Golden Triangle Tour with Varanasi — 7 Days, 6 Nights
Overview
This 7-day journey adds a soul-stirring contrast to the Golden Triangle: after Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, a short flight carries you to Varanasi — one of the world’s oldest living cities and the spiritual heart of India — for a sunrise boat ride on the Ganges and the mesmerising evening Ganga Aarti. Mughal grandeur, Rajput palaces and timeless riverside ritual, 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 — and that layered history shapes the journey ahead. The evening is free to rest and adjust. Overnight in Delhi.
- Private welcome & hotel transfer
- Evening at leisure
- Trip briefing with your guide
Delhi full-day sightseeing
A full day across the capital. In Old Delhi, the Jama Masjid — India’s largest mosque, completed by Shah Jahan in the 1650s — overlooks Chandni Chowk, the 17th-century bazaar laid out by his daughter Jahanara; nearby stand the Red Fort, the Mughal seat of power, and Raj Ghat, Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial. In New Delhi you visit Humayun’s Tomb, the 1570 forerunner of the Taj, and the 73-metre Qutub Minar, begun in 1193, passing India Gate and the government quarter. Overnight in Delhi.
- Jama Masjid, Red Fort & Chandni Chowk
- Raj Ghat memorial
- Humayun’s Tomb & Qutub Minar
- India Gate & government quarter
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 (1632–53), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World — with your guide, then tour the red-sandstone Agra Fort, the Mughals’ fortified seat of power, with an optional sunset view from Mehtab Bagh. Overnight in Agra.
- Drive to Agra
- Taj Mahal with your guide
- Agra Fort
- Optional Mehtab Bagh sunset
Agra → Fatehpur Sikri → Jaipur
After breakfast, explore Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar’s flawlessly preserved capital of 1571, then drive to Jaipur (about 4.5 hours). Arrive in the Pink City by evening, with time to settle in. Overnight in Jaipur.
- Fatehpur Sikri guided stop
- Drive to Jaipur
- Evening at leisure
Jaipur sightseeing, fly to Varanasi
Discover Jaipur in the morning: the hilltop Amber Fort, the Hawa Mahal and the City Palace, painted pink in 1876 for the Prince of Wales. In the afternoon, transfer to the airport for your flight to Varanasi. This evening, witness the spellbinding Ganga Aarti — a fire-and-chant ceremony — on the ghats of the sacred Ganges. Overnight in Varanasi.
- Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal & City Palace
- Flight to Varanasi
- Evening Ganga Aarti on the ghats
Varanasi: sunrise on the Ganges
Rise before dawn for a sunrise boat ride along the Ganges as Varanasi — one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities and the spiritual heart of Hinduism — wakes on its riverside ghats. Explore the labyrinth of old-city lanes and the Kashi Vishwanath temple, with an optional excursion to nearby Sarnath, where the Buddha gave his first sermon. Overnight in Varanasi.
- Sunrise boat ride on the Ganges
- The ghats & old-city lanes
- Kashi Vishwanath temple
- Optional Sarnath excursion
Varanasi → onward departure
After breakfast and a relaxed morning, transfer to Varanasi airport for your onward flight (a connection back to Delhi for international departures can be arranged).
- Relaxed final morning
- Airport transfer
- Optional Delhi connection
What’s Included
Included
- Private air-conditioned car for the Delhi–Agra–Jaipur leg with driver
- Economy domestic flight to Varanasi
- Certified English-speaking guides
- 6 nights’ hotel accommodation with daily breakfast
- Sunrise boat ride on the Ganges & Ganga Aarti experience
- All transfers; bottled water & taxes
Not included
- Monument & temple entry fees
- Lunches and dinners
- Tips for guides & driver (at your discretion)
- Personal expenses
Vehicles, Travel & Hotels
- Private AC vehicle for the Golden Triangle leg
- Economy domestic flight Jaipur/Delhi → Varanasi
- Hotels from comfortable 3-star to luxury
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.”