Golden Triangle India: 6-Day Itinerary, Real Costs and What Gets Cut

The Golden Triangle India itinerary covers Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur in a loop of roughly 720 km. It needs 6 days: 2 full days in Delhi, transit to Agra on day 3 with Agra Fort in the afternoon, a Taj Mahal sunrise on day 4 before driving to Jaipur, then 2 full days in Jaipur. Four days shows you the monuments. Six days shows you the cities.

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At a Glance: Duration vs. What You Actually See

Duration	What fits	What gets cut	Budget per person (INR / USD, twin-share)
4 days	Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Amber Fort, 1 Delhi site	Old Delhi walk, Hauz Khas, Fatehpur Sikri, all Jaipur beyond Amber	18,000-35,000 / $215-415
6 days	All above + Mehtab Bagh, Hauz Khas, Itimad-ud-Daulah, Fatehpur Sikri, Nahargarh sunset	Extended Jaipur side trips	25,000-80,000 / $295-950
7+ days	Full circuit + Mathura or Samode overnight	Nothing significant	35,000-1,50,000+ / $415-1,785+

Prices above are for October through March. December, January, and Diwali week run 30-50% higher.

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What the Golden Triangle Actually Is

Pull up the route on a map and the name makes sense immediately. Delhi sits at the top. Agra is roughly 230 km southeast. Jaipur sits about 240 km southwest of Agra and 280 km from Delhi: three cities, three legs, one rough equilateral triangle across the dust plains of north India.

The label is a 1970s India Tourism invention. Three cities already drawing international visitors were bundled into a single marketable package. It was packaging, not archaeology. The packaging stuck.

What it captured was real. Delhi is the Mughal capital: sultanate ruins underneath, colonial city draped on top. Agra is the Mughal apex: Shah Jahan's Taj, Akbar's abandoned capital at Fatehpur Sikri, and the fort where Aurangzeb imprisoned his father with a direct view of the Taj across the river. Jaipur is the Rajput counterweight: a Kachwaha princely seat that traded with the Mughals but kept its own identity. Half of India's 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites that a first-time foreign visitor typically sees sit on this single loop.

What the packaging missed: the bazaars, the food lanes, the craft traditions, the neighborhoods where people actually live. Those never made the brochure. Most travellers still buy the brochure.

Solo female note: The Triangle is among the most visited circuits in India, which means better tourist infrastructure, more English spoken, more women-friendly guesthouses, and a tourist police presence at major monuments that is largely absent in less-visited regions.

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How Many Days Does the Golden Triangle India Itinerary Need?

Three honest answers.

4 days is what the brochure sells. It is a transit verdict, not an experience. You see the Taj, Agra Fort, Amber Fort, and maybe Humayun's Tomb. Old Delhi food walks get cut. The Taj sunrise becomes Taj-at-9-AM after you fight traffic from your hotel. Jaipur shrinks to Amber Fort and a market dash before the car pulls back onto the expressway. You text people that "India is intense" and never explain why.

6 days is the honest minimum. One full day per city beyond transit days, with room for one neighborhood walk and one non-monument experience per stop. The pace is brisk but never punishing. This is the plan this guide follows.

7+ days is optimal. The extra day turns Fatehpur Sikri from a fuel stop into a proper visit, and opens Mathura from Agra or a Samode overnight from Jaipur.

The verdict: if you have six days, give the Triangle six. If you have four days, read the section on when the Triangle is not the right trip. If you have ten or more, you need a different guide.

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The 6-Day Golden Triangle Itinerary

Every day below names one thing the standard 4-day version cuts. None of the days assume a group tour.

Day 1: Delhi, Old City and the Garden Tombs

Land, drop bags, head into Old Delhi. Lal Qila (the Red Fort) until late afternoon. Then walk into Chandni Chowk before the heat drops. Gali Paranthe Wali is the shortlist: flatbreads frying in pure ghee in this lane since the 1870s. Forty minutes, ₹200-400 ($2.50-5), a queue of locals that is self-verifying.

End the day at Humayun's Tomb at golden hour. Built between 1565 and 1572, it is the architectural rehearsal for everything that followed, including the Taj. Entry: ₹40 for Indians ($0.50), ₹600 for foreigners ($7.15). The light at 5 PM, the empty lawns, the Mughal blueprint visible from every angle: this is the right way to start. Most 4-day itineraries skip Humayun's Tomb in favour of Qutub Minar. That is the wrong call.

Solo female note, Day 1: Old Delhi is crowded and high-energy. Keep your bag in front of you in Chandni Chowk. Paranthe Wali Gali is family-run and safe; the wider bazaar around it is where to stay alert. Humayun's Tomb complex at golden hour is calm and nearly empty. An ideal first evening for solo travellers.

Day 2: Delhi, Lodhi, Hauz Khas, Mehrauli

The day Delhi stops being a list of monuments and starts being a city. Begin at Lodhi Garden: free, open from sunrise, fifteenth-century Sayyid and Lodi tombs scattered through a park where Delhi residents walk dogs and run laps. Tour groups do not come here.

Lunch around Khan Market. Hauz Khas Village in the afternoon: Alauddin Khilji's thirteenth-century reservoir, the madrasa ruins, the sunset bench above the water. Free entry. Cafes and boutiques wrap the village outside the ruins.

Finish at Mehrauli Archaeological Park if you have the stamina, or head back. Three centuries of Delhi, less than ₹100 ($1.20) in entry fees all day.

Solo female note, Day 2: Hauz Khas Village is one of the safer parts of Delhi for solo women in the afternoon. The cafe strip around the ruins is well-lit and staffed. Avoid the park after dark.

Day 3: Delhi to Agra, and the Taj View Nobody Mentions

Gatimaan Express (train 12050): Hazrat Nizamuddin at 8:10 AM, Agra Cantonment at 9:50 AM. One hour forty minutes. AC chair car: ₹750-1,500 ($9-18). Hotel check-in by 11 AM.

Agra Fort fills the cooler afternoon: Shah Jahan's marble pavilions, the cell where Aurangzeb imprisoned his father with an unobstructed line of sight to the Taj across the river, audience halls built for Mughal politics. Two hours minimum. Entry: ₹50 for Indians ($0.60), ₹650 for foreigners ($7.75).

Then the move most guides skip. Cross the Yamuna in late afternoon. Head to Mehtab Bagh: the Mughal garden directly across the river from the Taj. The Taj's own official site lists it as the ADA-developed panoramic viewpoint. At sunset the marble turns peach and the river catches it back. The crowd is around fifty people versus ten thousand inside the Taj complex at sunrise tomorrow. Entry: ₹30 for Indians ($0.35), ₹300 for foreigners ($3.60).

Solo female note, Day 3: Mehtab Bagh in the late afternoon is fenced, staffed, and quiet. Use the prepaid taxi counter at Agra Cantonment station for all in-city rides; it gives fixed rates and avoids the autorickshaw surge pricing around the Taj parking lots.

Day 4: Agra to Jaipur via Fatehpur Sikri

Taj Mahal at sunrise. Gates open thirty minutes before first light. Book the ASI timed entry slot online the evening before. Entry: ₹50 for Indians ($0.60), ₹1,100-1,300 for foreigners ($13-15.50) with the mausoleum surcharge. Bring socks; the marble is cold and shoe covers are mandatory.

Back at the hotel by 9 AM. Then the second monument most rushed itineraries cut: Itimad-ud-Daulah, the "Baby Taj." Empress Nur Jahan built it between 1622 and 1628 for her father, a decade before Shah Jahan built the Taj. The pietra dura inlay is finer in places. The courtyard is nearly empty. Entry: ₹10 for Indians ($0.12), ₹210 for foreigners ($2.50).

Late breakfast, check out, car to Jaipur via Fatehpur Sikri. Roughly 240 km, 4-5 hours with the stop. Fatehpur Sikri: Akbar's utopian capital, built 1571, abandoned fourteen years later when the water ran out. UNESCO listed. Entry: ₹50 for Indians ($0.60), ₹610 for foreigners ($7.25). Two hours minimum. Reach Jaipur by evening.

Solo female note, Day 4: Book the Agra-to-Jaipur car through your hotel or a registered operator, confirm the driver's name and plate before departure, and share your itinerary with a contact. The Taj at pre-dawn opening has large crowds and good security.

Day 5: Jaipur, Amber Fort and the Pink City Bazaars

Amber Fort at sunrise: non-negotiable. Tour buses arrive at 9 AM. By 10 AM the Sheesh Mahal mirror palace is wall-to-wall. At 7 AM you have it nearly to yourself. Entry: ₹100 for Indians ($1.20), ₹600 for foreigners ($7.15).

Walk up rather than take an elephant. The rides resumed in September 2025 at ₹1,500 ($18). The walk is shorter, the view is better, and you avoid a question about animal welfare you would rather not have with yourself.

Late breakfast in town. Then the Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing near Amber: inside a sixteenth-century UNESCO award-winning haveli, open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:30 AM. Entry around ₹100 ($1.20). Forty-five minutes here changes every bazaar visit that follows from "pretty fabric" into legible craft history.

Bapu Bazaar in the late afternoon: block-printed cottons, mojaris, lac bangles. You will spend more than you planned.

Solo female note, Day 5: The Anokhi Museum and Bapu Bazaar are among Jaipur's more reliably safe spaces for solo women. In the bazaar, agree prices before any rickshaw ride and use the Ola or Uber app wherever the connection holds.

Day 6: Jaipur, City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Nahargarh Sunset

City Palace in the morning: the still-residential Maharaja's complex, the textile museum, the giant silver urns made to carry Ganga water to England for Edward VII's coronation. Entry from ₹100 for Indians to ₹700+ for foreigners depending on which sections you include.

Walk next door to Jantar Mantar: eighteenth-century astronomical instruments that look like sculpture and worked as precision science. UNESCO listed. A guide who can explain why each instrument has a different form is worth the ₹500 ($6).

Lunch near Hawa Mahal. Late afternoon: drive to Nahargarh Fort. Entry: ₹50 for Indians ($0.60), ₹200 for foreigners ($2.40). Walk the ramparts. Find the Madhavendra Palace sculpture park if it is open. Then wait.

Sunset over Jaipur from these walls is the closer of the trip. The Pink City glows pink for the first time in a way that actually earns the name. The 4-day version skips this entirely. Their car is already on the expressway back to Delhi.

Solo female note, Day 6: Nahargarh Fort at sunset is popular with local couples and young groups: busy enough to feel safe, scenic enough to be worth the trip. Take an app cab up; do not walk the road down after dark.

Optional Day 7: Side Trips Worth the Extra Time

From Agra: Mathura and Vrindavan, 50 km north. Krishna's birthplace, vegetarian thalis that will rearrange your expectations.

From Jaipur: Samode (45 km) is a painted haveli you can sleep inside. Bhangarh Fort (85 km) is the ruin where the Archaeological Survey of India bans entry after sunset.

Or spend the extra day at Fatehpur Sikri properly instead of ninety minutes in transit.

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Transport Between Cities: Train, Car, or Bus

The instinct to hire a single car for the entire loop is the most common mistake on this circuit. Each of the three legs has a different right answer.

Leg	Best option	Why	Cost (INR / USD)	Duration
Delhi to Agra	Train: Gatimaan Express or Vande Bharat	Faster than road once Delhi traffic is counted; safer in winter fog	₹750-1,500 / $9-18	1h 40min
Agra to Jaipur	Private car	No train stops at Fatehpur Sikri; rail connections are slow	₹4,000-7,500 / $48-89	4-5h incl. Fatehpur Sikri stop
Jaipur to Delhi	Train: AC Double Decker or Vande Bharat	20+ trains daily; driving takes 5+ hours through NCR traffic	₹600-1,200 / $7-14	~4h

Delhi to Agra: Gatimaan Express (12050) departs Hazrat Nizamuddin at 8:10 AM and reaches Agra Cantonment at 9:50 AM. The Yamuna Expressway by car is 165 km and takes three to three-and-a-half hours in theory, longer in practice once Delhi absorbs your morning. A 13-vehicle pileup hit the expressway in December 2025. Take the train. Hire a car only if you plan to stop in Mathura.

Agra to Jaipur: A sedan runs ₹4,000-6,000 ($48-71). An SUV with a Fatehpur Sikri stop costs ₹5,000-7,500 ($60-89). RSRTC Volvo AC buses exist for ₹500-800 ($6-10) but bypass Fatehpur Sikri and add an hour to the journey.

Jaipur to Delhi: AC Double Decker Express (12985) departs Jaipur at 5:45 AM and reaches Delhi Sarai Rohilla at 10:25 AM. Chair car: ₹600-1,200 ($7-14). Vande Bharat also runs this route. Timing is flexible with 20+ daily connections. Driving takes five-plus hours through NCR traffic and saves nothing.

In-city: Uber and Ola work reliably in Delhi and Jaipur. In Agra, use the prepaid taxi counter at Cantonment station; surge pricing around the Taj parking lots makes app-based ride-hailing unreliable and expensive. Autorickshaw scams in Agra follow a predictable script: confirm the destination, agree the price before you board, pay only on arrival.

Solo female transport note: For overnight train journeys, book 3AC (three-tier AC) or higher. Avoid unreserved carriages after dark. In all three cities, screen-sharing your cab details with a contact is a low-effort safety step that costs thirty seconds.

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Real Costs in INR and USD

All figures are per person, twin-sharing, for the 6-day version. International flights not included.

Category	Budget	Mid-range	Splurge
Total (INR)	25,000-35,000	55,000-80,000	1,50,000+
Total (USD)	$295-415	$655-950	$1,785+
Accommodation	Hostel dorm or 3-star guesthouse	Heritage boutique or 4-star	Palace hotel
Transport	AC trains + shared autos	AC trains + private car Agra-Jaipur	Private car throughout
Meals	Street food, dhabas	Mix of street and sit-down	Fine dining

Monument entry fees

Monument	Indian (INR / USD)	Foreign (INR / USD)
Taj Mahal	₹50 / $0.60	₹1,100-1,300 / $13-15.50
Agra Fort	₹50 / $0.60	₹650 / $7.75
Itimad-ud-Daulah	₹10 / $0.12	₹210 / $2.50
Mehtab Bagh	₹30 / $0.35	₹300 / $3.60
Fatehpur Sikri	₹50 / $0.60	₹610 / $7.25
Humayun's Tomb	₹40 / $0.50	₹600 / $7.15
Amber Fort	₹100 / $1.20	₹600 / $7.15
Jantar Mantar	₹50 / $0.60	₹200 / $2.40
Nahargarh Fort	₹50 / $0.60	₹200 / $2.40

Budget an extra ₹2,000-3,000 ($24-36) per person for shoe covers at the Taj (₹20-40), video-camera permits (~₹25 at most ASI sites), and guide tips (₹200-500 per monument).

Where to stay

Budget: Backpacker hostels in Karol Bagh (Delhi), guesthouses near Taj East Gate (Agra), hostels in Civil Lines (Jaipur).

Mid-range: Haveli Dharampura in Old Delhi (restored Mughal-era courtyard, walking distance from Chandni Chowk), Coral Tree or similar near Agra's Taj East Gate, Samode Haveli in Jaipur.

Splurge: The Imperial, New Delhi (₹25,000-40,000 / $300-475 per night). Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra, with uninterrupted Taj views from every room (₹30,000-50,000 / $360-595). Rambagh Palace, Jaipur (₹35,000-60,000 / $415-715). One night at Amarvilas or Rambagh inside an otherwise mid-range trip turns a good holiday into a reference point.

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When the Golden Triangle Is Not the Right Trip

If you have 10+ days: Do Rajasthan properly. Delhi to Jaipur to Pushkar to Udaipur to Jodhpur to Jaisalmer is a different scale of trip. The Triangle is a tasting menu; Rajasthan is the meal: desert forts, lake palaces, blue-painted alleys, the Thar at dusk. Skip the Agra leg and head west from Jaipur.

If you have been to India before: Add Varanasi. An overnight train from Delhi takes around 12 hours; a flight takes 90 minutes at ₹4,000-8,000 ($48-95). Two days on the Ganga: dawn boat rides, evening aarti at Dashashwamedh, Manikarnika ghat in daylight. Fly back from Varanasi. Eight or nine days total, and it is a substantially stronger trip than the Triangle alone.

If you only have 4 days: Skip Jaipur, not Agra. No operator will tell you this because Jaipur is the most profitable third of the package. Two full days in Delhi and one Agra overnight is a real trip. Jaipur in eight hours is a rushed photograph of a city that deserves three days. A bad first impression of Jaipur is worse than saving it for a return visit.

If you are travelling with children: The Triangle works well for ages 8 and up. The heat from April to June and the distances between sites are hard on younger children. Build in longer breaks and limit monument entries to two per day.

Solo female note: Jaipur has a higher density of women-owned guesthouses and women-friendly tour operators than most north Indian cities. If your schedule forces a choice, Delhi plus Agra gives a stronger foundation than a rushed Triangle that sacrifices depth for coverage.

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Best Time to Visit the Golden Triangle India

Period	Conditions	Verdict
February	15-25°C, low humidity, clean air across all three cities	Best single month
Late October	20-30°C, post-monsoon greenery, rising tourist numbers	Excellent
November	Cooler and popular, but Delhi AQI begins rising	Good with caveats
December-January	10-20°C, scenic, but Delhi AQI regularly above 400	Cold and pretty; respiratory risk
April-June	38-45°C; Jaipur hit 42°C in late May 2025	Avoid
July-September	Monsoon, high humidity, Yamuna Expressway flood risk	Avoid
Diwali week (Oct-Nov)	All prices 30-50% higher, crowds at peak	Budget for it or plan around it

Delhi recorded zero "Good" AQI days in all of 2025. One reading in January 2026 hit 455 (Severe category). If respiratory health is a concern, late October and February are the two reliable clean windows. February is the stronger of the two.

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5 Places Every Golden Triangle Tour Cuts (And Shouldn't)

1. Mehtab Bagh, Agra

The Mughal garden directly across the Yamuna from the Taj. The Taj's own official site lists it as the ADA-developed panoramic viewpoint. At sunset the marble turns peach and the river catches it back. Around fifty visitors versus ten thousand inside the Taj complex at sunrise. Entry: ₹30 for Indians ($0.35), ₹300 for foreigners ($3.60). The view nobody photographs because they are at the wrong gate.

2. Hauz Khas Village, Delhi

Alauddin Khilji's thirteenth-century reservoir wrapped in madrasa ruins and Firoz Shah Tughlaq's tomb. Free entry. A neighborhood of cafes and galleries built around medieval bones. The sunset bench above the water is where Delhi residents go when they need a reminder that they live in a city older than most countries.

3. Itimad-ud-Daulah, Agra

The "Baby Taj." Nur Jahan built it between 1622 and 1628 for her father, a decade before Shah Jahan built the Taj. The pietra dura inlay is finer in places; the courtyard is almost empty most days. Entry: ₹10 for Indians ($0.12), ₹210 for foreigners ($2.50). Comparable craftsmanship to the Taj at a fraction of the ticket price.

4. Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing, Jaipur

Inside a sixteenth-century haveli near Amber Fort that won a UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage award. Working artisans demonstrate the block printing that built Jaipur's textile economy. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:30 AM. Entry around ₹100 ($1.20). Forty-five minutes here changes every bazaar visit from "pretty fabric" into legible craft history.

5. Gali Paranthe Wali, Chandni Chowk

The Old Delhi lane where the oldest shops have been frying flatbreads in pure ghee since the 1870s. Forty-five minutes, ₹200-400 ($2.50-5), and a queue of locals that has been there for 140 years.

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FAQ: Golden Triangle India Itinerary

How many days do I need for the Golden Triangle India?

Six days is the honest minimum for a trip that covers all three cities without cutting corners. Four days is enough to see the headline monuments: Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Amber Fort, and one or two Delhi sites. Four days does not give you the cities, only their parking lots. Seven days is optimal if the schedule allows.

What is the best time to visit the Golden Triangle India?

February is the best single month: 15-25°C, low humidity, and clean air across all three cities. Late October is the second-best window. Avoid November through January if air quality is a concern; Delhi recorded zero Good AQI days in all of 2025, with a January 2026 reading of 455 (Severe). Avoid April through June for extreme heat.

How do I get from Delhi to Agra?

Take Gatimaan Express (train 12050) from Hazrat Nizamuddin at 8:10 AM, arriving Agra Cantonment at 9:50 AM: one hour forty minutes. AC chair car costs ₹750-1,500 ($9-18). Vande Bharat is the alternative if the timing works better. Driving takes three to three-and-a-half hours and is slower in practice once Delhi traffic is factored in.

How do I get from Agra to Jaipur?

By private car. This is the one leg where road beats rail, because no train stops at Fatehpur Sikri, which sits directly on the route. A sedan costs ₹4,000-6,000 ($48-71). An SUV with the Fatehpur Sikri stop costs ₹5,000-7,500 ($60-89). RSRTC Volvo buses run for ₹500-800 ($6-10) but bypass Fatehpur Sikri.

How much does the Golden Triangle India trip cost?

Budget travellers can complete the 6-day circuit for ₹25,000-35,000 ($295-415) per person, twin-sharing. Mid-range is ₹55,000-80,000 ($655-950). Heritage palace accommodation pushes the total to ₹1,50,000+ ($1,785+). Monument entry fees alone add ₹1,500-5,000 ($18-60) depending on whether you hold an Indian or foreign passport.

Is the Golden Triangle India safe for solo female travellers?

Yes, with standard urban precautions. The circuit is among the most visited in India: tourist police are present at major monuments, English is widely spoken, and infrastructure for independent travellers is solid. Agra requires the most alertness: use the prepaid taxi counter at Cantonment station, avoid unmetered autorickshaws, and be firm with touts outside the Taj gates. Delhi and Jaipur are more straightforwardly navigable for solo women.

Is a guide worth it on the Golden Triangle?

For Agra Fort and Jaipur's City Palace, yes: both sites have layered history that a licensed guide turns from architecture into story. The Taj Mahal is legible without one (the audio tour from the ticket counter is adequate). Amber Fort with a guide is noticeably richer than without. Budget ₹500-1,500 ($6-18) per monument for a guide booked through your hotel.

What is the entrance fee for the Taj Mahal for foreigners?

₹1,100-1,300 (~$13-15.50), depending on whether you pay the mausoleum inner-chamber surcharge separately. Indian nationals pay ₹50 ($0.60). Book the timed entry slot online via the ASI portal the evening before; sunrise slots sell out.

Can I do the Golden Triangle India without a tour operator?

Yes, and it is straightforward. Book trains on the IRCTC website or app; foreigners can use the tourist quota counter at New Delhi railway station if the app proves difficult. Book monuments online via the ASI portal for timed entry. Use Uber or Ola in-city. The only leg requiring pre-arrangement is Agra to Jaipur by car; your hotel can organise a registered driver.

What should I pack for the Golden Triangle India?

Socks (mandatory at the Taj Mahal; marble is cold and shoe covers go over them). Light layers for the December-January temperature swing. Sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat for every other month. Loose, non-transparent clothing that covers shoulders and knees for all monument sites. A scarf that doubles as a head covering for the mosques inside forts. Cash in INR for entry fees, tips, and bazaar shopping: card machines at smaller monuments are unreliable.

Is Fatehpur Sikri worth visiting?

Yes. Akbar's abandoned capital built in 1571 is one of the best-preserved Mughal complexes in India and sits directly on the Agra-to-Jaipur road. A rushed visit is ninety minutes; done properly, it is three hours. The standard 4-day tour cuts it entirely. The 6-day version keeps it as a transit stop on Day 4.

What are the visa requirements for visiting the Golden Triangle India?

Most foreign nationals can enter India on an e-Visa applied for through India's official immigration portal. Processing typically takes 72-96 hours. The e-Tourist Visa covers 30 or 90 days depending on nationality. Check current requirements for your specific passport before applying; visa categories and eligibility update periodically.

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The brochure sells four days of highway and headline monuments and calls it India. Six days is what the Delhi-Agra-Jaipur circuit actually needs to make sense: three chapters of north Indian history, six-plus UNESCO sites, 720 km of road, and three cities asking you to slow down.