Kanpur

Kanpur spreads out along the banks of the holy Ganges River in a sprawl of urban blocks and concrete jungle. It might not be the most handsome Indian city to behold from afar, with rickshaw-choked streets and bustling neighbourhoods, though the city has a more lived-in charm that many towns in the nearby Golden Triangle have long since abandoned. Once a stronghold of the Indian Marathas, it later became a garrison for the British Raj, and more recently, an industrial centre of trade and commerce. Kanpur tour guides can help you navigate the workaday streets to pay homage at the glorious Shri Radhakrishna Temple, roam the Allen Forest Zoo, and even join the locals at the cricket terraces of the Green Park Stadium.