You may have heard of the Golden Triangle in India, and maybe you're familiar with it already, and looking for details of how to create the perfect itinerary.
The Golden Triangle is the top tourist route for a first time tourist to India, and with good reason! It has some of the most remarkable landmarks in the country, including on the seven world wonders!
In this guide we're going to give you all of the details for visiting the Golden Triangle in India, so that you can be well prepared, and have the most epic trip exploring the this incredible part of India.
*Please note that this blog post may contain some affiliate links, which we make a small profit on, at zero cost to you. Links are only used on products & services that we've used and believe in, to give you the best buying experience. Purchasing from these links helps us to continue providing free travel guides for you- so thank you for your support!
Our Travel Planning Recommendations
✈️ Skyscanner (flights)
🛏 Booking.com (hotels)
🎫 Get Your Guide (tours)
🎟 Ticket Master (events)
📸 Best Buy (equipment)
🚗 Rental Cars (car rentals)
🚝 Train Line (train tickets)
🚌 Bus Bud (bus tickets)
🚢 Direct Ferries (ferries)
🛳 Cruise Direct (cruises)
📍 Where is the Golden Triangle in India?
The Golden Triangle is located in the north of India, and has 3 major cities that make it up, across 3 different states. They are almost equally distant from one another, putting the route of doing all three in a triangular shape (hence the name!).
What Cities are in the Golden Triangle of India?
The three cities that make up the Golden Triangle are Delhi, Agra, & Jaipur. Delhi is the capital of India, Agra is the home to the famous Taj Mahal, and Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan, and one of the most beloved cities of Northern India.
With each city having rich history and fabulous monuments, they all come together to make the perfect first time itinerary for tourists traveling to India for the first time.
Make sure you also read:
What is the Best Way to Visit the Golden Triangle in India?
In order to fully enjoy the Golden Triangle in India, you'll have to do quite a bit of planning! Whether you choose to go on an organized trip, or to plan it yourself, we're here to help you experience the Golden Triangle in the best way possible.
Golden Triangle Group Tours
If it's your first time in India, then considering a group tour is a great idea! This will ensure that you will have a higher level of comfort, as well as a support system while experiencing the Golden Triangle.
We actually did the Golden Triangle with a local, and we had an absolutely epic trip! It truly wouldn't have been the same without her, and for that reason we're hiring her to run our group trips to India later this year!
If you'd like more information about this group trip, sign up for the Off the Beaten Trips newsletter, where we'll be sending out updates about the trips!
Looking To Travel Somewhere?
Off The Beaten Trips is our travel agency.
But this isn't anything like you've ever experienced before. You'll have an epic trip without having to break the piggy bank.
Unique locations. Epic adventures. Lifetime memories.
Doing the Golden Triangle On Your Own
If you're a seasoned traveler and want to conquer the Golden Triangle in India on your own, then we're also here to help!
You'll want to:
- Book your flights
- Book your accommodation
- Create a rough itinerary
✈️ Where Do You Fly Into for the Golden Triangle in India?
The easiest and most common airport to fly into for the Golden Triangle in India is Delhi, which is the capital city.
There are a ton of cities both domestic and international that fly to Delhi. There are a few cities in the US, that fly direct to Delhi including Chicago, Newark, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, and you can also fly from Toronto or Vancouver, Canada.
Other cities around the world that fly direct to Delhi include Abu Dhabi, Addis Ababa, Amsterdam, Almaty, Ashgabat, Baghdad, Bahrain, Baku, Bali, Bangkok, Birmingham, Bishkek, Chengdu, Colombo, Copenhagen, Dammam, Dhaka, Doha, Dubai, Dushanbe, Frankfurt, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Helsinki, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Jeddah, Kabul, Kuala Lumpur, Kunming, Kuwait City, Leipzig, London, Male, Melbourne, Milan, Moscow, Munich, Muscat, Nairobi, Nanning, Paris, Paro, Phuket, Port Louis, Rome, Seoul, Sharjah, Shenzhen, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, Tashkent, Tel Aviv, Tbilisi, Tokyo, Toulouse, Vienna, Warsaw, Xi'an, Yangon, and Zurich.
Other Flight Options for the Golden Triangle in India
Agra and Jaipur also have small airports if you'd like to start your Golden Triangle itinerary in one of those cities. While there are fewer options, there is a possibility that you can find affordable flights to one of these cities instead of Delhi.
Flight Tip: Using Skyscanner you can try put your city to India and see which city is the cheapest/easiest to fly into.
Highlights of the Golden Triangle in India - What Not to Miss Out On!
The Golden Triangle in India is packed with things to do! Of course depending on the amount of days you are visiting, will impact greatly the amount of things you'll be able to do.
That being said, we're here to outline the highlights, so that you can have an incredible travel experience, and if you want to learn more about the details of each place, you can check the dedicated travel guides.
Don't have time to read the whole article and want to save it for later? Just pin it!
Delhi
Delhi is the capital city of India and is typically the first city that tourists visit on their Golden Triangle trip.
It's one of the most overwhelming but invigorating places we have ever traveled, and it has so much to see and do.
There is an incredible contrast in Delhi of extreme poverty and pure luxury. It's full of massive shopping bazaars, gorgeous monuments, and a melting pot of both international and Indian cuisines.
Here are some of the highlights of Delhi:
- Hamayun's Tomb (go at sunset)
- Safdarjung's Tomb (go at sunrise or sunset)
- Yamana Ghat (a boat ride for sunrise)
- Qutub Minar (best in the early morning)
- Akshardham Temple (they have a light show at night)
- Lotus Temple (check it lit up at night)
- The Red Fort (this is a few hour activity)
- India Gate (located in a massive green park)
Agra
Agra is probably the most anticipated city of the three points of the Golden Triangle, and it is because it is home to the magnificent Taj Mahal!
You'll want to dedicate a half day to visiting the Taj Mahal itself, and another day and a half to exploring the other sites around the city.
Here are some of the top highlights to see in Agra:
- Taj Mahal (get there at 5 am to be one of the first in line)
- Agra Fort (go there for sunrise)
- Itmad-ud-Daula (what some call the mini Taj)
- Tomb of Akbar
- Gardens of Mehtab Bagh (gardens across the river from the Taj Mahal)
- Taj Mahal Boat Ride (go for sunset)
Jaipur
Out of all three cities, Jaipur is the one that has the most amount of tourist attractions, and is the most visually appealing.
Nicknamed the "pink city" you'll be blown away by the stunning architecture, massive forts, and incredible shopping in Jaipur. With so much to see and do, we recommend spending the majority of your trip in this city.
Here are some of the top highlights in Jaipur:
- Maha Hawal (the central pink museum)
- City Hall Palace (make sure to get the composite ticket)
- Amber Fort Palace (get there as soon as they open, and don't miss the "secret room"!
- Amber Fort City Walls (go here for sunrise and give yourself a few hours)
- Patrika Gate (the only free attraction, open 24/7)
- Albert Hall Museum (the oldest museum)
- Nahargarh Fort (go for sunset and check out the museum after)
- Jairgarh Fort
- Jal Mahal (palace in the middle of a lake - you can only see it from a distance)
- Shri Jagat Shiromani ji Temple (a quick visit walking distance from the Amber Fort Palace)
- Panna Meena Ka Kund (a famous stepwell - it's $50 for a photoshoot there)
- Gaitor Ki Chhatriyan (stunning set of mausoleums)
Want To Learn How To Get Paid To Travel?
We'll teach you everything you need.
Local Food & Drink in Northern India's Golden Triangle
When we first started planning our trip to the Golden Triangle in India we were extremely nervous about the food situation. We can't stand curry, and the videos circulating the internet made us think we'd end up starving in India.
If you ever had this thought in your mind, then we have good news for you! We were extremely mistaken when it came to the food in India.
🍛 Food in India
Each region from India has a different cuisine, and as such touristic cities, each city in the Golden Triangle has a variety of options to choose from. We found beautiful, clean, restaurants with excellent food, and also plenty of hygenic options for food on the go.
If you'd like to learn more about specific dishes and restaurants to try in each city, head to the dedicated travel guides for them, or check out some of the specially curated local food tours below.
Will You Buy Us A Coffee? ☕
As coffee lovers, we always enjoy the energy of caffeine. It helps us get the best free travel guides out there for you! 😄
How Much Does it Cost to Do the Golden Triangle in India?
If you look online, you'll find that Golden Triangle Tours can be thousands of dollars! I've actually spoken to so many people that said they wanted to go to India but it was simply too expensive.
Well, we have some more good news for you, because traveling to India doesn't have to cost a lot!
We're on a mission to create the most epic group trips to the Golden Triangle in India that are affordable, and will have our first one going out this year. In the meantime though, we can breakdown the average cost of daily expenses in each city:
💸 Average Prices for the Golden Triangle City Expenses
- Hotel rooms: $10-20/person for budget friendly hostels/ $50-100/night for higher mid range-luxury hotels
- Meals: 50 cents-$1 for street food/ $2-5/meal in normal restaurants/ $8-12/meal in high-end restaurants
- Ubers/Taxis/Tuk Tuks: 50-400 rupees/ride (60 ents- $4.80)
- Transportation between cities: $20-40 for public transportation/3,000-6,000 INR for private transportation ($35-70)
How To Travel Cheaper and Better in 15 minutes!
How much more would you travel, if it costed you less resources?
With our Free eBook, you will learn how to save money and time on your future trips. Plus, you'll see the exact system we use.
Grab your copy for free when you sign up for our newsletter 👇
Is the Golden Triangle in India Safe?
India isn't one of the most unsafe countries in the world, but it certainly is a country you'll want to be mindful in.
There are a lot of extreme circumstances in Northern India, and in Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur, you'll find areas with extreme poverty and begging, to the point you'll experience people coming up to your tuk tuk or children pulling at your belongings in broad daylight.
The key to staying safe in these cities is to dress modestly (no flashy jewelry or designer clothes), to keep your belongings close to you, and to stick to well-lit areas.
👱🏼♀️ Is the Golden Triangle in India Safe for Female Travelers?
We've heard quite a bit of horror stories when it comes to female travelers, especially those that aren't Indian looking.
Men in India can be very grabby, and for western women they can come off very invasive.
We recommend traveling with a man, or in a group with a guide. While you can certainly travel as a female, it will be much more comfortable moving in a group, even if it means meeting other travelers at your hostel and moving around with them.
🐒 Animal Safety in India
There are a lot of dogs along the streets in Delhi, Agra, & Jaipur. It's important to be careful, as they are known for having rabies, and they don't get treated very well. You'll also notice a lot of cows along the streets, but they are completely harmless.
At some of the attractions such as the different forts, and sometimes even on the streets, you'll find a lot of monkeys hanging around! It's important to be careful, as some of them can be agressive.
Keep your bag closed, and if a monkey shows you its teeth, do not get closer to it.
There are a ton of monkeys at the Amber Fort in Jaipur.
Transform your photos
One click is all it takes to make your photos look stunning. Get our latest package of Lightroom presets, Into The Wild.
Other Things to Keep in Mind While Visiting the Golden Triangle in India
Now you know almost everything you need to know for visiting the Golden Triangle in India! But don't go anywhere just yet - you'll want to know these final details before visiting.
☀️ Weather in Northern India
While most people assume India is always hot, the north of the country actually isn't! There are two seasons in Northern India, which are the dry and wet seasons.
The dry season is what we know as the winter months, and goes from October to April. December, January, and February are the coolest months, and in Delhi and Agra it actually gets quite cold! Jaipur has hotter temperatures than Delhi and Agra, so you'll find that by March it gets intensely hot already, while it's still really nice in the the other two cities.
April to September is the monsoon season, which has intense rains, extreme humidity, and blistering heat.
📆 What Month is Best for the Golden Triangle in India?
The months of October to March are the dry months in Northern India, so therefore these are the ideal months to visit.
We visited the Golden Triangle in India in March, where we experienced perfect weather in both Delhi and Agra, and hotter-than-comfortable temperatures in Jaipur. While this is a particularly crowded time of the year, it's also an amazing month to visit because of Holi Festival.
For the best weather at the Golden Triangle in India, we'd recommend visiting in October, November, or February. While we typically recommend shoulder season for a lot of destinations, the Golden Triangle in India is not one of them because of the extreme weather conditions. There will be big crowds, but it's pretty inevitable whatever time of the year you visit.
Make sure to get a hotel with a pool in the hotter months!
🧳 How to Prepare for Traveling to the Golden Triangle in India
Here are some of the things you'll want to bring with you on your trip to the Golden Triangle in India:
- Comfortable sandals for walking around
- Bag/ Backpack that zips (check out our list of favorite backpacks for travelers!)
- Action Camera (we use the Insta 360 X3 because you can use it with an extra long selfie stick to mimic a drone)
- Sunscreen
- Hat to protect yourself from the sun
- Chapstick
- Reusable Water Bottle (we use this water bottle from Cafago because it holds the temperature)
- Camera (we use the Sony A7Riii)
- Wide Lens for inside venues (we use Sony GM 14mm 1.8)
- Telephoto lens for epic pictures at the forts or from viewpoints (we use the Sony GM F2.8 70-200mm)
- Drone for the Amber Fort walls in Jaipur (We use the DJI Mavic Mini Pro 4)
- Power Bank (we use Anker power banks as they are super long lasting and durable)
- Cash for the tickets and street vendors
- Travel toiletries (our favorites are from Sheer Alternatives because they're all natural and 100ml)
All Your Travels
in One Book
Transform your travel memories into a unique book, with personalized pages, country by country.
Is India's Golden Triangle Worth Visiting?
India's Golden Triangle is absolutely worth visiting (that is, for most people).
We'll be honest- the north of India can be really intense, and if you don't like crowds or get uncomfortable with a lot of noise and chaos, then you'll definitely want an organized tour with luxury accommodation, and private transportation to enjoy your trip.
If you're adventurous and go-with-the-flow, then the Golden Triangle in India will blow your mind. It's super diverse, it has incredible architecture, and is really such a fun and wild place to experience.
How Long Does it Take to Do India's Golden Triangle?
The average time for a Golden Triangle trip (and the bare minimum in our opinion) is 7 days. If you have one week, we recommend doing 2 days in Delhi, 2 days in Agra, and 3 days in Jaipur.
If you don't have 7 days and have your heart set on the Golden Triangle in india, you could do 2 days in Delhi, 1 day in Agra, and 2 days in Jaipur to get a taste of each place and hit the top highlights.
If you have the time though, we really recommend doing 8-10 days for the Golden Triangle! You'll want to leave your first day to adjust in Delhi, and the final day to see any last minute sites and do your last minute shopping. If you have 10 days, we'd recommend 3 days in Delhi, 2 days in Agra, 4 days in Jaipur, and then one more day in Delhi.
Getting Around the Golden Triangle in India
Now that you know the top things to do along the Golden Triangle in India, let's go over how to get you around! This can honestly be the most stressful part of planning your trip, and truthfully it was one of the things that we struggled with the most.
First, you'll want to plan your travels between each of the cities, and then within the cities.
How to Get Around Between the Cities of the Golden Triangle in India
Being that the cities are pretty much equally distant from another, you can choose to do the cities of the Golden Triangle in any order you please. The cities are each about 4-5 hours driving from one another, a 1-hour flight, or trains that vary greatly in time (a couple of hours, or up to 8).
How to Get From Delhi to Agra
🚝 Train from Delhi to Agra - 4-5 hours/ 150-850 INR
🚌 Bus from Delhi to Agra - 3 1/2-4 hours/ from $4
🚗 Private transportation from Delhi to Agra - from $7.50/person
How to Get From Delhi to Jaipur
🚝 Train from Delhi to Jaipur - 5-7 hours 240-1,205 INR
🚌 Bus from Delhi to Jaipur - 4 1/2- 5 1/2 hours
✈️ Flight from Delhi to Jaipur - 1 hr
🚗 Private transportation from Delhi to Jaipur - from $7.50/person
How to Get From Jaipur to Agra
🚝 Train from Jaipur to Agra - 3 1/2- 4 1/2 hours/ 125-500 INR
🚌 Bus from Jaipur to Agra - 3 1/2-4 hours/ from $4
🚗 Private transportation from Agra to Jaipur - from $7.50/person
How to Get From Jaipur to Delhi
🚝 Train from Delhi to Jaipur - 5-7 hours/ 240-1,205 INR
🚌 Bus from Jaipur to Delhi - 4 1/2- 5 1/2 hours
✈️ Flight from Jaipur to Delhi - 1 hr
🚗 Private transportation from Jaipur to Delhi - from $7.50/person
How to Get From Agra to Delhi
🚝 Train from Agra to Delhi - 4-5 hours/ 150-850 INR
🚌 Bus from Jaipur to Agra - 5- 5 1/2 hours/ from $4 - 3 1/2-4 hours/ from $4
🚗 Private transportation from Agra to Delhi - from $7.50/person
How to Get From Jaipur to Agra
🚝 Train from Jaipur to Agra - 3 1/2- 4 1/2 hours/ 125-500 INR
🚌 Bus from Jaipur to Agra - 5- 5 1/2 hours/ from $4
🚗 Private transportation from Jaipur to Agra - from $7.50/person
How to Get Around Inside the Cities of the Golden Triangle in India
Once you're inside the cities of Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur you can easily get around by a number of methods of transportation.
India does have Uber, so if you'd like to pay with your card rather than cash and have a log of your rides, then this is a great option. You can choose between regular cars, tuk tuks, and even motorcycles!
Beware of scams on Uber! You can also set your payment method as cash, and make sure to never let them negotiate a higher rate.
Tuk Tuks are the easiest to flag down, and you can negotiate on the rate. We recommend downloading Uber to check the rate, and negotiating at a slightly lower rate. ALWAYS agree on the price before simply hopping in.
Agra has a metro system, and Delhi does have a train that runs, but we really only found it useful for leaving and going back to the airport.
Another option is to hire a tuk tuk driver for the day, which makes your itinerary a bit more seamless, rather than having to get new drivers and dealing with all of the chaos.
Stay Up To Date📫
We have a non-spammy weekly newsletter, where we give travel tips, and exclusive content and discounts.
Tips for Visiting the Golden Triangle in India
- Set your alarm clock early to beat the crowds.
- Give yourself extra time between activities - traffic and lines can be crazy!
- When booking hotels, read the reviews of Western travelers, and avoid OYO.
- Download your visa offline to have it handy for hotels.
- Leave your tripod behind (it's not allowed in any attractions)
- Hire a photographer at least once - especially for the Taj Mahal.
- Carry your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer at all times.
- Be careful of the street food, but do try new foods.
- Hold a zippered bag close to you, and keep an eye on your belongings at all times.
- Cash is king in India! Make sure you withdraw local money from an ATM.
- Keep Google Translate handy.
- Have patience and keep a smile!
Want To Learn How To Get Paid To Travel?
We'll teach you everything you need.
Travel Planning Tools
Here are some useful tools that you can use for planning your upcoming trip!
So are you ready for your trip to the Golden Triangle in India? As long as you follow our tips, we're sure you're going to have an incredible experience in all of these amazing places.
We have a ton of other India travel guides coming up, so make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for our latest updates! .
Ready to book your trip to India? We're here to help! Now Scratch Your Mapa offers travel planning services so that you can get the most affordable rates on flights and find unique hotels to stay at. Not only that, but we're creating an epic group trip to India later this year! Join the waitlist.
Here are some other articles you'll love:
Like this article? Please share it with your family and friends, so that we can continue to keep creating free travel guides for you! It takes just a second, and would mean the world to us. Thanks for being here!
