Kate and William’s royal tour of India will undoubtedly be perfect, with lots of handshakes and smiles.

But even the best photographer can’t capture the smell of incense, the crackle of street food stalls, and the constant hum of activity that makes India such an addicting country to visit.

And historic India is only part of this story. Maybe when the Royals arrive, they’ll notice the yuppies taking pictures of them on smartphones or browsing Indian hipster magazines online.

The Royals can expect a lavish reception from their hosts, but you don’t have to be blue blooded to experience Indian hospitality.

Read more: Booking secrets and money-saving tips to take you to India cheaper in 2016

English is widely spoken and some Indians consider it their first language. Even the most humble backpacker will find themselves asked about their family, offered homemade snacks and given neighborhood information. Start a day with a conversation and you never know where it might end.

But while many travelers are addicted to the glitz of India, most don’t get the sanitized version we’ll see on the Royal Tour.

It’s almost impossible to avoid seeing scenes that would be considered national headlines in the UK – children begging at traffic lights, families camping out in the streets and elderly rickshaw cyclists offering to transport you for pennies.

Hopefully the Royals take it all.

First stop: Bombay

The Royals will land in Mumbai, home to Indian go-getters, Bollywood stars and the most notorious underworld gangs.

They will visit the Taj Palace Hotel. This iconic hotel is located on the seafront, founded by the Tata dynasty over 100 years ago. In 2008, it became a battleground after terrorists attacked it and took guests hostage. Long a symbol of Indian pride, the reopening of the hotel marked the city’s resilience in the face of terrorist attacks.

Less well-off travelers can take a look from the street outside, or wash up and have a drink at the hotel bar.

In addition to wandering around its sparkling rooms, Kate and Wills will lay a wreath outside a memorial to victims of terrorism and meet hotel staff who helped protect guests during the 2008 bombings.

When they leave the hotel, it will be hard not to miss the Gateway to India. This colonial-era arch was built to commemorate the arrival of William’s great-great-grandfather, King George V, and his wife, Queen Mary.

The next stop is the Oval Maidan public park. The park itself will be extremely hot this time of year, but the Royals will have stunning views of two British Indian connections – cricket and the Big Ben-inspired Colonial Gothic clock tower.

In a city where millionaires walk past families camping out on the streets, it’s only fitting that Royals also encounter children from Mumbai’s sprawling slums.

According to census reports, more than 20,000 people crowd every square kilometer of the city (some believe it could be even higher). It is a population density four times that of London.

But Mumbai is a city of big dreams, so it’s no surprise that the couple are ending the night in the company of the stars.

The Indian film industry, Bollywood, is the largest in the world. And it doesn’t take long before visitors to India forget about George Clooney and start following the exploits of Shah Rukh Khan and wondering why Salman Khan is so angry.

Thanks to the energetic production schedule, Bollywood converts can often spot the actors by signing up as extras for a day. Unfortunately, the sofas are not included.

Delhi

From Mumbai, the Royals will head north to Delhi, an ancient city that was home to Mughal emperors as well as British imperial administrators.

They will travel through the grand boulevards of New Delhi, built just 85 years ago by the British Empire of the time. Colonial planners did not know that in less than 20 years India would be an independent nation state.

These days, New Delhi’s lush bungalows are home to the country’s elite, along with its museums and archives.

The Royals will stop at the India Gate War Memorial to Indian soldiers who served in World War I and other conflicts, and where a flame burns continuously.

Their next stop will be the house where Mahatma Gandhi, a founding father of pacifist and modern India, spent the last years of his life.

The Royals will follow in Gandhi’s footsteps from his bedroom to the spot where he was assassinated in 1948.

New Delhi, however, is only part of the city. So it looks like the Royals will miss the classic backpacker experience of wandering the dusty Old Town, where you can bargain for a hotel room for a few pounds a night.

Nor do they sneak into the warren-like Tibetan colony on the banks of the Yamuna River, where refugees from the Himalayas have adapted to the hectic city life.

Hopefully they can stop at some of the graves left by previous royal dynasties.

These monumental domes, some of which rival the Taj Mahal in size, are casually scattered around the city.

Kaziranga National Park

From Delhi, the Royals will fly to the eastern regions of India and visit Kaziranga National Park.

India is blessed with a palette of natural habitats, from the tropical waterways of Kerala to the dry Himalayan peaks of Ladakh.

In the meadows of Kaziranga, Wills and Kate will have the chance to come face to face with elephants and deer. If they’re lucky, they might even spot a tiger or rhino.

The trip will take them to the tea-growing regions of India – the state, Assam, has also given its name to a much-loved tea.

Bhutan

After cooling off with the wildlife, the Royals will go where few tourists can afford to walk – the legendary Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan.

This deeply traditional Himalayan country became democratic after the ruling king voluntarily handed over most of his powers. It is a place where the government is officially more interested in gross national happiness than in wealth.

Kate and Wills will get a rare glimpse of the jungles and mountains of Bhutan on their trek to the ancient monastery of Tiger’s Nest. Here, they will discover Buddhist monks dressed in traditional robes living in centuries-old buildings.

They also won’t have to rule out other visitors. In order to protect the kingdom from rampant commercialization, Bhutan charges foreign tourists hundreds of dollars a day to visit. We hope the Royals get a discount.

As for the less affluent travelers, they can get a glimpse of the Buddhist history of India by crossing the Indian Himalayas. Dharamsala is home to the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. Take a jeep further north and enter Ladakh – a deeply traditional and remote Buddhist region where monks still train in crumbling monasteries.

The Taj Mahal

Back in India, William will follow in his mother’s footsteps and visit the Taj Mahal.

First, however, the Royals will have to sail to Agra. Once the imperial capital, the city is overcrowded, dirty, and home to scammers desperate to make money from tourism.

But when the Royals step through the gate to the Taj Mahal Gardens, they won’t be disappointed.

Built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, its high marble walls and long swimming pools are mesmerizing no matter how many times you’ve seen it on a postcard.

While ordinary tourists struggle to have their photos taken before the groups of buses take over the gardens, we have a feeling the Royals could have the wonder of the world all to themselves…