India is a vast country with so much variety to explore. It’s intense, for sure, with all the sights, sounds, smells and so many people! But there’s also so much history in the royal palaces of Rajasthan, incredible nature in the mountains of Kashmir and Ladakh, epic road trips in Himachal Pradesh, boat trips in Kerala, relaxed beaches in Goa and fast paced cities all across the country. I found India to be full of culture shocks and contrasts, and it quickly became one of my favourite countries to visit – but there’s definitely some planning required.