Places worth the detour in India
India has 2,815 places worth going out of your way for on Detourmap, across 16 kinds — the biggest group is churches, temples, monasteries & shrines (1,472). The best known is Taj Mahal. 2,560 of them are hidden gems most guides skip. Every place below has a photo and a Wikipedia article — click any of them to fly the map there.
Churches, temples, monasteries & shrines in India 1,472
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Prahadisvarar Temple
Sacred sites · 11th century · Renowned
11th century Tamil Chola Dynasty Temple and UNESCO World Heritage Site
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Meenakshi Temple
Sacred sites · 12th century · Renowned
Historic Hindu temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
Castles, palaces & forts in India 323
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Mysore Palace
Castles & palaces · 20th century · Notable
Historical palace in Mysuru, Karnataka, India
Parks, canyons & rock formations in India 240
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Kaziranga National Park
Natural wonders · 20th century · Iconic
National park in the state of Assam, India
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Sundarbans National Park
Natural wonders · 20th century · Renowned
National Park, Tiger Reserve, and Biosphere Reserve in West Bengal, India
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Kashmir Valley
Natural wonders · Renowned
Intermontane valley in Jammu and Kashmir, bounded on the southwest by the Pir Panjal Range and on the northeast by the main Himalayas
Museums & galleries in India 161
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Sabarmati Ashram
Museums & galleries · 20th century · Notable
Residence of Mahatma Gandhi (1917–1930)
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National Museum
Museums & galleries · 20th century · Notable
National and art museum in New Delhi, India
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Gandhi Smriti
Museums & galleries · 20th century · Notable
Museum and death place of Mahatma Gandhi, in New Delhi, India
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Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya
Museums & galleries · 20th century · Notable
Museum in Mumbai, India
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National Gallery of Modern Art
Museums & galleries · 20th century · Notable
Premier art gallery under Ministry of Culture, Government of India
Monuments & statues in India 111
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Statue of Unity
Monuments & statues · 21st century · Renowned
Statue of Vallabhbhai Patel at the bank of Narmada river, Gujarat, India
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Great Living Chola Temples
Monuments & statues · Renowned
10th to 12th centuries shaivism Hindu temples, UNESCO World Heritage sites situated in India
Waterfalls in India 108
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Dudhsagar Falls
Waterfalls · Notable
Tiered waterfall located on the Mandovi River in the Indian state of Goa
Ancient & archaeological sites in India 96
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Nalanda Mahavihara
Ancient & megalithic · Renowned
Ancient Hindu-Buddhist monastery in present-day Bihar, India
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Hampi
Ancient & megalithic · Renowned
Ancient and medieval monuments, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India
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Konark Sun Temple
Ancient & megalithic · 13th century · Renowned
13th century Surya Temple and UNESCO world heritage site in Odisha, India
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Lothal
Ancient & megalithic · 24th century BC · Renowned
Prominent city of the ancient Indus valley civilization (present-day Gujarat, India)
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Pattadakal Group of Monuments
Ancient & megalithic · 8th century · Renowned
World Heritage site with 7th and 8th century temples
Caves & caverns in India 63
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Ajanta Caves
Caves & caverns · 2nd century BC · Iconic
2nd century BCE to 1st century CE Buddhist cave monuments located in Maharashtra, India
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Ellora Caves
Caves & caverns · Iconic
Ancient cave temples of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism in Maharashtra, India
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Bhimbetka rock shelters
Caves & caverns · Renowned
30,000+ years old archaeological World Heritage site in Madhya Pradesh, India
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Elephanta Caves
Caves & caverns · Renowned
Shiva cave temples and UNESCO world heritage site on a Mumbai harbor island
Bridges & aqueducts in India 63
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Bhakra Dam
Great structures · 20th century · Notable
Gravity dam in Bhakra, Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh, India
Parks, gardens & arboretums in India 60
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Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve
Parks & gardens · 20th century · Notable
Tiger reserve and national park in Maharashtra, India
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Rock Garden of Chandigarh
Parks & gardens · 20th century · Notable
Sculpture garden in Chandigarh, India
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Madhav National Park
Parks & gardens · 20th century · Notable
National park in Madhya Pradesh, India
Towers & lighthouses in India 43
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Vijaya Stambha
Towers & lighthouses · 15th century · Hidden gem
Victory monument within Chittor Fort in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, India
Theme parks, zoos & aquariums in India 37
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Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park
Fun & leisure · 20th century · Hidden gem
Zoological park in Darjeeling
Beaches & coves in India 32
Catacombs, shipwrecks & cemeteries in India 4
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Armenian Church of the Holy Nazareth
Macabre & curious · 18th century · Hidden gem
Building in India
Volcanoes, geysers & hot springs in India 1
Abandoned places & ghost towns in India 1
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Kuldhara
Abandoned & ghost towns · Hidden gem
Abandoned village in Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan, India
