Golden Triangle of India

Arrival Note: Welcome to India! When you arrive at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, you will be greeted by our representative with a welcome sign. A comfortable private car with chauffeur will be provided to transport you to the hotel in downtown Delhi.

Activities & Dinner Suggestion:
After check-in, you can spend the rest of the day on your own. You can rest at the hotel to beat jet lag, or if you’re not tired, go for a walk. The 4-star hotel we have selected for you has two stylish restaurants and a bar. There are lively residential areas and busy markets outside, and it is 10 minutes’ walk to the Japanese Park. If you prefer a 5-star hotel, the one we have chosen for you is very satisfying. Located in the heart of New Delhi, it is very convenient for sightseeing and dining around. If you have enough time, you can also consider visiting the nearby National Museum.

Sightseeing Activities: We'll start with a visit to the Raj Ghat, the memorial dedicated to the father of India – Mahatma Gandhi, to learn about the life stories and great achievements of this Indian leader. Driving past the massive Red Fort and through the chaos of the Chandni Chowk, we’ll visit the Jama Masjid, India’s second largest mosque which is made of marble and red sandstone. Outside the mosque, our guide will lead you to explore the bustling Chandni Chowk.

★ What makes us different: We will specially arrange for you to visit the Chandni Chowk in the most local form of transport, the rickshaw, which will be a great opportunity to learn about the local life. A ride in a rickshaw through the narrow streets full of wires and noisy people is a powerful cultural shock, but it’s also fun.

In the afternoon, we’ll proceed to the Qutub Minar, a soaring minaret considered the largest in India. Later, the guide will take you to the Humayun's Tomb, the first garden mausoleum in India which inspired the design of the famous Taj Mahal.

★ Travel Different with Exceptional Guide Service: Our guide will not only give you a detailed explanation, but years of fieldwork will also give him a thorough knowledge of the best photography techniques of the scenic spots. Therefore, the guide will take you to one of the four corners of the Humayun’s Tomb, which is the best place to photograph the magnificent structure. You can get a very good view with very few tourists.

Our next stop will be the India Gate. A giant arch in the similar architectural style of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, this is definitely the landmark of Delhi. Today’s tour will end at the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, a prominent Sikh pilgrimage center that dates back more than 300 years.

India Gate: the Dividing Line between Old and New Delhi
The whole India Gate is 48.7 meters (160 ft.) high, 21.3 meters (70 ft.) wide and the arch is about 42 meters (138 ft.) high. Built of red sandstone, the magnificent structure is and highly similar to the Arc de Triomphe in France. India Gate is not only a famous war memorial for Indian soldiers who sacrificed in the World War I, but also the dividing line between New Delhi and Old Delhi. South of Delhi Gate is New Delhi and north is Old Delhi. With the old city on the left and the new capital on the right, visitors can observe striking contrasts between tradition and modernity, poverty and wealth, just two worlds in one city. Things change from old to new, but the landmark is always standing.

Meals: Breakfast

Sightseeing Activities: In the morning, we will set off to Agra by private car. After 3.5 hours’ drive, we’ll arrive at our destination and the guide will assist you to check into the hotel. After a short break, we will visit the Tomb of Itimad-Ud-Daulah, aka the Baby Taj, a magnificent mausoleum that has influenced many other marble buildings, such as the Taj Mahal. In the afternoon, we'll take a walk around the Mehtab Bagh, aka the Moonlight Garden, a serene quadrangle Mughal-era garden that offers the best place to appreciate the Taj Mahal across the river. At sunset, the breathtaking view would make you linger.

Meals: Breakfast

★ Travel Different - See Taj Mahal at Sunrise: Today is the highlight of our trip to India, for the visit to the world-famous Taj Mahal. Unlike other travel agencies that schedule a visit to the Taj Mahal in the crowded morning or afternoon, we would take the unusual step to visit it in the early morning. Our guide will wake you up early in the morning and you are advised to pack light to get through the security check and into the Taj Mahal before most of the tourists fail to arrive. Your eyes will be lit by the first rays of sunlight on the Taj Mahal. Let’s visit it in the most beautiful light of the day, and capture the pure scenes without visitors.

After the visit, we will return to the hotel for breakfast before heading to the marvelous Agra Fort, which dates back 400 years. Other than the grand red facade, the Agra Fort will treat your eyes with its delicate Mughal-style carvings.

★ Special Arrangement for Lunch: We don’t arrange lunch at tasteless tourist restaurants, which may be unpalatable to you and a waste of money. Today, we will offer a wonderful opportunity for you to visit a local family and have a homemade lunch. You can talk to the host, while the hostess will show you how to make authentic Indian food. If you are interested, you can try to cook some Indian dishes with the help of the hostess. After lunch here, you will have a general understanding of the living habits and family education in India.

You can stay a little longer with this local family if you like. If we have extra time in the afternoon, our guide and the driver can continue to serve you on a tour of downtown Agra.

Tip: How to Capture the Most Beautiful Reflection of the Taj Mahal  
The best place can be the bench in front of the central pool in the middle of the garden, where you can capture the perfect symmetric frame and stunning reflection. Our experienced guide goes to the Taj Mahal over 100 times a year, he is highly familiar with every detail of this famous site and thus he can easily help you to find the best photo locations. Starting in the early morning to avoid big crowds, we will introduce the romantic stories of this marvelous building and will also show you more good places to take photos.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Sightseeing Activities: After breakfast, we will set off to Jaipur. On the way, we’ll stop to visit the Fatehpur Sikri, a UNESCO World Heritage site. In 1571, Emperor Akbar established the Fatehpur Sikri as the capital of the Mughal Empire, but soon after a battle in 1585, the once luxurious capital was abandoned and gradually became a ghost town. Follow the guide to walk through the city, and you will find structures in both Hindu and Muslim architectural styles of early Mughal that are well preserved. You will be shown around the Jama Masjid, the Tomb of Salim Chishti, the five-storey Panch Mahal, and Buland Darwaza.

The next destination today is the Abhaneri Village famous for its ‘Baoris’, the stepwells used as reservoirs for rainwater. The guide will lead you to visit the Chand Baori, which is the biggest and deepest stepwell with a history of over 10 centuries. The intricate design and fine carvings make it look like a palace from a distance, from which you will marvel at the wisdom of the ancient Indians. After the visit, we will drive to the hotel in Jaipur for the night.

Why Was Fatehpur Sikri Abandoned?
The main reason why the prosperous city was abandoned gradually is said to be the lack of water. Due to inadequate consideration before construction, the city cannot satisfy so many people’s water needs. In the long run, citizens even had trouble surviving. Many details will gradually unfold as you visit, you may find the walls of the palace are very thick, most of which are hollow. It can be considered the air-conditioning system in ancient India. Water flowed through the hollow walls to ensure the coolness of the entire royal palace. Can you imagine how a large amount of water was needed? A city with extreme water scarcity, coupled with the extravagance and waste of the aristocracy, ultimately led to the relocation of its capital. There is also another saying goes that the city was abandoned due to the pressing military issues that happened in north-western India. Just follow our professional tour guide to discover more hidden stories.

Meals: Breakfast

Sightseeing Activities: In the morning, we will drive half an hour to visit the Amber Fort. Embraced by a moat, this 16th-century complex is located on a small hill. Our guide will take you to admire the magnificent architecture, while explaining the rich history of the Mughal Empire, including glories and treacheries. If you feel tired to go uphill on foot, it is also available for you to take a jeep or an elephant at your own expense.

Afterwards, we will drive back to Jaipur City and visit several sites on the way back. The first is the Jal Mahal, a summer palace built in the late 16th century. Situated in the middle of the Sagar Lake, much of this magnificent palace is submerged. Next, we will head to the Maharaja City Palace, a palace used to be the residence for Jaipur royals and now a museum exhibiting the royal articles and ancient weapons. Later, the guide will take you to the nearby Jantar Mantar, an over 200-year-old observatory famous for the biggest stone sundial in the world. Today’s last destination is a photo stop – Hawa Mahal, nicknamed the Palace of the Winds, featuring a honeycomb-like pink facade. In the late afternoon, we will drive past the Pink Rose Garden and the business center back to the hotel.

Do You Know About the Story of the Tunnels of Amber Fort? 
In addition to appreciating the magnificence of the structure and the surrounding beautiful scenery, visitors can also discover the intricate tunnels of the Amber Fort. So who built these tunnels and for what? It is said they were built for the king to meet his concubines. The king lived alone on the second floor and his 12 concubines stayed separately in the 12 houses on the first floor. Through the separate tunnels, no one could know which concubine the king planned to meet that night, which ensured the safety of the emperor. Follow our guide and find some of the tunnels built in the name of love.

Meals: Breakfast

Departure Note: Your 7 days India golden triangle tours will end here. In the morning, our guide and the driver will escort you in a private car for a 5 to 6 hours’ drive to the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi for your flight home or to your next destination. Wish you a pleasant trip!

Meals: Breakfast

► It is recommended that you book an evening flight to allow enough time for transfer. If you want to extend your stay in India or want to travel to other countries, please contact us to tailor an itinerary for you.