Golden Triangle
7 Days
Delhi · Agra · Jaipur

Arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi. Check into your hotel and give yourself the afternoon to recover from the flight, adjust to the time zone, and take your first walk outside. Delhi rewards the curious walker — even the area immediately around your hotel delivers a feast of colour, noise, food, and life.

If you arrive with afternoon energy, head to the Lodi Garden — a beautiful, calm park scattered with 15th-century Mughal tombs. A gentle, accessible first taste of Delhi's extraordinary historical density without the intensity of the old city. For dinner, south Delhi's Khan Market area has excellent restaurants serving North Indian classics.

Start early at Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque, built in 1656 by Emperor Shah Jahan. Arrive by 8 AM before the crowds and the heat. The view from the minaret across the rooftops of Old Delhi is one of the great panoramas of Asia. From there, walk into the legendary Chandni Chowk — spice traders, sari shops, silver jewellers, and the Khari Baoli spice market.

Take an air-conditioned taxi south to Humayun's Tomb — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the architectural forerunner of the Taj Mahal. Then continue to Qutub Minar, the world's tallest brick minaret at 73 metres, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in 1193.

End your Delhi day with a sunset walk along the broad ceremonial boulevard leading to India Gate. The scale of the surrounding architecture and the tree-lined avenue make it one of Delhi's most memorable vistas.

Wake early. The fastest option is the Gatimaan Express — India's fastest train, connecting Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin station to Agra Cantt in approximately 1 hour 40 minutes. Book tickets 2–3 weeks in advance. Alternatively, a private taxi Delhi to Agra takes approximately 3.5 hours via the Yamuna Expressway — comfortable and flexible for families.

Nothing prepares you for the Taj Mahal. Photographs, films, and descriptions all fail to capture the experience of walking through the main gate and seeing the white marble structure appear for the first time. The perfection of its proportions, the play of light on the surface, the reflection pool stretching toward it — they are overwhelming in the most beautiful way. Spend at least two hours. Entry fee for foreign nationals (2026): approximately ₹1,300.

Walk or take a short auto-rickshaw to Agra Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the seat of Mughal imperial power for generations. The views from the fort's riverside ramparts toward the Taj Mahal in the distance are extraordinary — Shah Jahan famously spent his final years imprisoned here, gazing at his masterpiece across the river. Stay overnight in Agra.

Fatehpur Sikri sits 35 km west of Agra, directly on the Jaipur road. Built entirely in red sandstone by Emperor Akbar in 1571 as a new Mughal capital, it was abandoned after only 14 years. Today this perfectly preserved ghost city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most atmospheric places in India. Spend 1.5 to 2 hours — it rewards slow, thoughtful exploration. Book a private vehicle Agra to Jaipur to stop here comfortably on the way.

Continue west toward Jaipur — approximately 4–4.5 hours by road from Fatehpur Sikri. The journey passes through rural Rajasthan: small towns, painted havelis, mustard fields, and occasional camel carts. Arrive in Jaipur by late afternoon. Check into your hotel and take an evening walk through the illuminated bazaars of the walled old city.

Begin at Amber Fort, the greatest of Jaipur's palaces and one of the finest examples of Rajput architecture in India. Built in 1592, it rises in tiers from the hillside above Maota Lake. The Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace) — lined with thousands of mirrored glass fragments that turn a single candle into a galaxy of light — is unforgettable. Arrive by 9 AM before the largest tour groups. Our Rajasthan Heritage tour covers Amber Fort with an expert guide.

Return to the walled old city for Jaipur's most iconic sights. The Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds) — a five-storey honeycomb facade of 953 small windows built in 1799. A short walk away, the City Palace complex remains partially inhabited by the royal family of Jaipur — one of the few places in India where you can visit an active royal residence.

Jaipur is one of India's great shopping cities. Johari Bazaar is the centre of the gemstone trade — Jaipur is the world's largest centre for cutting and polishing coloured gemstones. Bangles, silver jewellery, blue pottery, block-printed fabrics, and hand-woven carpets fill every lane. Budget at least two hours.

Jaipur's Jantar Mantar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site unlike any other — an outdoor astronomical observatory built in 1734, containing 19 massive instruments that can measure time, predict eclipses, and track celestial bodies. The instruments are architectural sculptures of extraordinary beauty. A good guide is essential to understand what you are looking at.

Jaipur offers some of India's finest hands-on cultural experiences. A traditional Rajasthani cooking class — learning to make dal baati churma and laal maas — gives you skills you will use for years. Alternatively, visit a traditional block-printing workshop at Sanganer to see centuries-old hand-stamping techniques.

Choki Dhani — a purpose-built Rajasthani village resort on the outskirts of Jaipur — offers a complete evening of folk performances, puppet shows, camel rides, traditional food, and cultural demonstrations. Theatrical rather than authentic, but enormously enjoyable as an evening entertainment experience for families and groups.

Jaipur to Delhi is 3.5 hours by road or 1 hour by domestic flight. Both options are comfortable and reliable. Allow a minimum of 4 hours between your Jaipur departure and your international flight from Delhi.

Most first-time visitors, once they arrive in Jaipur, desperately want to continue. From Jaipur, the next stops on the classic Rajasthan circuit are Pushkar (3 hours), Jodhpur (5 hours), Jaisalmer (7 hours), and Udaipur (6–7 hours). Each one is extraordinary. Let us plan your extended Rajasthan journey — or discover our full Rajasthan Heritage & Temples itinerary.