5 Days: Delhi and the Golden Triangle
Five days keeps the full Agra-Jaipur-Fatehpur Sikri spine from the shorter versions and adds a genuine change of pace: a day out to Haridwar and Rishikesh for the Ganga aarti instead of another fort. Coming from the 4-day plan, this just adds Day 5. Want Amritsar too? See the 6-day and 7-day versions.
Book these before you go
- A private driver for the whole Golden Triangle loop plus Rishikesh: browse packages on GetYourGuide
- Skip-the-line Taj Mahal tickets and guide: check availability on Viator
- Hotels for your Jaipur nights: compare rates on Booking.com
| Day | Focus | Distance from Delhi | Train time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Agra: Taj Mahal + Agra Fort | ~230km | ~1h40min (Gatimaan Express) |
| 2 | Jaipur: Amber Fort, City Palace, Hawa Mahal | ~293km | ~3h37min (Vande Bharat) |
| 3 | Fatehpur Sikri + the rest of Agra | ~230km (Agra), 40km further | by car/private driver |
| 4 | Second Jaipur day: Nahargarh Fort, Jal Mahal, bazaars | ~293km | (already there) |
| 5 | Rishikesh and Haridwar: Ganga aarti, yoga | ~230-255km | ~3.5-5h by car (train ~7h, once daily) |
Day 1: Agra and the Taj Mahal
Morning
Catch the Gatimaan Express from Hazrat Nizamuddin at 8:10am and you’re in Agra by 9:50am, 1h40min covering the 230km. Foreigner Taj Mahal entry runs ₹1,100 plus ₹200 for mausoleum access, about ₹1,300 total, with a small ₹50 discount for booking ahead on the official ticketing site .
Afternoon
Agra Fort is a 10-minute auto ride away, foreigner entry ₹650. Buy the ₹500 combined foreign-visitor toll ticket here (see the ASI’s official site for current rules), it covers Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar’s Tomb and Itimad-ud-Daulah on the same day.
Evening
Return on the 17:50 Gatimaan, back into Delhi by 19:30.
Day 2: Jaipur, the pink city
Morning
The Vande Bharat Express covers the 293km to Jaipur in 3h37min for around ₹1,050, book through IRCTC ahead of the October-February peak. Stay the night, then start at Amber Fort (foreigner ₹1,000) without watching a return-train clock.
Afternoon
City Palace and Jantar Mantar sit inside the old walled city; the Jaipur Composite Ticket (~₹1,500 for foreigners) bundles both plus Amber Fort and the Albert Hall Museum. Hawa Mahal (foreigner ₹550) is a 10-minute walk from the Palace.
Evening
Check into a Jaipur hotel for the night.
Day 3: Fatehpur Sikri and the rest of Agra
Morning
Side trip toward Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar’s abandoned red-sandstone capital, foreigner entry ₹550, covered by your Day 1 toll ticket if you bought one.
Afternoon
Itimad-ud-Daulah (the “Baby Taj”) and Mehtab Bagh, the garden across the river with the best sunset Taj view, round out the Agra side of the loop.
Evening
Continue on toward Jaipur or Delhi depending on how you’ve sequenced the drive.
Day 4: A second day in Jaipur
Morning
Nahargarh Fort for the best view over Jaipur’s pink rooftops, a steep drive or hike above the city.
Afternoon
Jal Mahal (photo stop, the palace itself is closed to visitors), then the bazaars, Johari Bazaar for jewelry, Bapu Bazaar for textiles and jootis.
Evening
Overnight again, or start the transfer toward Rishikesh depending on your route back through Delhi.
Day 5: Rishikesh and Haridwar
Morning
This is the one leg where a private car earns its keep, the direct train runs just once daily and takes 7 hours; a car covers the 230-255km in 3.5-5 hours depending on traffic. Base in Haridwar or push straight on to Rishikesh.
Afternoon
Rishikesh itself: ashrams, yoga classes, and, if you want it, whitewater rafting on the Ganges. Haridwar and Rishikesh sit only 20km apart, a 45-90 minute hop either way.
Evening
Haridwar’s Har Ki Pauri Ganga aarti at dusk is the single best reason to make this detour, hundreds of oil lamps set on the river as priests chant, genuinely worth timing your day around.
Is the Rishikesh detour worth 2 travel days for one evening ceremony?
Yes, if a change of pace from forts and monuments is what you’re after. The aarti itself runs maybe 45 minutes, but the yoga, ashrams and rafting around it fill a full, genuinely different day from the rest of this trip. Skip it if your priority is squeezing in Amritsar instead, the 6-day plan does that trade.
Book the private car for Day 5 separately from your Agra-Jaipur driver if you used one, Rishikesh sits in a different direction and most Golden Triangle packages don’t include it by default.