Golden Triangle & Varanasi
Add India's spiritual heart to the classic circuit, with a dawn boat ride and the evening aarti on the Ganga.
Trip at a glance
- Duration8 days / 7 nights
- Starts inDelhi
- RouteDelhi · Agra · Jaipur · Varanasi
- Places4 destinations
- StateDelhi, India
- Ideal forCultural holidays, Pilgrimage tours
- Trip stylePrivate, customisable
- Package codeNX-1LW4WW
Best time to visit: October to March
Trip overview
Add India's spiritual heart to the classic circuit, with a dawn boat ride and the evening aarti on the Ganga.
The route spends 2 nights in Delhi, 1 night in Agra, 2 nights in Jaipur and 2 nights in Varanasi, so you get time for the main sights without changing hotels every day. It suits cultural holidays and pilgrimage tours, and every day can be shortened, swapped or extended.
Highlights
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Arrive in Delhi
- Arrive via Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and transfer to your hotel
- Check in and settle in
- Later: Red Fort and Chandni Chowk: Mughal fort and the old city's main bazaar
Day 2Delhi: Jama Masjid and Lotus Temple and Akshardham
- Jama Masjid: One of India's largest mosques
- Lotus Temple and Akshardham: Modern landmarks of faith and design
Day 3Delhi to Agra
- Travel from Delhi to Agra by private vehicle, with stops on the way
- Check in at your Agra hotel
- Agra Fort: Red sandstone fort and palaces
Day 4Agra to Jaipur
- Travel from Agra to Jaipur by private vehicle, with stops on the way
- Check in at your Jaipur hotel
- Hawa Mahal: Palace of Winds with 953 windows
Day 5Jaipur: City Palace and Nahargarh Fort
- City Palace: Royal residence and museum
- Nahargarh Fort: Sunset views over the city
Day 6Jaipur to Varanasi
- Fly from Jaipur to Varanasi (flight timings confirmed in your quote)
- Check in at your Varanasi hotel
- Kashi Vishwanath Temple and corridor: Golden-spired Shiva temple
Day 7Varanasi: Ramnagar Fort and Old city lane walk
- Ramnagar Fort: Riverside fort of the Maharaja of Benares
- Old city lane walk
Day 8Depart from Varanasi
- Breakfast and hotel check-out
- Transfer to Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS) for your journey home
How this version is planned
- Licensed local guides at the major heritage sites
- Timed tickets booked for sites that need them
- Craft, music or cooking experiences added where they fit
- Time built in to explore old quarters on foot
- Darshan and aarti timings planned around temple hours
This is a suggested itinerary. Sightseeing order may change with opening days, weather and local conditions; your final plan is in your written quote.
Good to know
- Delhi: Start Old Delhi early, before the lanes fill up, and keep New Delhi's wide avenues for the afternoon.
- Agra: Enter the Taj at sunrise through the East Gate; it is the least crowded and the light is beautiful.
- Jaipur: Reach Amber Fort at opening time to avoid the heat and the crowds.
- Varanasi: Take the dawn boat on your first morning; the ghats are at their most atmospheric then.
Questions about this trip
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North IndiaDelhi
Delhi is two cities in one: the lanes of Old Delhi around the Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk, and the broad avenues of Lutyens' New Delhi.
Uttar PradeshAgra
Agra was the Mughal capital for much of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and it holds three UNESCO sites: the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and nearby Fatehpur Sikri.
RajasthanJaipur
Jaipur, the Pink City, was planned in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II.
Uttar PradeshVaranasi
Varanasi is one of the oldest living cities in the world and the holiest place in Hinduism.
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