dirty, yet promise undulating gamble for the ‘roadies’. The romance between the man and the machine apart, Indian safari adventures mean animals as well, and a lot of them. Camels, horses, elephants -- which one are you planning to ride? India sightseeing is best done on animal back. Come to this mystic land, explore the unexplored, and leave rejuvinated! Team it up with extensive photography spree and you can host an exhibition, write for travel blogs (write us a travelogue), and what not!


Some of the best Indian safaris

Jeep Safari:Imagine driving in a jungle, and some predator gives you a chase for your life! Reminds you of the dinosaurs chase scene in The Lost World? Drive your blues away in the craggy hills and muddy roads, wildlife parks and beaches of this incredible land, India. In the trans Himalayan region, Leh-Ladakh and Kinnaur-Spiti promise those winding roads, high altitudes, deep gorges and everything that takes to get your heart throbbing and body sweating. The ‘Raid-de-Himalayas’, an annual car-rally, is something you must opt for if you land up just during the program. Rajasthan’s forested valleys and arid hills also give you a different kind of safari flavor. The Shekhawati and Mewar region, Udaipur and Jaisalmer are options you should give a check.


Biking Safari:

Those who have straightaway jumped to this paragraph sure must have read Che Guevara’s Motocycle Diaries or at least seen the movie. And those who have not, and still is a biking-maniac, should check it out, for it inspires endlessly to embark on a biking safari. And if you have made your mind, here is India for you. The Himalayas again are the most enticing with winding and difficult routes, just perfect for the bikers. Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh regions like Kinnaur, Lahaul Spiti, Manali are the zones of interest. While, for rugged countryside biking, try Rajasthan.


Elephant Safari:

Best for exploring the jungles and having the closest and the best possible wildlife encounters, elephant safari is the most common safari option. The national parks and sanctuaries, have safari tours with trained mahouts (guides). Corbett National Park, Periyar Widlife Sanctuary, Kaziranga National Park are famed for their elephant safaris. The sightseeing safaris are best conducted by Rajasthan Tourism to reach their hill-top Forts and of course to tour tourists around the city, alongside their camels.

Camel Safari:

Wobbling on the camel back is fun, but minus the back-aches. But roosted on its hunch-back as you tour the varied attractions or scale the deserts, anything and everything feels worth the experience. In the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, around Jodhpur, Jaisalmer (Sam sand dunes), and Bikaner, toddling though palaces, old havelis (mansions), oasis --- is rated the best of camel-safari escapades. Jaisalmer to the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat is another exciting route. Special camel safaris are also organized round Pushkar and Nagaur in the winter season of October to March, when these two cities have their popular cattle fairs. Chambal camel safari a must for Agra visitors, that begins with a river cruise conducted by the Pathanias (attraction: close encounters with Ghariyals and Crocodiles) and the camel safari, which takes you to the picturesque Atar Fort.



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Why do trekkers from across the globe haunt India’s Himalayan ranges.

It is not just the ruggedness that is infatuating, but the celestial and humbling beauty of nature that swathe its hills and dales. Camp in the wild (animals won’t harm, till you harm them), cook food (like our ancestors did), let your hair down and dance the nights away (better if you volunteer to teach a localite some hip-shaking in exchange of the jungle jinga-la-la), and sleep under the blue sky (make a hole in your tent-roof to gaze at the stars!).....

MOST TREKKED ZONES

Garhwal Himalayas: Himalayas most beautiful slice is called the Garhwal. The Ganges, Nanda Devi sanctuary, the bewitching Valley of flowers, Hindu pilgrimage sites Badrinath and Kedarnath, there is an endless list that awaits the vision. The best part is the unpredictable weather and the changing terrain. Whether, impressed by the celestial beauty or because of the pilgrim interest, they call it ‘Dev Bhumi’ (abode of the gods). For treks in the higher regions go between April and November, while lower regions are best trekked between December and February. The snow-fall is awesome!!!

Kumaon Himalayas: The starting point of the rivers Pindar, Gori, Dhauli, E. And Kuti, form the main trekking and mountaineering regions. As you trek through the ardous track, you are more than reminded of the great hunter Jim Corbett (of ‘Man eaters of Kumaon’ fame). And if you have read his book, you sure will day-dream seeing him crawl with his gun for the man-eater. No more man-eaters, just unending excitement.

Ladakh: If trekking right upto the sky sounds exciting and higher the altitude, the better, than Ladakh -- between the Great Himalayan range and the Tibetan Plateau at 3000 m above the sea level, is just the zone for you.

Himachal: Four mountain ranges -- the Dhaula Dhar, Pir Panjal, Himalayas and Zanskar, alongwith a myriad local cultures, pristine valleys, deep gorges, plummeted orchards, meadows -- and what not, Himachal treks are the most enriching. There are about two dozen passes on the Dhauladhar, a dozen over the Pirpanjal range and 8-10 passes over the Great Himalayan range to cross over to the Zanskar valley.

Sikkim & Darjeeling: Mount Kanchenjunga is Sikkim and Darjeeling’s claim to fame besides the cultural potpourri of Bhutia, Lepacha and Tibetian races. Endless green tea gardens, an eclectic diaspora of flora and fauna, the quaint toy train (an World Heritage site), some of the most colorful Buddhist festivals, adventure sports --- your trekking tour has tango, more exciting than the humbling white peaks. Go there during April to May and October to November

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TADA - A good place for trekking

Tada falls or Ubbalamdugu Falls is in Tada mandal of Nellore district in India. It is situated on the border of Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh. It is situated around 95 km from Chennai.

Its a good for teen age guys to enjoy a safe trekking and it is still a nice spot for trekking without the usual buzz of people and shops surrounding you.

The best time to visit Tada would be after the rainy season, which I feel would be sometime between December and February. (Remember it is the North East monsoon which brings rains to these parts of India.) Even a visit during the rainy season would be fun, but you would have to be extra careful during the trek as it will be slightly difficult to climb the rocks. e you have reached Basecamp 1 (the place where the cars are parked), the trek begins. (Believe me, it is called Base Camp). The total trek distance would be about 10kms to and fro with nearly 4kms in real rocky conditions. From here the mud road begins and if you are on SUV or two wheelers, you can go for another 1km. We stopped at Basecamp 1 and took out the stuff that we required to carry and set about on the trek at nearly 11am. And its really a good place trekking enjoyment

Masjid al-Haram-Saudi Arabia

Al-Masjid al-Haram pronounced "The Sacred Mosque", is the largest mosque in the world. Located in the city of Mecca, it surrounds the Kaaba, the place which Muslims worldwide turn towards while performing daily prayers and is Islam's holiest place. The mosque is also known as the Grand Mosque. Expanding over an area in excess of 4,000,000 square metres within the city of Mecca, Masjid al-Haram was built in 638 AD and has the capacity to be able to accommodate up to 4,000,000 people.

The Haram was built in the 7th century and has been modified, rebuilt, and expanded on a regular basis ever since. Major expansions took place in the 1980s and further work is going on today. The beginnings of the Holy Mosque were established under Caliph Omar Ibn al-Khattab. The caliph ordered the demolition of houses surrounding the Kabba in order to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims, then built a 1.5-meter high wall to form an outdoor prayer area around the shrine. During the reign of Caliph Uthman Ibn Affan, the prayer area was enlarged and covered with a simple roof supported by wooden columns and arches.

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Sequoia National Park - California, USA

Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Visalia, California, in the United States of America. It was established on September 25, 1890. The park spans 404,051 acres. Encompassing a vertical relief of nearly 13,000 feet, the park contains among its natural resources the highest point in the contiguous 48 United States, Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet above sea level. The park is south of and contiguous with Kings Canyon National Park; the two are administered by the National Park Service together.

The park is famous for its Giant Sequoia trees, including the General Sherman tree, the largest tree on Earth. The General Sherman tree grows in the Giant Forest, which contains five out of the ten largest trees in the world, in terms of wood volume. The Giant Forest is connected by the park's Generals Highway to Kings Canyon National Park's General Grant Grove, home to the General Grant tree among other sequoias. The park's Giant Sequoia forests are part of 202,430 acres of old-growth forests shared by Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Indeed, the parks preserve a landscape that still resembles the southern Sierra Nevada before Euro-American settlement.

Glen Coe-Scotland

Glen Coe is a glen in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies in the southern part of the Lochaber committee area of Highland Council, and was formerly part of the county of Argyll. It is often considered one of the most spectacular and beautiful places in Scotland, and is a part of the designated National Scenic Area of Ben Nevis and Glen Coe. The narrow glen shows a grim grandeur. The glen, approaching from the east on the main A82 road, is surrounded by wild and precipitous mountains. Further west at Invercoe, the landscape has a softer beauty before the main entrance to the glen. The main settlement is the village of Glencoe. In summer the centre offers mountain biking, archery, orienteering, hill-walking, climbing, chairlift rides, photography, trail building, guided walks and home cooked food in the log cabin cafe. In winter skiing, snowboarding, sledging and avalanche rescue training are available.

Glen Coe is a very popular tourist destination: partly because of its scenic qualities and historical associations, partly because it is on the main road north, and also because of its attraction for walkers and climbers. It is famous for the quality, and variety of its winter climbing, most of its routes being comparatively easy of access from the main road.

Many walkers come to Glen Coe on the West Highland Way following the old military "Wade road" over Rannoch Moor which crosses the River Etive at the Kings House Hotel. From there it is about 2 km to the head of the glen, then about 2 km into the glen the Way ascends the Devil's Staircase, a steep, boulder-strewn "cut" (352 m high) which is part of the old military road and drove road north across the hills to Kinlochleven.

Milford Sound-New Zealand

Milford Sound-Famously titled ‘the eighth wonder of the world’ by Rudyard Kipling, Milford Sound is a fjord on New Zealand’s South Island that is encompassed within the Fiordland National Park. Surrounded by mountainous areas that stand in excess of 1,200 feet above the Tasman Sea which flows through the sound, the area is known for its attractiveness to animals, with many different varieties of fish living in the water, as well as seals and dolphins.

Milford Sound is a fjord in the south west of New Zealand's South Island, within Fiordland National Park and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. It has been judged the world's top travel destination in an international survey and is acclaimed as New Zealand's most famous tourist destination.