Humayun’s Tomb
Alternative
Destinations By Diane Slawych
Fascinating options to the world’s most famous, and often overcrowded, destinations Travel can be an exhilarating experience, but the tourism industry worldwide is putting pressure on some of the most popular destinations and attractions, leading to overcrowding, degradation of ancient monuments, and disappointing experiences. To reduce our impact, it’s worth getting off the beaten track and visiting some equally interesting alternative sites to popular icons. Here are four that are catching our attention.
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EXTRAORDINARY EXP ER IEN C ES
INSTEAD OF THE TAJ MAHAL, TAKE A TRIP TO HUMAYUN’S TOMB IN DELHI, INDIA Both are UNESCO World Heritage sites, and both are beautiful examples of Mughal architecture. One advantage of Humayun’s Tomb, however, is that it’s less visited and therefore much quieter. It allows you to explore at your leisure without the stress of souvenir wallahs and persistent rickshaw drivers. Humayun’s Tomb, built in 1570 for the second Mughal Emperor of India by his widow, served as the inspiration for the Taj Mahal. It inspired several major architectural innovations, such as the creation of a four-quadrant garden with pools joined by channels. INSTEAD OF THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZA, VISIT THE PYRAMID FIELD OF DAHSHUR, EGYPT Egypt’s most famous pyramids are in the Giza Necropolis, but why not leave the beaten track and head south to another important pyramid field – one that doesn’t get as much attention? At Dahshur, two well-preserved pyramids, older than those at Giza, are among the largest in Egypt. The Bent Pyramid, built more than 4,600 years ago, was the first attempt at building a smooth-sided pyramid that didn’t quite succeed as well as the nearby Red Pyramid, named for the red limestone used in its construction. It’s possible to enter both structures through long, narrow passageways leading to burial chambers. On the way back to Cairo, stop at Saqqara – a site with temples, tombs, and the must-see Step Pyramid of Djoser (Zoser), considered one of the world’s oldest stone monuments.
