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The Taj Mahal at dawn, Agra

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the soul of north india —

Essential India

12 days · 11 nights Delhi · Jaipur · Agra · Varanasi The iconic Taj Mahal Led by Kapil

The journey

The perfect first taste of India

If you have two weeks and want the real heart of North India, this is the one. We begin in Delhi — the chaotic, wonderful capital — then slip off the usual trail to Nawalgarh, the Shekhawati town whose painted havelis make it an open-air art gallery few travellers ever see.

From there it’s the classics done right: the Pink City of Jaipur, the Taj Mahal at sunrise in Agra, and a night train east to Varanasi, the oldest living city on earth, for the fire of the Ganga Aarti and a dawn boat on the river.

“Twelve days, five cities, two night trains — and me with you the whole way. It’s the trip I’d give a first-time friend.”

Kapil Raj Singh, your private guide in India and Nepal

KapilKapil Raj Singh · your guide for all 12 days

€950 per person, sharing a room · ask Kapil for the current per-person rate

Single room+€450

Meals & personal spendingOwn cost

Duration12 days / 11 nights

RouteDelhi → Varanasi

TransportBus & 2 night trains

Group sizeMin 4, max 24

GuideKapil, in person

Departures: several fixed dates a year (winter, spring & summer). Ask for the next one.

Plan this trip with Kapil →
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The route

A loop through the north

Five stops, one country — every leg guided in person, ending back in Delhi.

1DelhiStart
2NawalgarhShekhawati
3JaipurPink City
4AgraTaj Mahal
5VaranasiThe Ganges
6DelhiDeparture
Why you’ll remember it

The moments that define this trip

Old Delhi bazaars

Delhi

Old Delhi’s bazaars

Jama Masjid, the Red Fort and the colourful chaos of the old city’s alleys.

Shekhawati

Nawalgarh

The painted havelis

Shekhawati’s frescoed mansions — an open-air art gallery off the tourist trail.

Jaipur

Jaipur

The Pink City

Amber Fort on the hill, the Hawa Mahal and bazaars draped in colour.

Taj Mahal

Agra

The Taj at sunrise

Beat the crowds to Shah Jahan’s monument to love in the soft morning light.

Ganga Aarti

Varanasi

Ganga Aarti by firelight

The evening fire ceremony at Dasaswamedh Ghat, the city’s holiest spot.

A holy man in Varanasi

The people

Faces & encounters

Sadhus, artisans and the everyday life that makes India unforgettable.

Aarti
“

He knew the best spots to eat, organised anything we asked, and the whole two weeks ran smoothly while we saw so much of the north of India.

Iris Van de Voort
See it for yourself

A glimpse of the journey, on film

What’s included — and what’s not

✓ Included

All transport by air-conditioned (mini)bus
All breakfasts at the hotel
Train travel Agra – Varanasi & Varanasi – Delhi
Hotel stays on a 3-star basis
Visits to Fatehpur Sikri & the Abhaneri stepwell (excl. entrance fees)
English-speaking tour leader (Kapil)
Airport & fuel taxes

✕ Not included

International flights & checked baggage
Meals (except breakfast)
Optional excursions
All entrance fees
Visa
Tips
Booking fees
Contribution to the Calamity Fund
Consumer contribution SGR (€5 per person)
Travel & cancellation insurance
Make it yours

Optional excursions

Add a guided deep-dive wherever you like.

Delhi

Full-day city tour

Humayun’s Tomb, Qutab Minar, India Gate, Jama Masjid & Old Delhi, with a local guide.

€10 / person

Jaipur

Half-day city tour

Amber Palace, Hawa Mahal, City Palace and Jantar Mantar with a local guide.

€7 / person

Jaipur

Cooking demo class

Learn to cook authentic Rajasthani dishes — then eat what you make.

€10 / person

Agra

Taj Mahal sunrise & Agra Fort

Beat the crowds at dawn, then explore Agra Fort and the ‘Baby Taj’.

€8 / person

Varanasi

Sunrise boat & walking tour

One-hour boat ride at sunrise plus a walk through the old city’s lanes.

€12 / person

Varanasi

Evening Aarti ceremony

The fire ceremony at Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi’s holiest spot.

€7 / person

Prices per person, based on a minimum of 4 guests. Include transport & an English-speaking local guide. Monument entrance fees, camera charges and tips are not included.

A taste of the road

Glimpses from the journey

The Taj Mahal, Agra
Decorated elephant at Amber, Jaipur
An ornate gate in Jaipur
Boats at dawn on the Ganges, Varanasi
A colourful flower and vegetable market
Rajasthani folk musicians
A palace by the water, Jaipur
A colourful Indian market
The Taj Mahal at Agra, India
Ready when you are

Let’s plan your India

Want this exact route, or your own version with more time here and less there? Message me directly — no middlemen, no call centre, just Kapil.

Start the conversation →
Day by day

Your 12 days, one at a time

Tap any day to open it. This is the classic route — the pace and stops can always be tailored to you.

Day1Arrival in DelhiIndia’s capital
Welcome to India. You’re met at the airport and transferred to your hotel to settle in and shake off the journey. Tonight, the adventure begins.Hotel Kyron, Delhi
Day2Discovering DelhiOld & New Delhi
A full day in the capital. New Delhi’s wide avenues lead to Humayun’s Tomb, the towering Qutab Minar, India Gate and the serene Sikh temple of Bangla Sahib. Then into Old Delhi for Raj Ghat, the grand Jama Masjid and the buzzing lanes around the Red Fort.Hotel Kyron, Delhi
Day3Delhi → Nawalgarhby bus
We leave the city behind and drive into rural Rajasthan to Nawalgarh, the gateway to the Shekhawati region — famous for its lavishly painted merchant mansions. A first taste of small-town India.Hotel Grand Haveli, Nawalgarh
Day4Nawalgarh & the painted havelisShekhawati
A day to wander Nawalgarh’s frescoed havelis — mansions covered in intricate paintings of gods, trains, elephants and everyday life. It’s often called the world’s largest open-air art gallery, and you’ll mostly have it to yourselves.Hotel Grand Haveli, Nawalgarh
Day5Nawalgarh → Jaipurby bus
On to the Pink City of Jaipur, the colourful capital of Rajasthan. The rest of the day is yours to ease into its rhythm — turbans, saris, street food and bazaars.Jaipur Inn
Day6Jaipur, the Pink CityAmber Fort & palaces
The hilltop Amber Fort, the honeycomb facade of the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), the City Palace and the astronomical instruments of Jantar Mantar. In the evening, taste true Rajasthani cooking.Jaipur Inn
Day7Jaipur → Agraby bus
We drive to Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. Arrive and settle in, ready for an early start to beat the crowds at one of the wonders of the world tomorrow morning.Hotel Athithi, Agra
Day8Taj Mahal sunrise & night trainovernight train to Varanasi
Up before dawn for the Taj Mahal in the soft morning light, then back for breakfast. Later, explore Agra Fort and the delicate Itmad-ud-Daulah (the ‘Baby Taj’). In the evening we board the night train east to Varanasi — an experience in itself.Overnight train (A/C)
Day9Varanasi & the evening AartiThe holiest city
Arrive in Varanasi, the oldest living city on earth and the city of Shiva. Settle in, then in the evening witness the Ganga Aarti at Dasaswamedh Ghat — a mesmerising ritual of fire, bells and chanting on the river’s edge.Hotel Surya, Varanasi
Day10Sunrise on the GangesBoat ride & old city
A dawn boat ride along the ghats as the city wakes and pilgrims bathe in the sacred river — unforgettable. We walk the narrow lanes of the old city, pass the burning ghats and the Kashi Vishwanath temple.Hotel Surya, Varanasi
Day11Varanasi → Delhiovernight train
A free day to soak up the last of Varanasi at your own pace before we board the night train back to Delhi.Overnight train (A/C)
Day12Delhi & departureJourney home
We arrive back in Delhi. Depending on your flight, there may be time to rest or pick up last souvenirs before we say goodbye — with a head full of memories of India, and a new friend in Kapil.Hotel Kyron, Delhi (day use)