The most populous state of India. Lying in north-central India, it is bordered by Nepal and the Indian state of Uttaranchal to the north, the Indian states of Haryana and Rajasthan and the union territory of Delhi to the west, the state of Madhya Pradesh to the south, the state of Bihar to the east, and the states of Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh to the southeast. Uttar Pradesh is the heart of India whose history goes back to the Vedic Age. Two great epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata and great religions – Buddhism and Jainism were born and flourished here. In the medieval ages, great Muslim empires were established in this region. It played a prominent role in India’s First War of Independence in 1857.

Places to Visit :-

Agra:-
The land is home to the Taj Mahal, which is the foremost of all tourist attractions in Uttar Pradesh as well as India. Built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife is as much as an emblem of India, not to mention that it is also one of the Seven Wonders of the World.


Varanasi:-
The oldest living city in the world has been cradle of two major religions, namely: Hinduism and Buddhism. Its antiquity dates back to the time of Babylon. The city exudes a quaint antique charm with its very old temples, teeming Hindu monks along the ghats of the holy river Ganges.

Sarnath:-
Close to Varanasi lie Sarnath where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon. Ashoka the great built a Stupa here in 234 BC. Today the crumbling ruins lie in the place.

Lucknow:-
The capital city of the state reached it acme during the Nawabi rule when it became a centre of music and Urdu poetry. Remnants of Nawabi Palaces, Imamabaras and the exquisite traditional handicrafts bear witness to bygone splendors.

Kushinagar:-
About 51kms from Gorakhpur, lie Kushinagar where Lord Buddha passed away. With the Nirvana Temple housing the statue of "Reclining Buddha" and a number of Stupas, it is one of the principal centres of Buddhist pilgrimage.

Dudhwa:-
Sprawling over an area of 614sq.km, this is one of the finest tiger reserves of India and one of the important tourist attractions in Uttar Pradesh. You may also come across a variety of other fauna, namely: Leopard, Swamp deer, Hispid hare, Bengal Florican etc.

Access:

By Air

The state has four domestic airports in it, namely: Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, and Varanasi. So all major destinations have own airport near it. They are connected by regular flights of important public and private airlines to cities like Delhi, Mumbai.

By Rail

Notable tourist destinations in the state, viz: Agra, Varanasi, Lucknow are conveniently networked by Railways with the rest of the country. Many express, super-fast and passenger trains service these stations on a regular basis.

By Road

An extensive road network covers the state thoroughly. National Highways 2, 25, 26, 27, 29, and 45 and a number of State Highways run through the state. Agra, the most famous destination in Uttar Pradesh is nearly 4 hours drive from Delhi.