Itinerary guide
India itinerary: 7, 10 & 14-day plans
How to plan a trip to India — ready-made routes for a week, ten days or a fortnight, from a government-approved operator, with the season notes and combinations that make each one work.
Updated · Written by the Era Tours team, New Delhi
The right India itinerary depends on two things: how many days you have, and when you're travelling — because in a country this size, season decides the region. As a rule, plan at least 7–10 days for a first trip, and think in terms of fewer, richer stops rather than a long checklist. Below are the routes we build most often, for a week, ten days and a fortnight, each one a proven starting point we tailor to you.
7 days — the Golden Triangle
The classic first trip. Delhi → Agra (Taj Mahal) → Jaipur → Delhi packs India's most iconic sights into one easy loop — Mughal monuments, the Taj at sunrise, Amber Fort and the pink-city bazaars — all within comfortable driving distance. It's the perfect week, and it combines with almost anything later. See the Golden Triangle tour. With a week to spare on a second visit, swap in a Kerala or Rajasthan loop instead.
10 days — Golden Triangle + one more region
Ten days lets you add depth to the Triangle. The most popular extensions:
- + Varanasi — fly to the Ganges for the dawn boat ride and evening aarti, India's spiritual heart (see pilgrimage tours).
- + Rajasthan — continue from Jaipur to Jodhpur and Udaipur for forts and lake palaces (see the Rajasthan itinerary).
- + Ranthambore — add a tiger safari from Jaipur (see wildlife tours).
- + Kerala — fly south for a first taste of the backwaters and tea hills.
14 days — North & South, the complete India
A fortnight is enough for India's greatest hits across the country. Our favourite two-week route: the Golden Triangle, a Rajasthan or Varanasi extension, then a flight south to Kerala for the tea hills, a backwaters houseboat and the coast. You come away with Mughal monuments, royal cities and tropical calm, with internal flights keeping the driving humane. Alternatively, spend all 14 days on Rajasthan in full, or head to the Himalayas for Kashmir and Ladakh in summer.
Match the season to the region
Timing is half the plan. October–March suits the north, Rajasthan and the classic circuits; the Himalayas (Ladakh, Kashmir) shine April–September; Kerala and the south are loveliest September–March. Read the full best time to visit India guide, then tell us your dates and we'll point the itinerary where India is at its best.
Getting around — flights, trains & drivers
How you move between stops shapes the plan as much as the stops themselves. For the Golden Triangle and Rajasthan we use a private car and driver throughout — the most comfortable and flexible way to tour, and how we run most itineraries. For the long north–south jumps (Delhi to Kerala, say) we build in a domestic flight to save a day. India's trains can be a wonderful experience on the right sector, and the Palace on Wheels turns Rajasthan itself into the journey. We handle all the bookings, transfers and timings so the connections simply work — and keep driving days to a humane length.
Themed variations
Beyond the classics, we build itineraries around a passion: wildlife and tiger safaris, pilgrimage and the Buddhist circuit, the Himalayas, or a luxury journey with private guides and palace hotels. Whatever the theme, the principle is the same — the right route for your days and your season. Browse the full India tour packages to see what's possible.
FAQ
India itinerary — frequently asked questions
Plan at least 7–10 days for a first trip to India. A week covers the Golden Triangle — Delhi, Agra and Jaipur — the classic introduction; ten days lets you add Varanasi, deeper Rajasthan, or a first taste of Kerala; two weeks is enough for a north-and-south combination or Rajasthan in full. India is vast, so more time means fewer, richer stops rather than a longer checklist.
A superb 14-day India itinerary combines north and south: the Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra’s Taj Mahal, Jaipur), a Rajasthan extension or Varanasi on the Ganges, then a flight south to Kerala for the tea hills, backwaters houseboat and coast. It gives you Mughal monuments, royal cities and tropical calm in one trip, with internal flights keeping the driving sensible.
Seven days is enough for a focused first trip, and the Golden Triangle is the perfect fit — Delhi, the Taj Mahal at Agra, and Jaipur’s forts and palaces, all within comfortable driving distance. If you have a little more, a week can instead cover Kerala, or Rajasthan’s highlights. We tailor a 7-day plan to one region so it feels unhurried rather than a dash.
For a first trip, the best India itinerary is the Golden Triangle — Delhi, Agra and Jaipur — optionally extended with Varanasi, Rajasthan or Kerala depending on how long you have. It packs India’s most iconic sights into an easy loop, is well set up for visitors, and combines with almost anything. We build it privately with a car, driver and licensed guides.
Start with three things: how many days you have, when you’re travelling, and what draws you — monuments, wildlife, mountains, beaches or spirituality. Season matters as much as time, because the right region depends on the month. From there we match a route to your dates and pace. Tell us those three things and we’ll send a tailor-made plan and honest quote, usually the same day.
Tell us your days and dates — we’ll draft your India itinerary
Share how long you have, when you’re travelling and what draws you, and our Delhi team will send a tailor-made India itinerary and honest quote, usually the same day.