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How many days is enough for golden triangle tour India?

I am looking for advice for golden triangle tour in India? how many days is enough for my trip? Is January in winter good for the visit?

Posted by
8293 posts

Nick, wait until we all get out of bed.

Posted by
909 posts

how many days is enough for my trip?

How many days do you have? To see a Delhi, Agra and Jaipur can about 3 days each plus travel time. Remember it is about 4 hours by car between each city. Are you also looking at Mumbai, Goa etc. there is a lot to see in other parts of India?

Is January in winter good for the visit?

It is outside of the Monsoon season. Should be okay not too hot. However, January is in the high tourist season per one of the guides we used in India.

Posted by
1292 posts

We've not done this as a single "triangle tour", but I'd broadly agree with Ed, although perhaps add a day to Delhi and, if time is pressing, take one away from Agra. It's very easy to get between Delhi and Agra by railway (indeed some do it as a day-trip). I don't know about Jaipur connections with the other two since we did that as a separate holiday.

We've been up there in February/March and weather was ideal - if January is a popular time then, I guess, that means it is okay for weather too, though I do wonder if it might be quite cold at times?

Have you looked at any of the tour companies that offer this as a package? They often seem to plan 8 or 9 nights, sometimes adding in a stop around Karauli. I don't know how practical that is to do independently, but it suggests around 3 days per city is seen as adequate, once you subtract travel time.

Posted by
6113 posts

January is the best time to visit Rajestan before it gets too hot, although it is busier.

I was looking at a trip of 3 weeks for this area plus a week in the tiger parks, but it depends where you want to visit. Friends did a 2 week guided tour last year, spending 1 or 2 nights in each place and it was such a blur that they can’t remember what they did where!

I have decided to head to Sri Lanka instead of India as we have left it too late to book the tiger parks in India.

Posted by
4518 posts

too late to book the tiger parks in India.

Did you look at Bandhavgarh? Kind of in the middle of nowhere, but can be combined with the x-rated Khajuraho temples.

Back to the OP: January is prime for weather, dry and not too hot (but cool in the morning). I think that like Beijing one has to factor the seasonal air pollution peaks into the timing considerations. According to this chart https://smartairfilters.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Did-Delhis-Air-Get-Better-in-2018-Delhi-M-1.png pollution peaks October-January.

Posted by
6113 posts

With the Delhi pollution that has been reported in the last week, it looks like the less time spent there, the better!

Posted by
909 posts

We did a day trip from New Delhi to Agra to see the Taj Mahal etc. It was about a 14 hour round trip and about 4 hours each way on a toll road. We only had a certain amount of time in India so we had to a couple of drive by tours in various parts of the country. New Delhi has a lot going on and is worth the time to explore. The pollution in my opinion was not as bad as Beijing. As for Agra, we would definitely go back, if nothing else to see the Taj either at night or at sunrise or both. FYI, we thought we would probably never return and we have been back one more time.

Posted by
1556 posts

I did the following about 3 years ago.

Started in Delhi and spent about 3 days (partly getting over the jetlag and partly to see the sights including the 3 world heritage sites (Qutb Minar, Red Fort, Humayun's tomb). Delhi has a ton of stuff to see so plan accordingly.
Took the super fast Shatabdi Express - leaves Delhi at 6 am and gets to Agra by 8. We spent 2 days and 1 night in Agra since we wanted to see Fatehpur Sikri, Agra Fort in addition to the Taj Mahal. On the 2nd afternoon/evening took a direct train to Jaipur (took about 3 - 3.5 hours) and gets you in by around 9 PM.
Around Jaipur try and see Amber Fort/Palace.

Posted by
1292 posts

Nick - whether you take a packaged tour is a personal choice. We never have, but the ease obviously appeals to many. My comment about looking at tour offerings wasn't recommending you take that approach, but rather to see the sort of itineraries they consider sensible. It is quite straightforward to get around (with advance planning), by yourself; though perhaps not with the same "door-to-door efficiency" of an an organised tour. Do you have a guidebook, as that would provide many answers for going "independently"?

Posted by
5 posts

Yes, I have a guidebook @nick.
I have booked an air ticket to India. I watched the news on CAB BILL in India and protest is going on in Delhi. I am sad