Golden Triangle and Rajasthan
Duration : 12 days
Route : Delhi (2 nights) → Agra (1 night, Taj Mahal) → Jaipur (2 nights) → Pushkar (1 night) → Jodhpur (2 nights) → Udaipur (3 nights) → return flight Delhi (1 night)
Custom travel to India
India is a subcontinent in itself, 1.4 billion inhabitants, 22 official languages, 4 major religions born on its soil (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism), and geographical diversity ranging from Himalayan glaciers to Kerala backwaters, Thar deserts to Tamil Nadu temples. A country you don't visit, you live. Every city, every alley, every market overwhelms the senses. From the Taj Mahal at sunrise to the smoking ghats of Varanasi, from Rajasthan's maharaja palaces to Goa's tropical beaches, India offers a human and spiritual experience that transforms everyone who crosses it.
Highlights
- Taj Mahal in Agra: the most famous mausoleum of love
- Rajasthan: Jaipur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, and maharaja palaces
- Varanasi: Ganges ghats and Aarti ceremony
- Kerala: backwaters, beaches, and Ayurveda
- Himalayas: Ladakh, Sikkim, Darjeeling
- South India: Tamil Nadu temples and Hampi
Sample itineraries
Spiritual India: Varanasi and Khajuraho
Duration : 10 days
Route : Delhi (2 nights) → flight Varanasi (3 nights, Ganges ghats) → Khajuraho (2 nights, erotic temples) → Orchha (1 night) → train Delhi → flight Agra → Taj Mahal (1 night) → Delhi (1 night)
South India: Kerala and Tamil Nadu
Duration : 14 days
Route : Flight Chennai (1 night) → Mahabalipuram (2 nights, coastal temples) → Pondicherry (2 nights, French heritage) → Madurai (2 nights, Meenakshi temple) → flight Cochin (2 nights) → Alleppey backwaters in houseboat (1 night) → Periyar (1 night, national park) → Munnar (2 nights, tea plantations) → return flight Cochin (1 night)
When to go
India is ideally visited October to March (dry season), with mild temperatures (20-30 °C) and clear skies everywhere except the Himalayas. Avoid April-June (pre-monsoon, extreme heat 40-45 °C in plains, Thar desert 50 °C) and July-September (monsoon, heavy rain, cut roads in Kerala and Karnataka, but ideal season for Ladakh where it's summer). December-February are the best months for Rajasthan and the south (Kerala, Tamil Nadu). Holi Festival (March, festival of colors), Diwali (October-November, festival of lights), Pushkar Camel Fair (October-November).
- Winter / dry season (October – March), Rajasthan, Golden Triangle, Kerala, Tamil Nadu
- Pre-monsoon (April – June), Ladakh (June-July, open passes), Sikkim
- Monsoon (July – September), Ladakh only (July-August), green season in Rajasthan
- Post-monsoon (September – October), Kerala (post-monsoon), Pushkar Camel Fair (Oct-Nov)
Practical information
India is generally safe for travelers, with some common-sense precautions. Avoid tap water (bottled water uncapped in front of you); hot cooked food is safe, be wary of salads, unpeeled fruits and unpasteurized lassis. Recommended vaccines: DTP, hepatitis A and B, typhoid and rabies depending on itinerary, to check six weeks before departure. Anti-malarial recommended for the south and east. The Indian e-Visa is mandatory, applied for online, valid from 30 days to 5 years, around $25. Travel insurance essential. Tipping ('baksheesh') customary: 10% in restaurants, 100-200 INR per day for the driver. Modest dress in holy places, shoulders and knees covered. Respect cows, sacred, and religious sites.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time for an India trip?
October to March is the best general period (dry season, mild temperatures of 20 to 30 °C in the plains, cooler in the north, 0-15 °C), with clear skies almost everywhere. December to February are the most pleasant months for Rajasthan and the south (Kerala, Tamil Nadu). Avoid April-June, the pre-monsoon: extreme heat in the plains (40-45 °C) and up to 50 °C in the Thar desert. Also avoid July-September, the monsoon: heavy rain, roads sometimes cut in Kerala and Karnataka, except for Ladakh, where it's actually the only accessible season (mountain passes open June to September). For festivals: Holi, the festival of colors, happens in March, Diwali, the festival of lights, in October-November, and the Pushkar Camel Fair also in October-November, one of Rajasthan's biggest gatherings.
How long for an India trip?
Allow a minimum of 12 days for the Golden Triangle and Rajasthan (Delhi, Agra and its Taj Mahal, Jaipur, Pushkar, Jodhpur, Udaipur), the itinerary most chosen by my travelers for a first discovery. To add Varanasi and its spiritual fervor on the Ganges ghats, or switch entirely to South India (Kerala and Tamil Nadu, gentler and more peaceful), plan 10 to 14 days depending on the formula. To combine North and South in a single trip, allow 21 days minimum: India is a subcontinent, internal distances are considerable (1,800 km just for the Rajasthan circuit), and it's better to concentrate your time on 2-3 regions than spread too ambitious an itinerary over 3 weeks.
What budget for a custom India trip?
Three levels, excluding international flights, for 2 people sharing a double room: Comfort from €2,200/person for 12-14 days (11-13 nights in 4★ boutique hotels at key stops like Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, or Cochin, traditional Kerala houseboat, private car with driver, 4-5 guided experiences such as the Taj Mahal or the Varanasi Aarti); Premium from €4,200/person for 14-16 days (13-15 nights in Rajasthan palace hotels such as Taj, Oberoi, or Heritage Hotels, luxury houseboat, private French-speaking guide, 6-8 experiences such as a night in a palace-fort or an Ayurvedic workshop); Exclusive from €8,500/person for 14-21 days fully bespoke (Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur, a marble palace floating on Lake Pichola built in 1746, Oberoi Amarvilas in Agra with Taj Mahal view from every room, Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, Umaid Bhawan in Jodhpur). Expect €600 to €1,000 per person for a round-trip Paris-Delhi flight in Economy.
Do I need a visa for India?
Yes, the Indian e-Visa is mandatory for EU, UK, US, and Canadian nationals. It's applied for online before departure on the official indianvisaonline.gov.in site (around $25, 3-5 business days processing), and comes in several options: 30 days (double entry), 1 year, or 5 years (multiple entries), depending on how often you plan to visit India. Your passport must remain valid at least 6 months after the return date, with at least 2 blank pages. No vaccine is officially required for entry, but I recommend consulting an international vaccination center six weeks before departure.
Is India suitable for a first Asia trip?
India is intense, a subcontinent that overwhelms the senses. For a first Asia trip, I'd rather recommend Kerala (South India, more peaceful) or a guided journey in the Golden Triangle and Rajasthan, with private car and driver. Sri Lanka or Thailand can also be better gateways to Asia.
How to get around India?
Private car with driver is the recommended solution for most itineraries, especially the Golden Triangle and Rajasthan (expect $60 to $100 a day): driving there is tricky, dense traffic, constant horns, cows on the road, left-hand drive, an experienced driver makes the journey comfortable and frees your mind to take in the landscape. Trains offer an experience in their own right: the Rajdhani Express in 1st class for Delhi-Agra (about 2 h) is smooth and comfortable, while the UNESCO-listed Darjeeling Toy Train is an attraction in itself. For long distances, rely on domestic flights (IndiGo, Vistara, Air India), frequent and inexpensive ($40 to $100 for Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Goa, or Delhi-Cochin), essential to reach the south, Ladakh, or the northeast of the country. Avoid long-distance buses, uncomfortable and slow compared to other options.
Is India safe for a trip?
Generally safe for tourists, with common-sense precautions rather than real concern. Stay alert in big cities at night (Delhi, Mumbai), avoid non-tourist areas, and haggle firmly but without aggression (rickshaws, markets). Women traveling alone should take extra care: modest dress recommended, avoid public transport late at night, favor taxis booked via an app or through my local partner. Tipping ('baksheesh') is customary: about 10% in restaurants, 100 to 200 INR a day for your driver. In holy places (temples, mosques, Varanasi ghats), modest dress is required, shoulders and knees covered, and cows, sacred to Hindus, must be respected wherever they are, including in the middle of the road. Throughout your stay, my Indian local partner remains reachable 24/7, in addition to my French-speaking assistance.
Do I need vaccines for India?
Recommended: up-to-date DTP, Hepatitis A and B, typhoid, rabies (depending on itinerary). Anti-malarial for the south and east. Consult an international vaccination center 6 weeks before departure for personalized advice.
How to avoid 'Delhi belly' in India?
Bottled water uncapped in front of you only (never tap water, ice included). Hot cooked food OK (favor crowded high-turnover restaurants). Avoid: salads, unpeeled fruits, unpasteurized lassis, street juices. Preventive probiotics recommended. Loperamide if needed.
Is India suitable for a family trip?
From age 12 (for maturity facing the country's intensity). Global safety OK, warm welcome for children by Indians. Favor Kerala (South India, more peaceful, backwaters and beaches) or Rajasthan (palace hotels, camels, forts) rather than Varanasi (spiritual intensity sometimes difficult for young ones).
How to pay in India?
The currency is the Indian rupee (INR, about 90 to 1 EUR). Bank cards are accepted in boutique hotels, palace hotels, and tourist restaurants in major cities, but cash remains essential for markets, rickshaws, small restaurants, and tips. Bring a reasonable amount of cash, withdrawn from ATMs in Delhi, Jaipur, or Cochin rather than in remote areas where they're scarce. Tipping ('baksheesh') is common practice: about 10% in restaurants, 100 to 200 INR a day for your driver, a few rupees for small services. Indian mobile payment apps (UPI, Paytm) are very widespread locally but generally inaccessible to foreign cards without an Indian bank account.
What should I pack for India?
Bring a Type C/D/M plug adapter (230 V). Clothing depends a lot on the itinerary: light and loose for Rajasthan and the Golden Triangle (dry heat, 20-30 °C in the ideal season), even lighter and breathable for tropical, humid Kerala, and warm layers essential for the Himalayas (Ladakh, Sikkim, Darjeeling), where nights can be freezing even in summer. Modest dress, shoulders and knees covered, is required to visit temples, mosques, and sacred ghats such as those in Varanasi, a large scarf or light shawl is very useful for quickly covering up. Bring sturdy, easy-to-remove closed shoes (you often take your shoes off to enter places of worship), sunscreen, mosquito repellent, and always keep bottled water on hand.