Multi-City Circuit
Golden Triangle & Tigers
The classic Golden Triangle — Delhi, Agra, Jaipur — with a Ranthambore tiger safari woven in on the clean, no-backtrack route between Agra and Jaipur.
Delhi · Agra · Ranthambore · Jaipur
The Golden Triangle, With Tigers in Between
Delhi, Agra and Jaipur make up India's best-known first trip, and Ranthambore lies between the last two. Adding it means a longer drive out of Agra, but no backtracking: you go from Agra to Ranthambore, then on to Jaipur. In return you get time in one of India's best-known tiger reserves.
The order stays classic: Mughal Delhi and the Taj Mahal first, then the jungle, then Jaipur's forts and bazaars. We suggest the Balanced week for most people. The four-day Minimum works but is very rushed, and the eleven-day Maximum gives Delhi and Agra a full day each and Ranthambore four safari drives.
Two views of the Taj
Every pace pairs an evening look at the Taj from Mehtab Bagh, across the Yamuna, with an early visit the next morning.
Fatehpur Sikri on the way
The red sandstone city Akbar built and then left lies on the road from Agra towards Ranthambore, so it fits into the drive.
Safaris at Ranthambore
Up to three drives on the Balanced week and four on the Maximum, in a reserve where tigers are sometimes seen among the ruins of an old hilltop fort.
Jaipur's forts and bazaars
Amber Fort, the City Palace, Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar, and an evening in the old city's markets.
Route
Full tolls, drive times and en-route facilities for every leg are in the route & distance atlas.
Day By Day
6 Nights · 7 Days
Arrive Delhi
Overnight in Delhi
Arrive in Delhi and start sightseeing the same day with either Qutub Minar or the Red Fort. In the evening, eat your way through Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi's busiest market.
Delhi → Agra (230 km, ~3.5-4 hrs)
Overnight in Agra
Down the expressway to Agra, about four hours. Agra Fort fills the afternoon, and you finish at Mehtab Bagh for the Taj at sunset.
Sunrise Taj Mahal → Fatehpur Sikri (brief stop) → Ranthambore (~250-300 km, ~5+ hrs)
Overnight in Ranthambore
The longest day. See the Taj Mahal early, keep the stop at Fatehpur Sikri under an hour, then continue to Ranthambore. Arrive in good time and there may be an evening safari.
Ranthambore
Overnight in Ranthambore
Out at first light for a safari, back to the lodge through the heat of the day, and out again in the late afternoon.
Ranthambore → Jaipur (150 km, ~2.5-3 hrs)
Overnight in Jaipur
About three hours to Jaipur. In the evening, explore Bapu and Johari Bazaars for textiles, jewellery and street food.
Jaipur
Overnight in Jaipur
Amber Fort in the morning, then the City Palace, Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar in the afternoon. Watch the sun go down over Jaipur from Nahargarh Fort.
Depart Jaipur
A free morning for last-minute shopping, then the airport.
Day 3 is the busiest, so keep Fatehpur Sikri to 45–60 minutes and reach Ranthambore at a sensible hour. The route never doubles back, because Ranthambore lies between Agra and Jaipur.
Good To Know
Frequently Asked Questions
What does adding Ranthambore change?
- Two nights at the reserve on the Balanced plan and a longer drive out of Agra. There's no backtracking, because Ranthambore lies between Agra and Jaipur.
Will I definitely see a tiger?
- No one can promise that: these are wild animals in a large reserve. More drives improve your chances, which is why the Maximum plan includes four. Ranthambore is also home to leopards, sloth bears, crocodiles, several kinds of deer and plenty of birds.
Can I start in Jaipur instead of Delhi?
- Yes, the route works just as well in reverse. Tell us when you enquire and we'll plan it the other way round.
When should I go?
- October to March is comfortable in all four places. April to June is very hot, though tigers are easier to spot near water then. The park's core zones shut during the monsoon months, around July to September.
Make It Yours
Add or drop a city, change the pace, pick your vehicle — the plan and the price update as you go.