Physical Landscape

• Many tourists come to India to go trekking in the Himalayan Mountains.
• The Himalayas are located in the extreme north and are one of India’s greatest tourist assets.
• The Himalayas are the highest mountains in the world and attract mountain climbers seeking the ultimate challenge.
• Tourists also visit the “hill station” towns such as Darjeeling which date back to colonial times.
• The “hill station” towns were built in the mountains to offer an escape from the extreme temperatures in low lying areas.
• The physical landscape has allowed the development of adventure holidays.
• People can go white water rafting, skiing and paragliding in the Himalayas.
• Many are attracted to India’s coastline and beaches such as Goa where tourists can enjoy the warm water of the Indian Ocean.
• Most tourists visit Goa during the dry season when temperatures average 28 degrees.
• Regions such as the Western Ghats attract a growing number of eco tourists who go on safari holidays in national parks and wildlife reserves.
• Tourists can observe animals e.g. the Bengal tiger in their natural habitat without disturbing their natural environment.
• The tourism for the nature reserves have created employment opportunities in rural areas and led to increasing awareness of the importance of conservation e.g. the tiger population has increased in the Ranthambore Park in Rajasthan.
• The variety of climates in India makes it possible for tourists to experience a wide range of natural environments e.g. the snow capped mountains of the Himalayas, the sandy Thar Desert and the tropical rainforests of Assam. 
• As the standard of living in cities improves, middle class Indians are able to afford ‘monsoon holidays’ i.e. they travel to the south west of India to escape the wet monsoon season.