Routes
Routes
The routes on this page are built from cities and types of place (an old quarter, a hilltop fort, a market, a beach) rather than specific addresses and businesses. We don't give distances, journey times or timetables: they depend on the season, road conditions and how you choose to travel. What all three routes have in common is an unhurried pace, free days between transfers and a willingness to change the order of stops if the heat or the roads have other ideas.
The best first route through India is one that leaves room for the unexpected. That's what you'll remember longest.
How these routes were put together: each can be done independently, and the stops are described as cities and types of place, without naming businesses or transport companies.
A week on the Golden Triangle
Delhi – Agra – Jaipur: the classic introduction to the north.
Delhi: unhurried first days
Give yourself time to adjust to the noise, the heat and the pace of a big city. Start with one old quarter and one park rather than a long list of monuments.
Old quarter and market
Narrow lanes, small shops and the scent of spices: this is where you feel the city most. Keep your bag in front of you and don't rush into buying.
Agra and the Taj Mahal
A monument on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Arrive early, before it gets hot and crowded, and check the visiting rules on the official website in advance.
A hilltop fort
In and around Jaipur there are many old forts and palaces. Comfortable shoes, water and a hat are as essential here as a camera.
A free day
Leave one day unplanned: it will come in handy if a train is delayed, it gets too hot, or you simply want to sit in the shade.
Back to Delhi
Keep the last day before your flight for packing and a calm trip to the airport, with no long excursions.
Two weeks: northern cities and the sea
Old cities first, then time to unwind on the coast.
Delhi as your gateway
A couple of days to acclimatise and get to know the city. Don't schedule anything important on the day you arrive.
Agra
The Taj Mahal and a walk through the old part of town. It's easier to set off from Delhi in the morning.
Jaipur and around
The forts, palaces and bazaars of Rajasthan. It's worth spending several days here rather than trying to see everything in one.
A flight to the coast
The north and the coast are a long way apart, so many travellers take a domestic flight. Allow extra time that day to get to the airport.
The Goa coast
A few days by the sea after the intensity of the cities. Swim only where it's safe and pay attention to flags and warnings on the beach.
Old quarters and spice plantations
Spend a day or two on colonial streets with their cathedrals and on a walk through a plantation inland.
A spare day before your flight
Keep the last day free: the journey home is often made up of several legs.
A relaxed holiday by the sea
One base, the sea and short trips without long transfers.
One base for the whole trip
Stay in one seaside village so you don't lose days to transfers. Check reservation and cancellation terms directly.
Mornings on the beach
The best hours for the sea are the morning and evening. At midday the sun is especially strong, and that time is better spent in the shade.
The old town and cathedrals
A short trip to the colonial quarters: a stroll through the streets and an unhurried look round the churches, dressed modestly.
A spice plantation
Half a day in the green interior of the state: the scents, the shade of the trees and the story of how familiar spices grow.
The market
A local market is where you see everyday life. Bargain politely and don't take anything you didn't intend to buy.
Sunset by the water
An evening on the shore is the best way to end the day. Head back to where you're staying along well-lit streets.
How to adapt your route to the season and how you feel
- In the hot months, move walks to the morning and evening and rest in the shade or indoors during the day
- In the monsoon season, allow more time for travel and have a back-up plan for each day
- If you're tired of cities, visit fewer of them and add days by the sea
- Don't schedule an important transfer on the day you arrive or the day you fly home
- With children, choose fewer places on the map and spend more time in each
Read next
- Destinations
Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan, Goa, the northern mountains and the south: where to go first and how to choose a region.
- What to see
The Taj Mahal, forts, old quarters, markets, beaches and backwaters: what to see in the north and on the coast.
- Getting around
Trains, domestic flights, a car with a driver, buses and rickshaws: how to get around India.
Sources
- UNESCO World Heritage List
- Buddhatour editorial notes
This guide covers independent travel to India in general terms. Visa rules, visiting arrangements at monuments and sacred sites, the weather and conditions on the road all change, so check them against official sources shortly before you fly.