8-Day Golden Triangle & Kathmandu Tour: India & Nepal Highlights

5.00

(16 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

Delhi hits you right away—there’s this mix of old and new that you just can’t miss. We started in the tangled lanes of Chandni Chowk, dodging rickshaws and catching the smell of cardamom from a chai stand. Our guide, Anil, pointed out Humayun’s Tomb as we passed—he said it inspired the Taj Mahal. The Red Fort looked almost pink in the late afternoon haze. I remember hearing the call to prayer at Jama Masjid while kids played cricket nearby. Later, driving past India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan felt like flipping through a history book but with real traffic jams.

Agra was all about anticipation—the Taj Mahal at sunrise is something you feel more than see. There was a light mist over the Yamuna River; our group got quiet as we walked up with the battery cart (no cars allowed near). Even after seeing it in photos for years, standing there is different—the marble feels cool under your hand. Mehtab Bagh across the river gave us a peaceful view away from crowds. Agra Fort’s red sandstone walls echoed with stories; our guide shared how Shah Jahan watched the Taj from his window when he was imprisoned.

Jaipur brought color everywhere—women in bright saris at Bapu Bazaar, painted elephants lumbering up to Amer Fort (we took a jeep instead). Hawa Mahal’s honeycomb windows let in little breezes; I could hear street vendors calling out below. Jal Mahal seemed to float on its lake in the morning light. We squeezed in time for Jantar Mantar’s giant sundials and even tried some spicy kachori at a roadside stall (my lips were tingling for hours). The city feels royal but lived-in.

Kathmandu was a world apart—temple bells ringing early at Swayambhunath (the Monkey Temple), incense drifting through Durbar Square where pigeons scatter if you get too close. Our local guide Maya led us through narrow alleys to Thamel for momos and sweet tea. Bhaktapur’s medieval squares felt frozen in time; I watched an old man carve wood outside his shop while kids zipped by on bikes. At Pashupatinath, we saw pilgrims bathing by the river—there’s a sense of devotion everywhere here that sticks with you.