10-Day Golden Triangle at leisure

Your driver meets you at the airport and takes you to the hotel.

• There is no fixed programme, since many flights arrive late or very early.
• If you land in daylight, you may want a short drive through the leafy avenues of New Delhi and a stop at Lodhi Gardens for a quiet walk among old tombs.
• Dinner is at the hotel or at a restaurant the driver recommends.
• With ten days ahead, the first evening is meant for sleep and adjusting to the climate.
• Drink water and keep a light layer, since air conditioning can be strong.
• Send your flight details when we plan so the driver can track your arrival and wait even if the flight is delayed.

Your guide joins after a late breakfast.

• You begin at Humayun's Tomb, the first great garden tomb of the Mughals, then drive to the Qutub Minar and its ruined mosque.
• After lunch the car goes to Old Delhi for the Jama Masjid and a slow walk through Chandni Chowk.
• Red Fort is closed on Mondays and we reorder if needed.
• This is a measured day with long breaks, because two more Delhi days follow.
• Cover shoulders and knees for the mosque and carry small change for the shoe minders.
• In the evening the car returns you to the hotel for a rest before dinner.
• Tell the guide if you want less walking.

Today shows the other side of Delhi.

• In the morning your guide takes you through New Delhi: India Gate, the government avenues and the Raj Ghat memorial garden.
• Then the National Museum offers a calm walk through Indian art, from Harappan objects to miniature paintings, if it suits your interests.
• Lunch is at a restaurant in Khan Market or Connaught Place.
• In the afternoon you can visit the Lotus Temple, a modern bahai house of worship, or Safdarjung's Tomb, a late Mughal garden tomb with fewer visitors.
• The day is flexible; we can swap items for a long rest.
• Check the weekday: some museums and the Red Fort close on Mondays.

After breakfast the car leaves on the Yamuna Expressway for Agra, roughly three to four hours away.

• A coffee stop at the midpoint helps.
• You arrive near lunchtime and rest at the hotel.
• In the afternoon your guide takes you to Agra Fort, the large Mughal fortress on the river, where Shah Jahan was kept in his last years looking toward the Taj.
• Then comes Itimad-ud-Daulah, a small white marble tomb with fine inlay.
• If the light is good, the day ends at Mehtab Bagh to see the Taj across the water as the sun sets.
• Dinner is at the hotel.
• Go to bed early, because tomorrow begins at dawn and the alarm will be early.
• Wear closed shoes tomorrow, since the marble courtyards are crowded.

You leave in the dark and arrive at the gate when it opens.

• Your guide leads you through the arch, along the pool and onto the platform, as the light turns the marble from grey to pink.
• Plan roughly two hours.
• Back at the hotel, breakfast is slow, and the rest of the morning is free.
• In the afternoon the car can take you to Sikandra, Akbar's tomb, a calm garden complex with deer.
• Another option is a walk through the Kinari Bazaar to see the marble and leather shops.
• The Taj is closed on Fridays; we plan around that.
• In December and January fog may hide the sunrise, which is why this journey leaves a second Agra morning free.

Today is for a different view of the Taj.

• Many guests prefer a later, quieter visit, mid morning, when the marble is white and the crowds have thinned a little, or a late afternoon visit before closing.
• You may also return to the sunrise if fog hid it.
• Your guide can take you to the side mosque and the garden paths you skipped.
• The rest of the day is open: a long lunch, a walk in the old town, or a visit to a marble inlay workshop that can be discussed when we plan.
• If the Taj is closed because of a Friday, this day becomes your main visit and the order of the days is adjusted.

You leave after breakfast for the drive to Jaipur, roughly five hours with stops.

• Your first stop is Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's former capital, where your guide shows the Diwan-i-Khas, the Panch Mahal and the great mosque courtyard.
• Allow ninety minutes.
• Lunch is on the road, and a stop at the Abhaneri stepwell adds about twenty minutes and a view of hundreds of geometric steps.
• The road passes mustard fields and small towns before the Aravalli hills appear.
• You reach Jaipur in the late afternoon and rest.
• In the evening, a short drive to the old city shows the Hawa Mahal lit up.
• The day is long, so dinner at the hotel is a good plan.

Your guide meets you early to reach Amber Fort before the crowds.

• You walk up to the Sun Gate and explore the Sheesh Mahal, the courtyards and the lake terraces.
• On the way back the car stops at Jal Mahal.
• In the late morning you tour the City Palace and the Jantar Mantar.
• Lunch is slow.
• In the afternoon, you may rest or walk through the bazaars near Johari Bazaar.
• The old city is pink only in parts, and the guide explains why the colour was chosen.
• End with the Hawa Mahal in golden light.
• Wear a hat and carry water at Amber, and keep shoulders covered in the temples.

This day is built around making and looking.

• A typical plan starts late, with a drive to a block-printing village or workshop where cloth is stamped by hand, which can be discussed when we plan.
• After lunch the car takes you up to Nahargarh Fort for the evening view over the city, or to a quiet garden such as Sisodia Rani Garden.
• The guide can add a stop at a jewellery or gem cutter if you wish.
• If you would rather rest, that is also a good use of the day.
• Tell the driver the evening before, and he adjusts the morning time.
• Bring a light layer for the fort, where the wind can be cool.

After a slow breakfast you leave Jaipur for Delhi, roughly five to six hours with a coffee stop.

• The expressway stretches are fast, and the entrance into the capital can be slow, so we allow a buffer.
• Your driver takes you to the airport or your Delhi hotel, and the guide has already said goodbye in Jaipur.
• If you have an evening flight, you can leave late morning and have a calm lunch on the road.
• Please tell us your flight time when we plan so we can set a safe departure.
• Keep water and a snack in the car, and let the driver know when you want to stop.