Is India on your bucket list?
It’s an incredible destination to explore.
Our visit to India included an amazing Golden Triangle Trip (Agra for the Taj Mahal, Delhi and the Pink City of Jaipur) followed by a relaxing week in beautiful Goa.
A trip to India can take you out of your comfort zone and into an unfamiliar world. You’ll discover a feast of colours, smells and tastes – and incredible people. India is an inspirational land full of energy and activity. India is a country of contrasts from ornate buildings to rickety rickshaws, imperial cities to devastating slums, sleepy backwaters to dangerously fast-paced Delhi (the roads there are pretty crazy!).
When travelling around India’s Golden Triangle we discovered:
- the intoxicating 24-hour craziness of Delhi
- the serene Taj Mahal at sunrise
- the rich architecture of Jaipur’s Amber Fort
- Diwali Festival of Lights in Rajasthan
- beautiful palaces
- friendly people
- top notch vegetarian meals
…and a sensory overload of colours: saris, lights, decorations, painted trucks, brightly-coloured buildings.
The population is a staggering 1.42 billion making India the world’s second most populous country, and the fastest-growing population!
Enjoy intricate forts, majestic palaces, spice plantations, luscious rainforests, beautiful beaches, cooking lesssons and dolphin-spotting boat trips with local fishermen.
Here’s our Trip Plan.
| Days 1-4 | Delhi |
| Day 5 | Delhi – Agra |
| Day 6 | Agra – Fatehpur Sikri – Jaipur |
| Day 7 | Jaipur |
| Day 8 | Delhi |
| Days 9 – 14 | Goa |
Delhi
Before starting out on our Golden Triangle trip we spent a few days in Delhi, an intoxicating city of around 14 million and a wonderful introduction to our sensory-evoking trip around India.
Our first meal in India was simply amazing – delicious masala, dips, dosai, chappati, onion pattham and an assortment of other vegetarian dishes prepared in the Asian ying-yang method where cool yoghurty flavours soothe the palate after encountering hot and spicy chillies. We decided to avoid the touristy hotspots and picked a place where the locals eat, sharing tables and enjoying a fusion of South Indian and North Indian cuisine thali-style.
Well after dark the local night market was in full throng, selling an abundance of jewellery, skirts, shirts, drums, flutes and quirky castanets made from coconut shells.
We enjoyed some Kir Royals in the opulent and relaxing QBA lounge in Connaught Place.
Agra
Delhi-Agra is a five hour car journey, we travelled in a private taxi. In Agra we toured the city visiting the Red Fort and Itmad-ud-Daula’s Tomb, and of course Taj Mahal, the world’s most magnificent monument created for love.
In 1631, to express his love for his favourite (and third) wife, Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world, as a memorial for Mumtaz who died giving birth to their 14th child.
It’s undoubtedly one of the most outstanding buildings in the world – a marble temple of magnificence.
Fatehpur Sikri
We stopped on route to Jaipur at Fatehpur Sikri (an old deserted town of the Mughal Dynasty) as well as Jama Masjid, the Buland Darwaza, Palace of Jodha Bai, Birbal Bhawan and Panch Mahal.
Jaipur
In Jaipur we visited Amber Fort, the City Palace (which is a perfect blend of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture spread across courtyards, gardens and beautiful buildings), the Royal Observatory, Nawab Sahab Ki Haveli and the ambient Bazaar which was full of wonderful colours, cooking, cows (yes, they’re everywhere) and stunning fabrics.
Throughout the city colourful fairy lights draped the sides of buildings from small shops to large hotels.
By night we enjoyed the Diwali firework celebrations from the rooftop garden of the Jaipur Inn.
Find more India ‘Bucket List’ experiences with: GetYourGuide
Goa
After our Golden Triangle trip we headed south to Goa, flying with Air Asia, ready for some r&r. We spent a week or so with friends on Palolem beach, visiting spice farms, boat trips, dolphin spotting, swimming in the sea, kayaking and enjoying great food.
India isn’t the most relaxing country to travel around (until you get to Goa), but it is incredible and not to be missed.
DID YOU KNOW?
- India is the world’s largest producer of spices.
- The world’s first floating Post Office is in India!
- Chess and Snakes & Ladders originated in India.
- India’s official languages are Hindi and English.
We arrived: by plane from the UK, flying with Qatar Airways.
We flew internally: from Delhi to Goa, Goa to Delhi via Mumbai, with Jet Airways.
We travelled: by private taxi, tuk tuk and rickshaw.
Currency: Indian rupee.
Don’t miss: a trip to Sahakari spice farm near Ponda, Goa.
You could book your Golden Triangle trip with: GetYourGuide or Viator
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Designs
Using some of my photography from this trip to India I’ve created some designs including greeting cards, coasters, place mats and cushion covers.
tidaltravel.co.uk 