North India

The heart of travel in India: the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, the forts and deserts of Rajasthan, the Ganges holy city of Varanasi, and the Himalayas.

This region follows the concept of North India commonly used by travelers, assigned by whole state: Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and the Himalayan states and territories of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Rajasthan is included in the north according to tourism convention and regional council classification.

Highlights: in Delhi, the Red Fort and Humayun's Tomb; in Agra, the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort; in Jaipur, Amber Fort and the Hawa Mahal; in Rajasthan, the Blue City of Jodhpur, the Lake City of Udaipur and the desert Golden City of Jaisalmer; in Varanasi, bathing at dawn and the evening ritual on the Ganges; the Golden Temple in Amritsar; yoga in Rishikesh; and in the northern mountains, Leh, Pangong Lake, Spiti and Dharamsala.

Classic itineraries: the Delhi–Agra–Jaipur Golden Triangle takes 5–6 days; add western Rajasthan (Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur) for 10–12 days in total, then 2–3 days for Varanasi. In summer, you can do a separate Ladakh plateau route of 7–10 days.

Getting there: Delhi is the main gateway. The Golden Triangle cities are linked by train and expressway, and for long distances you can take sleeper trains or domestic flights. In the mountains, travel is by chartered car or jeep.

Good to know: in winter the plains are often foggy and polluted. Ladakh lies above 3,500 m, so acclimatize first. Conditions in parts of Jammu and Kashmir can change quickly, so watch the travel advisories.

Destinations

Itineraries