Mumbai is the glittering hub of the region: home of Bollywood, playground of the rich and famous, and global megacity of mind-boggling proportions. Life is the star of the show here, from overflowing commuter trains to seething markets, all wedged between dazzling skyscrapers and Indo-Saracenic British relics. Beyond it, Maharashtra boasts Ajanta and Ellora: rock-cut cave temples that constitute the finest gallery of art from any ancient civilization, anywhere in the world.

Heading north, Madhya Pradesh holds a quiet wealth of places few travelers reach. For wildlife lovers there’s nowhere better – it has five of India’s best national parks, and your best chance of spotting tigers, leopards, sloth bears and more. Beyond the jungles, it has history in spades: Gwalior’s fort and palace, the hidden city of Orchha, and the astonishing temple carvings of Khajuraho – any one of these can compete with anywhere in Rajasthan.

Looking west is Gujarat, best known for its magnificent textiles but even more impressive for its geographical variety. Dense forest and tribal culture in the Dangs, a royal palace in the sunburnt desert at Bhuj, and wildlife-rich salt marsh in the Little Rann of Kutch – all in a single state.

Central India is rich in wildlife, history, architecture and geographical diversity, and the best part about it all? You’ll be exploring beyond the oft visited destinations, so this feels like intrepid cultural adventure.