Day-by-day programme of this 15-day itinerary across Golden Triangle, Rajasthan and Varanasi (North India).
Day 1 — Arrival in Delhi
Landing in Delhi, the gateway to India: an overwhelming megalopolis where Mughal Old Delhi and British-colonial New Delhi coexist.
- ✈️ Delhi — Aeroporto Internazionale Indira Gandhi (DEL)
- 📍 Connaught Place — To settle in, a first evening stroll around Connaught Place, the commercial heart of the New Delhi designed by the British: wide white colonnades in concentric circles, shops, restaurants and the Indian bustle. It is a gentle way to taste the city's chaos without being overwhelmed on day one. You dine on a first curry and turn in early: tomorrow you discover Delhi from Mughal mosques to colonial monuments.
- 🏨 Hotel Palace Heights — Centro (Connaught Place / New Delhi), Delhi
Day 2 — Old and New Delhi
A day for Delhi's two souls: the Mughal chaos of the old city and the great UNESCO monuments of the capital.
- 📍 Jama Masjid — You begin in Old Delhi at the Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque, built by the same emperor as the Taj Mahal: a vast courtyard of red sandstone and white marble that holds thousands of worshippers. From its minarets you survey the maze of the old city. Just outside begins Chandni Chowk, Delhi's most dizzying bazaar, to cross by rickshaw among spices, brassware and street food. A plunge into the most authentic India.
- 📍 Humayun's Tomb — Humayun's Tomb, a UNESCO site, is India's first great Mughal-style mausoleum and the model that inspired the Taj Mahal: a white dome on a body of red sandstone, set in geometric gardens divided by water channels. It is a foretaste, more intimate and quiet, of what you will see in Agra. In the afternoon you reach the tallest minaret in India.
- 📍 Qutub Minar — The Qutub Minar, a UNESCO site, is the tallest brick minaret in the world: 73 metres of red sandstone finely carved with verses from the Quran, raised over 800 years ago to mark the arrival of Islam in India. The complex also holds a mysterious iron pillar that has not rusted in 1,600 years. Back towards the centre, you pass India Gate, the arch to the fallen. In the evening, a proper first Indian dinner; tomorrow you set off for the Taj Mahal.
- 🍽️ Delhi - cena indiana — North Indian cuisine is rich and fragrant: you taste tandoori chicken and butter chicken cooked in the clay oven, hot naan, lentil curries (dal), paneer (fresh cheese) and spiced rice biryanis. All with chutney, raita and masala tea. For those who wish, eating vegetarian is very easy: India is a paradise of veg food. Full and happy, to bed: tomorrow an early start, you drive towards Agra.
Day 3 — To Agra
Transfer to Agra, the capital of the Mughal empire: the red sandstone fort and the first, moving glimpse of the Taj Mahal at sunset.
- 📍 Agra Fort — Agra Fort, a UNESCO site, was the residence of the Mughal emperors: an imposing citadel of red sandstone walls enclosing marble palaces, mosques and gardens. From one of its towers the emperor Shah Jahan, imprisoned by his son, spent his last years gazing in the distance at the Taj Mahal, the mausoleum he had built for his beloved wife. A story of love and power. At sunset you move for the first, unforgettable glimpse of the Taj.
- 📍 Mehtab Bagh — The Mehtab Bagh is a garden on the opposite bank of the Yamuna river, offering the most romantic and peaceful view of the Taj Mahal: at sunset the white marble turns pink and gold, reflected in the water, far from the crowds. It is the perfect prelude to tomorrow's close-up visit at dawn. You head back to the hotel full of anticipation; tomorrow the most famous monument in the world.
- 🏨 Hotel Taj Resorts — Vicino al Taj (Taj Ganj), Agra
Day 4 — The Taj Mahal and on to Jaipur
Dawn at the Taj Mahal, then the ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri on the road to Jaipur, the pink city of Rajasthan.
- 📍 Taj Mahal — The Taj Mahal at dawn is an emotion that stays with you forever: the white marble mausoleum, built by the emperor Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz, who died in childbirth, changes colour with the first light, from pink to blinding white, reflected in the garden pools. Up close you discover the inlays of precious stones and the absolute perfection of the proportions. It is the most famous monument to love in the world. You return for breakfast, then set off west, into Rajasthan.
- 📍 Fatehpur Sikri — Halfway to Jaipur, Fatehpur Sikri is a ghost city: capital of the Mughal empire for just 14 years, then abandoned for lack of water, it has remained intact in red sandstone, a UNESCO site. You visit the palaces, the courtyards, the mosque with the white marble tomb of the Sufi saint and the Gate of Victory, one of the tallest in the world. A jewel suspended in time. You take the road again and enter Rajasthan, land of maharajas and forts.
- 🏨 Alsisar Haveli — Centro / Città Rosa, Jaipur
Day 5 — Jaipur, the Pink City
A day in the capital of Rajasthan: the Amber Fort on the hill, the Palace of the Winds and the maharajas' observatory.
- 📍 Amber Fort — Amber Fort, a UNESCO site, is a majestic fort-palace of yellow sandstone and marble perched on a hill above a lake: courtyards, halls of mirrors (Sheesh Mahal) that sparkle in candlelight, gardens and walls climbing the ridges like a little Great Wall. You go up on foot, by jeep or, once, by elephant. It is the symbol of Jaipur. You head down into the old city, all painted pink.
- 📍 Hawa Mahal — The Hawa Mahal, the 'Palace of the Winds', is the postcard image of Jaipur: a coral-pink facade five storeys high, pierced by 953 honeycomb windows, behind which the court women could watch the life of the street unseen. All around, the bazaars of the Pink City, selling fabrics, jewellery, spices and slippers. Not far off, the maharajas' astronomical observatory.
- 📍 Jantar Mantar — The Jantar Mantar, a UNESCO site, is a surprising 18th-century astronomical observatory: a collection of huge stone and marble instruments, including the world's largest sundial, 27 metres tall, still accurate to the second. Beside it, the City Palace, still the residence of Jaipur's royal family, with its courtyards and famous painted gateways. In the evening, you lose yourself in the markets. Tomorrow you go deeper into Rajasthan, to the holy city of Pushkar.
Day 6 — Pushkar, the holy city
Transfer to Pushkar, gathered around a sacred lake: one of the rare temples to the god Brahma and the spiritual atmosphere of the ghats.
- 📍 Brahma Temple — Pushkar is one of the holiest cities in India, gathered around a small lake where pilgrims come to bathe and purify themselves. Here stands one of the very few temples in the world dedicated to Brahma, the creator god. The centre is a pedestrian maze of lanes, temples, sacred cows and stalls; no alcohol or meat is allowed. The atmosphere is intensely spiritual and hippie at once. You stroll among the ghats at sunset. Tomorrow you head north-west, to the blue city of Jodhpur.
- 🎯 Pushkar Lake — At sunset, the 52 ghats (the steps descending into Pushkar's sacred lake) fill with pilgrims, wild-haired sadhus and the faithful lighting lamps on the water. A priest may offer the 'Pushkar puja', a short blessing with flowers and a red thread on the wrist. It is a moment of great devotion, to be experienced with respect (barefoot and without photographing the ceremonies). You head back for the night; tomorrow the road leads into the Thar desert.
- 🏨 Hotel Heli Pushkar — Centro, Pushkar
Day 7 — Jodhpur, the blue city
Transfer to Jodhpur, on the edge of the desert: the colossal Mehrangarh Fort towering over a sea of blue-painted houses.
- 📍 Mehrangarh Fort — Mehrangarh Fort is one of the most imposing in India: a sandstone fortress rising 120 metres on a spur of rock, with cyclopean walls, finely carved palaces, courtyards and a rich museum. But the finest sight is to lean out from the ramparts and see at the fort's feet the 'blue city': a labyrinth of indigo-painted houses, a sea of rooftops fading towards the desert. You walk down into the maze. Nearby, the white marble cenotaph of Jaswant Thada.
- 📍 Jodhpur Clock Tower bazaar — At the foot of the fort, the bazaar around the Clock Tower (Ghanta Ghar) is the living heart of Jodhpur: stalls of spices, fabrics, sandals and sweets, women in vivid saris, cows and scooters. You lose yourself among the blue lanes of the blue city, stopping for a lassi (the drinkable yoghurt) and a few photos. The India of the senses, all at once. Tomorrow a long travel day towards the desert and the golden city of Jaisalmer.
- 🏨 Singhvi's Haveli — Vicino al forte / città vecchia, Jodhpur
Day 8 — Jaisalmer, the golden city
Transfer into the heart of the Thar desert, to Jaisalmer: a city of golden sandstone rising from the sands like a mirage.
- 📍 Jaisalmer Fort — Jaisalmer, on the border with Pakistan deep in the Thar desert, is the 'golden city': built entirely of yellow sandstone that glows like honey at sunset. Its fort is one of the very few 'living forts' in the world: within the walls there is still an inhabited town, with houses, Jain temples, shops and havelis (the merchants' mansions) with facades carved finely as lace. You stroll among the golden lanes at sunset. Tomorrow the real desert, among the dunes.
- 🏨 Hotel Garh Jaisal Haveli — Vicino al forte, Jaisalmer
Day 9 — The Thar desert
A day between the havelis of Jaisalmer and the Thar desert safari, among camels and dunes at sunset.
- 📍 Patwon ki Haveli — The havelis of Jaisalmer are the sumptuous mansions of the merchants who grew rich on the caravan routes: the Patwon ki Haveli is the most spectacular, an 18th-century palace with sandstone facades carved so finely they look like lace, suspended balconies and inner courtyards. They tell of the wealth of when Jaisalmer was a stop on the Silk Road. In the afternoon you leave the city for the desert dunes.
- 🎯 Sam Sand Dunes — The Thar desert safari is the most romantic experience in Rajasthan: you reach the Sam dunes and climb onto a camel to cross the sea of sand as the sun goes down, turning everything orange. Many stop for the night in a tented camp, with dinner around the fire, music and traditional dances, and a sky that fills with stars as you rarely get to see. Pure magic. You return to Jaisalmer; tomorrow a long transfer towards romantic Udaipur.
Day 10 — To Udaipur
A long transfer south, with a stop at the extraordinary Jain temple of Ranakpur, to romantic Udaipur on the lakes.
- 📍 Ranakpur Jain Temple — On the way to Udaipur, set in a wooded valley, the Jain temple of Ranakpur is an absolute masterpiece: a sea of white marble held up by 1,444 columns, all different and finely carved, beneath domes sculpted like embroidery. The light filtering in creates a magical, silent atmosphere. It is one of the most beautiful and least known temples in India. You continue south and, at dusk, reach the city of lakes.
- 🏨 The Lake View Hotel - On Lake Pichola — Vicino al Lago Pichola, Udaipur
Day 11 — Udaipur, the city of lakes
A day in the 'Venice of the East': the immense City Palace, a cruise on Lake Pichola and the royal gardens.
- 📍 Udaipur City Palace — The City Palace of Udaipur is the largest royal complex in Rajasthan: a sequence of palaces grown over centuries on the shore of Lake Pichola, a maze of courtyards, balconies, mosaics of mirrors and coloured glass, terraces overlooking the water. Even today a part is inhabited by the royal family. From the terraces the view of the white palaces that seem to float on the lake is unforgettable. In the afternoon you take to the water.
- 🎯 Lake Pichola — A boat cruise on Lake Pichola at sunset is the most magical moment in Udaipur: you glide on the water before the City Palace and around the white palaces that seem to float, among them the famous Lake Palace (now a luxury hotel) and the Jag Mandir. As the sun goes down, the facades turn gold and the lights come on. You understand why they call it the 'Venice of the East'. In the evening, dinner with a view. Tomorrow you leave Rajasthan for sacred Varanasi.
Day 12 — Flight to Varanasi
Flight east to Varanasi, the holiest city of Hinduism on the banks of the Ganges: in the evening, the fire ceremony on the water.
- ✈️ Udaipur → Varanasi — Aeroporto di Varanasi (VNS)
- 🎯 Dashashwamedh Ghat — Every evening, at Dashashwamedh Ghat, the Ganga Aarti takes place: a hypnotic ceremony in which priests, in golden robes, perform a fire rite offering great flaming lamps to the sacred river, amid bells, chanting, incense and thousands of worshippers. You watch it from the bank or from a boat on the water, with a flower lamp floating away. It is one of the most intense spiritual spectacles in the world. You dine lightly (Varanasi is vegetarian and holy). Tomorrow, dawn on the Ganges.
- 🏨 Hotel River Rhythm Assi Ghat — Vicino ai ghat, Varanasi
Day 13 — Dawn on the Ganges
The experience that stays in the heart: dawn by boat on the Ganges among the ghats of Varanasi, then Sarnath, where Buddha gave his first sermon.
- 🎯 Varanasi Ghats — Dawn by boat on the Ganges is the heart of Varanasi: as the sky lightens, you row slowly along the 80 ghats crowded with pilgrims immersing themselves in the sacred water to purify, reciting prayers, doing yoga and washing clothes, while smoke rises from the cremation ghats, where bodies are burned in a rite two thousand years old. It is life and death laid bare, unfiltered, with a power that unsettles and moves. A unique experience. You have breakfast, then go where Buddhism was born.
- 📍 Sarnath — A few kilometres from Varanasi, Sarnath is one of the four holiest places in Buddhism: here, in a deer park, Buddha gave his first sermon after enlightenment, setting in motion the 'wheel of Dharma'. There remain the imposing Dhamek stupa, the ruins of the monasteries and a fine museum with the famous Lion Capital of Ashoka, the symbol of India. An oasis of peace after the intensity of the ghats. You return to Varanasi for your last evening. Tomorrow you fly to Delhi.
Day 14 — Back to Delhi
Flight back to Delhi for the last evening: time for a spectacular modern temple and last shopping in the bazaars.
- ✈️ Varanasi → Delhi — Aeroporto Internazionale Indira Gandhi (DEL)
- 📍 Akshardham Temple — The Akshardham temple is proof that Indian art is alive and flourishing: a colossal complex of pink sandstone and marble, entirely hand-carved by thousands of craftsmen with elephants, deities and flowers, surrounded by gardens and fountains. Though modern, it follows the ancient techniques of the millennia-old temples. In the evening it offers a light-and-water show. A grand finale for the trip. You dine one last time in India and gather the memories of an overwhelming country.
- 🏨 Ibis New Delhi Aerocity — Vicino aeroporto / New Delhi, Delhi
Day 15 — Departure from Delhi
Last day: transfer to Delhi airport and the return flight, after a journey that changes the way you look at the world.
- ✈️ Delhi — Aeroporto Internazionale Indira Gandhi (DEL)
