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India

Most first trips to India start in the north, with Delhi, the Taj Mahal at Agra and the palace cities of Rajasthan, and then head east to Varanasi or south to Goa and Kerala. These guides help you choose a route that fits the season, decide how many nights each place deserves and book the trains and flights that link them.

Delhi and the north Rajasthan Mumbai and Goa Kerala and the south

The Taj Mahal from the garden · Agra, India

Destination guides

Each guide helps you decide whether a place fits your trip, how long to stay, where to sleep, what to eat and how to get there.

Delhi and the north

Start in Delhi for its monuments, markets and food, take the train to Agra for the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, then go east to the ghats of Varanasi on the Ganges or north to Rishikesh in the Himalayan foothills.

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Lahori Gate of the Red Fort in Delhi with its red sandstone ramparts and the Indian flag

Delhi · 3 nights (4 days)

Delhi

Three nights in Delhi: where to stay, Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb and Qutb Minar fees and hours, Jama Masjid, the airport metro, Old Delhi food, a budget for two.

The Taj Mahal at the end of its garden, with the long water channel and cypress rows in front

Uttar Pradesh · 2 nights (3 days)

Agra

Two nights in Agra: the Taj Mahal at sunrise and its Friday closure, Agra Fort, the Baby Taj, Fatehpur Sikri, tickets, trains from Delhi and a priced stay.

Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi with temples, umbrellas and boats on the Ganges

Uttar Pradesh · 2 nights (3 days)

Varanasi

Two nights in Varanasi: where to sleep by the ghats, the evening aarti, a dawn boat, Kashi Vishwanath for foreign visitors, Sarnath and trains.

Lakshman Jhula suspension bridge over the green Ganga at Rishikesh, with forested hills behind

Uttarakhand · 3 nights (4 days)

Rishikesh

Three nights in Rishikesh: the evening Ganga aarti, Ram Jhula and the ashrams, yoga stays, rafting season and rules, Haridwar, trains and a budget for two.

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple in Khajuraho under a clear sky

Madhya Pradesh · 2 nights (3 days)

Khajuraho

Two nights in Khajuraho: the Western Group and its ASI ticket, the Jain and Southern temples, the light and sound show, Panna, trains and flights.

Rajasthan

Jaipur's palaces and bazaars, Udaipur's lakes and the blue old town of Jodhpur below Mehrangarh Fort, linked by train and road into one of India's classic routes.

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The pink sandstone east facade of Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, with rows of small latticed windows under a blue sky

Rajasthan · 3 nights (4 days)

Jaipur

Three nights in Jaipur: the City Palace and its own tickets, Amber Fort's hours, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, Nahargarh, the bazaars and trains from Delhi.

The City Palace of Udaipur above Lake Pichola under a blue sky

Rajasthan · 3 nights (4 days)

Udaipur

Three nights in Udaipur: the City Palace Museum ticket and hours, Lake Pichola boats to Jag Mandir, Jagdish Temple, Bagore ki Haveli, food and a budget for two.

Mehrangarh Fort on its rock above Jodhpur under a blue sky

Rajasthan · 2 nights (3 days)

Jodhpur

Two nights in Jodhpur: Mehrangarh Fort's palaces and ramparts, Jaswant Thada, the blue old town, Umaid Bhawan, tickets, trains and a priced stay.

Mumbai and Goa

Mumbai for its colonial-era architecture, waterfront and street food, then Goa for beaches, old churches and a slower pace on the Arabian Sea.

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Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai, a Gothic railway station with a central dome, under a blue sky

Maharashtra · 3 nights (4 days)

Mumbai

Three nights in Mumbai: where to stay in Colaba and Fort, Elephanta Caves fees and the Monday closure, CSMT, museums, Marine Drive, street food and a budget.

The white Se Cathedral in Old Goa with a statue in front, under a blue sky

Goa · 4 nights (5 days)

Goa

Four nights in Goa: north or south beaches, Old Goa's churches, Fontainhas, the shack season, both airports, the Konkan Railway, scooters and a budget for two.

Kerala and the south

Kochi's old port, a night on the Kerala backwaters and the hills and temple towns inland, with Hampi and Mysuru for ruins and palaces in Karnataka.

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Chinese fishing nets on teak and bamboo frames standing in the water off the Fort Kochi beach

Kerala · 3 nights (4 days)

Kochi

Three nights in Kochi: the Chinese fishing nets, Mattancherry Palace and the synagogue with their closing days, Kathakali, the Water Metro and a budget.

A single houseboat crossing a wide blue backwater lined with coconut palms at Kumarakom

Kerala · 2 nights (3 days)

Kerala backwaters

Two nights on Kerala's backwaters: choosing an approved houseboat in Alappuzha, the public boats, Kuttanad, Kumarakom's birds, the Nehru Trophy and a budget.

Tea bushes in clipped rows on a slope below a bare rock massif north of Munnar town

Kerala · 2 nights (3 days)

Munnar

Two nights in Munnar: Eravikulam National Park tickets, time slots and the calving closure, the tea museum, Mattupetty, Top Station, the road from Kochi and a budget.

The Stone Chariot in the courtyard of the Vittala Temple, Hampi, under a blue sky

Karnataka · 2 nights (3 days)

Hampi

Two nights in Hampi: where to stay in Kamalapura or Hosapete, the ASI ticket, Vittala and the Royal Centre, coracles, the bus from Goa, food and a budget.

Plan an India trip

Prepare with guides to the e-Visa, trains and flights, seasons and the monsoon, health and safety, and where to stay.

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India Gate at the end of Kartavya Path in New Delhi under a partly cloudy sky

India · One week for the Golden Triangle; 11 to 13 days with Varanasi and Khajuraho or Rajasthan; two weeks or more with the south

First trip to India

How long a first India trip needs, which route fits one, two or three weeks, the month for each region, arrival airports, money, SIM cards and temple manners.

Cochin International Airport terminal with its red-tiled roofs, seen from the apron beside an IndiGo aircraft

India · 30-day e-Tourist visa (from the first arrival, multiple entry); one-year and five-year e-Tourist visas allow at most 180 days in India per calendar year

India entry requirements

Which e-Tourist visa to buy and what it costs for your passport, when to apply, the e-Arrival card, passport rules, customs limits and hotel registration.

A white and blue Vande Bharat Express trainset waiting under the platform roof at Anand Vihar Terminal in Delhi

India · One day train for each leg of the main routes; a flight for each jump between north and south

Transport in India

How foreign visitors book Indian trains on IRCTC, the trains and times for each main leg, airport buses, ferries, flights, taxis and a car with driver.

Amber Fort's yellow palace walls and courtyard below rocky hills near Jaipur under a clear blue sky

India · Best months: November to February for the north and Rajasthan, January for Kerala with Munnar, January or February for the backwaters alone, November to February for Mumbai and Goa

Best time to visit India

When to go to the north, Rajasthan, Goa and Kerala: winter fog and smog, the May heat, both monsoons, cyclone months and festivals on moving dates.

A thatched Kerala houseboat moored on the backwaters near Nedumudy, with palms along the bank

India · One base per stop: usually 2-3 nights in each city, one night on a houseboat

Where to stay in India

The area to sleep in for each of India's classic stops, from Delhi to Hampi, what havelis, houseboats, homestays and ashrams are like, and what check-in asks.

Green and yellow auto-rickshaws parked in a row outside Purana Qila in Delhi

India · The advice covers the whole trip, from the clinic visit before you fly to the journey home

Health and safety in India

Which vaccines and malaria advice apply, Delhi's winter smog, the pre-monsoon heat, rabies, road and train safety, the scams to expect, women travellers and 112.

India itineraries

Routes from the Golden Triangle to Rajasthan and South India, with sensible bases and the train and flight links between them.

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The white marble Taj Mahal and its minarets above the Yamuna, seen from Agra Fort

Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan · 7 days / 6 nights

Golden Triangle: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur

Seven days from Delhi to Agra and Jaipur by train and road: nights per city, the Taj at sunrise, the weekly closures and what rooms and sights cost two.

The white marble Ranakpur Jain temple with its spires, seen from the garden in front of the entrance steps

Rajasthan · 9 days / 8 nights

Rajasthan itinerary

Nine days and eight nights from Jaipur to Jodhpur and Udaipur: the trains, the Ranakpur drive, a day at Kumbhalgarh and a priced route for two.

Rows of tea on the slopes around Munnar under a blue sky, with hills behind

Kerala · 8 days / 7 nights

South India itinerary

An 8-day Kerala route from Cochin airport: three nights in Kochi, two in Munnar's tea hills, two on Alappuzha's backwaters, with each leg and a budget for two.

Chausatti Ghat in Varanasi lit by the early sun, with boats moored at the foot of its steps

Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh · 5 days / 4 nights

Varanasi and Khajuraho

Five days and four nights from Delhi or Agra: two nights on the Varanasi ghats with Sarnath, the Vande Bharat to Khajuraho and two nights by its temples.

Hampi Bazaar and the Virupaksha Temple among granite boulders, seen from Matanga Hill

Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka · 10 days / 9 nights

Mumbai, Goa and Hampi

Ten days and nine nights from Mumbai down the Konkan Railway to Goa, inland by bus to the ruins of Hampi, then home from Goa, with a priced plan for two.

Discover another destination

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Kiyomizu-dera in autumn · Kyoto, Japan

Japan

Plan a Japan trip around places you want to experience. Explore regional food, practical itineraries, local culture and tours from Hokkaido to Okinawa.

Wat Arun · Bangkok, Thailand

Thailand

From Bangkok's riverside temples to northern mountain towns and island beaches.

Rice terraces · Bali, Indonesia

Indonesia

Start in Bali, then discover Java's cultural cities and the islands beyond.

Hoi An · Vietnam

Vietnam

Connect Hanoi, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City through food, heritage and coastal stops.

Gyeongbokgung Palace · Seoul, South Korea

South Korea

Explore Seoul's neighbourhoods, Busan's coast and Jeju's volcanic landscapes.

Xinyi District and Taipei 101 from Elephant Mountain · Taipei, Taiwan

Taiwan

Follow night markets, tea traditions and mountain scenery from Taipei to the east coast.

Petronas Twin Towers · Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Malaysia

Combine Kuala Lumpur, Penang's food scene, island escapes and Borneo's forests.

Marina Bay Sands and the ArtScience Museum · Singapore

Singapore

A compact city journey through hawker food, gardens and distinctive neighbourhoods.

Big Lagoon · El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

Philippines

Build an island journey around Cebu, Palawan and Bohol's beaches and landscapes.

Angkor Wat and its reflection · Siem Reap, Cambodia

Cambodia

Explore Angkor, Phnom Penh and the riverside towns of Cambodia.

Wat Xieng Thong · Luang Prabang, Laos

11Luang Prabang

Laos

Plan a journey through Luang Prabang, Vientiane and the landscapes of Laos.

Central and Victoria Harbour from the Kowloon side · Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Explore Hong Kong’s harbour, neighbourhoods and outlying islands.

Senado Square in the historic centre · Macau

13Historic Centre

Macau

Explore Macau’s historic streets, Taipa and Coloane.

Phewa Lake and the Annapurna range · Pokhara, Nepal

Nepal

Explore the Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Chitwan and the classic treks.