Tour Duration: 08 Nights/ 08 Days
Golden Triangle tour in North India is an ideal tour for first-time visitors to India. This tour will take you to three main destinations of north India - Delhi the capital city of India, a melting pot of various cultures of India, where history stands as conspicuous as its modernity. Visit some important monuments of Mughal and Colonial era here. Travel to Agra which houses Taj Mahal, the ultimate tribute of love, and Jaipur which is the capital of the most colorful region of India ‘Rajputana’ or the present times Rajasthan. Get awed by its forts and palaces. Tales of the love and the valour of Rajasthan are as interesting as its forts, palaces, and terrain. You will also experience taking a cycle rickshaw ride in the narrow alleyways of Old Delhi, riding an elephant, and visiting one of the largest step wells of India during the course of the tour.
It is often said that “if you take the Golden Triangle tour you will understand more than half of India very well”.
Day 01 - Arrive Delhi
Day 02 - Full-day tour of Delhi visiting important sites i.e. Jama Masjid, Raj Ghat, Qutab Minar, Humayun Tomb - a cycle rickshaw ride in Chandhni Chowk.
Day 03 - Morning drive to Agra. Afternoon visit Itmad-ud-daulah Tomb and Mehtab Bagh to see the sunset on the Taj Mahal from across the river.
Day 04 - Early morning visit the Taj Mahal by sunrise. Later in the morning visit Agra Fort. Afternoon at leisure.
Day 05 - Morning drive to Jaipur visiting Fatehpur Sikri and step well of Abhaneri en route.
Day 06 - Full-day sightseeing tour of Jaipur visiting Amber Fort (with an option of taking an elephant ride there), Hawa Mahal, City Palace, and Jantar Mantar (astronomical observatory).
Day 07 - Morning excursion to Bagru to see block printing.
Day 08 - Drive to Delhi
Day 01 - Arrive Delhi
Arrive IGI airport Delhi. Met by our representative upon arrival at the international airport and transferred to the hotel.
Overnight at hotel (Room held from noon of this day).
Day 02 – Delhi
An orientation and tour briefing in the morning is followed by a full-day sightseeing tour of Old and New Delhi.
In Old Delhi visit Jama Masjid - the last architectural extravagance of the emperor Shah Jahan, which he built shortly after the completion of Red Fort. The largest mosque in India, its courtyard and surroundings can accommodate 25000 devotees to offer prayer at a time. The visit will be followed by a cycle rickshaw ride in Old Delhi. A cycle rickshaw rides through the narrow alleyways of Chandni Chowk and observing daily activities there is an experience by itself. A flamboyant bazaar (marketplace) once for the elite and the novels of the Mughal court, it today is a bustling wholesale market, the largest in Asia. Also, visit Raj Ghat – the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi referred to as “Father of the Nation”.
On finishing the visit to Old Delhi, drive towards New Delhi stopping by en route briefly to explore the Central Delhi area with colonial remnants. Indo-Saracenic architecture, large boulevards, and a good green cover mark the character of this area. Drive pass government buildings and India Gate built in memory of 70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives during the First World War fighting for the British. This arch built in 1921 is a prominent site in Delhi.
The sightseeing tour of New Delhi will cover a visit to Humayun Tomb, the pioneer of Mughal architecture in India. This 16th-century colossal monument is considered to be an early masterpiece that decisively influenced the design of the later Mughal architecture including the Taj Mahal. A fusion of Persian and Hindu architectural influence is visible in this monument. Built in the middle of a four-cornered garden it is one of the best-preserved Mughal monuments in Delhi. End the day with a visit to Qutab Minar. Built-in red sandstone during the early 13th century and standing 72.5 m tall, tapering from 2.75 m in diameter at its peak to 14.32 m at the base, it is not only one of the tallest towers of its time but the tallest brick tower in the world. The tower is ornamented with intricate stone carvings and the walls consist of verses from the Koran (the holy book of Islam). The Complex also hosts mosques and a 5th/ 6th-century BC Iron Pillar (in the courtyard of the mosque) which has not rusted even after 2000 years.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 03 – Delhi to Agra
Morning, depart Delhi by road to Agra (200 Km).
Afternoon, visit Itmad-ud-daulah Tomb. This monument was built by Begam Nur Jahan the wife of the emperor Jahangir (fourth of the Great Mughals) in memory of her father Mirza Ghiyas Beg who was one of the generals in the Mughal army and had been conferred with the title of Itimâd-ud-Daulah meaning the ‘Pillar of the State’. Primarily built from red sandstone with marble decorations, this monument also elegantly displays Pietra-dura inlay on the white marble which is considered to be one of the forerunners of the Taj Mahal.
Later, visit Mehtab Bagh to view the Taj Mahal by sunset from the opposite bank of the Yamuna River.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 04 – Agra
Early morning, visit the Taj Mahal to see the monument changing its mood with the glowing lights of the rising sun. The zenith of Mughal architecture, an ultimate tribute of love, built by grieving emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaj Mahal - the Taj Mahal is flawless in its conception and execution. It is aptly said that “the beauty of the Taj Mahal cannot be described in words – one has to see it to experience it”.
Later in the morning, visit the Agra Fort. Foundation led by the emperor Akbar, four of the mighty Mughal rulers controlled their vast empire from here. Built by successive emperors, the fort consists of residential palaces, private and public courts, courtyards, social areas, and private mosques - famous amongst them are Jahangiri Mahal, Khass Mahal, Diwan-i-Khass, Diwan-i-Am, Machchhi Bhawan and Moti Masjid etc. All these buildings represent the excellence of Mughal architecture. Fort also serves as a vantage point to view the Taj Mahal from a distance and it is recorded that emperor Shah Jahan spent his last days in exile watching the Taj Mahal from here.
Afternoon at leisure or free for optional.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 05 – Agra to Jaipur
Morning, drive to Jaipur (260 Km) visiting Fatehpur Sikri and Chand Baori (Abhaneri) en route. Also, stop for lunch en route.
Located about 45 kilometers away from Agra, Fatehpur Sikri briefly served as the capital of Mughal Empire during the reign of Emperor Akbar. It is believed, that the city was quickly abandoned due to lack of potable water. The palaces, meeting halls, and courtyards all built in red sandstone inside the complex are in a remarkable state of preservation.
Continue your drive toward Abhaneri (125 Km) to visit one of the largest step wells in the country ‘Chand Baoli (baori)’. This thirteen-story structure with 3500 narrow steps and 100 feet deep is one of the oldest, deepest, and largest baoris (step wells) in India. Though the oldest parts of the structure dates back to the 8th century significant additions were made in the 18th century. The stepwell consists of a flight of stairs descending into the earth from three sides arranged in a square pattern with the well lying at the bottom. A subterranean palace is built on one side of the well.
Continue driving another (90 Km) to reach Jaipur your final destination of the day.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 06 - Jaipur
Morning, depart on an excursion to Amber Fort (11 Km one way). The ancient capital of Kachhawaha Rajput rulers of Jaipur, Amber guarded one of the important defiles from invading enemies. Walk inside the Fort to explore extravagant palaces to behold the magnificence of Rajput's royal lifestyle. The Summer Palace, Winter Palace, Mirror Palace, Ganesh Pol, and Diwan-e-am are some of the most popular spots here. You have an option to climb atop the fort’s ramparts on an elephant's back.
Also, stop at Hawa Mahal Hawa Mahal on the way to Amber Fort. Built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap a five-story façade in red sandstone with 953 small windows, Hawa Mahal or the Palace of Winds (actually a part of the City Palace) was built to allow ladies in the palace to observe everyday life on the street below without being seen. However, today Hawa Mahal has become the emblem of Jaipur.
While returning to the city briefly stop at Jal Mahal or the water palace that served as a hunting lodge in the middle of Man Sagar Lake.
In the afternoon visit City Palace, the official residence of the present royal family. City Palace covers a large area divided into series of courtyards, gardens, and residential buildings. A part of City Palace is turned into a museum now housing Armoury, Textiles, and Artifacts. The City Palace is a delightful blend of Mughal and traditional Rajasthani architecture. Also, visit Jantar Mantar a 17th-century astronomical observatory adjacent to City Palace. An excellent example of marvelous precision wherein each instrument constructed in Jantar Mantar has a specific purpose of measuring the position of stars, altitudes, and azimuths or calculate eclipses. Some of them still work quite accurately even today.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 07 – Jaipur
Morning drive 30 Km in the outskirts of Jaipur to Bagru, a small sleepy rural town to see the art of hand block printing.
The quaint town of Bagru, situated near Jaipur, has become celebrated for its vibrant heritage in hand-block printing (also called Bagru Printing) and Dabu printing techniques. Here one can see skilled craftsmanship working around crafting intricate designs on wooden blocks, which are then meticulously imprinted onto textiles using two distinct styles: direct printing and the resist dye method, commonly referred to as Dabu.
In the Dabu hand block printing technique, a special resist comes into play during the dyeing process. This resist is composed of a unique blend, incorporating mud sourced from dried lake beds, wheat powder, gum, and lime, adding a distinctive touch to the artistry of Dabu prints.
Return to Jaipur by noon or early afternoon with the rest of the day at leisure or free for optional activities (one can explore the local markets OR take a guided Heritage walk in the old city area OR take a local street food walk OR opt for a Leopard viewing safari at Jhalana Leopard Safari in the outskirts of the city).
Overnight at hotel.
Day 08 - Jaipur to Delhi and Depart
After a leisurely morning, drive to Delhi (270 Km).
Arrive Delhi and check in at an airport hotel with the rest of the day at leisure or free for optional activities.
Late evening (depending on the flight time) transferred to the international airport to board the flight for onward destination. (Room retained till noon of next day for late check-out)
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