Golden Triangle Extension

Discover colourful Rajasthan and its crowning glory, the Taj Mahal

A visit to the incredible Taj Mahal and other great Moghul cities close to Delhi is an excellent way to begin or end a visit to Northern India. The Taj Mahal in Agra was built by the Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631, and is one of the most beautiful sights on earth. Close by is the imposing Red Fort of Akbar with its beautiful courtyards and palaces and let's not forget the deserted royal city of Fatehpur Sikri. We also visit he Pink City of Jaipur, capital of Rajasthan, which is one of the most attractive and colourful cities in India.

For pre-trip extensions, you will end your Golden Triangle journey on the first "arrival" day of your main trip, travelling to Delhi from Agra to join your main trip group on the evening of day 1.

For post-trip extension, you will start your Golden Triangle journey from the final "departure" day of your main trip, travelling to Jaipur after breakfast at the Delhi hotel. Please note, the post-trip extension is not available if you are booked on the Darjeeling, Sikkim & the Singalila Ridge (TBS) trip.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips which improve life for the people and places we visit, and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

There are many community projects in India that Exodus has set up or supported over the years. Some examples include helping to rebuild houses and schools and providing materials to build a flood barrier following devastating flooding in 2007 and setting up a flood relief appeal following mudslides in 2010.  In 2021 we launched our Covid Emergency Relief Appeal to raise funds to provide support to our trekking staff in Ladakh.

Some sustainable travel highlights include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally-owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food and support of other local enterprise.
• The hotels we stay in are dedicated to hiring local staff, this helps to benefit the surrounding community by providing employment opportunities and income alternatives where they may be otherwise hard to come by.
• In 2021 the Exodus Covid Emergency Relief appeal was launched and provided food and health essentials for guides, cooks, pony men and other trekking staff for a number of months.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels.
• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.

• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for re-usable bottles.
• Where possible on this trip paper bags are used as an alternative to single-use plastics.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.
• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally-sourced food which has not been transported long distances.

 Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own re-usable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.

Cultural respect

• Sometimes local people may object to being photographed so please ask first.
• It's polite to use only your right hand when eating something without cutlery and when handing money and small objects to someone else.
• Dress modestly to be polite and avoid stares. Do not wear tight or sheer clothing and it is preferable to have shoulders covered and skirts or shorts below the knee.
• When visiting a sacred site sleeveless tops and shorts are not acceptable for women or men and you need to remove your shoes. You are permitted to wear socks in most places of worship.
• Religious etiquette also includes not touching anyone on the head, or directing the soles of your feet  at a person, religious shrine, or deity. You should also not touch a carving of a deity.
• It is common practice to remove one’s shoes before entering someone’s home and you should tuck feet under if sitting on the floor.
• Making the effort to fit in is invariably appreciated so being aware of these aspects of cultural respect will assist you during your travels in India.

Visa

India

To avoid possible problems at immigration, make sure your passport is valid for a minimum of 180 days at the time of entry into India.

Travellers from the UK, US, CA and EU normally need a visa to enter India. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.
Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/india
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/india
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/india/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/India.html

Travellers eligible for an e-visa, which includes those from the UK, US, CA and EU, can apply at www.indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html.

For more information on applying for your Indian Visa, including details required for your start hotel and local reference contacts, please click on this link: Indian Visa Information

Vaccination

India

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, hepatitis A, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. The risk of malaria is slight, but you may wish to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

You will also require a yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Proof of a polio vaccination may also be required by some travellers. Please confirm all requirements and recommendations with your doctor or travel clinic.

Additionally, dengue, a viral disease spread by mosquitoes, is a known risk in India. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Some of our India trips spend time at altitude. In regions over approximately 6,560ft (2,000m), there is little risk of mosquito-borne diseases. For trips above 9,840ft (3,000m), there is a risk of being affected by acute mountain sickness. Our itineraries are designed to enable everyone to acclimatise to these altitudes, but you should be aware that it is still possible for you to be affected. Please see the Trip Notes for further information.

Eating and Drinking

All breakfasts are included in this trip. Other meals are not.

India is famous for its food and there is ample opportunity to try various curries, including the familiar tandoori, biriyani and rogan josh. If you are a vegetarian, India is a great destination. There are wonderful desserts and excellent beers, soft drinks and Indian specialities such as lassi, a refreshing yoghurt drink.

You should allow at least 1,400-2,400 Indian rupees (US$20-US$35) per day for lunch and dinner. You can eat out very cheaply in India, but if you go to the more expensive restaurants, most of the time, you will spend more than the suggested amount. In most towns we visit, there is a good selection of restaurants and a choice between Indian and Western food. Please note, service in restaurants can be quite slow. Tea and soft drinks are very cheap. A (large!) bottle of beer is approximately 285 rupees (approximately US$4).

Mineral water is widely available, but drinking water is provided in a large container in the bus to reduce our use of plastic, so please bring your own refillable water bottle.

Weather

During October/November and from February to April, the days are normally warm or hot and nights cool or mild. Humidity is very low and little or no rain falls.

It gets very cold in the early mornings and evenings in December, January and into February and warm clothes are essential. During this time, nightly temperatures in Delhi can be very cold and only a little above freezing. Come prepared for both cold and hot temperatures during the winter period.

In July, August and September, expect hot (or very hot) days and warm nights. Rain is also possible at any time from the end of June until September and can be very heavy. However, it moderates the temperatures.

Weather Charts

Agra, India

Is this trip for you?

This trip is rated Activity Level 1 (Leisurely).

There is a lot to see in the time but everything is scheduled so that it doesn't feel too rushed. You should come armed for an experience: India can be hard work and the heat and the bustle of some of the cities can be a little overwhelming. That said, there are places where you can find peace and this is one of the few places in the world from where you will return armed with great stories and memories to last a lifetime.

Please note that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is responsible for the conservation of many monuments in India, including the Taj Mahal, and very occasionally this may mean that work is taking place at sites visited on this trip. The ASI’s schedule is never published so it is not possible to forewarn our clients of when work will be taking place.

There is quite a bit of driving involved and one train journey. The drive to Jaipur may take between 5-7 hours. Road journeys can sometimes take longer due to local traffic, national or religious holidays, or road damage after the monsoon and the possibility of train delays also cannot be ruled out.

On Fridays, the Taj Mahal is closed, depending on your travel dates, if necessary we reverse the itinerary to first go to Agra and then to Jaipur.

PRE TOUR EXTENSIONS

If you choose to do this extension before your main Exodus tour, the hotel night in Delhi is included on Day 1 instead of day 5 of the itinerary:

Day 1: Start Delhi airport; arrival transfer to Delhi hotel.

Day 2: Drive to Jaipur.

Day 3: Sightseeing in Jaipur.

Day 4: Visit Fatehpur Sikri en route to Agra.

Day 5: Taj Mahal and Red Fort, Agra. Train to Delhi, arriving in the evening. (Join your main Exodus tour).

Please note that when the extension is booked pre-tour, you will arrive back into Delhi on the evening of day 5. If therefore, there are included activities on day 1 of your main Exodus holiday, you will need to start the extension a day early and book an extra night in Delhi before joining your main tour so as not to miss any activities.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.