The Golden Triangle with the sacred Ganges — Delhi, the ghats of Varanasi at dawn, the Taj Mahal, and Jaipur.
Why you’ll love this journey
- The Taj Mahal at sunrise, before the crowds
- Sunrise on the Ganges and the evening aarti at Varanasi
- Amber Fort and the palaces of the Pink City
- Your own car, driver and licensed guides throughout — never a group
Day by day
Day 1 · Delhi
Arrival in Delhi. Your chauffeur meets you inside the arrivals hall at Indira Gandhi International Airport and drives you to your hotel. The evening is yours to rest after the flight. If you arrive early and feel up to it, we can add a gentle first drive through the wide avenues of Lutyens’ Delhi, past India Gate as the lights come on.
Day 2 · Delhi
A full day in Old and New Delhi. A whole day across the two faces of the capital with your private guide. The morning is Old Delhi — the vast courtyard of the Jama Masjid, a cycle-rickshaw ride through the spice markets and silver lanes of Chandni Chowk, and a quiet pause at Raj Ghat, Gandhi’s memorial. After lunch you cross to New Delhi for the UNESCO-listed Humayun’s Tomb, the towering Qutub Minar, and a slow drive down Rajpath past India Gate, the Presidential Palace and Parliament.
Day 3 · Varanasi
Fly to Varanasi, and the evening aarti. A short flight east brings you to Varanasi, the oldest living city in India, on the banks of the Ganges. In the evening you witness the Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat — a river of lamps, bells and chanting as the priests offer fire to the water.
Day 4 · Varanasi
Sunrise on the Ganges, and Sarnath. Before dawn you take a boat onto the Ganges to watch the city wake — pilgrims at their prayers on the ghats, the first light on the old buildings, smoke rising from the fires. Later you visit Sarnath, where the Buddha gave his first sermon, and the lanes of the old city. The evening is free.
Day 5 · Agra
Varanasi to Agra. You fly west from Varanasi (via Delhi, which we arrange) and continue to Agra, settling in near the Taj by evening ready for a dawn visit. Where timings allow, we see Agra Fort this afternoon.
Day 6 · Jaipur
Taj Mahal at sunrise, then Jaipur. You reach the Taj Mahal at first light, when the marble shifts from grey to rose to white and the crowds are still thin — the finest hour to see it, your guide unfolding the story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. After a late breakfast the road turns west to Jaipur, breaking at Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar’s red-sandstone capital abandoned almost intact four centuries ago. You reach the Pink City by evening, the night at leisure.
Day 7 · Jaipur
The Pink City — Amber Fort and the palaces. A full day in Jaipur. In the cool of the morning you climb to the honey-coloured Amber Fort above its lake, exploring the mirrored halls and painted courtyards. In the city you visit the City Palace, still home to Jaipur’s royal family, and the extraordinary open-air observatory of Jantar Mantar, and pause for the classic photograph at the Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Winds. The afternoon leaves time for the bazaars and the block-print and gem workshops.
Day 8 · Jaipur
A second day in Jaipur. A gentler day at your own pace. Choose from the hilltop forts of Nahargarh and Jaigarh with their long views over the city, the Albert Hall Museum, the step-wells on the city’s edge, or simply the bazaars and workshops — hand-block textiles, blue pottery and jewellery. There is time, too, for a leisurely lunch or the hotel pool.
Day 9 · Delhi
Jaipur to Delhi, and departure. The morning road carries you back to Delhi, roughly five to six hours. Depending on your flight, we can add a final stop — a last monument or some time to shop — before your driver sees you to the airport for the journey home.
What’s included
Included
- Private air-conditioned car with an experienced chauffeur throughout
- Licensed local guides in each city
- Hand-picked hotels to your chosen standard, with breakfast
- All sightseeing and transfers in the itinerary
- Airport pickups and support seven days a week
Not included
- International flights, India visa and travel insurance
- Internal flights where the route needs them (arranged for you, billed at cost)
- Lunches, dinners and drinks, unless noted
- Monument entry fees, tips and anything personal
Where you’ll stay
Choose your standard — Comfort (characterful 3–4 star), Premium (heritage and boutique 4–5 star) or Luxury (palace hotels and five-star names such as Taj, Oberoi and Leela). We match the hotels in every city and confirm them before you pay.
Gallery
Common questions
What will I see in Varanasi?
Varanasi is India’s holiest city on the Ganges — you watch the evening Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, a river of lamps and chanting, and take a sunrise boat past the ghats as pilgrims bathe and the city wakes. It adds a spiritual depth the Golden Triangle alone doesn’t reach.
Do I need a domestic flight for the Varanasi leg?
Yes — a short internal flight links Varanasi with Delhi and onward toward Agra, since the distance is too far to drive comfortably. We arrange the flights for you and bill them at cost; the rest of the journey is by private car.
What is the route of the 9-day Golden Triangle and Varanasi tour?
Delhi → Varanasi → Agra → Jaipur — two nights on the Ganges early in the trip, then the Taj Mahal at dawn and the palaces of Jaipur before returning to Delhi. Private and chauffeured on the ground throughout.
