Holiday items: 0
Extensions: 0
Optional Extras: 0
Upgrades: 0
Total Cost Per Person: £0
Select a holiday to start
My Holiday Summary
Holidays with 100% financial protection. For your peace of mind
Through our AITO and ATOL licences, your money is protected when booking with us.Prefer tailor made? We have been tailor making holidays for years
Tailor made holidays are completely flexible, and we can arrange exactly what you want.Call 01728 685971. Website >Carbon Offsetting We carbon offset all our holidays
Giving to Grassroots. We help local development or conservation projects
Through our charity we raise funds for a local grassroots project in each country we work. Can you help us?
The Golden Triangle - India
7 days (8 inc. flights) - from £820
- See the beautiful Taj Mahal at sunset and sunrise.
- Experience the lively pink city of Jaipur.
- View Rajasthani forts and palaces.
- Explore Old and New Delhi.
- Enjoy friendly homestays.
Description
Our Golden Triangle tour makes an ideal introduction to India for the first-time visitor, combining the colonial grandeur of Delhi, the excitement of Jaipur and the serene beauty of the Taj Mahal. It is one of India's most popular holidays. But our tour differs from most other Golden triangle tours as we stay in homestays in Delhi and Jaipur - giving you a better insight into modern Indian life as well as seeing the fabulous historic sites.
You will travel by express train and private air-conditioned car, and of course have the services of an English-speaking guide for the sightseeing. What better way to find out about India than from the Indian people themselves? Of course a good local guide is very important if you're really to enjoy the wonderful highlights you're going to see on this holiday. Staying in homestays also gives you the chance to get to know the local people on a more relaxed basis.
Your tour starts in India's capital, Delhi. You'll have a comprehensive sightseeing tour of the contrasting cities of Old and New Delhi, enjoying the hustle and bustle of the old and the elegance and space of the new. You may also experience that quintessential Indian mode of transport, the rickshaw.
The express train will whisk you to Agra much more efficiently than you could travel by car, with breakfast served at your seat in one of India's fastest trains. Starting with the Red Fort, you will have your first glimpse of the Taj Mahal from the battlements as you explore the maze of sandstone palaces. A visit to Itmad ul-Daulah, better known as the "Baby Taj", will prepare you for the splendours of the Taj Mahal as your guide will show you the fine inlaid marble. Finally, end the day at India's most famous sight, the Taj Mahal. Visiting at sunset, you will be able to see the changing colours in the rich marble of the most elegant of Agra's great buildings.
The following morning is another early start, but worth it to see the Taj Mahal at dawn. This is the time when the Taj is at its quietest, before the hordes of day-trippers descend from Agra, so take advantage of the beautiful shifting colours as the sun rises before returning to your hotel for breakfast. Leaving Agra in the morning, you will stop at Fatehpur Sikri, built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar to serve as his capital, the city was abandoned after just 15 years, with its sandstone palaces a beautifully preserved showcase of the synthesis of Islamic and Hindu architecture. It is then a 4 hour drive to Jaipur, arriving at your homestay in the afternoon.
Jaipur is the famous ‘pink city' whose sandstone buildings were painted pink as a sign of welcome for the visit of Prince Albert in 1853 and remain that colour today. The bustling capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur is home to many beautiful buildings, including the sculpted facade of the Palace of the Winds, and also the Observatory, whose geometric shapes (built to track the movement of the stars) look like modern art exhibts. A visit to nearby Amber Fort will also be arranged - you will see the elephants lumbering up the stone ramp to the fort. They look great but we don't recommend this form of transport because of concerns about the welfare of the elephants and the safety of their riders. Instead we whisk you to the top of the palace by jeep.
At the end of your tour, your driver will take you back to Delhi for a final night to experience the hospitality of your homestay before it is time to fly home.
Itinerary Summary
- Day 1: Arrive in Delhi.
- Day 2: Full day tour of Old and New Delhi.
- Day 3: Take the morning train to Agra, with a tour of Agra and the Taj Mahal.
- Day 4: Visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise, then drive to Jaipur via Fatehpur Sikri.
- Day 5: Full day tour of Jaipur, including Amber Fort.
- Day 6: Drive to Delhi with the afternoon free.
- Day 7: Depart Delhi on the day flight back to the UK (if selected).
Detailed Itinerary
- DAY 1 (Sun): On arrival in Delhi you will be met and transferred to your homestay to be welcomed by your hosts. You will spend the next 2 nights here, giving you a great chance to meet and interact with the local people who will enjoy having you as a guest in their own home. Settle in and make yourself at home and make friends with your hosts.
- DAY 2 (Mon): A full day guided city tour of Old and New Delhi. With over 13 million people, this is a busy, crowded city with a full and rich history. There has been a city on this site since at least the 6th century BC and has since been rebuilt several times. There are numerous historical sites and monuments throughout the city reminding you of this varied past, and today your guided tour will take you to many of these. You will explore the bustling alleyways of Old Delhi and the contrasting wide tree-lined boulevards of New Delhi. You may also enjoy a ride in a traditional rickshaw. You also have the option to take a Delhi slum tour and visit a community project for greater insight into the varied life of this fascinating city. Return to your homestay for the night. If you have the energy take our option of seeing a 90 minute performance of songs and drama depicting the tale of love behind the building of the Taj Mahal this evening. B
- DAY 3 (Tue): You will be taken in the train station early in the morning for the express train to Agra, taking about 2 hours. On arrival, you will be met by your guide for a full day tour of the city. Visit the Red Fort, with its intricate carved sandstone walls and Itmad ul-Daulah, better known as the "Baby Taj" complete with intricate marble inlay, before ending your day at the Taj Mahal at sunset. This iconic domed mausoleum, built by the Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, is the most famous building in India. You will have chance to appreciate the intricate marble work. Watch as the colours slowly change as the sun sets over the Yamuna River. An unforgettable sight. B
- DAY 4 (Wed): You will have the opportunity to return to the Taj Mahal at sunrise, when the colours are at their best and the crowds at their thinnest. After breakfast in your hotel, you will be driven to Jaipur, about a 5 hour journey, stopping enroute to explore the former Mughal capital of Fatehpur Sikri with its well preserved palaces, pavilions and mosques. Your base in Jaipur is another homestay, a gracious colonial villa set in a garden of lawns and palm trees. You can take the Dera Amer elephant safari this evening or tomorrow evening, in the Aravali forests near Jaipur. This optional activity also includes a lovely dinner. B
- DAY 5 (Thu): You have the chance of an optional hot air balloon flight over the city sights early this morning (not available April to August). Spend the day exploring the Pink City of Jaipur and its surroundings. With its geometrical layout, Jaipur is easy to navigate. Our guided tour will take you to the most famous monuments such as the Hawa Mahal, or Palace of the Winds, the fascinating Jantar Mantar observatory, and the City Palace. In the afternoon, you will visit Amber Fort, an imposing and atmospheric Rajasthani fortress towering over Maotha Lake, with fine decorations and impressive architecture including the famous Hall of Mirrors. B
- DAY 6 (Fri): After breakfast you will be driven to Delhi along a fast highway, a journey of about 4 or 5 hours. You will be taken to your homestay, with the afternoon free to explore the city on your own or relax and enjoy your hosts' hospitality. You may want to enjoy the evening performace of 'Mohabbat the Taj', the story of the making of the Taj Mahal this evening (if you didn't see this on Monday). B
- DAY 7 (Sat): You will be taken to the airport to catch your day flight home (if international flights have been selected), arriving back in the UK later the same day. Alternatively you could continue your travels by combining this holiday with our Tiger Tiger or one of our Nepal holidays. B
Is it for you?
This is ideal for anyone wanting an introduction to India with limited time. The tour uses homestays, providing a further insight into the life and culture of this absorbing country.
Best times to go
This trip can be taken all year round but the best time to travel is October to mid-April. The temperature should range from a low of about 22C to a high of 32C. We have had people travel here during the monsoon season which is from June to September, who have still enjoyed their trip but be warned it willbe hot and rainy!
Getting there
If you have selected flights, your holiday will begin and end in the UK. Otherwise, you need to fly and in to and out of Delhi.
Gallery
Add-ons
Make it Yours.
We promise that all our Down to Earth holidays are exciting adventures as they stand. But you are an individual. ("I'm not." ed). So why not add extras to your holiday to make it different and more unique to you?
You can extend your holiday with the following short trips:
These optional extras are available to add to your trip:
Holiday Combinations
Many of our holidays have been designed in relatively short sections which can be added together as a combination. Only those that work together are shown below. If there are none shown then this is not an option for the particular holiday you have chosen.
When you click on any of these holiday combination options you will be taken to the relevant holiday details. You can return to this holiday by selecting it from the menu in the left hand column. If you add more than one holiday to your basket there may potentially be a gap between the two sections. You can fill this gap by adding the handy overnight extensions we offer in the relevant city.
Kathmandu and Pokhara
Explore the vibrant capital city of Kathmandu, with its bustling markets and beautiful temples, fly into Pokhara, nestled at the base of the Annapurnas with fabulous mountain views, and stay in the hill town of Bandipur which retains its traditional culture. This one week tour is a great introduction to Nepal, can serve as a base for a longer holiday or can be combined with a visit to India.
Duration: 8 days (9 inc. flights), From £875pp
Kathmandu and the Annapurna Trek
One of the 'must-sees' of any trip to Nepal is the Kathmandu Valley with its incredible medieval cities, palaces, stupas and temples. But then there are the mountain ranges, the diverse cultures and of course the national parks and wildlife too. With five days' trekking in the Annapurnas and seven days' exploring the towns, villages and highlights of the Kathmandu Valley, this is a fantastic way to discover Nepal.
Duration: 12 days (13 inc. flights), From £1330pp
Tiger Tiger
We've designed this itinerary for those who are really keen to see a tiger in the wild and we believe this gives you the very best chance. This tiger safari takes you deep in the jungles of India to the wonderful reserves of Kanha and Bandhavgarh.
Duration: 9 days (11 inc. flights), From £1550pp
Bookmark with:
