India is not just big, it’s huge! You’ll never have time to see it all on one trip. Rather than trying to see the whole country, you may get more out of your trip if you concentrate on the Southern part or the Northern part. Think about what interests you, what you like doing, how much time you have, and tailor your trip accordingly.
If you have a limited time, the all-time classic Golden Triangle is a fantastic introduction to three of India’s top destinations, Delhi – Agra – Jaipur, and you can squeeze it into a week if you don’t mind moving every couple of days.
Packing for Northern India adventure within 2 weeks might sound like a easy peasy lemon squeezy, but it’s actually difficult difficult lemon difficult (lol). However, it is utterly possible if you are smart about the whole journey – and quick on your feet.
Northern India Full Itinerary
- Day 1 – Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta), West Bengal
- Day 2-3 – Agra, Uttar Pradesh
- Day 4-6 – Jaipur, Rajasthan
Day 7 – Jodhpur, Rajasthan- Day 7-8 – Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
- Day 9-10 – Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
- Day 11 – Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir
- Day 12 – Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir
- Day 13-15 – New Delhi, Delhi
*click on any highlighted link above and the browser will scrolls down to the section of the page
Day 1 – Kolkata, The City of Joy
With increased air connectivity, we chose Kolkata as our arrival city in India so we can visit more places and more time to explore (plus it’s the cheapest ticket that we could get lol). Kolkata may not seem like a place with much options but the reality is far more exciting.
From yellow taxis to the oldest surviving electric tram network throughout Asia, getting around the city has a surfeit of transport options. Most of the major landmarks and sights are central and within walking distance.
Read more : Tough Love Kolkata
1. Victoria Memorial Hall
This iconic structure in Kolkata is dedicated to Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, who was also referred as the Empress of India. Along with its British and European architecture, the hall also includes some Mughal Indian design elements. Victoria Memorial is open to the public for its surrounding gardens and interior museum.
Entrance Fee : Victoria Memorial Gallery 200 INR, The Garden 10 INR per entry
2. Howrah Bridge
Another city landmark that has become the identity of Kolkata – Howrah Bridge, made by the British with immense amount of steel and concrete, plus has no support beneath (no joke). Crossing the Ganges River, this structure has become the face of the city owing to its grandeur and majestic appeal.
3. Mullick Ghat Flower Market
The fascinating Mullick Ghat flower market is located just below the towering Howrah Bridge. The flower sellers displayed their colourful merchandise – roses, marigolds, sunflowers, garden balsams and other flowers lay in all their colourful glory.
4. Kolkata Street Food
There is nothing more rewarding than hitting the sidewalks for a bite of Kolkata street food. Vendors are friendly and willing to serve their delicious creations. From one man run snacks like ghugni chaat and pani puri, to full meals of briyani rice and curry that tingles for taste buds.
I personally fancy the sweet, milky tea (chai) served in a handmade cups made of clay. The clay, like small pieces of disposable art, gives the chai a rich and earthy flavour as quoted by the locals.
Day 2-3 – Agra, The City of Love
Agra is one of the richest place for the monuments and historical places. Plus, the city is also the home of one of the Seven Wonders in the World, the magnificent Taj Mahal, which is known as the symbol of love. Being situated 1,267 km away from Kolkata, the best option to get our feet there is by the Indian train ride.
Sealdah-Ajmer Express (12987), Sleeper Class, Sealdah – Agra Fort : 1000 INR
1. Sunrise in Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is considered to be one of the most beautiful creations by men on this Earth. No matter how many pictures of the Taj Mahal we’ve all seen, there is nothing that prepares the actual beauty of this place. The sunrise is the best time to visit the Taj Mahal, as it’s usually less crowded and of course absolutely amazing to experience.
Entrance Fee : 1000 INR per entry for foreigner
2. Agra Fort
Agra Fort is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site has also been known by the names Lal Qila, Fort Rouge and Red Fort of Agra. The beautifully crafted red sandstone architectural fort city used by the Mughal dynasty as the main historical cities of India.
Entrance Fee : 300 INR per entry for foreigner
Day 4-5 – Jaipur, The Pink City
Fun fact – Indian Railway data shows the train never reaches on time for the past 1 year. Instead of having a couple of hours buffer time, traveller also need to consider a couple of days staying in one city.
Sealdah-Ajmer Express (12987), Sleeper Class, Agra Fort – Jaipur Junction : 1000 INR
On the other hand, Jaipur is one of the most hospitable cities around the world. The capital of Rajasthan state is painted in the terracotta-pink colour and there’s a really interesting story behind this. Apart from the rich heritage, the entire city welcome visitors and guests with open arms. We had an amazing and pleasant stay in the middle of Old City where all the attractions and landmarks are walking distance.
1. Hawa Mahal
Hawa Mahal is a five story building that is situated in the heart of the city of Jaipur. It has a beehive like structure and is made of red and pink sand stone, lined with white colour to make it vibrant. The palace has carved and arched small chhatris or dome-shaped pavilions, showing the richness of vivid Rajputana architecture. What attracts me the most is the facade which consists overhanging balconies, where cool and fresh air breeze passes.
Entrance Fee : 200 INR per entry for foreigner
2. Amer Fort
Amer Fort (or Amber Fort) plays a crucial role in Jaipur tourism. Situated 11 km away from Jaipur, this fort is easily the most impressive of all architectural structures we visited while in Jaipur. Amer Fort palace complex covered with stunning gardens, monuments and perched behind the lake to get a feel of the history and beauty of the fort has to offer.
Entrance Fee : 200 INR per entry for foreigner
3. Jal Mahal
Jal Mahal means Water Palace and this palace is much more than just a structure on the middle of Man Sagar Lake. Near between the Nahargarh Fort and Amber Fort, the Jal Mahal has one of the most unique architectural designs in Jaipur. Out of the five floors to the Palace, four of them are underwater.
I wish we could have had a chance to see that, an underwater palace. However, boats no longer take people out to the palace as it is being renovated among other issues.
4. Sunset at Nahargarh Fort
Up in the hills of Jaipur, the Nahargarh Fort walls wind along the ridges of the mountains. If you arrive before sunset you can wander through the gallery or the wax museum. We arrived just before sunset and both were closed. As the sun setting down, we found ourselves overlooking the magnificent Jaipur city faded beneath the daylight horizon.
5. Bargaining around Jaipur
This is where your art of bargaining will come in handy to get the best bet. From footwear, gemstones, handicraft and leather products are selling like hot cakes!
However, it is not always necessary to buy; one can just stroll past the shops or take a tour around Bapu Bazaar. While touring around the shops, the tourists will get to witness the vibrancy of Jaipur.
Day 7 – Jodhpur, The Blue City
Jodhpur is one of the most amazing cities in India for one peculiar reason. It’s a blue city! Over half of the houses in Jodhpur are painted blue, have a blue roof or blue ornate doors.
After considering the time we’ve wasted and the amount of time left to catch our flight in Delhi, it’s a shame that we had to skip this city to make time for our next adventure, all thanks to the Indian Railway ‘punctuality‘.
Nevertheless, Jodhpur might be the best city if you want to take a short break from visiting the landmarks during your trip, and go for unforgettable adventure exploring the blue city instead.
Exploring The Blue Neighbourhood
While some may expect the blue city to be entirely blue it isn’t the case. However, the theme throughout the city is blue, with many houses continuing the old age tradition with blue paint or a blue roof. From the Mehrangarh Fort, you get a clear idea of how blue the city is.
The suburb of Chandpole would be a good spot for blue street photography, blue spattering throughout the neighbourhood. Often several houses in a row, an alley or a large building were painted a light shade of blue.
Day 7-8 – Jaisalmer, The Golden City
From The Pink City to The Blue City, now The Golden City! Out of all destinations, the one that I’m still thinking about (till now) is Jaisalmer. Located in the Thar Desert which just 30 kilometres from the border with Pakistan, getting to Jaisalmer was quite the journey – but it was worth it in the end to explore the famed Golden City. If you have dreamt of exploring in a historic city in the midst of sand dunes, then you should travel to Jaisalmer.
I spend only for a day here in this ancient city and I would have gladly stayed a couple of days if my flight to the far north of India wouldn’t come sooner (what a bummer), so here’s a little glimpse at why I enjoyed visiting Jaisalmer so much and how you can too!
Leelan Express (12468), Sleeper Class, Jaipur Junction – Jaisalmer Station : 1000 INR
1. Feel the Golden Vibe in Hotel Suraj
I stayed at one of the coolest spots of my entire India trip. Hotel Suraj has the best views looking straight towards the golden Jain Temples from your room balcony. Located inside the Jaisalmer Fort itself, this is an authentically old place with loads of character. The rooms and hotel itself were as modern as you will find in Jaisalmer, making our stay accommodating and comfortable.
Link: Hotel Suraj
2. Jaisalmer Fort
Unlike most forts in India, the Jaisalmer Fort is a living fort. There are shops, hotels and age old havelis inside the fort area where families have lived for generations. This is because the fort is just like any other neighbourhood – except inside an epic, historic fort. Therefore there is no closing or opening time, no guards and a relaxed atmosphere inside. I had breakfast around the fort it was only a few rupees and it came out a huge spread with a view looked out over the city.
3. Camel Safari in the Sand Dunes
While exploring the Golden City it’s likely you will be offered a camel safari in Jaisalmer. It’s the most popular tourist attraction in the western region of Rajasthan. The Sam Sand Dunes are on the outskirts of Jaisalmer in the Desert National Park provide the perfect landscape for slow-paced trekking and escaping the city. We made our tour arranged through Hotel Suraj, they took care of everything accordingly to our preference.
We spent half-day in the desert with a backdrop of golden magical sunsets. It was one of the highlights from our two weeks in India. Surprisingly it wasn’t that hot as you might imagine, February an ideal time to visit Jaisalmer with pleasant days and chilly nights. This would be my number one recommendation of things to do in Jaisalmer!
Read More (coming soon) : The Great Indian Desert Adventure
Day 9-10 – From New Delhi to Jammu & Kashmir (J&K)
From the long hour of overnight trains, countless ride of autos, camel riding in the middle of dessert – now crossing the blue sky into far North of India. The convenient and fastest way to reach Srinagar (the capital city of J&K) from New Delhi is to take a direct flight.
Ranikhet Express (15013), Sleeper Class, Jaisalmer Station – New Delhi Railway Station : 910 INR
GoAir (G8 213/G8 224), return ticket between T2 Delhi IGI Airport (DEL) and Srinagar Airport (SXR) : 8400 INR
Srinagar is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places to visit as it offer some of the most picturesque landscapes for its visitors. The climate of Srinagar is humid and subtropical – generally much colder than rest of India. Being surrounded by Himalayan mountains, Srinagar is truly “Heaven on the Earth” in true sense as visitor enjoy all four seasons in Srinagar.
From boating to trekking, bird watching to water skiing, this capital city of J&K has it all. There are long list of attractions around Srinagar as it has many beautiful garden, religious shrines, and quite popular for its houseboats.
1. Dal Lake, The Srinagar’s Jewel
The urban lake, which is the second largest in the state, is integral to tourism and recreation in Kashmir. Dal lake is synonymous with houseboats and shikaras (gondola-like taxi boats) skiff around the lake, transporting goods to market, children to school and travellers to delightful houseboats inspired by originals from the Raj era.
If you get up early at 5 in the morning, you can paddle out to see the floating flower and vegetable market – a colourful spectacle, where you can expect plenty of attention from souvenir vendors.
2. Dry Fruits and Handicrafts
Kashmir is known for the variety of Kashmiri handicrafts and handlooms. From furniture & home decors to boxes & hand-crafted silver jewellery – the options are endless. A visit to Kashmir definitely calls to shop for the authentic pashmina shawls or wool embroidered shawls as its one of a kind.
Dry fruits and spices are found in abundance around Srinagar. Different kinds of walnuts like Kagzi Badam (Kashmiri Almond), spices like saffron, and honey are among the specialities of Srinagar.
Day 11 – Gulmarg, The Winter Wonderland
Discovering Gulmarg are possibly the most economical (read: cheapest) and beautiful winter destination in all of Asia without break the bank.
Skiing, snowboarding options are excellent and many honeymoon couples come to visit Gulmarg during winter season. From December-end to mid-February, there is enough snowfall to create a snowman!
1. Tangmarg
Tangmarg is located at the base of the mountains hosting Gulmarg. While most of the tourist spots are at Gulmarg, Tangmarg hosts few hotels and few tourist spots nearby. Tangmarg is a blink and miss kind of bend in the road.
Before going up to the Gulmarg mountains during winters, this is the place where you can rent winter clothes which include boots, jackets and gloves. With winters begin to creeping with the air becoming cooler, we need to get ourself warm in biting cold weather. The clothes are not new but they come handy and safe us from the harsh wintery cold and muddy snow.
Rental charges between 400 INR maximum per day
2. The Gulmarg Gondola
The Gulmarg Gondola is one of the highest cable car in the world and reaches to a height of 4,390 metres. The ropeway is divided into two phases. Phase 1 is from Gulmarg to Kungdoor and Phase 2 from Kungdoor up till Mount Apharwat. Gulmarg’s slopes are steep – a favourite amongst professional and advanced skiers. There is also a ski lift/chair lift available.
Read More (coming soon) : Gulmarg, The Winter Wonderland
Day 12 – Pahalgam, The Mini Switzerland
Getting around this small city and basking on its natural beauty is mostly done by horseback rides or even walking as most of the road is not accessible to automobile vehicles, resulting in almost zero pollution. There are few of the places you could go for a sightseeing tour that you could avail to – like Baisaran, Chandanwari, or Beetab Valeey.
Once you’ve reached Baisaran on horseback, you would wonder how this hidden gem was ever located. You could go Zorbing there, but the slope isn’t much to enjoy a long roll in it. The place is also known as the Mini Switzerland and the view of the snowcapped mountains when intermingled with the valleys and the trees makes it a very memorable experience on its own.
Day 13-15 – New Delhi, The National Capital
From that first city visit in Kolkata to other subsequent cities across India, it has taken me some time to appreciate – and even learn to love – Delhi. This particular final city for the trip has made me blend in a little more and taking my own sweet time exploring around.
Despite some of the tourist scams and hustle, Delhi is one of the best places for experiencing all that India has to offer. Pro tip – get up early to see Delhi’s sites in the magical morning light with plenty of birds roaming around.
1. Getting Around in Delhi
Delhi is a large city and there are many options for getting around. The choices of public transport can be broken down with the metro system, buses, and taxis. The autos (tuk-tuks) are interesting alternatives to these.
- The Delhi Metro Rail system is the fastest, efficient, fairly priced and environmentally friendly transportation in the city. With being able to commute around the city, getting a Delhi Metro card is the most convenient option. You can request for the card at the token counter in any station and pay 150 INR. The card fee is 50 INR and 100 INR is the value you get. After that minimum recharge is 200 INR.
- Indian ride-hailing service Ola is pretty reliable as well. Slightly expensive, but super safe and never ran into any major issues with the drivers.
2. Market Hopping around Chandni Chowk
Shopping in Chandni Chowk is a mind boggling experience. Each area of Chandni Chowk has divided into different markets, from lehngas and sarees to spices and herbs of all kinds to stationery items and books. Walking along this jostling street can get quite intimidating, so be prepared to get stunned.
You can get huge discounts on most of the items as this is a wholesale market. These shopping streets is a heaven for retailers too.
3. Explore, Conquer, and Stay Safe
Delhi is quite huge to tackle all at once. Pick an area from Old Delhi, New Delhi or South Delhi, and go exploring. There is no end to the historical sites, markets, restaurants, parks and lively street scenes you will find.
Delhi scams can be harsh to handle. Dig in a few details on your next destination to minimise the chances of being ripped off or caught is some kind of elaborate tourist trap.
Read More : Delhi Survival Guide
