Delhi, Agra and Jaipur — India's most-loved first journey, mapped out day by day, with the timings and choices we have refined over thirty years.
The Golden Triangle links three cities in India's north — Delhi, Agra and Jaipur — in a neat loop of roughly 720 kilometres. In a single week you travel from a Mughal capital to the marble of the Taj Mahal to the pink palaces of Rajasthan. It is the classic introduction to India: rich, varied and logistically simple. If this is your first trip, start here — then add an extension when you fall in love.
Land in the capital, settle into a boutique hotel and shake off the flight. An evening stroll and a first Indian dinner is plenty.
A cycle-rickshaw through the lanes of Old Delhi and Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid and Raj Ghat in the morning; the colonial avenues, Humayun's Tomb and Qutub Minar in the afternoon. A metro ride to feel the modern city.
A morning drive (3–4 hours) to Agra. Visit Agra Fort, then the Taj Mahal at sunset, when the marble turns rose and gold and the crowds thin.
Return to the Taj Mahal at dawn for the quietest, most luminous hour. Drive to Jaipur via the abandoned Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri, arriving in the Pink City by evening.
Morning at the hilltop Amber Fort — by open jeep, the way we like it — then the City Palace, the Jantar Mantar observatory and the honeycomb facade of Hawa Mahal.
Block-printing, blue pottery and gem-cutting workshops; the bazaars for textiles and jewellery; an unhurried Rajasthani lunch. Time, finally, to slow down.
Drive back to Delhi (5–6 hours) for your onward or international flight — or roll straight into an extension.
A few extra days transforms the trip. Each of these pairs naturally onto the Golden Triangle.
The lake city of Rajasthan — palaces on the water, a boat ride on Lake Pichola, the most romantic two nights in India.
India's most reliable place to see a wild tiger, an easy add from Jaipur by road or rail.
The eternal city on the Ganges — dawn on the river, the evening aarti, a short flight from Delhi or Agra.
Swap deserts for backwaters: houseboats, tea hills and the Malabar coast, a flight south for slowness.
See how we package these on our Golden Triangle with Extensions tour, or browse all India group tours.
"You do not see the Taj Mahal once. You see it at sunset, at dawn, and again every time you close your eyes."A Travel Pals traveller
Five days is the practical minimum to see Delhi, Agra and Jaipur without rushing. Seven days is the sweet spot — it adds breathing room for Old Delhi, a sunrise and sunset at the Taj Mahal, and a full day in Jaipur. Ten days lets you add an extension such as Ranthambore, Udaipur or Varanasi.
The classic loop is Delhi → Agra → Jaipur → Delhi. It keeps driving distances sensible (Delhi–Agra is about 3–4 hours, Agra–Jaipur about 5 hours via Fatehpur Sikri) and ends back at Delhi's international airport.
October to March, when North India is cool and clear. April to June is very hot, and July to September brings the monsoon. See our best time to visit Rajasthan guide for a month-by-month breakdown.
Yes. Travel Pals runs the Golden Triangle as a guaranteed-departure small-group tour with extensions, and also as a fully tailor-made private journey.
