India’s Golden Triangle Senior Tour

Ancient abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri n the Agra district of Uttar Pradesh, India.

What to expect on this itinerary

Embrace the wonders of the Golden Triangle and beyond during this customizable 14-day India tour that focuses on Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur. Venture through the desert to find exotic palaces and to discover marble tombs that decorate the banks of the Yamuna River. The sound of the sitar will become an enticing staple of your journey, and you will find comfort in aromatic cuisine and opulent fortresses.

Countries Visited

India

Places Visited

Agra, Jaipur, Delhi, Shimla

Suggested Duration

14 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Delhi – India’s Capital City

The vibrant city of Delhi acts as an amalgamation of greater India with streets and architecture that embody the broader history, culture, and heritage of the nation. Your flight will land at Indira Gandhi International Airport, where your private transfer will greet you at customs and transfer you to your luxurious accommodation in the heart of the city. You will then have the remainder of the day at your leisure to enjoy the comforts of your gorgeous accommodations. For insight into the unique beauty of Delhi, you can visit the Old Fort of Purana Qila, which boasts foundations that date back 2,500 years.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Day 2

Delhi – History and Treasures of Delhi

Day 3

Delhi – The Changing of the Guard

Day 4

Agra – Visit the Iconic Taj Mahal

Day 5

Agra – Famous Mughal Monuments

Day 6

Jaipur – The Former Mughal Capital

Day 7

Jaipur – Amber Fort and Sitar Lesson

Day 8

Jaipur – Delight in Heritage and Color

Day 9

Delhi – Day at your Leisure

Day 10

Shimla – Day of Self-Exploration

Day 11

Shimla – Bask in the Countryside

Day 12

Shimla – Indulge in the Scenery

Day 13

Delhi – Back to Delhi

Day 14

Delhi – Depart for Home

Trip Highlights

  • Witness the pristine design of the Taj Mahal and the changing colors of its marble during sunset
  • Experience the authentic ambiance of Chhatta Chowk bazaar in Delhi when wandering the lanes that are lined by jewelry, cloth, and spice merchants
  • Learn the delicate art of playing the sitar when visiting a small village outside of Jaipur
  • Bask in the grandeur of natural landscapes along the foothills of the Himalayas during the Himalayan Queen Express Toy Train ride
  • Explore the deserted opulence of the 16th-century Mughal capital of Fatehpur Sikri to find masterpieces of Indo-Islamic architecture
  • Discover the divide between the culture, heritage, and architecture of Old and New Delhi on the riverbanks of the Yamuna River
  • Uncover the Mughal monuments of Agra and wander around the gorgeous design of timad-ud-Daulah’s Tomb
  • Indulge in the prestigious art and design of the Amber Fort on the outskirts of Jaipur
  • Embrace the vibrant pink hues of Jaipur that decorates the City Palace
  • Enjoy the distinctive cultural and scenic splendors of Shimla, which is an alpine city that is positioned at the foothills of the Himalayas

Detailed Description

Your 14-day senior India tour immerses you in the culture and authentic heritage of the Golden Triangle and beyond. This tour will lead you to Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, and the Himalayan city of Shimla. You will have private transfers, luxurious accommodations, and specialists guides for the incredible journey into the heart of this region’s culture and remarkable history. From the Taj Mahal to the City Palace and from the Red Fort to the Hanuman Temple, you will find a country that is beyond the typical.

Your senior tour of India will begin with your arrival in Delhi. You will travel by private transfer to your luxurious accommodation that will act as your base during your three days in the Indian capital. Your knowledgeable guides will lead you on unique tours that delineate the line between Old and New Delhi for insight into cultural, religious, and political differences of the eight distinctive neighborhoods. You will discover famous landmarks, such as the Red Fort, and experience the vibrant daily life of the bazaars. You will then transfer to Agra for two nights. Here, you will have an introduction to the city by way of the Taj Mahal at sunset to view the changing colors of the iconic architecture.

You will stop at Fatehpur Sikri for a half-day tour of the former Mughal capital city to view the sandstone architecture and marble embellishments. Afterward, you will transfer to Jaipur, where you will stay for three nights. The capital of Rajasthan will glow with vibrant color and life, and you will explore the Amber Fort and City Palace complex with specialist guides. You will also have a private sitar lesson when visiting a local village. While in Jaipur, you will also traverse the fascinating bazaars, find mouthwatering cuisine, and embrace the culture of a region that is celebrated for its unique characteristics.

You will return to Delhi for one night in order to catch a flight to Chandigarh, which will then allow you to reach the alpine city of Shimla. You will stay here for three nights. During your time in Shimla, you will embrace the beauty of the foothills and majesty of the soaring peaks. You can visit temples and ride a scenic train for a different perspective of the landscape. The pedestrianized city center will offer a charming ambiance that stems from a mixture of British colonial-era buildings and regional culture. You will then return to Delhi for one night before your private transfer escorts you to the airport for your flight home.

Starting Price

$3,500 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 318 reviews

Sri Lanka, India Trip Review: Bengal Tigers, Safari, 3 Weeks

Zicasso’s travel specialist delivered on everything we said we wanted to experience on this trip, including history, culture, food, architecture, and wildlife. I was very satisfied with the pricing, the initial planning, and the on-the-ground support we received from the travel specialist’s team.

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India Vacation Review: Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Cochin, Munnar, Presidential Palace Tour, 17-Day Trip

We had a wonderful trip as a result of the care and attention to detail shown by Zicasso’s travel specialist and his team. We visited Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Cochin, and Munnar. We had a total of 17 days in India, which included three flights. For us, it was a stress-free trip. A representative and driver always met us at the airport, even if the flight was delayed. The drivers were amazing and always made us feel safe.

While on our trip, we requested a lunch reservation at a hotel that only allowed guests onto the property (we were not staying there) and we requested a tour of the Presidential Palace in Delhi. A reservation was secured at the hotel and we had a wonderful tour of the Presidential Palace. Both experiences went above and beyond.

We would highly recommend the travel specialist and his team to anyone considering visiting India. It will be a trip we will never forget.

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India Tour Review: Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Cochin, Munnar, Periyar, Ranthambore, Keoladeo, Alleppey, Kayaking, Hiking, Birdwatching, Wildlife, 18-Day Trip

My wife and I spent 18 days in India, nine in the north and nine in the south. We worked with Zicasso’s travel company on the design of the itinerary, which turned out to be great. The trip was spectacular. All of our drivers and guides were on time and at the correct location for meeting us. We never had to wait for them. All of the guides spoke English, some a bit better than others. The vehicles were air-conditioned and comfortable.

We loved South India a bit more than the north because it was much cleaner and greener, with more wildlife. Cochin, Munnar, and Periyar National Park are beautiful! In the north, we went to Ranthambore National Park and did see a tiger, leopard, and sloth bear in three safaris. It is worth it to go to Delhi for a day, as well as the Taj Mahal and Agra, although these cities are very crowded and dirty. It is cool to see all the cows in the streets. We also recommend Keoladeo National Park for birds and other wildlife. If there was a destination that we would avoid if we had to do it all over again, it would be Jaipur. The city is huge, grimy, and loud, with not much greenery or trees.

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India, Bhutan Travel Review: Old Delhi, Taj Mahal, Varanasi, Ganges, Rishikesh, Paro, Tigers Nest Monastery, 17-Day Trip

Zicasso’s tour operator was a great planning and execution partner. Their guidance during planning was spot-on and the trip plan they created for us was almost exactly what we were hoping for.

During the planning, we had a lot of unknowns and imprecise aspirations. The tour operator always offered informed observations and our trip plan was modified as a result, always for the better.

During the execution of the trip, the tour operator was in constant touch to ensure any glitches or changes were being addressed and managed. They were completely supportive, available, and helpful.

The arrangements they made for us met all our requirements. The accommodations met our standards and the guiding and escort services were exemplary, with very capable, caring, and informed guides at each location. The travel-support services, cars, drivers, and welcoming representative at each arrival point were far better than we expected or hoped for. The travel execution team we had was just great.

The tour operator was very mindful of delivering to us an experience that reflected the Indian culture and the full Indian experience, both today and historically.

In our opinion, we do not think that they really could have done anything better than they did. As a result, we give them a full five-star rating, with no hesitation in any respect.

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India Trip Review: Delhi, Varanasi, 5 Days

We had to end our 23-day trip on day five since my wife fell and fractured her hip. The first five days of the trip were wonderful. We had great drivers and tour guides, and our hotel in Delhi was great.

Zicasso’s travel specialist and the tour team gave us outstanding support and made arrangements to help us get back to New York for my wife's hip replacement. This tour company is one of the best tour companies I have dealt with. You do not know how good a tour company is until you have a major problem. To our travel specialist, thank you for arranging a great tour and helping us.

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India Vacation Review: Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Taj Mahal, Amber Fort, 1 Week

Zicasso’s travel specialist and the tour company were terrific! They made the process very easy and in every city we were welcomed by a representative from the company.

The overall trip was fantastic! Our driver was excellent. His driving skills were masterful and made our journey very comfortable. The overall traffic in India was overwhelming and while we've heard stories about it, it is something you need to experience for yourself. Our driver did a great job of navigating the traffic in an efficient manner and we always felt very safe.

Agra was amazing. Getting up before sunrise to see the Taj made the experience even more memorable. Thank you for arranging that. Compared to some of our friends who have gone, the lack of significant crowds at that time made a big difference to the overall experience. I was not as impressed with our hotel in Agra. It felt more like a large chain hotel and lacked the five-star luxury that I would have expected. The visits to the marble factory and tapestry collective were excellent. We really enjoyed the visits and ended up with amazing souvenirs. We loved our guide in Agra. He was by far the best one we had on the trip. He took the time to learn all of our names and was very engaging during our day together. We asked him a lot of questions about the culture and lifestyle in India, and he was great.

Jaipur was great. The Amber Fort and elephant ride were definitely the highlights in that city. The large cannon we could have done without. It didn't really add anything. We enjoyed the City Palace and the astronomic gardens as well. The hotel was fabulous and truly a five-star experience. Our rooms were very spacious and the food was great. We had an outside dinner planned at a restaurant in Jaipur (one of your recommendations) and our driver was so helpful in getting us to and from the restaurant. Our guide was good, but less friendly and more transactional. One of our group felt like he was more of a professor lecturing to us. Nonetheless, the information was very good.

Jodhpur was probably the other major highlight for us. We loved the city. The stay in the old city and our hotel in Jodhpur was excellent. The restaurant on site had amazing food and the rooms were again very spacious, with amazing views of the fort. Another five-star luxury experience. We were amazed by the beauty of the fort and impressed with the way it was built on top of the mountain. Amazing! We also enjoyed the City Palace and, in the future, would suggest arranging a dinner or lunch at the hotel there so we could have gone to see what the rest of the palace looked like by visiting the hotel.

The drive from Jaipur to Jodhpur was very long. Not much to do about that. It was obviously very convenient to have all of our luggage with us in the van between cities and doing flights may have taken the same amount of time. We also really enjoyed our guide here. He took us on tours of the local areas in the old city, including the stepwells, market, and blue city. While it was very enjoyable, it was also a little overwhelming for some of our group. Probably one of them would have chosen to stay at the hotel rather than walk around the blue city, but everyone else had a great time on that tour.

Udaipur was lovely and we really enjoyed the City Palace tour and the boat ride on the lake. I would have suggested staying at one of the hotels on the lake there as an option. Had we not been at the wedding, I would have loved the experience of staying at one of the hotels on the lake. Our hotel in Udaipur was nice, but far from everything. Obviously, we had no choice, as that's where the wedding took place.

Overall, an amazing trip. Once in a lifetime. I would love to go back to India and focus on other parts of the country.

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

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