North India Tours
Triangle Package with Varanasi and Khajuraho
This 11-day tour takes the classic Golden Triangle of Delhi, Jaipur and Agra and carries it onward into the heart of India — to the medieval river-town of Orchha, the astonishing carved temples of Khajuraho, and the sacred Ganges city of Varanasi. It is the ideal journey for travellers who want the great Mughal and Rajput icons but also the spiritual and artistic India that lies beyond them, all on one seamless private route that ends back in Delhi.
Tour overview
The first half follows the tried-and-true triangle: imperial and old Delhi, the pink forts and palaces of Jaipur, and Agra with the incomparable Taj Mahal and its red-sandstone fort, taking in Akbar's abandoned capital at Fatehpur Sikri along the way. From Agra the tour turns south and east into a India that most first-time visitors miss — Orchha's riverside cenotaphs and palaces in Bundelkhand, the UNESCO World Heritage temples of Khajuraho with their extraordinary 10th–12th-century sculpture, and finally Varanasi, one of the oldest continuously lived-in cities on earth.
We operate the whole journey as a fully private, chauffeur-driven tour, with a train segment to Jhansi for Orchha and short flights linking Khajuraho to Varanasi and Varanasi back to Delhi, so you cover the distances comfortably. Hotels are hand-picked in every category, and licensed local guides join you city by city. The plan below is our recommended flow; the pace, the hotels and the balance between monuments and the river can all be tailored to how you like to travel.
The full Golden Triangle
Mughal and Old Delhi, the forts and palaces of Jaipur, and the Taj Mahal at sunrise, with Fatehpur Sikri and Buland Darwaza on the road between.
Orchha and Khajuraho
The riverside palaces of medieval Orchha and the sublime, sensuous temple carving of Khajuraho — a UNESCO World Heritage site raised under the Chandela dynasty.
Sunrise on the Ganges
A dawn boat ride past Varanasi's ghats and a visit to Sarnath, where the Buddha gave his first sermon — India at its most spiritual.
Day-by-day itinerary
11 daysOn arrival at Delhi's airport or railway station you are met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to recover from your journey — you might explore the city's markets and street food in the evening, or simply rest. Overnight in Delhi.
A full day exploring the two faces of the capital. In Old Delhi you visit Raj Ghat, the riverside memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, and the great red-sandstone Jama Masjid built by Shah Jahan. After lunch, imperial New Delhi unfolds — Humayun's Tomb, the soaring Qutub Minar, and a drive past the Parliament, the President's residence and the government quarter. Overnight in Delhi.
- Jama Masjid
- — One of India's largest mosques, in red sandstone and marble.
- Humayun's Tomb
- — The 1570 Mughal garden tomb that inspired the Taj Mahal.
- Qutub Minar
- — A 12th-century victory tower and UNESCO World Heritage site.
After breakfast we drive to Jaipur, the "Pink City" and capital of Rajasthan, roughly 270 km from Delhi. On arrival you transfer to your hotel with the rest of the day free to relax or browse Jaipur's famous bazaars for textiles, gems and handicrafts. Overnight in Jaipur.
A full day among the forts and palaces of Jaipur. You ascend to the magnificent Amber Fort, built by Raja Man Singh in a blend of Hindu and Mughal styles, then continue to the hilltop Jaigarh Fort with its great battlements. The tour also takes in the City Palace, the Laxmi Narayan (Birla) temple, the UNESCO-listed Jantar Mantar observatory and the honeycombed Hawa Mahal, with an evening of Rajasthani culture at Chokhi Dhani. Overnight in Jaipur.
- Amber Fort
- — Hilltop fort-palace of Raja Man Singh, in Rajput-Mughal style.
- Jantar Mantar
- — An 18th-century stone astronomical observatory, UNESCO-listed.
- Hawa Mahal
- — The five-storey "Palace of Winds" with 953 latticed windows.
We drive to Agra, breaking the journey at Fatehpur Sikri, the red-sandstone capital built by Emperor Akbar in the later 16th century and soon abandoned. Here you see the towering Buland Darwaza, said to be the largest gateway in the world. On arrival in Agra you transfer to your hotel, with the evening free to explore the city's handicraft markets. Overnight in Agra.
- Fatehpur Sikri
- — Akbar's perfectly preserved, short-lived 16th-century capital.
- Buland Darwaza
- — A monumental victory gateway of red sandstone.
An early start to see the Taj Mahal glowing in the first light of dawn — the white-marble mausoleum Shah Jahan raised in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. After breakfast you visit the red-sandstone Agra Fort with its Diwan-i-Am and Diwan-i-Khas, and, if you wish, the delicate Itmad-ud-Daulah, often called the "Baby Taj". Overnight in Agra.
- Taj Mahal
- — The 17th-century marble mausoleum, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Agra Fort
- — A UNESCO-listed Mughal fort of palaces and audience halls.
An early transfer to the station for the train to Jhansi, from where we drive the short distance to Orchha, a princely town founded in the 15th century on the Betwa river in Bundelkhand. You explore its riverside monuments — the Jehangir Mahal, the Raj Mahal and the Laxmi Narayan temple with its mural paintings — before continuing by road to Khajuraho for dinner and the night. Overnight in Khajuraho.
- Jehangir Mahal, Orchha
- — A grand Mughal-influenced riverside palace.
- Raj Mahal
- — The old royal palace of Orchha, decorated with murals.
A morning devoted to the UNESCO World Heritage temples of Khajuraho, built by the Chandela dynasty between the 10th and 12th centuries and famous for their intricate — and often sensuous — sculpture. You visit the western and eastern groups, including the great Kandariya Mahadev temple with its many hundreds of carvings and the Devi Jagdambi temple. Later you fly to Varanasi and transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Varanasi.
- Kandariya Mahadev
- — The largest Khajuraho temple, covered in exquisite carving.
- Devi Jagdambi Temple
- — A finely sculpted temple of the western group.
An early-morning boat ride on the sacred Ganges takes you past the ghats as pilgrims bathe and the city wakes. After breakfast you drive to nearby Sarnath, where the Buddha gave his first sermon, to see the Dhamek Stupa, the museum and the Chaukhandi Stupa. Back in Varanasi you visit the Dashashwamedh Ghat and the Alamgir Mosque on the riverbank. Overnight in Varanasi.
- Ganges sunrise boat ride
- — The city's ghats and rituals seen from the water at dawn.
- Sarnath
- — Where the Buddha preached his first sermon after enlightenment.
- Dashashwamedh Ghat
- — Varanasi's most celebrated ghat, near the Vishwanath temple.
After breakfast you transfer to Varanasi airport for the flight to Delhi. On arrival you check into your hotel with the rest of the day at leisure to relax or shop before your onward journey. Overnight in Delhi.
After breakfast you are transferred to the international airport for your flight home, or you can extend your travels with us elsewhere in India. Tour ends.
This itinerary is a suggested flow and is fully customisable — hotels, pace and sightseeing are tailored to you. Ask us to adjust it →
Places on this tour
What's included
- Accommodation on twin-sharing basis in your chosen hotel category
- Daily breakfast (meal plan as per itinerary)
- Private air-conditioned car with an experienced driver for road sectors
- All arrival, departure and inter-city transfers
- Local licensed guides for city sightseeing
- All applicable taxes on the services quoted
Not included
- Train and air fares (Agra–Jhansi rail, Khajuraho–Varanasi and Varanasi–Delhi flights) unless specified
- Monument entry fees, camera/video charges and the Ganges boat ride
- Lunches, dinners and drinks unless specified
- Any international airfare, visa or travel insurance
- Tips, gratuities and personal expenses
- Single-room supplement for single occupancy
- Anything not mentioned under inclusions
Ideal for: Culture-focused travellers wanting the Golden Triangle plus India's temple art and spiritual heart.
FAQ
Triangle Package with Varanasi and Khajuraho — your questions answered
This tour keeps the full Golden Triangle of Delhi, Jaipur and Agra but adds Orchha, Khajuraho and Varanasi. That turns a short 5–6 day loop into an 11-day journey that also takes in India's finest temple sculpture at Khajuraho and the sacred Ganges city of Varanasi, so you see the spiritual and artistic India beyond the Mughal icons.
Eleven days is the natural length for this route. It allows two nights in Delhi, two in Jaipur, two in Agra, and single nights in Khajuraho and Varanasi, with the drives, one train segment and short flights spread out so no single day feels rushed.
Khajuraho holds some of the greatest temple art in the world. Built by the Chandela dynasty between the 10th and 12th centuries and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, its temples are covered in astonishingly detailed sculpture — including the famous Kandariya Mahadev temple — that you simply cannot see anywhere else.
A dawn boat ride on the Ganges is the most memorable way to experience Varanasi. As the sun rises you drift past the ghats while pilgrims bathe, priests perform rituals and the ancient riverfront comes to life — it captures the spiritual intensity of one of the oldest living cities on earth.
October to March is the best time for this itinerary. The plains of Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and the Ganges valley are cool and pleasant then, which makes the sightseeing and the early-morning boat ride in Varanasi far more comfortable than the hot summer or the monsoon months.
