Golden Triangle Tour with Desert Safari — 9 Days, 8 Nights
Overview
This 9-day grand tour combines the Golden Triangle with the heart of Rajasthan — the blue city of Jodhpur, the lake palaces of Udaipur, the holy town of Pushkar and a desert experience — ending near the Sariska tiger reserve. A sweeping journey through forts, palaces and desert landscapes, all privately guided.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Arrive in Delhi
Your guide meets you on arrival and transfers you to your hotel. Delhi has been the seat of empires for over a thousand years — from the Delhi Sultanate to the Mughals and the British Raj. The evening is at leisure to settle in.
- Private welcome & hotel transfer
- Evening at leisure
- Trip briefing with your guide
Delhi — Agra: Taj Mahal & Agra Fort
After breakfast, drive to Agra on the Yamuna Expressway (about 3.5–4 hours). Visit the Taj Mahal — Shah Jahan’s white-marble mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal and a UNESCO World Heritage Site — with your guide, then tour the red-sandstone Agra Fort, the Mughals’ fortified seat of power.
- Drive to Agra
- Taj Mahal with your guide
- Agra Fort
- Optional Mehtab Bagh sunset
Agra — Fatehpur Sikri — Jaipur
Drive to Jaipur, stopping at Fatehpur Sikri, Emperor Akbar’s perfectly preserved red-sandstone capital of 1571. Continue to Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, arriving by evening to settle into the Pink City.
- Fatehpur Sikri guided stop
- Scenic drive to Jaipur
- Evening at leisure
Jaipur sightseeing
Explore Jaipur, painted pink in 1876 for the Prince of Wales: the hilltop Amber Fort of the Kachhwaha Rajputs, the 1799 Hawa Mahal with its 953 windows, the City Palace and the Jantar Mantar observatory, a UNESCO site with the world’s largest stone sundial, with time for handicrafts and gems.
- Amber Fort & Hawa Mahal
- City Palace & Jantar Mantar
- Shopping in the bazaars
Jaipur — Jodhpur
Drive to Jodhpur, the ‘Blue City’, dominated by the mighty Mehrangarh Fort rising above a sea of indigo houses. Explore the fort and the old town’s bustling markets.
- Drive to Jodhpur
- Mehrangarh Fort
- Blue City old town
Jodhpur — Udaipur
Travel to Udaipur, the romantic ‘City of Lakes’. Visit the sprawling City Palace on Lake Pichola and enjoy an optional evening boat ride past the famous Lake Palace.
- Drive to Udaipur
- City Palace & Lake Pichola
- Optional boat ride
Udaipur — Pushkar
Drive to Pushkar, a sacred town set around a holy lake, famous for its Brahma Temple and lively bazaars. Soak up the spiritual, bohemian atmosphere.
- Drive to Pushkar
- Brahma Temple & holy lake
- Pushkar bazaars
Pushkar — Sariska
Continue to Sariska, set in the Aravalli hills and home to a tiger reserve. Enjoy the change of scenery and, optionally, a wildlife safari in the reserve.
- Drive to Sariska
- Aravalli landscapes
- Optional wildlife safari
Sariska — Delhi & departure
After breakfast, drive back to Delhi for your onward connection, completing a grand circuit of North India’s heritage and desert.
- Return to Delhi
- Onward connection
What’s Included
Included
- Private air-conditioned car for the full circuit with driver
- Certified English-speaking guide
- Hotel accommodation with daily breakfast
- Hotel & airport pickups and transfers; bottled water and all taxes
Not included
- Monument entry fees
- Lunches and dinners
- Tips for guide & driver (at your discretion)
- Personal expenses
- Camel / jeep safari & reserve fees (unless added to your quote)
Vehicles, Travel & Hotels
- Private AC sedan / SUV / tempo traveller, sized to your group
- Optional camel or jeep desert safari arranged on request
- Hotels from comfortable 3-star to luxury, matched to your budget
What Travellers Say About This Trip
“My wife and I did the Golden Triangle — Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Ashish was a fantastic, knowledgeable guide, fluent in English and flexible with our itinerary. We always felt safe. Highly recommend.”
“Excellent, enjoyable tour! All arrangements were smooth. Our guide was wonderful — knowledgeable, friendly and flexible, giving us time to appreciate the Taj.”