The Golden Triangle for a first trip
The 5-day Golden Triangle covers Delhi, the Taj Mahal at sunset and sunrise, and Jaipur. Before you fly, read our India travel tips for first-time visitors and the Golden Triangle itinerary guide.
Holidays for · International travellers
India tours for international travellers
A first trip to India goes more smoothly when the details are planned by someone on the ground. We meet you at the airport, keep the first day light after a long flight, and take you through Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan or Gujarat in a private car with a driver, with licensed guides at the major sights.
Many first-time visitors to North India start with the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, and plenty add Udaipur, Jodhpur or a tiger safari in Ranthambore. The distances are real (Delhi to Jaipur is about 280 km, Jaipur to Udaipur about 400 km), and the details that make a trip smooth are local ones: which day the Taj Mahal closes (Friday), when the winter fog lifts, and how long a drive really takes.
Connecting Vacations is a Jaipur-based tour company and a unit of Vibrantcar Rentals Private Limited, and your car and driver come from Vibrantcar, the group's car rental business. Our team speaks English and Hindi, and you can plan with us by email, phone or WhatsApp. Every tour is private and can be changed, hotels are booked in the category you choose, from 3-star to heritage palaces, and the quote is itemised, so you can see exactly what you're paying for.
What we take care of
Met at the airport
Your driver meets you at the arrivals exit with a name board and takes you to your hotel, and a private car and driver are yours for the whole trip.
A driver for the road, a guide for the history
Your driver looks after the roads, the parking and the timings; at the monuments, a licensed guide tells the story better. If you'd like a driver who speaks English, tell us when you enquire.
Licensed guides at the major sights
A licensed local guide can be arranged at the major sights, such as the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Old Delhi and Amer Fort, so you hear the stories as well as see the stones.
A pace that allows for jet lag
After a long-haul flight, the first day is kept light, with an afternoon of sightseeing at most, and the early starts wait until you've slept.
SIM cards, money and tipping
We'll point you to the simplest way to get a local SIM card or eSIM, and talk you through how much cash to carry and how tipping works. Our India travel tips guide for first-time visitors covers the details.
Closures and timings, handled
Itineraries are arranged around the Taj Mahal's Friday closure, the Red Fort's Monday closure and the winter fog, so a closed gate doesn't cost you a day.
Where to go
Ideas to start with
Add Udaipur's lakes or more of Rajasthan
With eight days, the Golden Triangle with Udaipur ends by the lakes and flies you home from Udaipur. For more of the state, see Classic Rajasthan and our Rajasthan itinerary guide.
A tiger safari between the Taj and Jaipur
The Golden Triangle with Ranthambore adds two nights and two or three safaris in Ranthambore, one of India's best-known tiger reserves. Sightings are never guaranteed, but the park is a good place to try.
Gujarat for a second visit
For a second trip, Gujarat has Ahmedabad's old city, the stepwell of Rani ki Vav, the white Rann of Kutch in winter and Gir's Asiatic lions. Our Gujarat tour plan and Rann of Kutch guide are good places to start.
Tours
Tours that suit international travellers
Sample itineraries — every one can be changed.
5 days / 4 nightsGolden Triangle Tour
Delhi → Agra → Jaipur
Five days by private car through Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, with the Taj Mahal at sunset and again at sunrise.
- Families
- Couples
7 days / 6 nightsGolden Triangle with Ranthambore
Delhi → Agra → Ranthambore → Jaipur
Delhi, Agra and Jaipur with two nights in Ranthambore National Park for tiger safaris, in seven days by private car.
- Wildlife
- Families
8 days / 7 nightsGolden Triangle with Udaipur
Delhi → Agra → Jaipur → Udaipur
Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, then south via Chittorgarh to Udaipur for three nights by the lakes, in eight days.
- Couples
- Families
8 days / 7 nightsClassic Rajasthan
Jaipur → Pushkar → Jodhpur → Udaipur
Eight days by private car through Jaipur, Pushkar, Jodhpur and Udaipur, with a stop at the Jain temple at Ranakpur on the way.
- Families
- Couples
12 days / 11 nightsGrand Rajasthan
Jaipur → Bikaner → Jaisalmer → Jodhpur → Udaipur
Twelve days by private car from Jaipur through Shekhawati, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur to Udaipur, with an optional night at a desert camp.
- Families
- International travellers
3 days / 2 nightsJaisalmer Desert Escape
Jaisalmer
Three days in Jaisalmer: the lived-in fort, carved havelis and Gadisar Lake, then a night at a desert camp with a sunset camel ride and folk music.
- Families
- Couples
4 days / 3 nightsRann of Kutch and Bhuj
Rann of Kutch
Four days in Kutch: Bhuj's palaces and craft villages, then two nights at Dhordo for sunset and moonlight on the White Rann.
- Families
- Couples
4 days / 3 nightsAhmedabad and the Statue of Unity
Ahmedabad → Statue of Unity
Four days of Gujarat heritage and its newest landmark: Ahmedabad's old city and stepwells, Modhera and Patan, then a night at the Statue of Unity.
- Families
- Groups and corporate
Questions
India tours for international travellers: FAQs
Do we need a visa to visit India?
Most nationalities need a visa to visit India, and many can apply online for an e-Visa before they travel. Check the rules for your passport on the Indian government's official visa website well before your trip.
Should we hire a guide as well as a driver?
In India, a driver and a guide do different jobs: the driver handles the roads and the car, and a licensed local guide explains the history at the major sights. On a Golden Triangle tour, a guide is most useful at the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Old Delhi and Amer Fort.
How many days do we need for a first trip to India?
For a first trip to North India, five days covers the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur; seven or eight days adds Ranthambore or Udaipur, and two weeks lets you see Rajasthan's forts, lakes and desert at an easy pace.
What is the best time to visit North India?
October to March is the best time to visit Delhi, Agra and Rajasthan, with dry, mild days; December and January bring cold, foggy mornings in Delhi and Agra. April to June is very hot, and July to September is the monsoon.
Can we change the itinerary?
Yes. Every Connecting Vacations itinerary is a sample: the nights, hotels, sights and pace can all be changed, and the quote is itemised so you can see what each part costs.
Also
Holidays for other travellers
Family holidays
Private tours for families, with a car sized to your group, rooms that keep you together and days paced for every age.
Ideas and toursHoneymoons and couples
Private tours for honeymooners and couples: Udaipur's lakes, the Taj Mahal at sunrise, a night in the desert and palace hotels.
Ideas and toursGroup and corporate tours
Tours for groups of friends, clubs, family reunions and company teams, with tempo travellers or coaches, rooming lists and GST invoices.
Ideas and toursPilgrimage tours
Temple journeys to Khatu Shyam ji, Salasar Balaji, Pushkar, Nathdwara, Somnath and Dwarka, planned around darshan and an easy pace.
Ideas and toursWildlife holidays
Safari trips to Ranthambore for tigers, Gir for Asiatic lions and Keoladeo for winter birds, planned around seasons and permits.
Ideas and toursTell us where you'd like to go. We'll plan the rest.
Share your dates, who's travelling and what you'd love to see. We'll reply with a day-by-day plan and an itemised quote — no obligation.