A Classic Golden Triangle India Tour — Elevated with Spiritual Varanasi
This immersive 9-day journey blends the Golden Triangle India with the sacred city of Varanasi, giving you history, heritage, and soul-stirring culture in one private tour. Walk through Mughal dynasties in Delhi, witness the breathtaking Taj Mahal in Agra, discover Jaipur’s vibrant bazaars and magnificent forts — then shift into spiritual rhythm with an unforgettable Varanasi trip. Ghats at sunrise, temple chants, drifting diyas over the Ganges — this itinerary captures India at its most powerful and poetic.
Perfect for Travellers Who Seek Depth, Culture & Meaningful Encounters
Read MoreYour Golden Triangle tour India unfolds through living markets, palaces glowing at sunset, hand-worked artisanal crafts and unforgettable culinary experiences. Then, Varanasi — one of the world’s oldest living cities — invites reflection as you witness the famous Ganga Aarti, drift along twilight ghats, and observe life shaped by devotion. This private itinerary offers comfort, expert guiding, seamless logistics, and pure emotional impact — ideal for curious families, couples or first-timers seeking a private cultural India tour that touches both history and the heart.
Highlights at glance
- Wander through Delhi’s Mughal monuments, vibrant bazaars and colonial-era avenues — the perfect beginning to your golden triangle india journey with spice-laced food trails and cultural encounters that immerse you instantly in India’s pulse.
- Watch the Taj Mahal glow at sunrise and explore the palatial Agra Fort — history, romance and marble craftsmanship shaping a timeless chapter of India’s past on this classic India triangle exploration.
- Ride to Amber Fort past city walls, explore City Palace museums and stroll markets alive with colours and craft — Jaipur brings royalty, tradition and rhythm to your Golden Triangle Tour India experience.
- Fly to Varanasi for a spiritual descent into ancient rituals—sunrise boat rides, temple bells, ghats, learning the art of yoga and witnessing Kushti akharas enrich a deeply moving varanasi trip.
- Witness the mesmerizing Ganga Aarti — flickering lamps, chants and drifting incense — a highlight of your spiritual extension beyond the Golden Triangle India route into the living heart of India’s oldest pilgrimage city.
- Drift along the Ganges at dawn, glide past ash-smeared sadhus, mystic shrines and timeless river rituals — a soul-deep trip to Banaras revealing devotion, culture and everyday poetry in motion.
With this journey available throughout the year, even those with busy schedules can enjoy India’s highlights without worrying about peak-season limitations.
Nights 1 & 2: Delhi | Gateways, Empires & First Impressions
Your golden triangle india journey begins in Delhi, where empires rose and fell along the Yamuna. Over two nights you ease into India tours gently—recovering from the flight, then venturing into neighbourhoods where Mughal ruins, colonial boulevards and modern cafés sit side by side. Old Delhi’s crowded bazaars, spice-scented lanes and mosque domes feel thrilling and intense; New Delhi’s tree-lined avenues, India Gate and stately government buildings reveal a different face. Evenings back at your hotel bring calm: a hot shower, good meal and time to process the sensory rush.
Welcome to India’s capital and your starting point on the golden triangle india. After clearing immigration, meet your representative and transfer by private vehicle to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to unwind—perhaps a shower, a short nap and something light to eat. If energy allows, stroll nearby streets with your guide’s suggestions, noticing honking rickshaws, street food carts and colonial-era facades glowing at dusk. Return to your room ready for the India cultural tour experiences planned over the exciting days ahead.
After breakfast, begin your morning in Old Delhi before the lanes swell with crowds—a sensory doorway into classic India tours. Glide by cycle-rickshaw through Chandni Chowk as spice sellers open shops, metal shutters lift, and temple bells echo above the bustle. Visit Jama Masjid or a Sikh gurdwara where devotional music softens the chaos. By afternoon, shift to New Delhi’s spacious order: India Gate, Parliament House and Rashtrapati Bhawan lining the grand avenues of the India triangle. Return to your hotel at dusk, already feeling the Golden Triangle India energy unfolding around you.
Night 3: Agra | Tajside Anticipation
Crossing into Uttar Pradesh, you arrive in Agra, former Mughal capital and an essential stop on any golden triangle tour of India. After check-in, the city feels softer than Delhi—narrow lanes, distant fort walls and the sense of the Taj Mahal just beyond. Depending on arrival time, you might wander to a riverside viewpoint or rooftop café, glimpsing its silhouette at sunset. Back at your hotel, dine on Mughlai flavours, perhaps rich kebabs or fragrant biryani, and fall asleep knowing tomorrow brings one of the world’s most iconic sights on your India tours route.
Depart Delhi after breakfast, driving past dhabas, farmland and red-brick towns toward Agra—another jewel of the golden triangle India. After check-in and a brief rest, step inside Agra Fort: a commanding maze of palaces, marble courtyards and views of the distant Taj. Stories of Mughal power, love and betrayal bring history alive. As evening cools the city, set out on an authentic street-food walk—try crispy kachoris, jalebis fresh from the pan and creamy lassi served in clay cups. This flavour-rich immersion sets the perfect tone for tomorrow’s highlight in your India tours journey.
Nights 4 & 5 : Jaipur | Palaces, Colour, Royal Rhythm
Two nights in Jaipur bring the golden triangle india to life through palaces, pink façades and legendary markets. Early mornings glow against Amber Fort’s ramparts, afternoons drift through jewellery lanes and textile bazaars, and evenings slow under lamp-lit courtyards. This is where royal history meets everyday India—where hand-block printers still work with natural dyes, and families queue for lassi at century-old shops. Your stay balances exploration and comfort: sunrise forts, City Palace museums, and time to sip chai on terraces overlooking domes. Jaipur is a city where heritage feels lived-in, not staged—vibrant, welcoming and deeply cultural.
Begin your morning with tea or coffee before witnessing the Taj Mahal at sunrise — the most magical moment to see this marble wonder shift from cool pearl to warm gold. Built by Shah Jahan for Mumtaz, its symmetry, pietra-dura inlay and lotus domes capture the poetic soul of the golden triangle India experiences. Return to your hotel for breakfast, then drive toward Jaipur with a stop at Fatehpur Sikri — Akbar’s abandoned sandstone city of grand gateways and wind-washed courtyards. Arrive in the Pink City by evening, markets glowing and colours rising, shaping the rhythm of your India tours journey.
Begin your morning with a photo stop at Hawa Mahal, then ride by jeep to Amber Fort—mirror-lined halls, frescoed pavilions and sweeping Aravalli ramparts that echo royal life in the golden triangle india circuit. Return to the Pink City and join a Rajasthani family for a hands-on cooking class followed by a traditional home-cooked lunch, rich with spice, smoke and family recipes passed down generations. Later, explore the City Palace museums and Jantar Mantar’s astronomical mastery, ending with time in artisan lanes for block-prints, blue pottery, sweets and snacks that shape every India cultural tour.
Night 6 & 7 : Varanasi | Lamps, River Breath & Living Prayer
Two nights in Varanasi — also known as Banaras and historically Kashi — draw you into a world where time feels both ancient and glowing in the present. Here, faith lives in fire, water, ritual and sound. Evenings shimmer with Ganga Aarti: lamps lifted like stars, bells rising in waves, the river turning molten gold. Mornings on your varanasi trip are cool, slow, deeply spiritual — boats gliding past pilgrims, temple chants rolling across the ghats. Walk incense-lined alleys, taste hot jalebi, meet silk weavers shaping tradition. A trip to Banaras is not just travel — it is an awakening.
Fly into Varanasi, where spirituality is lived, breathed and witnessed on every stone and river step. After check-in, descend to Dashashwamedh Ghat for the Ganga Aarti—priests sweeping flames like golden wings over the Ganges, bells rising like heartbeat. Tourists fall silent, locals raise lamps, the river glows like molten metal. This first evening is immersion, not observation—the initiation moment of your trip to banaras. Let the chants, firelight, and river rhythms settle into memory. A varanasi trip begins here, with reverence, stillness and awe.
Before sunrise, drift across the Ganges—oars tapping softly, priests chanting, river mist glowing pale gold. This silent glide is the spiritual heartbeat of any varanasi trip, where light, faith and water breathe as one. After breakfast, explore old lanes scented with chai, sandalwood and marigold, pausing at Kashi Vishwanath Temple for reflection. Later, travel to Sarnath, where Buddha gave his first sermon—quiet stupas, museums and prayer flags stir a very different stillness from Banaras’ electric ghats. By afternoon, meet master silk weavers whose fingers dance across looms, gold thread flashing like flame. A trip to Banaras lingers—intimate, eternal.
Night 8 : Delhi Return | Calm After the Sacred River
Arrive back in Delhi after your return flight from Varanasi, closing the final loop of your golden triangle india journey. Check in to your hotel and unwind with the evening at leisure. You may prefer a quiet dinner, or one last stroll through Delhi’s lively boulevards—chai stalls steaming, autos buzzing, the city still awake beneath the night sky. This final pause lets you absorb everything experienced over the past days: Mughal history, pink-city palaces, and the soulful devotion witnessed in Banaras. A gentle night of reflection before tomorrow’s onward departure completes this India Cultural Tour.
Begin your final morning in Banaras with a 45-minute guided yoga session on the ghats, where early light warms the river and chants drift across the water — a serene closing note to your varanasi trip. Return to the hotel for breakfast before checking out and transferring to the airport for your flight to Delhi. On arrival, you’ll be met and escorted to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax, reflect, or enjoy a gentle walk. Tonight bridges sacred stillness with urban rhythm, completing your golden triangle india journey.
Day 9 : Delhi | International Departure
Your final morning opens softly with breakfast at the hotel before a smooth private transfer to Indira Gandhi International Airport. As you check in for your onward flight, the journey settles into memory—Old Delhi’s markets, Agra’s marble dream, Jaipur’s vibrant walls, and the sacred river aarti of Varanasi. This India triangle route has blended culture, history, devotion and lived experience into a story you now carry home. Whether you continue travelling or return across oceans, you depart with new understanding and cherished moments from one of the world’s richest India Tours.
What more to add?
- Hot air Balloon (Sharing basis) in Jaipur.
You may see the hotels which we have handpicked for you under each accomadation style. However, there are hundreds of other alternative properties for you to select if you wish to and you may mix and match hotels in different categories as well.
Modest
Accommodation
$ 2,540
1-2 persons
$ 2,190
3-4 persons
$ 1,860
5-6 persons
If you’re looking for a no-frills stay that’s easy on the wallet, and love to spend time with locals and explore the surroundings at your own pace, this is the perfect choice for you. This hotel style is wonderfully cosy, unique, mostly owner-run and provides you with a more personalised service.
Clarks Shiraz
Clarks Shiraz stands in a peaceful neighbourhood of Agra, offering travellers a welcoming retreat close to the Taj Mahal and key heritage sites.
Shahpura House
Shahpura House sits in a quiet residential area of Jaipur, offering travellers an intimate gateway into the romance and elegance of Rajasthan’s royal heritage.
The Amayaa
The Amayaa sits in a peaceful part of Varanasi, offering travellers a comfortable retreat near the city’s spiritual and cultural centres, from temples to...
Pride Plaza Aerocity
Pride Plaza Aerocity sits strategically within Delhi’s modern hospitality hub, offering travellers easy access to terminals, business districts, and cultural attractions.
Plush
Accommodation
$ 3,490
1-2 persons
$ 3,140
3-4 persons
$ 2,825
5-6 persons
Indulgence without breaking the bank? Well, this is the category for you. Personalised and high-quality service, attention to detail, comfort and all modern amenities are hallmarks of this category, whilst being situated in some amazing locations.
The Lalit
The Lalit New Delhi stands in the heart of the capital, surrounded by boulevards, monuments, and the city’s ever-present rhythm.
ITC Mughal
The only hotel in India to receive the coveted Aga Khan Award for outstanding architecture, the ITC Mughal is certified with a LEED (Leadership...
ITC Rajputana
ITC Rajputana rises elegantly in the heart of Jaipur, reflecting the city’s royal legacy through its red sandstone façade, broad corridors, and traditional Rajasthani...
Taj Ganges
Taj Ganges sits on 40 acres of lush greenery in Varanasi, offering a peaceful sanctuary away from the city’s intensity while remaining close to...
Novotel Aerocity
Novotel Aerocity sits within Delhi’s modern hospitality district, placing travellers moments from the airport while still offering easy access to the city’s cultural attractions.
Dreamy
Accommodation
$ 7,345
1-2 persons
$ 6,995
3-4 persons
$ 6,660
5-6 persons
The absolute best in comfort and experience, these high-end properties will make your jaw drop! Unique designs, private plunge pools, personal butlers… the list goes on at these boutique properties. Luxury here is not about star ratings and amenities, it’s about being away from crowds and having authentic, personalised experiences.
The Leela Palace
The Leela is an Indian luxury hotel chain of palaces, hotels and resorts. This spectacular, contemporary “palace” is a perfect expression of the city's...
Oberoi Amarvilas-Agra
Agra, which was the capital of the Mughal Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries, boasts three UNESCO world heritage sites: the Taj Mahal,...
Taj Nadesar Palace
Taj Nadesar Palace rests within 40 acres of orchards and gardens, offering an intimate stay in a royal residence that has welcomed dignitaries for...
Pullman Aerocity
Pullman Aerocity stands at the crossroads of design, comfort, and convenience, offering travellers a refined base within Delhi’s modern hotel district.
Everything you need to know about the tour
We’ve taken every possible measure to ensure your safety and comfort during this tour.
The hotels, tours, add-ons, guides and chauffeurs who are part of this programme are carefully vetted, so that you enjoy the highest quality standards and enjoy your tour with peace of mind. At any given point of the tour you will always be within reach of your guide or chauffeur, either physically or via phone (e.g: when you are out exploring on your own), for any assistance.
The important stuff:
- If domestic airfare is included in your quote, it reflects the best available average fare at the time of costing. Airfares fluctuate, so the final amount may increase or decrease at the time of booking. We will confirm the exact fare before issuing tickets.
- Standard check in time is 1400 hrs and check out time is 1200 noon at most of the hotels.
- Taj Mahal remains closed on Fridays.
Included:
- Accommodation on double/twin-sharing basis with breakfast at hotels in their base category (unless otherwise specified), or in similar standard properties, with meals as indicated (B – Breakfast, L – Lunch, D – Dinner).
- All transportation using an air-conditioned Toyota Innova Crysta for transfers, sightseeing, and long-distance drives throughout your golden triangle India route and onward cultural extensions.
- Expert local guides for all city sightseeing, heritage walks, and curated experiences featured in this India cultural tour.
- Entrance fees to all monuments, heritage sites, and places of visit as per the programme.
- Old Delhi rickshaw ride, offering an atmospheric start to your India tours journey.
- Street Food Walking Tour in Agra, sampling local delights safely with your culinary guide.
- Battery van transfers at the Taj Mahal from the parking area to the monument gate.
- Private tour of City Palace, Jaipur, led by a specialist in Rajasthani history.
- Cooking class followed by a traditional lunch with a local Rajasthani family in Jaipur.
- Private boat ride on the Ganges, elevating your varanasi trip with sunrise river ambience.
- Excursion to Sarnath, including museum and archaeological site visit.
- Private yoga session on the ghats, adding a serene wellness dimension to your trip to Banaras.
- Meet & Assist services on arrival and departure at airports/railway stations, and during check-in/out at major city hotels.
- Mandatory Government Service Tax included.
Not Included:
- Domestic airfare: USD 420 per person for Jaipur → Varanasi → Delhi sectors in economy class.
- Any services not explicitly listed under the “Included” section.
- India visa fees (a valid visa is mandatory for most travellers; check eligibility for visa-on-arrival at: indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/).
- Optional tours, activities or excursions not mentioned in the itinerary.
- Personal expenses such as tipping, beverages, laundry, telephone calls, and still/video camera fees (where applicable).
- Room service orders, including bottled water beyond complimentary hotel provisions.
- Any sudden cost increases due to fuel surcharges, tax revisions, natural calamities, political disturbances, or situations beyond our control — including forced itinerary changes for safety or operational reasons.
India Seasonality & Rate Variations:
India operates on distinct peak and off-peak travel windows, largely influenced by the monsoon cycle. The main season runs from October to March, when the weather is cooler, drier and ideal for sightseeing and wildlife safaris — which is why most national parks are fully open and hotel rates are generally higher.
The off-season (April to September) brings heat and monsoon rains that move across the country in phases. Travelling during these months is still very possible — especially if your itinerary does not focus on safari parks — but one must expect rain, humidity and occasional scheduling adjustments. The benefit, however, is access to more flexible pricing and lower crowd presence at monuments and cities.
To keep things simple, Experiential Journeys lists the lowest seasonal ball-park rate online, then provides the exact cost once travel dates are confirmed. Nothing is charged until the final price is agreed upon.
Experiential Journeys is Australian-based and prices in AUD, serving travellers from New Zealand, U.K., U.S.A., Canada & U.A.E.
Experience
Possible experience in this tour
Some of these experiences are already included in the tour you are looking at, either as a full length or time limited activity. You have the freedom to pick out the ones you want during your tour and the extent to how you want to experience it.
2 hours
Evening Ganga Aarti Experience
As twilight descends, the banks of the Ganges come alive with one of India’s most soul-stirring spiritual rituals.
Varanasi
2 hours
Air Balloon Safari Over Jaipur
Take to the skies and discover Jaipur like never before. A hot air balloon safari offers a once-in-a-lifetime perspective
Jaipur
3-5 hours
Jaipur Bazaars, Crafts & Culinary Trail
Step into the heart of Jaipur with an immersive walking tour that celebrates its vibrant bazaars, skilled artisans,
Jaipur
1-2 hours
Old Delhi Rickshaw Ride
Take a journey back in time with a rickshaw ride through the bustling streets of Old Delhi,
Delhi
2 hours
Morning Banaras Experience
There’s no better way to experience the soul of Varanasi than at dawn. As the first rays of sunlight bathe the city in gold,...
Varanasi
3 hours
Yoga & Kushti Akharas of Varanasi
Join a guided yoga session at the Ghats, led by experienced masters who blend the spiritual essence of Banaras with time
Varanasi