Golden Triangle Cultural Tour

This iconic cultural tour of India’s Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur) is the perfect way to become acquainted with “Incredible India.”

How do you experience a country as massive as India? Especially great for first-time visitors, this immersive tour introduces you to the main attractions and hidden secrets behind the scenes. Our storytelling and cultural immersion enhance your experience and put this tour a class apart from just sightseeing. From walking tours to craft experiences to food tasting and spirituality, this is a holistic introduction to India.

• Golden Triangle tour of the highlights: Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur
• Beautiful homestays with families in Delhi and Agra
• A stay in a vibrant heritage hotel in Jaipur
• Walking tours focused on food, artisans, spirituality, and heritage
• Participate in hands-on workshops
• Emphasis on storytelling
• Participate in Indian festivals with the families (see Seasonal Notes)
• Optional: If you have more days, ask us for customization. We recommend adding Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, and several smaller towns in western India.

This tour is perfect when you have a limited number of days (7-10) to spare. On this private tour of the Golden Triangle, you will experience not only the main monuments but also those hidden secrets about the three cities that tell the entire story behind their history and current society.

For example, it is incomplete to see the Taj Mahal itself unless you do a storytelling tour of old Agra and visit the busy streets just the way locals do. You can choose from a range of activities within the ethos of sustainability and customize your tour of the Golden Triangle.

5 reasons why you should not miss this cultural trip to the Golden Triangle:

1. Storytelling makes your experience far more enriching than what typical tours and websites say about the Taj Mahal and other monuments on the tour.
2. In Delhi, delight your taste buds with delectable street food, stunning views of UNESCO World Heritage sites, and vibrant markets.
3. Your cultural understanding of India will be highly broadened, as you will participate in local festivities, see traditional handicrafts of marble inlay and embroidery, and stay at charming homestays. As India is a culturally diverse destination that attracts people from all over the world, you will also see traditions and practices from many different countries.
4. The block printing workshop in Jaipur uses the traditional technique of printing patterns on fabric using carved wooden blocks. This workshop connects you with the artist within you.
5. Our walking tours give you a pleasant introduction to spirituality in multicultural and religiously diverse India. See daily morning rituals at beautiful temples from a local´s perspective.

The best time to visit India is between September and mid-April. During this period, the weather is pleasant and comfortable. It is usually sunny and dry, with cooler temperatures in the north and more moderate temperatures in the south. Besides, India's important festivals, such as Diwali, Holi, and Dussehra, also take place during these months. Diwali is in November, and Holi is in March; exact dates vary every year.

Summers (May to August) can be scorching hot in Rajasthan. However, this season is great for the Himalayas and the North East.

This private tour happens on a date of your choice.

As an award-winning tour for our sustainable practices, we prioritize responsible tourism by limiting our visitor capacity to 500 per season and embracing the principles of slow travel. We are committed to supporting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, specifically numbers 1, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 15. By doing so, we aim to contribute to a sustainable future for both the environment and local communities

• Environmental Initiatives

This trip is designed to prioritize environmental sustainability and animal welfare. We are committed to adhering to strict standards that ensure no animal-harming tourism. Our focus is on conserving ecosystems and preserving biodiversity during this holiday. We also prioritize low-carbon impact activities and have avoided in-destination flights to minimize our carbon footprint.

In addition, we emphasize vegetarian and vegan restaurants to reduce the environmental impact of our food choices. We have taken measures to minimize waste, including avoiding single-use plastics and water bottles.

To trim our carbon footprint, all of our cars are in line with the latest emission standards. However, we always recommend taking trains whenever possible. If our guests choose to travel by car, we ensure that it is an eco-friendly option. We provide all our guests with reusable stainless steel bottles to reduce single-use plastics.

Our focus is on sustainable eating, and we encourage vegetarian meals as they have more options in India. However, non-vegetarian meals are also available. Our artisan visits ensure that guests only buy sustainable and Indian products, supporting local communities and businesses. Additionally, all of our raw materials for meals are sourced locally to promote sustainability and reduce our carbon footprint.

Our approach to tourism involves steering travelers away from popular tourist destinations and instead introducing them to lesser-known areas. By doing so, we promote tourism dispersal, which can help alleviate over-tourism. Additionally, we educate travelers on responsible behavior in the destination, in order to raise awareness and promote sustainable tourism practices.

• Sociocultural Initiatives

We offer a unique and authentic travel experience that connects travelers with the local community and culture. We prioritize meaningful engagement with locals and offer opportunities for travelers to stay overnight with them, providing an immersive experience and a deeper understanding of the local traditions and lifestyle. Besides, in the workshops we do, we engage local craftsmen and marginalized communities.

We are committed to being mindful of local health and natural resources, ensuring that our trips are conducted sustainably and with minimal impact on the environment. We train and employ local guides only, and take great care to hire staff and contractors without any religious, racial, or gender bias, ensuring an inclusive and non-discriminatory work environment.

Our experiences encourage interactions between guests and communities, while also educating both parties about each other's cultural aspects and promoting sensitivity. We offer small groups and private tours to ensure that we do not overwhelm the communities we visit and that each trip is conducted with respect and sustainability in mind.

This holiday goes beyond the typical tourist destinations and offers a deeper connection with the local community and culture.

Economic Initiatives

Your days in India will support local businesses and the local community as a whole, not just a few businesses. With this trip, we provide local employment and fair wages as well as good and safe working conditions.

Our travel company is committed to supporting local communities. One of the ways we achieve this is by training and employing local guides exclusively. This not only helps support the local economy but also ensures that guests have an authentic and insightful travel experience.

In addition, we engage local craftsmen and marginalized communities in workshops that we offer to our guests. This not only provides an opportunity for guests to learn new skills and crafts but also helps support local artisans and makes their traditional crafts visible.

We are proud to have a fair-wage policy that sets higher pay compared to the government guidelines. This ensures that our staff is well-compensated for their hard work and that they can support themselves and their families.

Our employment policy is also gender-neutral and based solely on a person's skill set. This ensures that all individuals, regardless of their gender, have an equal opportunity to be employed and contribute to the local community.

The workshops and conservation centers that we visit on our tours have an agreed payment policy with us, ensuring that everyone involved is fairly compensated for their work.

By purchasing goods directly from local artisans, you can be sure that any income generated goes directly to the grassroots community, helping support local businesses and families. We believe that supporting local communities in this way not only benefits them but also enriches the travel experience for our guests.

All the sustainable practices this trip implements have made it an award-winning one.

Be sure you have traveler's insurance.