This 8-day private tour combines the Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra, Jaipur) with two nights in Varanasi. Seven hotel nights, a private car with driver for the road legs and flights from Jaipur to Varanasi and from Varanasi to Delhi take you from the Taj Mahal to Sarnath, a sunrise boat ride on the Ganges and the evening Ganga Aarti.
The Golden Triangle shows India’s royal and architectural past. Varanasi shows something different: a living pilgrimage city on the Ganges, where ritual is part of everyday life. This eight-day journey joins the two.
The first half follows the classic route through Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. You then fly east to Varanasi for Sarnath, a boat ride at dawn, the temples and the evening Ganga Aarti ceremony on the ghats.
It suits travellers who want more than monuments, including those interested in religion, culture and photography, provided they are comfortable with a busy, sensory city and early mornings.
You are welcomed at Delhi airport and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. If you arrive early, an introduction to the city can be arranged.
Overnight stay at Delhi Hotel.
After breakfast you explore Delhi with a guide, taking in Humayun’s Tomb, Qutub Minar and India Gate, and driving past the President’s House and Parliament House.
You then travel to Agra, about 3.5 to 4 hours away. Depending on the time available, you can visit Agra Fort, Itimad-ud-Daulah’s tomb and Mehtab Bagh in the late afternoon.
Overnight stay at Delhi Hotel.
The Taj Mahal is visited early, when the light is soft, and you return for breakfast at the hotel. If Agra Fort was not reached the day before, it fits in now.
You then drive to Jaipur, 4 to 5 hours away, stopping at Fatehpur Sikri, the red-sandstone city built by Akbar, along the way. You arrive in Jaipur in the evening.
Overnight stay at Jaipur Hotel.
A full day is given to Jaipur. You start at Amber Fort, then photograph Jal Mahal on Man Sagar Lake. The City Palace and Jantar Mantar follow, and Hawa Mahal, with its screened windows, completes the central sights.
The bazaars of the old city offer a chance to browse textiles and handicrafts.
Overnight stay at Jaipur Hotel.
After breakfast you are transferred to Jaipur airport for your flight to Varanasi. Routing and timings are confirmed at booking, and a connection may be required.
Once you have arrived and checked in, you visit Sarnath, where the Buddha gave his first sermon. Highlights include the Dhamek Stupa, the museum and its Ashokan Lion Capital, and the monasteries. If the flight arrives late, Sarnath can move to Day 6.
In the evening you attend the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, a ceremony that draws pilgrims and visitors alike.
Overnight stay at Varanasi Hotel.
Early in the morning you take a boat ride on the Ganges to see the ghats at sunrise, with bathers and priests performing their rituals.
After breakfast you visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, and other temples such as Durga Temple, Tulsi Manas Temple and Bharat Mata Temple, which houses a marble relief map of undivided India. Banaras Hindu University and the old lanes, with their silk and handicraft shops, are also options. The evening is free.
Overnight stay at Varanasi Hotel.
The morning is unhurried. After breakfast you are transferred to Varanasi airport for your flight to Delhi. On arrival you are taken to your hotel for the night.
Overnight stay at Delhi Hotel.
After breakfast you are transferred to Delhi airport for your onward journey.
A spiritual dimension. You see the Ganges ghats, temples, Sarnath and the evening ceremony, which give a different impression of India from the palaces of Rajasthan.
By air. Routing and timings are confirmed at booking and may include a connection.
A nightly ceremony on the riverbank in which priests offer lamps, chants and music to the Ganges. It takes place at Dashashwamedh Ghat.
Yes. It takes place early on Day 6, so expect an early start.
Varanasi involves crowds, narrow lanes and early mornings. Please tell your consultant about any mobility or health considerations.
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