Itinerary
- Day 1
New Delhi
You'll land in New Delhi and head to your hotel. If you arrive by 1:30pm, you're in for a welcome meeting and city tour that takes you past India Gate, the Parliament buildings, Rashtrapati Bhawan, and Qutab Minar. Your tour leader will point out good spots for dinner once evening rolls around.
Included Activities
- Welcome meeting at hotel reception (if arriving by 1:30pm)
- City tour: India Gate, Parliament buildings, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Qutab Minar
Optional Activities
- Craft Museum - entrance fee INR 200 per person (transport additional cost)
- National Rail Museum - weekday entrance INR 50 per person, INR 10 for children under 13; weekend/holiday rates double (transport additional cost)
- Akshardham Temple - free entry, closed Mondays and national holidays (transport additional cost)
Landmarks/POIs India Gate Parliament of India Rashtrapati Bhawan Qutab Minar - Day 2
New Delhi - Agra
Start the morning exploring Old Delhi by rickshaw, weaving through the lively Chandni Chowk Bazaar and stopping at the Jami Masjid Mosque and Red Fort. By mid-morning you'll head south to Agra, a 4 to 4.5 hour drive, where you'll check out Agra Fort and the Pearl Mosque before catching your first view of the Taj Mahal as the sun sets.
Included Activities
- Rickshaw tour of Old Delhi: Chandni Chowk Bazaar, Jami Masjid Mosque, Red Fort
- Agra Fort visit with Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque)
- Evening view of Taj Mahal
Landmarks/POIs Chandni Chowk Bazaar Jami Masjid Red Fort Agra Fort Moti Masjid Taj Mahal - Day 3
Agra - Karauli
You're up early to catch the sunrise over the Taj Mahal, and it's worth the early start. After that, you'll head to Keoladeo Ghana National Park for a rickshaw birdwatching tour where you might spot herons, storks, geese, and if you're lucky, rare Siberian cranes. Following lunch, it's a 4 hour drive through rural villages to reach Karauli, where you'll stay at a heritage hotel.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Sunrise viewing at Taj Mahal
- Keoladeo Ghana National Park birdwatching tour by rickshaw
- Drive through rural India with village stops
Landmarks/POIs Taj Mahal Keoladeo Ghana National Park - Day 4
Karauli
Today you'll get to know Karauli, a holy town founded back in 1348 with its distinctive pale red sandstone walls. You'll ride in camel-drawn carts from the hotel out to the 600 year old palace, which now has monkeys and geese living there. Locals say the geese used to warn of intruders, which is pretty interesting history.
Included Activities
- Camel-cart ride to 600-year-old palace
- Exploration of palace grounds
Landmarks/POIs Karauli Palace - Day 5
Karauli - Pachewar
The 4 hour drive takes you to Pachewar, known for its cenotaphs, blue pottery kilns, and metal toy makers. You'll settle into another family run heritage fort. The afternoon is open for you to either wander around and see village life or watch locals playing cricket, and there's a puppet show happening at the hotel after dinner.
Included Activities
- Drive to Pachewar village
- Exploration of village attractions: cenotaphs, blue pottery kilns, metal toy shops
- Puppet show at hotel
Landmarks/POIs Pachewar Village - Day 6
Pachewar
Walk to a local temple in the morning and then visit a village home where someone will show you how to make Rajasthani food. You'll also spend time on a farm to get a feel for how rural life actually works. Back at the heritage fort, you can relax, put on traditional Indian clothing, and settle in for dinner.
- Meals
- Dinner
Included Activities
- Walk to local temple
- Village home visit with Rajasthani cooking demonstration
- Farm visit
- Traditional Indian costume for dinner
- Day 7
Pachewar - Jaipur
After breakfast, drive for 3 hours to reach Jaipur, known as the Pink City. You'll tour the City Palace with its textile and costume collections, walk through the Palace of the Winds, and see the Jantar Mantar observatory. Later there's a choice between catching a puppet show at the hotel or heading to the historic Raj Mandir cinema for a Bollywood film.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- City Palace visit with textile and costume collection
- Palace of the Winds viewing
- Jantar Mantar stargazing observatory
Optional Activities
- Puppet show at hotel (winter months only, no charge but tips appreciated)
- Bollywood movie at Raj Mandir cinema - INR 350-450 per person (transport additional cost)
Landmarks/POIs City Palace Palace of the Winds Jantar Mantar Raj Mandir Cinema - Day 8
Jaipur - Amber Palace - Jaipur
A short drive gets you to the hilltop Amber Palace, an impressive fortress with the Chamber of Mirrors and panoramic views across the plains. Once you've finished exploring the palace, you'll return to Jaipur where the rest of the afternoon is yours to wander through the Pink City however you'd like.
Included Activities
- Amber Palace visit with Chamber of Mirrors
- Views of surrounding plains
Optional Activities
- Pink City Rickshaw Tour on e-scooter with woman driver - approximately INR 1000 per person (transport to/from old city at additional cost)
Landmarks/POIs Amber Palace Hawa Mahal Johari Bazaar - Day 9
Jaipur - Samode - New Delhi
After an unhurried breakfast, you'll head back to Delhi on a 6 to 7 hour drive with a stop at Samode Palace in the Aravalli Hills. This 475 year old former royal residence has Mughal architecture, narrow staircases, mosaics, fountains, and courtyards worth exploring. You'll ride out by camel cart, grab lunch at the palace, then continue on to Delhi.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at Samode Palace)
Included Activities
- Samode Palace tour by camel cart
- Lunch at Samode Palace
Landmarks/POIs Samode Palace - Day 10
New Delhi
Your Golden Triangle tour wraps up at your Delhi hotel with no scheduled activities, so you're free to leave whenever you need to. If your flight is later in the day, luggage storage is available so you don't have to rush off right away.
