The Golden Triangle in India is a popular tourism itinerary centred on the cities of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, with optional detours to the abandoned medieval city of Fatehpur Sikri and the bird sanctuary at Bharatpur.
Understand
[edit]This classic journey covers a lot of the grand tales of Indian history, with many major landmarks and sights to behold. A week is a good amount of time to spend travelling the triangle, however many group tours do it in less.
Prepare
[edit]Hindi is the most widely and commonly used language here. Most locals can understand English, and getting French, German or even Japanese guides at hotels in this region is not a problem.
Say 'Namaste' or 'Namaskaar' to any person as a greeting.
The rates for all the monuments (entry fee, camera fee, guide fee) are different for Indian and foreign tourists. There are government guides at all major tourist spots. But for tourists, there are wearable audioguides for rent.
Get in
[edit]
Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur all have International airports, but it is more convenient for most people to start from Delhi. Please refer to those cities' articles for detailed information. Briefly, Delhi is the busiest airport in Asia with dozens of international destinations served. It also has unparalleled domestic connectivity, being a hub for Air India, IndiGo, Spicejet and Vistara's domestic operations. Jaipur has a medium-sized airport with good domestic connections and a handful of international routes to the UAE (various cities), Muscat and Bangkok. Agra has only a small airport served by one airline (IndiGo) which flies to 6 domestic destinations.
Go
[edit]
The easiest and most common way to cover the Golden Triangle is to rent a car with a driver in Delhi. Depending on the duration of the trip, a car with a driver will set you back about ₹8,000 ($150) to ₹15,000 ($300). Try asking at your hotel. It is also customary to pay for your driver's meals and accommodation - be sure to settle on a price for everything in advance. Otherwise, group tours are sold at many travel agencies or online. Read the reviews before booking!
The most comfortable way to tour the Golden Triangle is by luxury train. The original is the aptly named Palace on Wheels, which does a fixed 8-day circuit covering the Golden Triangle and a number of additional cities across Rajasthan for a cool US$10,000 (two people sharing a cabin). A newer alternative is the Maharajas Express, which operates a number of routes taking in the Golden Triangle, including a 4-day, 3-night option from $4,890 per person.
The DIY alternative is to roll your own trip. The cheapest but most challenging option is public transport with Indian Railways or public buses. Alternatively, you can look into point-to-point rides using "outstation" taxis that accept long rides, which can be arranged with apps like Uber Intercity.
Delhi
[edit]1 Delhi is the natural starting point for the golden triangle. It is a major transport hub in India and is well-served by air and rail. The country's capital has many attractions and places of historical significance. This includes the well-planned New Delhi, and the older section (Delhi or Old Delhi).
Delhi is synonymous with Mughlai and Frontier Cuisine. The best of Mughlai cuisine can be enjoyed at Karim, (both in Jama Masjid and Nizamuddin) where the recipes, dating from the times of the Mughals have been the closely guarded secrets of generations of chefs.
Between Delhi and Agra
[edit]Delhi and Agra are connected by the 165 km Yamuna Expressway. There are also frequent trains between New Delhi and Agra Cantonment stations.
- 1 Vrindavan, the City of Widows, has countless temples and is the home of ISKCON (Hare Krishnas). 12km from Mathura station on the Delhi-Agra train line.
Agra
[edit]2 Agra is home to the iconic Taj Mahal as well as the sprawling Agra Fort.
Agra is famous for snacks and sweets like Dalmoth and Petha, for which the most recognized area is Kinari Bazar.
Between Agra and Jaipur
[edit]Agra and Jaipur are connected by National Highway 21, a standard (non-expressway) highway. Figure on four hours to cover the 238 km.
- 2 Fatehpur Sikri, former capital of the Mughal Empire
- 3 Bharatpur, home of the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary
4 Ranthambhore National Park, famous for its tigers, is not strictly speaking in the triangle but can be visited as a detour.
Jaipur
[edit]
3 Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan also known as the "Pink City", has the imposing Amber Fort and countless stately palaces.
Dal bati churma is a popular delicacy usually served with baatis and dal. A variety of rotis are also available: Bajre ki roti, makki ki roti, jau-channa ki roti, besan ki roti, paratha, puri, methi puri, rumali roti, kachori and samosa.
Kalakand (milk cake) is one of the most popular traditional sweets from Rajasthan. Ghewar is another delicious Jaipuri sweet.
Back to Delhi
[edit]The Delhi-Jaipur Expressway, a section of NH-8 that goes all the way to Mumbai, covers the 308 km distance in about 5 hours.
Stay safe
[edit]While inside the temples, take off your shoes and turn off your phone. Bringing single dollar bills to offer in temples when a "pooja" plate is shown to you is appreciable. Learn the local phrases for addressing people to begin a conversation and people will surely come out of their way to help you.
Tipping is a matter of personal choice and not at all a compulsion; tip only when happy with the services.
Do not accept any type of food from strangers while traveling by trains or buses regardless of how well dressed the person offering you the food may be. Always buy water bottles from a reputable store, many drug stores also sell bottled water. When buying soft drinks, buy cans rather than bottles if possible. Unscrupulous shopkeepers sometimes refill used bottles.
When traveling on trains and buses, do not use expensive electronics such as laptops. It is always prudent to avoid displaying valuable items in public.
Go next
[edit]