Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Khajuraho and Varanasi.
The Golden Triangle
Sunrise on the Ganges
Join us as we discover colourful India! On this 15-day tour, we discover the rich heritage of this extraordinary country as we visit the Golden Triangle – Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. Accompanied by a private guide, we visit remarkable monuments, ancient forts and the Taj Mahal, a magnificent and unequalled tribute to love. This tour offers the perfect balance between the chaos of iconic cities and the splendour of nature as you visit Keoladeo Ghana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and rated as one of the finest bird reserves in the world. We end our tour in Varanasi, one of the oldest cities on earth, and witness sunset and sunrise over the holy River Ganges.
Highlights
- Discover Delhi, both old and new
- Visit the romantic Taj Mahal
- An interactive cooking experience
- The Pink City of Jaipur
- The carved temples of Khajuraho
- Varanasi and the Ganges River
Fifteen days across northern India, plus the flight there.
Johannesburg / Cape Town to Delhi
Check in for your international flight from Johannesburg or Cape Town to Delhi, India.
Delhi arrival
Namaste! Your Indian adventure begins here. Our team will meet you outside the arrivals hall for your hotel transfer. Enjoy an included lunch and some free time to relax. Delhi is a huge city and one of the oldest on the planet. It is estimated to be over 5000 years old and has been rebuilt a staggering 11 times. Based on the group’s interest, depart on a short orientation tour in the afternoon. This includes a drive past India Gate, Government Buildings, and a visit to the Sikh Temple (Bangla Sahib) or depending on the group energy, we could cover Qutab Minar today along with a drive past India Gate on return. Enjoy a welcome dinner.
New Delhi and Old Delhi
After breakfast at your hotel, depart on the best tour combination of New Delhi and Old Delhi today. Today, you will be introduced to the modern simplicity of New Delhi. Visit Gandhi House Museum and Humayun’s Tomb. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, we explore Old Delhi. This vibrant city is full of forts, monuments, temples, mosques and more. We take a moment to breathe in Raj Ghat, a peaceful open-air memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, followed by a visit to Khari Baoli, Asia’s largest spice market. In the narrow alleys of the spice market, you will find thousands of shops dealing in local and exotic herbs and spices. This is one of the most vibrant and colourful markets in Delhi and is a photographer’s paradise. Dinner is at leisure tonight (dinner is excluded tonight and for your own account).
Delhi to Jaipur
This morning, we drive to Jaipur, the bustling capital of the state of Rajasthan. It is also affectionately known as the Pink City. Maharaja Ram Singh had all of the Old City painted a welcoming pink, traditionally a hospitable colour, in 1876 to herald a visit by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII). The vibrant capital of Rajasthan is a flamboyant showcase of Rajasthani architecture and a firm favourite on tourist itineraries as the third corner of India’s Golden Triangle alongside Delhi and Agra. After lunch at Shahpura Haveli in Shahpura, continue to your hotel. In the early evening, visit a noble family for an interactive cooking experience – another highlight of the tour!
Jaipur
Enjoy breakfast before another wonderful day of sightseeing in Jaipur. We start with a morning photo stop at the Palace of the Wind, also known as Hawa Mahal. Then, visit the magnificent pink fort-palace of Amber Fort.
While you might see other visitors to the Amber Fort arrive by elephant, Live the Journey has made a firm, conscious decision to stand against this practice. Our guests will be transferred by jeep or similar up to the fort or opt to take a leisurely walk.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Later, we visit a family jeweller to learn more about local gemstones and jewellery making, followed by a visit to a traditional block printing and carpet-weaving outlet. Dinner at the hotel.
Jaipur
After breakfast, proceed for a visit to the City Palace. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit the Lakshmi Narayan Temple or the Birla Temple, which is located at the base of Moti Dungari. Made entirely of white marble and built by the renowned industrialist – The Birlas in 1988. The temple is a work of art displaying exquisite carvings. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, also known as Narayan and his wife, Lakshmi – the Goddess of Wealth and Good Fortune. Dinner at the hotel.
Jaipur to Bharatpur
Morning drive towards Bharatpur. En route, visit the ancient stepwell at Chand Baori, dating back to the 9th century. Upon arrival at your hotel, enjoy lunch at the hotel before checking in. The walled town of Bharatpur, in Rajasthan, is just a stone’s throw from the border with the state of Uttar Pradesh. Boasting the massive Lohagarh Fort (built in 1732) plus traditional markets and mosques, it’s a good place to relax, explore and soak up the town’s rich cultural heritage and visit the Keoladeo Ghana National Park. Afternoon visit to Keoladeo Ghana National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you’ll enjoy a leisurely bicycle rickshaw ride through the park while birdwatching. Dinner at the hotel.
Bharatpur to Agra
After breakfast, depart towards Agra. Home to one of the most iconic monuments in the world, Agra is India’s shining star and a universal favourite with travellers from around the world – the famous Taj Mahal. This city also houses two other UNESCO World Heritage sites, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri, making it one of the few cities in the world that can boast three of these accolades. Visit Fatehpur Sikri, the former imperial capital of the great Mughal emperor Akbar. Built between 1569 and 1585, it has been deserted for more than four centuries, abandoned in 1600 due to a meagre supply of water. This afternoon you will visit Agra Fort. Agra Fort is a historical fort and was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty until 1638. Dinner at the hotel.
Agra and the Taj Mahal
After an early breakfast, you will make your way to the legendary Taj Mahal, the most extravagant monument ever built for love. After a short introduction and history, you will have time to enjoy the romantic setting, followed by a short walk at the Stepwell. The afternoon is at leisure, before a musical show about the story of the Taj Mahal. Dinner is at leisure tonight (dinner excluded tonight for your own account).
Agra to Orchha
After breakfast, travel by express train to Jhansi and then drive onward to Orchha. Filled with ancient buildings, casting long and imposing shadows across the land, Orchha is a historical village that has maintained a strong cultural identity and is representative of what the Mughal Empire once was. The town was founded in 1531 by Rudra Pratap Singh, and it sits on the banks of the Betwa River, which splits into 7 channels in this precise location. After a visit to the Orchha Fort, the group will take a walk to the river for sunset pictures over the cenotaphs. Dinner at the hotel.
Orchha
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. You have the day at leisure to explore Orchha or to simply relax. (Lunch is not included today and is for your own account.) Dinner at the hotel.
Orchha to Khajuraho
Travelling south-east to Khajuraho, home of the resplendent Hindu temples from the Chandela dynasty. Located in the northern state of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is famous for its unique Hindu and Jain temples that rate a close second behind the Taj Mahal as India’s top attraction. Immortalised in stone, the carved temples display exceedingly artistic aspects of Indian life a millennium ago, but are famed above all for their erotic nature. Dinner at the hotel.
Khajuraho to Varanasi
Breakfast at the hotel. We will travel either by domestic flight or the Vande Bharat train to Varanasi. Enjoy lunch onboard the domestic flight or train. Located on the banks of the River Ganges and considered to be one of India’s most holy cities, Varanasi is an overwhelming melting pot of colour, chaos and spirituality. Today, thousands of Hindu pilgrims from all over the country come to Varanasi to bathe in the waters of the sacred River Ganges to wash away their sins. Dinner at the hotel.
Varanasi
This morning, enjoy a sunrise boat ride on the holy Ganges where you’ll view the ancient religious tradition of ritual cleansing that takes place on the many riverbank ghats, followed by a tour of the city and a visit to a silk loom. This evening, return to the river to witness an aarti ceremony on the river Ganges as the sun sets. Dinner at the hotel.
Varanasi to Delhi
After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel this morning. Return to Delhi by domestic flight. Upon arrival, the remainder of the day is at leisure. Enjoy dinner at the hotel.
Delhi departure
Today marks the end of your incredible journey through India. Depart after an early breakfast and transfer to the airport for your onward departure.
Everything you need. Nothing you don’t.
Included
- Meet and greet on arrival
- An English-speaking local guide throughout
- All ground transport in an air-conditioned vehicle
- 14 nights’ accommodation as specified
- 14 breakfasts, 12 lunches, 2 light snacks on the domestic flight or train, and 12 dinners
- All sightseeing and excursions as specified, including the jeep ride at Amber Fort (subject to availability on the day), the cooking demonstration in Jaipur, the bird sanctuary visit in Bharatpur, and the sunset and sunrise boat rides on the Ganges in Varanasi
- Monument entrance fees as per the itinerary
- Express train tickets between Agra and Jhansi
- Two 500ml bottles of water per person, daily
- All current tourism taxes
Not included
- International flights and airport taxes (quoted and booked separately)
- Domestic flights, Khajuraho to Varanasi and Varanasi to Delhi (quoted and booked separately)
- Any excess luggage charges, if applicable
- Visa fees, if applicable
- Gratuities for your driver, guide and local escorts (recommended around USD 180 per person, total)
- Two lunches and two dinners
- Drinks
- Phone bills, laundry and other personal expenses
- Comprehensive travel insurance
USD 3,640 per person sharing · ± R61,880 · one 2027 departure
One scheduled 2027 departure.
Land package cost
Per person sharing: USD 3,640 (± ZAR 61,880). Single supplement: USD 920 (± ZAR 15,640).
Use a currency converter for an approximate figure in your local currency, noting that the final cost is determined by the exchange rate at the time of confirmation and payment. Flights are excluded from the land package. This price depends on at least 10 guests travelling together.
Flights (estimate only)
- International: Johannesburg or Cape Town to Delhi, via Dubai or Doha. From R20,000 per person including taxes.
- Domestic: Varanasi to Delhi, economy class. From USD 205 (± R3,485).
Flight costs are estimates only and can only be confirmed on the day of booking, since airport taxes shift.
Good to know
- Checked luggage on India’s domestic flights is capped at 20kg per person, hand luggage at 7kg. Excess is for the guest’s account.
- South African passport holders need an e-visa, currently free of charge. Your passport needs at least 6 months’ validity beyond the tour dates, with sufficient blank pages.
- There is a malaria risk in this region, and a Yellow Fever certificate may be required depending on your country of origin or stopover. Check with your doctor or travel clinic before you go.
- Monument entrance fees are set by the Archaeological Survey of India and may change without notice. Any increase, along with shifts in flight or airport taxes, is passed on to guests.
- Gratuities for your driver, guide and local escorts aren’t included. Budget roughly USD 180 per person for the trip.
- The Transportation envisaged in the program is Indian manufactured and should not be compared with European standards.