The Golden Triangle
The Golden Triangle is a tourist circuit composed of New Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur. It is called the Golden Triangle because of the triangular shape it makes on a map when connecting these 3 main locations. The circuit is about 720 km by road. Each leg is about 4-6 hours of drive. The Shatabdi express train also connects these cities for ease of travel. Several tore operator’s offer Golden Triangle tours.
How many days
Most people recommend around 7 to 8 days exploring the Golden Triangle. The least amount of time is 3 days but your time in each place will be limited due the travel time between.
when to go
The best time to tour the Golden Triangle is during the winter between December through early March. The heat starts picking up in April and monsoon season is between June and September.
getting around the golden triangle
You can get between these locations via train or bus. Transportation is likely included if you booked a Golden Triangle Tour.
Delhi to Agra
The fast train is about 1 hours and 40 minutes on the Gatimaan Express. The average length of time is around 2 hours and 50 minutes. You can also take a bus or hire a cab. The drive is about 222 km and takes around 3.5 hours.
Agra to Jaipur
You can take a train between the two cities which take anywhere from 4 hours 15 minutes to 6 hours depending on the day and type of train you take. You can take a bus or hire a cab to go by road. It is approximately 240km and takes around 4 hours depending on traffic.
Jaipur to Delhi
Train rides between Jaipur and Delhi can range from 4.5 hours to 6 hours depending on the train you take. It covers 305 km. You can also opt to take a bus or hire a taxi. The drive is about 260 km and takes around 5 hours depending on traffic.
top things to do around the golden triangle
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital of India. It is where many enter the country through its large international airport the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA). It is the second most populous city in India behind Mumbai. It is also one of the wealthiest parts of India. Some of the iconic tourist destinations worth checking out include the Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb, Jama Masjid Mosque, the Lotus Temple, India Gate, Qutab Minar, Akshardham Temple, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, Raj Ghat, Lodhi Garden, Chandni Chowk, Agrasen Ki Baoli, ISKCON Temple, Rasjtrapati Bhavan and more.
Agra
Agra located on the shores of the Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh. It is the fourth most populous city in Uttar Pradesh and 23rd in India. Agra is part of the Golden Triangle as it has the Taj Mahal the top tourist destination in India. The Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan as a tomb for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. The Agra Fort is a 16th century fortress of red sandstone on the Yamuna River. Other tourist destinations include Mehtab Bagh, Panch Mahal-Fatehpur Sikri, Jodha Bai’s Palace, and the Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah.
Jaipur
Jaipur is the capital and largest city of the Rajasthan State. It is deemed the Pink City. It also serves as the gateway to other tourist destinations in Rajasthan such as Udaipur Jaisalmer and Jodhpur. In 2019 UNESCO inscribed Jaipur “Pink City of India” among its World Heritage Sites. It contains the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Jantar Mantar and Amer Fort. Some of the top tourist destinations include Hawa Mahal, Jal Mahal, City Palace, Amer Fort, Jantar Mantar, Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh Fort, Birla Mandir, Galtaji, Monkey Temple, and Albert Hall Museum.
The Golden Triangle epic journey
You will not regret taking this epic journey to the highlights of India. I cannot wait to go back again to India and explore some more!
