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A realistic two-week India itinerary for first-timers, with two full 14-day routes, shorter 7-day and 10-day options, the transfers between cities and what to skip.
Reviewed by Mirza Shadab Beg, Founder, Travelage India, Agra · Last updated 28 October 2026 · 9 min read
for two weeks in India, take the Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra and Jaipur) and add Rajasthan’s palace cities, or pair the Triangle with Varanasi and Kerala. Do less rather than more: change city no more than once every two nights. With seven or ten days, keep to the Triangle, with Udaipur or Jodhpur at ten.
Two weeks is a good length for a first trip, but not for the whole country. Distances are long, flights and trains need hours of buffer, and every change of city takes about half a day. A reliable rule is to change city no more than once every two nights, to keep at least one slow half-day in each week, and to treat anything beyond two or three regions as a different trip.
The most common mistake is trying to cover the north, the south and the mountains in a fortnight. It is possible on paper and tiring in practice. A better plan is to choose one main region and one contrast, for example forts and palaces with a day or two of rest, or the Golden Triangle with Kerala’s backwaters.
For most first-timers we suggest the classic Golden Triangle followed by Rajasthan’s palace cities. It has the most famous sights, short flights home, and an easy rhythm. Here is a plan with 13 nights and about half the nights in each city kept to two.
| Days | Where | Nights | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Delhi | 2 | Arrival, then Old Delhi, Humayun’s Tomb and the New Delhi boulevards |
| 3 to 4 | Agra | 2 | Taj Mahal and Agra Fort; keep a spare morning for sunrise |
| 5 to 6 | Jaipur | 2 | Amber Fort, City Palace, bazaars; a stop at Fatehpur Sikri on the way |
| 7 | Pushkar | 1 | A holy lake town about halfway to Jodhpur |
| 8 to 9 | Jodhpur | 2 | Mehrangarh Fort and the blue lanes of the old city |
| 10 to 12 | Udaipur | 3 | Lake Pichola, City Palace, a day trip to Ranakpur or Kumbhalgarh |
| 13 to 14 | Delhi and departure | 1 | Short flight back to Delhi, then your international flight |
This follows the order a line rather than a loop, so you never drive the same road twice. Typical road distances: Delhi to Agra about 230 km (three and a half to four hours), Agra to Jaipur about 240 km (five to six hours), Jaipur to Jodhpur about 340 km (a long day, made easier by a Pushkar stop), and Jodhpur to Udaipur about 250 km. A private car and driver keep it comfortable. See our 14 Days Private India tour for a ready-made version.
If you want contrast, pair the Golden Triangle with Kerala. The north gives you monuments and city life, and the south gives you quiet water, spice hills and a very different pace.
| Days | Where | Nights | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Delhi | 2 | Arrival and city sights |
| 3 to 4 | Agra | 2 | Taj Mahal and Agra Fort |
| 5 to 6 | Jaipur | 2 | Amber Fort, City Palace and bazaars |
| 7 to 8 | Varanasi | 2 | Dawn boat ride, old lanes, Sarnath and the evening aarti (flights usually connect through Delhi) |
| 9 to 13 | Kerala | 4 to 5 | Fort Kochi, Munnar tea hills and Alleppey backwaters |
| 14 | Kochi and departure | 0 or 1 | Flight home from Kochi |
This plan includes one flight to Varanasi and one to Kerala, so allow slack on the connection days. Travel between October and March for the best weather in both regions (see the best time to visit India). Read the Kerala itinerary guide and the Varanasi itinerary for the detail.
Seven days is the Golden Triangle at an easy pace. It gives you Delhi, Agra and Jaipur without rushing, and it matches our standard 7-day journey.
| Days | Where | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Delhi | Old Delhi, Humayun’s Tomb, Qutub Minar, India Gate |
| 3 to 4 | Agra | Taj Mahal at sunrise, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri |
| 5 to 6 | Jaipur | Amber Fort, City Palace, Hawa Mahal, bazaars |
| 7 | Delhi | Return and departure |
See our 7 Days Golden Triangle tour, and read how many days you need for the Golden Triangle if you are weighing five days against seven.
Ten days is the point where Rajasthan joins the Golden Triangle. You do not need to see everything: choose Jodhpur or Udaipur, or both, with a long weekend feel.
| Days | Where | Nights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Delhi | 2 |
| 3 | Agra | 1 |
| 4 to 5 | Jaipur | 2 |
| 6 to 7 | Jodhpur, with a Pushkar stop on the way | 2 |
| 8 to 9 | Udaipur | 2 |
| 10 | Fly home via Delhi or Mumbai | 0 |
It makes a compact version of the classic route. See our 10 Days Rajasthan Heritage tour for a ready-made plan.
Include the places that are famous for a reason and easy to reach: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Add one palace city, Udaipur or Jodhpur, for contrast. Add Varanasi if you want to see living ritual. Add Kerala for a different pace.
Skip, for now: long overnight trains for a single sight, a flight and a connection to see something you could reach by car, and shopping stops in every city. If you are curious about a place, say so early and we can see whether it fits. Do not try to fit Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur and Ranthambore into a week, and do not mix the far north and far south in under twelve days.
Road transfers in India are long. These are approximate, and each is best broken with a stop worth making.
| Leg | Distance | Time | Useful stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi to Agra | About 230 km | 3.5 to 4 hours | Comfort stop on the expressway |
| Agra to Jaipur | About 240 km | 5 to 6 hours | Fatehpur Sikri |
| Jaipur to Pushkar and Jodhpur | About 340 km | 5.5 to 6 hours with a Pushkar stop | Pushkar lake |
| Jodhpur to Udaipur | About 250 km | 5 to 6 hours | Ranakpur |
| Jaipur to Delhi | About 280 km | 5 to 6 hours | Comfort break |
For longer legs, a short flight can save a day. A private driver gives flexibility, and trains suit some routes if you book early.
Over two weeks, small frictions add up: finding the right driver at each city, choosing a hotel for each night, arranging a guide who speaks your language and who is good at their city. A single driver for the whole route and a local guide in each place remove most of them. You see more, and you spend less of the day working out the next step.
If your plans change, a private itinerary changes with you. Tell us your dates and what you most want to see, and we will send a private proposal. For a ready-made two-week journey, see our 14 Days Private India tour.
Choose the classic Golden Triangle plus Rajasthan if you love architecture, forts and palaces and want an easy, well-trodden route. Choose the north and south plan if you want contrast and a gentler second week. Choose the 7-day plan if time is short, and the 10-day plan if you can spare a few more days. If you cannot decide, tell us what you most want to see and when you can travel, and we will recommend one.
Seven days is enough for the Golden Triangle, ten days lets you add Rajasthan’s palace cities, and fourteen days lets you add a second region such as Varanasi or Kerala.
Yes, for two regions. It is not enough to see the whole country, and trying to will leave you tired.
The Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra and Jaipur) is the classic first route. Many travellers add Rajasthan or Kerala.
Trains suit some legs, but a private car with a driver is the most flexible and removes planning stress. We use cars for most routes and flights for the longest legs.
Yes, with a flight between them. Allow at least twelve to fourteen days.
Too many cities, too many transfers and no free time. Aim for fewer places, with more time in each.
October to March for most of the route. Check fog in December and January and heat from April.
Delhi, for the Golden Triangle and Rajasthan. Mumbai suits itineraries focused on the west coast, Goa or Maharashtra.
Book the first nights, the airport transfer and any flights, and keep the rest flexible. In the peak winter season, book the rest early too.
Trying to do too much. A slower plan with a free half-day each week is nearly always a better trip.
Related journeys: 7 Days Golden Triangle, 14 Days Private India Tour, 10 Days Rajasthan Heritage Tour.
Mirza Shadab Beg began as a local tour guide in Agra and founded Travelage in 2003. He has worked as a local handling agent for BTI Sita, HRG Sita, Kuoni Travel Business, Century Travel and Gilpin Travel. Travelage is rated 4.9 on Tripadvisor from 466 reviews, is registered with the Ministry of Tourism NIDHI database (ID EUP000616), and has been recognised by Les Clefs d’Or India. Facts such as timings and rules are checked before each update, and may change.
Tell us your days and interests. We will plan a route that fits, with a private car, a driver and guides.