Delhi, the Taj and the road to Jaipur, then your choice
Prices on this page are from-prices in US dollars per person sharing, before international flights, from the operators’ own pages unless we label a reseller listing. Here’s one real route that does a bit of everything.
- Delhi2 nightsArrival and the capital; flights take the group on to Varanasi.
- Varanasi2 nightsA talk at the ghats, the evening aarti, a sunrise boat on the Ganges and Sarnath.
- Agra1 nightAfter a night in Lucknow and a private bus west; the Taj Mahal the next morning.
- Ranthambore2 nightsMorning and evening safaris with local rangers in the tiger reserve.
- Jaipur2 nightsBlock printing, then the Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal, City Palace and Jantar Mantar.
- Dungariya Khurd1 nightA resort camp in a village near Pushkar.
- Udaipurfinal stopA walk through the bazaars and a boat on Lake Pichola.
Regular fare $3,499 per person; late-2026 departures from $2,624, and G Adventures lists January 2027 dates. Groups of 16 at most, 12 on average. Stops and nights from G Adventures’ itinerary page.
The Golden Triangle: what a week covers, and the Friday rule
You’re booking the same three cities everyone books first. The decision is what comes after Jaipur.
Almost every first India tour starts in Delhi, drives to Agra for the Taj Mahal, then on to Jaipur and back. It’s a loop of three cities, and eight days does it.
The Taj Mahal closes on Fridays, so every itinerary is built around that day. Most visit in the morning.
Jaipur gets the longest stay. G Adventures gives it two nights: a block-printing workshop, then the Amber Fort, the Hawa Mahal, the City Palace and the Jantar Mantar observatory.
Eight days is enough to see the three. It isn’t enough to rest, so add a tiger reserve or Varanasi if you can spare three more days.
| Add to the Triangle | Extra days | Real example |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing: Triangle only | 8 total | G Adventures Golden Triangle; Intrepid India’s Golden Triangle |
| A tiger reserve | +2 to 3 | Globus Icons of India (10); Trafalgar Classic India with Tiger Reserve (11) |
| Varanasi | +3 | Trafalgar Best of India (11); Intrepid Indian Getaway (11) |
| Rajasthan: Udaipur, Pushkar | +5 to 7 | G Adventures Discover India (15); Intrepid Classic Rajasthan (15) |
| Mumbai | +4 to 7 | Globus Timeless India (16); Contiki (12) |
| Nepal | +5 to 7 | Tauck Northern India & Nepal (18) |
Varanasi: candles on the river at dusk, a boat at dawn
Not every first tour goes here. The ones that do make it the emotional center of the trip.
Varanasi feels least like anywhere else on the route. Tours reach it by air from Delhi, as G Adventures does, or by an overnight sleeper train of about 13 hours, as on Intrepid’s Indian Getaway.
Trafalgar’s 11-day Best of India ends there; Micato sells a three-day Varanasi extension for $3,450.
The sleeper version is cheaper and harder. Intrepid books second- or third-class air-conditioned berths, and its single supplement doesn’t cover the train nights.
Pick the flight if sleep matters to you. Pick the train for the story.
Fly to Varanasi
G Adventures’ Discover India flies from Delhi; a local scholar meets the group at the ghats.
The Ganges and the aarti
A boat ride on the river and the evening aarti, as pilgrims float candles and flowers.
Sunrise on the river
An early start for a boat cruise as the sun comes up over the Ganges.
Sarnath
The archaeological site outside the city. An Old Benaras heritage walk is an optional extra, from about $20.
What to ask your operator
Flight or sleeper train to Varanasi, and in which class? On a train, ask whether you share a compartment with other passengers and how the bags travel.
Rajasthan and the tigers: forts, lakes and safaris
Rajasthan is the usual second week. It comes by road, by rail or by palace on wheels.
Ranthambore
The tiger reserve lies on the road from Agra to Jaipur, which is why so many tours add it. G Adventures spends two nights with morning and evening safaris led by local rangers.
A sighting isn’t promised by anyone. Two nights, not one, gives you more drives and better odds.
Udaipur and beyond
Longer tours keep going west. G Adventures ends at Udaipur with a boat on Lake Pichola after a night at a village camp near Pushkar; Globus’s 16-day Timeless India adds Udaipur and Mumbai.
By luxury train
The Maharajas’ Express Indian Splendour runs a week from Delhi to Mumbai via Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Udaipur, from October to April.
Deluxe cabins start around $8,400 per person sharing, plus tax, per rail agents. Our luxury trains compared page puts it beside six rivals, and rail-tour companies covers Intrepid’s India rail trips.
Choose the train for the palaces and the service. Choose a tour for more time on the ground in each city.
Kerala and the south: backwaters instead of the Taj
If you’ve seen the Taj, or don’t need to, the south is where to look.
South India is a different trip, not a longer version of the north. Tours start in Kochi or Chennai and trade forts for temples and the backwaters.
Prices span the whole range: G Adventures’ seven-day Kerala: Beaches & Backwaters lists from about $454, Intrepid’s 15-day Southern India about $1,895, and A&K’s 14-day South India: Temples & Backwaters about $9,970.
Want both? G Adventures’ 28-day India North to South runs Delhi to Kochi, and Intrepid’s India South & North takes 29 days.
Save the south for a second trip unless you have four weeks. One region done well beats two done in a rush.
When to go, by the operators’ calendars
The companies vote with their departure dates. The luxury end runs October to April.
Autumn: the touring year starts
The Maharajas’ Express season opens in October, and Globus’s Timeless India and Trafalgar’s Premium tiger tour start their 2027–28 runs in October.
- G Adventures discounts select departures from October 2026
- Small-group calendars run straight through to March
- Book early for Diwali dates; ask us which week it falls
Winter: the heart of the season
Globus runs Icons of India only from January to March 2027. Nearly every tour on this page lists departures in these months.
- Book these months first; they’re on almost every calendar
- Book the Maharajas’ Express early; Christmas and New Year dates cost about $500 more
- Safaris and the Taj start early; plan on dawn wake-ups
Spring: last of the luxury dates
The Maharajas’ Express runs until April. Collette’s Mysteries of India departs through April 2028.
- G Adventures’ 2027 promotions run to March 29
- Ask how the heat affects long outdoor days at Agra and Jaipur
- Collette and the luxury train are among the last to stop
Summer: fewer luxury options
The luxury train doesn’t run, and the premium tours we checked cluster their departures from October to April. G Adventures, Intrepid and Trafalgar’s Saver small group still list departures.
- Fewer choices, and fewer travelers
- Ask us about weather on your exact route before you book
- The 30-day e-Tourist Visa costs $10 from April to June
We haven’t quoted temperatures or rainfall here; the operators we checked don’t publish them on their tour pages. The tabs use their departure calendars.
How many days India takes
You’re weighing a long flight against your vacation days. The itineraries give a clean answer.
Lengths from the operators’ listings. Days include arrival and departure days.
Our rule of thumb
Eight days for the Triangle, 11 to add one more stop, two weeks for Rajasthan. With a long flight each way from the US, we’d treat 11 days as the real minimum.
Who runs India, with real tours
India’s price spread is enormous. Every tour below is real, cheapest per day first.
| Operator & tour | Days | From | Per day | Region | Route | Group | Price source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intrepid Indian Getaway | 11 | $572 | ~$52 | Triangle + Varanasi | Delhi round trip, two overnight sleepers | max 16 | intrepidtravel.com (year not shown) |
| G Adventures Kerala: Beaches & Backwaters | 7 | $454 | ~$65 | Kerala | Kochi round trip | small group | reseller, 2027 |
| G Adventures Golden Triangle | 8 | $755 | ~$94 | Triangle | Delhi round trip | small group | reseller, 2027 |
| G Adventures Solo-ish India | 12 | $1,154 | ~$96 | North | Delhi round trip | small group, solo travelers | reseller, 2027 |
| Intrepid Classic Rajasthan | 15 | $1,464 | ~$98 | Rajasthan | Delhi and Rajasthan by rail | small group | intrepidtravel.com (year not shown) |
| Intrepid India’s Golden Triangle | 8 | $895 | ~$112 | Triangle | Delhi round trip | small group | reseller, 2027 |
| Contiki India: Agra, Rajasthan & Mumbai | 12 | $1,404 | ~$117 | North + Mumbai | Delhi to Mumbai | 18–35s | reseller, 2027 |
| Intrepid India: Women’s Expedition | 13 | $1,595 | ~$123 | North | Delhi round trip | women only | reseller, 2027 |
| Intrepid Southern India | 15 | $1,895 | ~$126 | South | Kochi round trip | small group | reseller, 2027 |
| Trafalgar Highlights of Northern India (Small Group, Saver) | 9 | $1,275 | ~$142 | Triangle + extra | Delhi round trip | small group | reseller, Apr 2027–Mar 2028 |
| Trafalgar Best of India | 11 | $1,900 | ~$173 | Triangle + Varanasi | Delhi to Varanasi | coach | reseller, 2027 |
| G Adventures Journeys: Discover India | 15 | $3,499 | ~$233 | Triangle, Varanasi, Rajasthan | Delhi round trip, Ranthambore, Udaipur | max 16, avg 12 | gadventures.com, regular fare, late-2026 dates |
| Collette Mysteries of India | 14 | $3,499 | ~$250 | North | Delhi round trip | small group | reseller, Nov 2026–Apr 2028 |
| G Adventures Northern India: Riverside Safaris, Ancient Fortresses & the Taj Mahal | 15 | $3,799 | ~$253 | North + Mumbai | Delhi to Mumbai | small group | reseller, 2027 |
| Trafalgar Classic India with Tiger Reserve (Small Group, Premium) | 11 | $3,145 | ~$286 | Triangle + tigers | Delhi round trip | small group | reseller, Oct 2027–Mar 2028 |
| Intrepid Premium South India | 13 | $3,895 | ~$300 | South | Chennai to Kochi | small group, Premium | reseller, 2027 |
| Globus Icons of India: the Taj, Tigers & Beyond | 10 | $3,475 | ~$348 | Triangle + tigers | Delhi round trip | small group | reseller, Jan–Mar 2027 |
| Intrepid Premium India | 11 | $3,895 | ~$354 | North | Delhi round trip | small group, Premium | reseller, 2027 |
| Globus Timeless India: Tigers & Traditions with Mumbai & Udaipur | 16 | $7,249 | ~$453 | North + Rajasthan | Mumbai to Delhi | small group | reseller, Oct 2027 on |
| Scenic The Golden Triangle | 8 | $5,400 | ~$675 | Triangle | Delhi round trip | coach | reseller, Sep 2027–Mar 2028 |
| Abercrombie & Kent South India: Temples & Backwaters | 14 | $9,970 | ~$712 | South | Chennai to Kochi | small group | reseller, 2027 |
| Tauck Northern India & Nepal | 18 | $14,690 | ~$816 | North + Nepal | India and Kathmandu | small group, avg 20 | tauck.com, 2027, includes on-tour air |
| Maharajas’ Express Indian Splendour (train) | 7 | $8,400 | ~$1,200 | Triangle + Rajasthan | Delhi to Mumbai by rail | 88 guests | rail agents, plus tax |
| Micato Royal Palaces of India | 16 | $29,500 | ~$1,844 | North | Private-style group journey | ask | micato.com (year not shown) |
From-prices in USD per person sharing, before international flights. “Reseller” means the agency Global Journeys. Tauck includes flights inside the trip; the Maharajas’ Express adds tax. G Adventures’ page showed late-2026 departures at its regular fare. Gate 1 sells Golden Triangle tours with Varanasi or Nepal and longer Classic India tours with Ranthambore; we didn’t read their fares, so ask us.
Budget small groups: G Adventures, Intrepid
The cheapest entry, from about $52 to $130 a day, with sleeper trains on the lowest fares and few meals included.
Coach and small group: Trafalgar, Collette, Globus
Hotels and bags handled, from about $140 a day on Trafalgar’s Saver small group to about $450 on Globus’s Timeless India.
Luxury: Tauck, A&K, Scenic
About $675 to $816 a day. Tauck adds Nepal and the flights; A&K takes the south.
Ultra: Micato, the Maharajas’ Express
Micato’s Royal Palaces of India lists $29,500 for 16 days, the top of the market. The train is about $1,200 a day before tax.
What India costs per day, and all-in
The spread runs from about $52 to more than $1,800 a day. The sights are the same; the nights aren’t.
Our arithmetic on the from-prices above. Inclusions differ widely: Intrepid’s Indian Getaway includes two meals in 11 days, Tauck includes flights inside the trip, and the train adds tax on top.
The cheap end is real, and it’s a different trip. At about $52 a day you’re on overnight trains and paying for most meals yourself.
For hotels, guides and bags handled, budget about $140 to $350 a day on Trafalgar, Collette or Globus. Above that you’re paying for palace hotels and private touches, not more sights.
All-in math
What an India tour costs once you land
We filled in Trafalgar’s Best of India at its reseller from-price, with the midpoints of Trafalgar’s tip guidance. The meals and extras figures are our starting estimates; change them, and swap in your own quote.
On G Adventures, use its own lines instead: US$10 to $15 a day for the leader and $4 to $5 per service for local guides and drivers. On Intrepid’s Indian Getaway only one breakfast and one dinner are included, so raise the meals box. Add your flights from the US to the total.
Find your India tour
Answer the second question first in your head. It decides more than budget does.
Matcher
Match a real India tour to how you travel
Five taps: budget, where after the Triangle, who’s in the group, style and length. It suggests tours from the table above.
The e-Visa, the advisory and the flight
The paperwork is online and cheap. Read the advisory map once, then let the tour route do the rest.
The State Department lists Jammu and Kashmir (except eastern Ladakh and Leh), the India–Pakistan border area, Manipur and parts of central and east India as do not travel, and the northeastern states as reconsider travel. The Golden Triangle, Rajasthan, Varanasi and Kerala are outside those areas.
If a tour adds Amritsar, ask how it handles the Wagah border ceremony, given the border warning. Attari–Wagah is the only official crossing for non-citizens.
The State Department also advises against women traveling alone in India. A group tour, or Intrepid’s women-only expedition, answers most of that concern.
Expect at least one connection from most US cities. Fly in a day early; the welcome dinner won’t wait.
For vaccines and health advice, see CDC Travelers’ Health and your doctor.
Tipping, cash, dress and the extras
Tips in India are small and frequent. Dress rules matter more than you’d guess.
| Who | Guidance | Source |
|---|---|---|
| G Adventures tour leader | US$10–$15 per person per day | Trip page |
| G Adventures local guides and drivers | US$4–$5 per person per service | Trip page |
| Service staff | About 10% | G Adventures trip page |
| Trafalgar Travel Director and driver | $5–$7 and $3–$5 per person per day | Trafalgar tipping guide |
| Tauck land journeys | Director gratuity not included | Tauck FAQ |
Cash and cards
G Adventures recommends carrying US dollars in cash. Major cards work in most shops, often with a 2% to 4% fee, and ATMs that take Visa and Mastercard are mostly in the big cities.
It also asks for about US$200 in reserve for emergencies. The State Department says to declare currency over $5,000.
Dress and temples
G Adventures calls India very conservative: shorts can keep you out of religious buildings and family homes. Pack long trousers or skirts and a scarf or shawl for temples.
Small entry fees add up. G Adventures lists the Hawa Mahal at 202 rupees, and its optional Old Benaras walk from about $20.
Solo travelers, women, families and slower walkers
Twin-share fares are built for couples. These are better starting points for everyone else.
| If you are… | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A woman traveling solo | Intrepid India: Women’s Expedition | 13 days, women only, about $1,595 (reseller) |
| Solo, wanting your own room | G Adventures Journeys: Discover India | My Own Room from $679 for every night |
| Solo on a tight budget | G Adventures Solo-ish India | 12 days built for solo travelers, about $1,154 (reseller) |
| A family with kids 12 and up | G Adventures Journeys: Discover India | Minimum age 12, with an adult; rated 2, Light |
| Young and social | Contiki India: Agra, Rajasthan & Mumbai | 12 days for 18–35s, about $1,404 (reseller) |
| Slower on your feet | Tauck Northern India & Nepal or the Maharajas’ Express | Flights inside the trip, or one cabin for a week |
| After the most comfort | Micato Royal Palaces of India | 16 days of palace hotels, about $29,500 |
Pace is the hard part in India, not distance. Days start early for the Taj, safaris and the Ganges, and the drives between cities are long.
If that worries you, a private tour sets your own start times. Our solo travel guide compares supplements across operators.
Nepal, palaces, the river and booking windows
The flight is long enough to justify a second country. Plan the edges when you book the middle.
Add Nepal
Tauck’s 18-day tour ends in Kathmandu, and G Adventures and Intrepid both sell Delhi to Kathmandu trips of about 15 days.
Add a palace or a river
Micato sells add-ons such as Varanasi for three days and Bhutan for eight. APT runs a Golden Triangle tour with a lower Ganges river cruise in early 2028; see river cruises decoded.
How far ahead to book
Nearly every operator runs December to February, so book those dates first; the luxury train sells by cabin. Our booking-window guide compares the operators’ deadlines.
Deposits and insurance
Tauck takes a $1,000 deposit on Northern India & Nepal, with fees rising to $2,000 in the last week; its Guest Protection plan costs $799. Some insurance benefits depend on buying soon after your deposit; read our purchase-window guide first.
Before you book an India tour
These are the lines that change the price or the trip. Tick them off as you go.
Your India checklist
Ticks aren’t saved. Deposits and cancellation terms are on each operator’s guide below.
Who should tour India, and who should go alone
Book a tour if
- It’s your first trip and you want drivers, guides and hotels handled
- You’re a woman traveling alone; the State Department advises against solo travel here
- You want the Taj, a safari and Varanasi in under two weeks
- You’d rather a guide handle temple etiquette and the crowds at the gates
Look elsewhere if
- You’ve been before and want to wander one city; a hotel and a private guide will do
- You need a slow start every day; tours begin early for the Taj and safaris
- Your only interest is beaches; Kerala or Goa on your own is simpler
- You can’t take long drives; consider the train or a private tour
Our take
For a first trip, take the Golden Triangle plus one more stop, about 11 days, between October and March. Trafalgar’s Best of India adds Varanasi for about $173 a day; Globus’s Icons of India adds tigers in a small group for about $348.
On a tight budget, the G Adventures and Intrepid trips are hard to beat, as long as sleeper trains and buying your own meals sound like part of the fun. If you want every hard edge removed, Tauck or the Maharajas’ Express does it.
Either way, apply for the e-Visa yourself, on the official site, as soon as you book.
Where to go from here: who runs India
Free · No obligation
Want your India tour priced against the alternatives?
Tell us your dates and what you want after the Golden Triangle. We’ll price a budget small group, a comfortable coach tour and a luxury option side by side, check your month and route against the advisory, and walk you through the e-Visa.
Prefer to book the extras yourself?
Hotels, day trips and flights around the tour
Hotel nights before and after
Arriving a day early gives you a buffer if a flight runs late, and most people add a night when the tour ends.
Your free days
The days either side of the tour are yours. Day trips and tickets for the start and end cities:
Getting there and around
Fly into one city and home from another when the tour is one-way.
These are affiliate links: if you book through them, Seabound Journeys may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend. Our disclosure. We’re happy to book these for you too.
What India first-timers ask us
How many days do you need for the Golden Triangle?
Eight days covers Delhi, Agra and Jaipur on G Adventures’ and Intrepid’s Golden Triangle trips. Nine to 11 days adds a tiger reserve or Varanasi, as on Trafalgar’s Highlights of Northern India (9) and Best of India (11). Two weeks or more brings in Rajasthan’s lake and desert cities, like G Adventures’ 15-day Journeys: Discover India or Collette’s 14-day Mysteries of India.
Do US citizens need a visa for India?
Yes. Most tour travelers use the e-Tourist Visa from the official site, indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa. The 30-day version costs US$25 from July to March and $10 from April to June; one-year and five-year versions cost $40 and $80, plus a 2.5% bank charge. Apply at least four days before arrival, with a passport valid six months from arrival and two blank pages. Ignore look-alike sites that charge more.
Is India safe for a guided tour?
The State Department rates India Level 2, exercise increased caution, due to crime and terrorism, and lists Jammu and Kashmir (except eastern Ladakh and Leh), the India–Pakistan border, Manipur and parts of central and east India as do not travel. The Golden Triangle, Rajasthan, Varanasi and Kerala are outside those areas. The State Department also advises against women traveling alone in India; a group tour is the simplest answer to that.
When is the best time for an India tour?
The operators answer with their calendars. The Maharajas’ Express runs only from October to April, and Globus’s Icons of India departs from January to March 2027. Small-group companies such as G Adventures and Intrepid run year-round. We don’t quote climate figures here; tell us your month and we’ll tell you what it means for your route.
Is the Taj Mahal open every day?
No. It closes on Fridays, so tours plan Agra around it. Most tours visit in the morning; G Adventures’ Discover India sees the Taj on the morning of Day 7 before driving to Ranthambore.
How much should I tip on an India tour?
G Adventures suggests about 10% for service staff, US$4 to $5 per person per service for local guides and drivers, and US$10 to $15 per person per day for its tour leader. Trafalgar’s general guidance is $5 to $7 a day for the Travel Director and $3 to $5 for the driver.
What should I wear in India?
G Adventures calls India very conservative and says shorts can stop you entering religious buildings and family homes. Pack long trousers or skirts and a scarf or shawl for temples.
Do I need vaccines for India?
See CDC Travelers’ Health for India and talk to your doctor, ideally several weeks before you travel.
Sources · 18 links · checked October 2026
- G Adventures: Journeys: Discover India
- Tauck: Northern India & Nepal (2027)
- Intrepid: Indian Getaway
- Intrepid: rail trips (Classic Rajasthan)
- Micato: India journeys
- IRT Society: Maharajas’ Express Indian Splendour
- Worldwide Rail Journeys: Maharajas’ Express tariff
- Global Journeys: India tours starting February 2027 (page 2)
- Global Journeys: India tours starting February 2027 (page 3)
- Global Journeys: India tours starting February 2027 (page 4)
- Global Journeys: India tours starting February 2027 (page 5)
- Trafalgar: tipping on a Trafalgar tour
- Consulate General of India, San Francisco: e-Visa
- Government of India: e-Visa application site
- US State Department: India country information
- Travel Advisory: India advisory tracker (Level 2, June 2025)
- Daily Ittefaq: US reissues India travel advisory (June 2025)
- CDC Travelers’ Health