The tiered pink sandstone facade of Jaipur's Hawa Mahal, its honeycomb of latticed jharokha windows rising five storeys.

Golden Triangle · 7 Days

Golden Triangle — In Depth

Two nights in each of the three cities — the Golden Triangle with room to breathe, a full day in Delhi, a full Taj-and-fort day, and a day in Jaipur.

Day by Day

7 Days, In Full

The Golden Triangle at the pace it deserves. Two nights in each city means the old and new halves of Delhi both get a day, the Taj gets a sunrise and Agra Fort gets a morning without a long drive pushing against them, and Jaipur gets Amber Fort and the Pink City on separate days. Fatehpur Sikri and Chand Baori come on the Agra-to-Jaipur leg. Seven days, three cities, nothing rushed. It is the version to book if the trip is only the triangle.

Delhi

Arrival in Delhi — Mughal Landmarks

A private airport pickup in Delhi, then a first afternoon among the city's Mughal landmarks. Humayun's Tomb, finished in 1570, was the first great garden tomb built in India. Its design was later echoed in the Taj Mahal. Qutub Minar rises more than 70 metres and dates from the 12th century. It is the tallest brick minaret in the world. Old Delhi adds the Red Fort and the broad steps of the Jama Masjid. The evening is free before the drive to Rajasthan.

Delhi

Delhi — Old City & the Imperial Capital

A full day across two Delhis. The morning is Shahjahanabad on foot — the Jama Masjid, the spice market, a cycle-rickshaw through Chandni Chowk. The afternoon is the imperial city the British built: the long axis of Rajpath, India Gate, and the sandstone government buildings on Raisina Hill. Humayun's Tomb or the Qutub Minar fills the gap between them. It is a long day and worth it.

The Taj Mahal seen across the gardens from within the Agra grounds

Delhi → Agra

Delhi to Agra — The Yamuna Expressway

The drive to Agra runs about 165 kilometres down the Yamuna Expressway and takes three to three and a half hours. It is flat, fast and unremarkable, which is the point — it replaced a full day on the old road. You reach Agra by early afternoon. The rest of the day is Agra Fort, in the long light, with the Taj Mahal visible downriver from its marble balconies — a first sight of it before tomorrow's sunrise.

The Taj Mahal's marble mausoleum and flanking minarets standing pale against a bright, near-cloudless early sky.

Agra

Agra — The Taj at Sunrise, then Agra Fort

The gates open at first light, and the first hour is the coolest, the quietest and the best for photographs, as the marble shifts from grey to pink to white. A private guide handles the tickets and the queue. Back to the hotel for breakfast. The rest of the morning is Agra Fort, Akbar's red sandstone citadel, including the rooms where Aurangzeb held his father prisoner within sight of the Taj. The Taj is closed on Fridays.

Pools and walkways among the red sandstone buildings of Fatehpur Sikri

Agra → Jaipur

Agra to Jaipur — Fatehpur Sikri & Chand Baori

A morning drive out to Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's capital of 1571, abandoned within twenty years and left almost untouched since. The Buland Darwaza is the tallest gateway in India. The road then runs on towards Jaipur. Near Abhaneri it passes Chand Baori, a stepwell that drops thirteen storeys into the ground. Its walls are a lattice of some 3,500 steps. It is one of the oldest and deepest in the country. Jaipur by evening, about five hours of driving in all.

Jaipur

Amber Fort & Jaipur's Old City Bazaars

A full day built around Amber Fort. The fort sits on a hill above Maota Lake, begun in 1592 by Raja Man Singh I. Inside, Sheesh Mahal glitters — thousands of small mirror tiles set into the walls and ceiling, still catching light after four centuries. A guide walks you through Ganesh Pol, the fort's most ornate gate, before the afternoon opens up. Back in the old city, Johari Bazaar sells jewellery the way it has for generations, and Bapu Bazaar deals in block-printed textiles. Both are better explored slowly, with someone who knows which shops to trust.

Jaipur

Jaipur — Amber Fort & the Pink City, then Departure

The morning is Amber Fort, on its ridge above the lake, reached on foot or by jeep up the ramp. Inside are the mirrored hall, the painted gates and the older palace behind. Back in the city, a drive past the Hawa Mahal and a walk through the bazaars around the City Palace fills the rest of the day. Your driver times the transfer to the airport or the train. This is the usual last day of a Golden Triangle trip.

Book This Itinerary

Priced Packages On This Route

This route is already built into these packages — real inclusions and pricing on each one's own page.

luxury · 6 Nights