Golden Triangle

Overview
If you ever travel to India, Golden Triangle Tour covering three different cities in three different states in North India remains a hot favourite of every tourist. Whether you're a backpacker or a leisure tourist, Golden Triangle Tour is a must-do in most tourists' itineraries when travelling to India.

And one look at the cities and one would know why. The Golden Triangle tour is magical in its each aspect and covers a rather charming combination of the Capital city, the Pink City of forts and palaces and the ultimate symbol of eternal love. The tour gets its name due to the geographical triangle it draws with the route and especially popular among those who are here on a short period.

The tour covers three major cities which are Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, each of them equally distanced roughly by 200-250 km. Another factor that really works in its favour is the convenient connectivity via roads and superfast railway network amidst these cities.

So let's have a look at each of the cities in detail:

New Delhi
The Capital city of India is bursting with live energy and the potpourri of culture it thrives on. Right from its never-ending range in terms of cuisine to historical monuments to the helping locals. Known as the city of Dilliwalas, the city is an ultimate paradise for shopping lovers and confirms the growth of India as a country beyond its past.

The famous tourist attractions include Rajghat, Red Fort, India Gate, President House, Jantar Mantar, Lotus Temple and much more. Also, if you love exploring the local culture, take out time for a trip to Old Delhi's universally famous market, Chandni Chowk and get dazzled by the rich colours, bright clothing and jewelry and a series of delectable street food, which is the pride of Delhi.

Agra
Attaining a world tourist destination because of its majestic Taj Mahal, Agra also boasts of several historical forts and landmarks to interest art lovers. Taj Mahal is the symbol of love made by Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaj Mahal. Famous poet Rabindranath Tagore once called it “teardrop on the face of eternity”.

The entire monument is built using white marble stones and has the graves of Shah Jahan and his wife lying next to each other. Proudly resting on the banks of River Yamuna, the ethereal beauty of Taj on a full-moon night is one of the magical wonders of the world one should never miss!

Other highlights include Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri and the famous sweet, Petha.

Jaipur
Jaipur, the Capital of Rajasthan is every tourist's favourite spot. Connected with other destinations and a hub of shopping and royal history that Rajasthan is known for, Jaipur is also known as the first planned city in India. The architecture and the local culture here is a treat for the eyes, as are the innate options in terms of textiles, handicrafts, wooden work and silver jewelry. Get ready to get spoiled while in Jaipur!

Famous tourist attractions include Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), City Palace and Amber Fort & Palace among others. The heritage hotels here for the guests are a perfect way to relive the royal era like a king/queen.

Extended Version
For those who want to include two other major tourist destinations in North India to soak in the Indian culture and sheer brilliance in a better way (and for longer duration), there are also arrangements to extend the Golden Triangle Tour to two more cities, the exotic city of India, Khajuraho and the ultimate place to attain Moksha, Varanasi (Banaras). Let's have a detailed look at both of the cities here:

Varanasi (Banaras)
Blessed to be the abode of Lord Shiva and supposedly the oldest city in India, Varanasi is a traveller's delight for those who love to explore the culture and wish to find spiritual solace. This is touted as the place where you attain moksha, and thus easily attracts thousands of tourists every year travelling from across the globe to seek devotion, moksha or simply themselves.

The evening Aarti (prayer) session at the ghats of River Ganges is a major attraction here with thousands of devotees joining together at the ghats to offer their prayers. It is said that a dip in the holy waters of Ganges is enough to relieve you of all your sins in the past life.

Khajuraho
Khajuraho is the land of erotica with over 20 ancient temples with meticulous carvings depicting various aspects of human sexuality. Originally, the village had 85 such temples made back in 10th and 11th century out of which only 20 are remaining now. The temples are open to the tourists from sunrise until just before sunset and make for a rather beautiful sight.

The village also hosts an annual dance festival every February/March and involves a week-long affair of breathtaking classical dance performances in front of the temples.

Best time to visit
February-April, October-November

Shopping attractions

• Chandni Chowk- for silver jewelry and mouth-watering street food (Delhi)
• Sunder Nagar- for art & antique shops (Delhi)
• Delhi Haat- For handicrafts & artifacts (Delhi)
• Silver Jewelry & stone artifacts (Jaipur)
• Textile & clothing with intricate work (Jaipur)
• Petha (sweets) (Agra)
• Stone artifacts (Agra)

How to Reach
The tour takes off from New Delhi.
Air: The Indira Gandhi International airport operates frequent international flights. Domestic airports also connect it with major cities.
Rail: Delhi has 3 major railheads­ Old Delhi, New Delhi and Nizamuddin.
Road: Delhi is well connected by a network of roads and national highways.