How To Spend 6 Days In Northern India

Travel Itinerary

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Itinerary by: Dan Hill

3 months ago

Traveller

Accomodation-Hotel Culture-Castle Culture-Historical Building Culture-Monument Culture-Mosque Culture-Museum Culture-Palace Culture-Temple Eat & Drink-Bar Eat & Drink-Restaurant Nature-View point Transport-Train station

Duration: 6 days

Itinerary

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
1. Lake Pichola Hotel
Day 4
1. Jagdish Temple, Udaipur
2. City Palace, Udaipur
Day 6
1. Humayun's Tomb
2. India Gate

This was a trip of a lifetime through the Indian state of Rajasthan and a fantastic introduction to the history and cultural highlights to be found in this part of Incredible India. I made these travels back in November 2012 and the journey and positive memories of India have remained with me ever since. I would definitely suggest hiring a guide and driver for a trip such as this, if your budget stretches to it.

Day 1

Exploring Agra

Having arrived in the early hours to Delhi by plane, I rested in a hotel until dawn - and took a taxi to New Delhi Railway Station for the trip to Agra.

05:45 - 06:00

New Delhi Railway Station

New Delhi, Bhavbhuti Marg, Ratan Lal Market, Kamla Market, Ajmeri Gate, New Delhi, Delhi 110006, India

New Delhi railway station is the main railway station in Delhi. It is the busiest railway station in the country in terms of train frequency and passenger movement

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Transport-Train station

Notes

To get to Agra, I took the train from New Delhi railway station. I believe we took the 12002 New Delhi Habibganj Shatabdi Express. The journey took around 2 hours with a single stop. We had booked a first class carriage - which I recommend. This gave us loads of room for our bags, seats, air-conditioning and service with tea and toast and jam included. Cost is about 1500 INR.

Travel time

2 hours 0 minutes

New Delhi Railway Station

08:00 - 09:30

Taj Mahal

Dharmapuri, Forest Colony, Tajganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

A UNESCO world heritage site, and designated one of the New7Wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal is a mausoleum built in memory of Mumtaz Mahal by her husband Shah Jahan. Taking 10 years and 20,000 workers to build the initial mausoleum, work continued on the rest of the project - including a mosque, great house and formal gardens - all housed within detailed walls. The building is set on the south bank of the Yamuna river - which you can get a good view of if you walk behind the mausoleum. Attracting 7-8 million visitors per year, you can expect there to be plenty of tourists on your visit - however on my visit it was not overcrowded at all. The building gets its brilliance from the fact that it is clad in white marble - which is in stark contrast to the red sand stone used in the normal surrounding architecture. Inside the mausoleum, there is extensive intricate inlaid stones forming patterns and artwork that adorn the walls. There are separate prices (and separate queues) for Indians and foreigners - and an additional fee to visit the main mausoleum (highly recommended). There is a discount if you buy the tickets online. Entry is permitted from both the Western and Eastern gates. A visit to the Taj Mahal will remain with you for a lifetime.

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Culture-Historical Building Culture-Monument Culture-Mosque Culture-Museum

Taj Mahal

10:30 - 11:30

Agra Fort

Agra Fort, Rakabganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh 282003, India

From the official government website: "An era marked by invasions and fortifications, where power was symbolized by grand palaces and grander forts………during such time was built THE AGRA FORT. Fortification has always been and still is the prerogative of the mighty; the dividing line between the ruler and the ruled. The mighty towers and overwhelming facades instilling fear and awe in the bravest of the brave…….yet there were the few who overcame the daunting adversities and made their mark in history, a signature ……. that still exists. Structures built as a sign of prowess remind us all of the grit and valour of the brave men and women who captured, destroyed and built such overwhelming edifices. The Agra Fort, also known as the “Lal –Qila”, “Fort Rouge” or “Qila-i-Akbari”, is the highlight of the city of Agra, then capital of the Mughal Sultanate . A symbol of power, strength and resilience, as it stands today in full glory."

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Culture-Castle Culture-Historical Building

Agra Fort

12:30 - 13:30

Kesar Restaurant

Shop No 1982, Fatehabad Road, Tajganj, Tajganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh 282001, India

I ate at this restaurant - being taken here by my guide - during my visit to Agra in 2012. North Indian cuisine - and entertainment at the table by a musician and dancer.

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Eat & Drink-Restaurant

Getting there

We were driven here by our guide and driver.

Kesar Restaurant

15:30 - 16:30

Panch Mahal

Dadupura, Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh 283110, India

Panch Mahal is located 40km east of the Taj Mahal in Fatehpur Sikri (about an hour by car). It's name translates to Five Level Palace - and it is thought to have been built as a place of entertainment and relaxation. Originally, it would have had screens between its columns to provide cover for queens and princesses while allowing them to enjoy the cool breeze. It was built from red sand stone - and its design and architecture have a Buddhist influence. The building itself is accompanied by water features in the courtyard and beautiful gardens.

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Culture-Historical Building Culture-Palace

Getting there

Our driver drove us from Agra to Panch Mahal. The journey took an hour and half as our guide stopped off along the way to show us a couple of sights.

Travel time

1 hour 0 minutes

Panch Mahal

20:45 - 23:55

Alsisar Haveli - Heritage Hotel

Sansarchandra Rd, Shri Ram Colony, Sindhi Camp, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302001, India

Set in the Old City of Jaipur, Alsisar Haveli is a heritage hotel. Haveli means a traditional home - and here once resided a large and wealthy family. I found the staff to be extremely welcoming - and the open courtyard and swimming pool provide an extraordinarily tranquil setting - in contrast to the streets outside. The buffet breakfast - taken in the open courtyard - was excellent.

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Accomodation-Hotel

Getting there

Our driver drove us to the hotel from the Panch Mahal

Travel time

3 hours 45 minutes

Alsisar Haveli - Heritage Hotel

Day 2

A Day in Jaipur

With a population of 3.1 million, Jaipur is the 10th largest city in India - and the capital of the state of Rajasthan.

08:30 - 08:45

Hawa Mahal

Hawa Mahal Rd, J.D.A. Market, Kanwar Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302002, India

Hawa Mahal translates into English as "Palace of Breeze". The 15m tall palace was built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh - grandson of the founder of the city of Jaipur - Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh. It was completed in 1799. The Hawa Mahal is one of the most famous images associated with the city of Jaipur - found, for example, on the front cover of The Lonely Planet guide. There are 953 latticed windows in the palace which were built to allow the ladies of the day to enjoy the festivities down below without having to reveal their faces in public.

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Culture-Historical Building Culture-Palace

Notes

On our trip, we did not enter the Hawa Mahal - we simply had a look from the outside, and got some history from our guide.

Getting there

We used a bicycle rikshaw to get around Jaipur.

Hawa Mahal

09:00 - 11:00

Amber Fort

Devisinghpura, Amer, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302001, India

Amber, or Amer, Fort is located in Amer in Rajasthan, India. It is the main tourist attraction associated with the city of Jaipur - which is located about 12km to the south west. Dating back to the 16th century, this heavily fortified yet intricately detailed building is built with the natural protection of being high up on a ridge overlooking Maota Lake below. Visitors can either walk up to the entrance or be transported via elephant or (more ethically - please) a jeep ride. There are 6 courtyards to explore - and you'll want a few hours to properly take in the awe and beauty of this incredible building, its history and surrounding mountainous geography. You are free to wander around and explore via the stone passage ways and stairwells. Do not miss.

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Culture-Castle Culture-Historical Building Nature-View point

Getting there

We were driven to the Amber Fort by our driver and guide

Travel time

0 hours 30 minutes

Amber Fort

14:30 - 16:30

City Palace - ‎⁨Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum

Tulsi Marg, Gangori Bazaar, J.D.A. Market, Kanwar Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302002, India

If you'd like to see royal garments, weapons, musical instruments and royal apartments, all housed within a stunning palace, then check out City Palace while in Jaipur. The present maharaja still live in the royal apartments. I found myself taking photos of many of the doors in the palace - each one intricately crafted with stunning designs and often enhanced by arches inset with marble and colourful stones. Recommended.

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Culture-Museum Culture-Palace

Getting there

We were driven here by our driver and guide

City Palace - ‎⁨Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum

Day 3

Travelling to Udaipur

I spent most of the day being driven from Jaipur to Udaipur by my driver. However, the incredibly picturesque city of Udaipur made it all worth it.

16:30 - 23:55

Lake Pichola Hotel

Ambrai Road, Panch Devri Marg, Outside Chandpole, Ambamata, Udaipur, Rajasthan 313001, India

Set on the lakefront with a great view of the city in Udaipur, Lake Pichola is a luxurious hotel with open terrace dining.

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Accomodation-Hotel Eat & Drink-Bar Eat & Drink-Restaurant

Getting there

We were driven to our hotel in Udaipur by our driver. The journey took about 7 and a half hours, including breaks for lunch and rests.

Travel time

7 hours 30 minutes

Lake Pichola Hotel

Day 4

A Day Exploring Udaipur

With a population of around 450,000 Udaipur, the city of lakes is full of sites of historical and cultural interest.

09:00 - 09:30

Jagdish Temple, Udaipur

1 jagdish tample, Near Jagdish Temple, Udaipur, Rajasthan 313001, India

Jagdish Temple is a Hindu temple located in central Udaipur. It's been a place of worship since 1651 - and today worshippers and tourists jostle to stand in its interior. The reason why the tourists flock to see this temple is its innate beauty. Stand outside and lookup at its walls and I defy anyone to not be in complete awe of the intricacy of the ancient carvings that cover this incredible building. Elephants, horses, figurines and symbols adorn this Hindu masterpiece. There are few places in the world to see architecture like this - do not miss it.

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Culture-Historical Building Culture-Temple

Jagdish Temple, Udaipur

09:45 - 11:45

City Palace, Udaipur

Khanjipeer, Udaipur, Rajasthan 313001, India

Located on hill on the east bank of Lake Pichola, Udaipur, City Palace is actually a complex of palaces built over a period of 400 years from 1559 onwards. It is the largest palace in the state of Rajasthan, and visitors will get a stunning panoramic view of Udaipur from within. Built concurrently with the establishment of the Udaipur city, Maharana Udai Singh II and his successors lived and administered their kingdom from this palace. Within the complex, there are multiple grand gateways - and immaculately tendered gardens, halls, palaces, squares, galleries and a museum. A tour of this architectural masterpiece will take considerable time due to its vastness - so plan your day accordingly. The popularity of the palace with international and domestic tourists inevitably leads to crowds - so be prepared when you visit. The James Bond movie Octopussy, was also filmed on location in the palace and around Udaipur. Main photo by Vivek Sharma on Unsplash

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Culture-Historical Building Culture-Palace

Notes

After a visit to the City Palace we had lunch, followed by a boat trip on Lake Pichola

City Palace, Udaipur

Day 6

Delhi and New Delhi

After spending 13 hours travelling by car the previous day from Udaipur to Delhi, I was excited to see some of the historical sights that the capital had to offer.

10:00 - 11:30

Humayun's Tomb

Mathura Road Opposite, Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah, Nizamuddin, Nizamuddin East, New Delhi, Delhi 110013, India

It's hard to believe this red stone building is a tomb, and not a palace. Its construction was completed in 1752 and its style is heavily Persian influenced. As India's first garden tomb, its design went on to influence other architecture of the time, such as the Taj Mahal - the visible resemblance being rather striking. Photo by Jiri Moonen on Unsplash

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Culture-Historical Building Culture-Monument

Humayun's Tomb

13:00 - 14:00

India Gate

Rajpath, India Gate, New Delhi, Delhi 110001, India

India Gate in Delhi is a memorial to 70,000 soldiers of the British Indian Army who died in between 1914–1921 in the First World War and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. Inscribed below the word India, are the words: TO THE DEAD OF THE INDIAN ARMIES WHO FELL AND ARE HONOURED IN FRANCE AND FLANDERS MESOPOTAMIA AND PERSIA EAST AFRICA GALLIPOLI AND ELSEWHERE IN THE NEAR AND THE FAR-EAST AND IN SACRED MEMORY ALSO OF THOSE WHOSE NAMES ARE HERE RECORDED AND WHO FELL IN INDIA OR THE NORTH-WEST FRONTIER AND DURING THE THIRD AFGHAN WAR. Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

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Culture-Monument

India Gate

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Submitted by: Dan Hill, 3 months ago

About the author

Dan Hill

I’ve lived in 5 different countries so far: the UK, France, USA, Canada and Denmark. I’ve also visited 33 countries in 5 continents for vacations. We're building MapADay to help people get the most out of their free time - via building a directory of great travel articles combined with local events - and algorithms that can serve users with relevant content. As we all face a new reality with the climate & virus challenges ahead, I hope that MapADay will enable users to discover exciting experiences not only on long distance vacations, but also closer to home. I've really enjoyed building the MapADay platform - and contributing content. If you enjoy using it, we'd love you to contribute too - by leaving a review, adding your own favourite places or sharing your own itineraries.

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Reviews

Inayat

Essential North India

3 months ago

As one who has spent a large part of her life in North India, I can easily say that this itinerary covers most "must do" sites in the region, especially Rajasthan. Highly recommended!

2 people found this helpful