The Golden Triangle of India is a travel circuit in North India that connects the three most popular travel destinations of India namely - The National Capital-Delhi, UNESCO World Heritage site - Agra and the Land of Kingdoms - Rajasthan. It is called the Golden Triangle because this travel circuit actually forms a triangle. If you are planning an India Trip, then the golden triangle is the best tourist circuit you can follow in North India.
The Best Time To Visit Delhi, Agra, Jaipur - Golden Triangle of India
November to February is the best time to visit the Golden Triangle. The weather is cool during this time, otherwise, the weather in these places can get extremely hot and uncomfortable. You can plan a Golden Triangle tour in India for 3 days or a Golden Triangle Tour 4 days. Here I have described my Golden Triangle trip in India which I completed in 2016's January. Suggested read: Best places to visit in January in India
When I used to stay in Delhi, I had heard a lot about India's Golden Triangle. At that time I was in college and was saving up for this trip. Finally, I along with my best friend made it happen. On starting the trip we were faced with a lot of choices. We could either go via a private car or train. There were many Golden Triangle tour packages which were really alluring. However, we really love Road trips and so we took a cab from Delhi that took us to Agra and finally to Jaipur, and then back to Delhi. Nevertheless, Indian Railway journeys are also an amazing way to see India like the locals.
Suggested read: If you had one day to spend in India, where would you go?
The Golden Triangle of India
Golden Triangle Tour 3 Days
Day 1 - Morning in Delhi
India's Golden Triangle tour starts from Delhi. If you are already in Delhi then the best place to start your Delhi tour would be visiting Chandni Chowk. Read my article on - Chandni Chowk History and Best Food.
Next, go to Jama Masjid and grab some lip-smacking Kebabs and Rolls from Karim's. Then go to Red Fort and learn about India's majestic historical past. The Chandni Chowk and Red Fort are the creations of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who also built the Taj Mahal.
After that, take an auto-rickshaw and head towards India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhawan. Watch where the President of the country lives. Then check out the Parliament, North Block, South Block nearby and head towards Connaught Place (CP)
Suggested read: Hidden restaurants in Delhi
Day 1 - Afternoon in Delhi
You can shop a little and go to any posh restaurant here to grab your lunch. If you ask me, then I would suggest Tamra Restaurant or Farzi Cafe and oh! I almost forget - Andhra Bhawan. (No they aren't paying me write their names, it's just that I went there and had a great time).
After you've had your lunch, head towards Rajiv Chowk Metro Station (The Subway Station of Connaught Place). Take the Blue Line Metro that goes towards Badarpur and get down at Janpath. From Janpath Take the Violet line metro and get down at Lajpat Nagar. Go for shopping at Lajpat Nagar.
After you've shopped, take an auto-rickshaw and ask him to take you to Qutub Minar. In Delhi don't get duped to pay more. It's only 9.9 Km if he takes the outer ring road and Shri-Aurobindo Marg. If you decide to take the Press Encalve Marg then it's- 10 Km. It would probably take you 40-45 minutes to reach there depending on traffic. It would cost you Rs.88 via Auto and Rs.167 via AC Taxi-cab.
Day 1 - Evening in Delhi
Watch the sunset and take beautiful photographs of the Qutub Minar. From there take a cab to DLF Cyber Hub which is 14 Km from there. It will cost you Rs.217 via AC Cab and Rs.113 in an Auto-Rickshaw.
However, If you are on a Budget then you can take the Yellow Line Metro that goes to Huda City center directly from Qutub Minar Metro Station. Get down at a station called "Sikandarpur". Now you can deboard at Sikanarpur and take the Rapid Metro gong towards 'IndusInd Bank Cyber City'. You can get down here and spend a relaxed evening at DLF Cyber hub.
Day 2 - Morning drive from Delhi to Agra
Start your day Early. You can book a Cab to reach Agra in advance. The distance between Delhi to Agra is 234 KM, which is going to charge you approximately Rs. 2600. It's going to take around 4 to 5 hours to reach Agra. I started from Delhi at 6 in the Morning and reached Fatehpur Sikri at 10 am, Via the Taj Express Highway.
When at Fatehpur Sikri, I explored Fatehpur Sikri for an hour and a half and then drove further to Agra. You too must stop at Fatehpur Sikri. This was the Mughal Emperor Akbar's Capital city and is till date one of the most beautiful places to visit in India. A paradise for all history lovers, the Red sandstone walls, will transport you back to the Mughal Era in the 16th Century. Visit the Jama Masjid, Jodha Bai Palace, Birbal Bhawan and Bulund Darwaaza here. This was the Plae where the famed singer Tansen used to sing in the Kingdom of the Mighty Mughal Ruler- Akbar. When King Akbar had defeated the Rulers of Gujarat, he renamed this place as Fatehpur(City of Victory), and build the 54m tall Bulund
Next continue on your Journey to Agra. Fatehpur Sikri to Agra is just 50 minutes (35.8km) via Fatehpur Sikri Road or 1hr 5 min (40.6 KM Via Fatehpur Sikri road and SH 39).
You'll reach Agra within an hour. It's home to the Taj Mahal, the best of the 7 wonders of the World, and also one of the Most
Taj Mahal was built by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan, who was the Son of Jahangir (the son of Akbar) in loving memory of his favorite wife out of his 12 wives - Mumtaz Mahal Begum. She was his 3rd wife. They were deeply in love and shared a deep and passionate relationship. It was after her demise when he was deeply heartbroken, he began the construction of Taj Mahal, the supreme monument dedicated to Love. It took 22 years to finish the construction of Taj Mahal. It's one of the Most Romantic Places to visit in India.
Suggested read: Most Romantic Places in the World you must visit with your beau.
If you can plan accordingly, you can get the best views of the Taj Mahal during a full moon night. It's one of the most romantic things to do in India.
If you are planning for a Golden Triangle tour 4 days, then you can also visit these other Popular and historical Places to visit in Agra. Such as the Agra Fort (it's another UNESCO World Heritage Site, built by Akbar), Akbar's Tomb in Sikandra, Ram Bagh, Itmad-
After this, I was looking for the Best places to Eat near me in Agra, and I landed upon Joney's place. It serves fresh, clean and
Day 2 - Afternoon drive from Agra to Jaipur
Agra to Jaipur takes about 5 hours. It's 240 Km via the Bikaner - Agra Road. You can also take the Agra-Jaipur Expressway along NH-11 that connects NH-8 with NH-2 and is a part of the Golden Quadrilateral. I reached Jaipur around 8:30 PM. Jaipur is a beautiful city and welcomes you to the wonderful cultures of Rajasthan. We stayed at Zostel Jaipur. It's one of the best hotels in Jaipur, and it isn't very expensive. We had booked our room via MakeMyTrip, and it took us only Rs.1499 for the 2 of us, for a night. Our hotel was just 5 minutes walk from the Majestic Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds) and the City Palace. You can also stay at the Oberoi Raj Villas Jaipur. I have heard it's also one of the best Luxury hotels in Jaipur.
After dinner, we were out on a lazy stroll on the streets of Jaipur, and we were almost shocked to see such a majestic mansion in the middle of the road, out of nowhere!!!!!!
Day 3: Morning in Jaipur
Suggested read: Things to do in Jaipur -The Royal Pink city
We woke up in the Morning, and visited the City Palace. We started at 9 am. The City Palace is one of the many popular Places to visit in Jaipur. It's in the center of the city. Things to visit there are the Mubarak Mahal (A museum that stores Royal Costumes), Chandra Mahal (a 7 storied building), which has exquisite interior works, Diwan-i-am and Diwan-i-khas (check out the 2 huge sterling silver vessels of 1.6 ,).
After this we visited the Hawa Mahal. The Hawa Mahal is made of Red and Pink Sandstone. It was made so that the women of the Palace, could see the everyday life and festivities of the city, through the lattice work windows (called as Jharokhas). Moreover, it also kept the rooms cool due to the Venturi Effect. However, what you see from outside is only the rear end.
You can enter the Hawa Mahal from behind, and see the different colored marbles which has been used to make rooms here. The use of Pink sandstone is what makes Jaipur called as the Pink city. It's a stunning fusion of Rajput and Mughal Architecture.
Next at around 11 am we visited the Jal Mahal. You can reach the Jal Mahal in just 15 minutes. Visiting the Jal Mahal is a definitive things to do in Jaipur. It's in the middle of Man Sagar Lake, surrounded by the Nahargarh hills, 4 stories of the Mahal (Palace) are underwater, and only 1 floor is visible from outside. You must take a camel ride in the vicinity of Jal Mahal. After this, we decided to stop for Lunch. There are many good vegans and Non-Vegan Restaurants near the Jal Mahal on Amer Fort Road. You can grab a quick lunch and head for Jaigarh Fort.
Day 3: Afternoon in Jaipur
Next, you can Visit the Jaigarh Fort. This is on the Cheel Ka Teela (Hills of the Eagles) on the Aravalli Hills and overlooks the Amer Fort. It was built as a Victory Fort, and also to protect the Amer Palace. Check out the Jaivana - a giant-sized canon, and the Jaigarh Fort Museum here. From Jaigarh Fort, there is a subterranean passage which will take you to the Amber Fort. Visit the Amber Fort. There are lots to see in Amber Fort. It has been constructed in Red sandstone. Particularly the Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors) is a stunning place, where millions of Mirrors has been used to make the Palace. You must also see the Diwan-i-Aam, Diwan-i-Khas, Sukh Niwas and Jai Mandir here. Next, you can visit the Nahargarh Fort. This too is a splendid place to visit. Especially stop for taking the best Panoramic photos of Jaipur City from Nahargarh Fort.
If you are looking the Golden Triangle Itineraries, then you can also take a detour and visit Udaipur, Jodhpur or Jaisalmer when in Rajasthan.
However, since we had to finish our journey in 3 days, we kept those places for next time, and headed to explore the Bazaars of Jaipur. Shopping in Jaipur is one of a kind. From traditional handicrafts to Paintings, they are the most colorful places to get lost in the city, and explore the local lifestyle.
Day 3: Evening drive from Jaipur to Delhi
After this we headed back to our hotel, and boarded our Cabs to reach Delhi at 9 PM. Delhi to Jaipur on road takes approximately 8 hours. We had booked ourselves an AC Cab and it charged us, Rs. 3100. So, we reached Delhi by 5 am the next morning. There are many other options to reach Delhi from Jaipur. You can take train from Jaipur to Delhi. Board the Ajmer Shatabdi Express train (12016). It starts from Jaipur at 5:50 PM in the evening and reaches Delhi (NDLS Railway station) at 22:40 pm. You can also travel until Delhi from Jaipur via Flight. It takes only 55 minutes and prices start from Rs. 1843 in Spicejet Airlines.
So, this was the detailed travel blog on The Golden Triangle of India travel. I had a wonderful time and shall always recommend everyone doing this. If you plan a 5 day 6 nights tour, it's the best, according to me. Or if you are in a rush, you can take the root I took. If you have any more suggestions, then comment below. Until next time!
Happy India Travel to you! 🙂