🇮🇳 Rajasthan & Varanasi
Rajasthan and Varanasi offer a unique experience in India and in life. In Rajasthan, majestic palaces and fortresses, vibrant handicrafts, and rich historical culture capture the imagination. Varanasi, the sacred city on the Ganges, offers spirituality, ancient traditions and revered ceremonies along the sacred river. We combined this trip with Ladakh, a region in northern India.
You can find the Ladakh itinerary here.
Here are some of our photos from Rajasthan and Varanasi:
Itinerary preview
🗓 10 days
DAY 1: Arrival in New Delhi
DAY 2: New Delhi
DAY 3: Mandawa (Shekhawati)
DAY 4: Jaipur
DAY 5: Jaipur
DAY 6: Fatehpur Sikri /Agra
DAY 7: Agra / Varanasi
DAY 8: Varanasi
DAY 9: Varanasi / New Delhi
DAY 10: Departure from New Delhi
🔗 Useful links
💸 Cost
(for 2 people)
🚗 Tour: 1800 €
✈️ Flights (Qatar Airways): 1250 €
💊 Insurance: 90 €
💰 Miscellaneous: 200 €
Total: 3340 € (1670 € per person)
✨ Essentials
🍪 Bring cookies, crackers or energy bars. They might come in handy if you get tired of spicy.
🦟 Strong mosquito repellent!
🧊 Don't use ice
🚰 Don't drink tap water, always in a closed bottle
🍣 Do not eat raw food
🧣 Wear a pashmina to cover shoulders/knee/head
Trip features
Features of this itinerary based on our real experience:
🔹 10 days
🔹 Road trip
🔹 Organized with local driver
🔹 Travel as a couple
🔹 September 2023
In this itinerary you will find:
🔸 List of the places visited every day
🔸 Links to Google images of every place
🔸 Link to daily map on Google Maps
🔸 Link to accommodation on Booking.com
🔸 Tips and impressions of every day
🔸 Useful links for this trip
🔸 Total cost of the trip (for two people)
🗓 Day 1
Overnight arrival in New Delhi, India, by Qatar Airways flight with stopover in Doha
🚗 Meet with our driver and transfer to hotel.
A few hours of sleep to rest
Tips
💡 The Welcom Hotel Dwarka is a large 5-star hotel on the outskirts of New Delhi, near the airport. Very clean, nice rooms and hearty breakfast. Great location for arrivals and departures from the international airport, but not very convenient for getting to downtown New Delhi given the monstrous traffic in this city.
🗓 Day 2
Places visited along the route:
Tips
💡 The first impact with India is very strong: be ready. Observe, feel the spirituality, respect their customs and watch out for chaos, traffic, mosquitoes and cows :)
💡 Always carry a pashmina with you to cover your shoulders, knees and sometimes your head (for example, to enter the Jama Masjid you must be covered). Otherwise you will have to wear one of theirs completely sweaty and used by thousands of people.
💡 The traffic in New Delhi is unimaginable! Always keep in mind that it may take you hours to get from one point to another. Take it easy and don't stress yourself out.
💡 Indians tend to ask Western tourists for selfies. This happened to me all the time in New Delhi. It was a very nice experience but also a bit stressful (I felt like a Holywood star 😄). If you don't want to take selfies with them, just politely tell them no.
🗓 Day 3
Places visited along the route:
📍 Mandawa
🌙 Overnight stay at Hotel Castle Mandawa
Tips
💡 Mandawa captivates with its ornate haveli and intricate paintings, a testament to Rajputan art and culture. Its alleys tell ancient stories, transporting you on a journey through time.
💡 The haveli are decorated with vibrant murals that tell epic mythological stories, court scenes, and cultural traditions. These narrative works of art capture the essence of the Rajputan era, transforming Mandawa into an open-air museum.
💡 The city can be visited freely, but a local guide will surely add value to your visit and take you to the most special corners.
💡 If you want to take pictures of people, they will often ask you for a tip.
💡 Sleep or eat in one of the beautiful old haveli in this city.
🗓 Day 4
🌙 Overnight stay at Umaid Bhawan - A Heritage Style Boutique Hotel
Tips
💡 We arrived in Jaipur in the afternoon, during a thunderstorm and with only a few hours left of sunshine. To take some advantage of the day, we asked our driver to take us to an elephant orphanage, as we had had a wonderful experience in Thailand taking care of these wonderful animals. Despite the positive reviews (we checked before we went), the experience was not good at all and we found an environment where elephants are exploited to provide all the services for tourists. I do not recommend it and we felt endless sadness seeing the elephants like this.
🗓 Day 5
Places visited along the route:
🌙 Overnight stay at Umaid Bhawan - A Heritage Style Boutique Hotel
Tips
💡 To reach Amber Fort, you can opt for an elephant ride along the hillsides or choose to ascend by jeep. The climb offers spectacular views and introduces you to the ancient grandeur of this majestic Rajput fort.
💡 Galtaji Temple, also known as the Monkey Temple, is a sacred site enhanced by sacred water pools and ancient temple structures. Resident monkeys add a unique touch to this spiritual destination. Avoid feeding the monkeys and watch out for abrupt movements to ensure safe interaction.
💡 The doors of the City Palace are a stunning artistic expression, decorated with intricate details and vibrant colors. Photographing them allows you to capture the magnificence of these Rajputan works of art that tell the story of local architecture and culture.
💡 The flower market in Jaipur is an explosion of color and fragrance, offering a wide range of fresh flowers and aromatic garlands. Here you can buy garlands of marigold flowers and roses, ideal for offerings at temples. In other markets, you can find tea, spices and other unique Indian products.
🗓 Day 6
Tips
💡 Immerse yourself in the magnificent architecture of Fatehpur Sikri. Take time to visit the tomb of Sheikh Salim Chishti, a place of great spiritual importance. You must take a bus from the parking lot because cars are not allowed.
💡 Visit the Taj Mahal View Point to enjoy an overview that offers a unique perspective that not everyone knows about. Be sure to bring a camera with you to capture the Taj Mahal from a different angle. Visit during sunrise or sunset for the most striking light.
🌙 Overnight stay at Grand Mercure Agra
🗓 Day 7
Tips
💡 Plan your visit to the Taj Mahal during the early morning or late afternoon hours to avoid the crowds and enjoy softer light that enhances the beauty of the monument.
💡 Agra can have high temperatures, so dress comfortably and with a head covering. Remember that inside the Taj Mahal you are required to cover your shoulders and knees out of respect for local traditions.
💡 We were supposed to travel from Agra to Varanasi by train but, due to a virus present in India at the time, we decided at the last minute to make the trip by car with our driver. Anyway, it is a very long trip overland.
🗓 Day 8
Places visited along the route:
Tips
💡 Wake up before sunrise and start the day with a boat ride along the Ganges River to watch the striking sunrise and witness spiritual ceremonies along the ghats.
💡 Feel the energy of the city as you stroll through its intricate streets. Savor local specialties in small restaurants. Taste lassi at Varanasi's most authentic eatery, the Blue Lassi. A lassi is a traditional Indian drink made from yogurt mixed with water, spices, and often sweetened with sugar. The Blue Lassi is renowned for the variety of lassi offered and its distinctive atmosphere. Ingredients can include fresh fruit, dried fruit, honey, and different spices, creating a wide range of flavors. It has become a popular place for tourists and visitors to experience the local culinary tradition in Varanasi.
💡 Get back on the boats at sunset to participate in the Aarti ceremony on the Dashashwamedh Ghat. The enchanting light show, chants and incense create a mystical atmosphere.
🗓 Day 9
Places visited in Varanasi and New Delhi:
📍 Sunrise over the Ganges (again)
Flight to New Delhi:
Tips
💡 Varanasi was so impactful and incredible that we decided to redo the boat trip along the Ganges River before leaving for the airport. We didn't want to waste a single minute of our time there.
💡 It is mandatory to cover your head to enter the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. Bring your own pashmina to cover it to avoid having to use the ones they lend there for free full of other people's sweat.
💡 Take a rickshaw ride in the Chandni Chowk market. Don't miss the famous spice market.
🗓 Giorno 9
🌙 Overnight stay at Haveli Dharampura - UNESCO awarded Boutique Heritage Hotel
🗓 Day 10
Departure from New Delhi. See you next time, India 👋🏼
