India IS incredible. Home of numerous civilizations, hugely diverse – culturally, ethnically, and naturally, it should have been a tourism Mecca. Yet, travel to India is not for faint-hearted. You need to see beyond its raw and sometimes unpolished front to discover real gems. For us, it was one of the most intense and breathtaking journeys. It took me a while to write a trip report, but it is here now.
Planning and getting there.
The good news is due to India’s fast-developing economy and mobile population; it is easy to get to and get around. The bad news is India’s still not a destination for mass tourism. The country’s incoming services cater mostly to business visitors, while tourists have to choose between a limited number of organized group tours or making their arrangements. Still, in the era of the internet and Tripadvisors, it is easy to find a reputable and versatile local agent who will be happy to organize your custom trip.
India is one of the farthest destinations from the USA; therefore an only a limited number of airlines have a direct service there. There are, however, plenty of one-stop options connecting either in Europe, Asia, or the Middle East. Traveling that far justifies business class, and while cash fares are astronomical, airline point requirements are reasonable. After an intense search, I ended with booking outbound Qatar Airways New York to New Delhi via Doha for 80K American Airlines miles and a return on Air India from Mumbai directly to Newark for 85K United miles.
For the first visit to India, I choose the standard Golden Triangle route, i.e., Delhi – Jaipur – Agra, plus the real city of lights – Varanasi and a day stopover in Mumbai on the return leg. At the time of this trip, the Club Carlson hotel chain had a fantastic rule that allowed us to book two award nights for the price of one. Radisson hotels are widely represented in India, so finding accommodation and booking it on points was a no-brainer. Unfortunately, that terrific policy is no longer available.
Having flights and hotels booked, I contacted few local agents for a quote, and after back and forth, made a deal with one that suited me best. A driver would meet us at New Delhi airport in a private SUV and transport along the Golden Triangle route. Upon return to Delhi from Agra, we would fly to Varanasi, where another host would take care of us. From Varanasi, we would take an early flight to Mumbai and spend a whole day there since the plane to Newark would depart late at night. Finally, just for a complete experience, I decided to take a train from Delhi to Jaipur. The leg takes 6 hours so I thought a train would be a more comfortable option than a car. The agent booked a train ride for us, and the driver followed on a car to Jaipur.
Flying on Qatar Airways in business class was awesome – that was even before they upgraded its fleet to QSuites. After a fantastic time in the sky, we landed in New Delhi international airport and faced reality.
Upon arrival, we encountered two unpleasant surprises. A driver that was supposed to meet us at the airport was no show. Also, India was amid a chaotic currency reform. Half of the ATMs were not functioning, and those that worked ran out of cash quickly. We saw huge lines to ATM’s and banks. Here we are – at New Delhi airport arrival hall, close to midnight, with no transfer, no local currency, and no idea how to get to a hotel. Thankfully, somehow, my phone worked, and I was able to reach our tour agent. It turned out it was some confusion when and where we should arrive (even though we double confirmed everything via emails in advance). Anyways, after many apologies, the agent suggested the best way out of this situation would be taking a cab at an airport transfer desk. We did exactly that. A clerk at the desk quickly arranged a taxi and accepted a prepayment on a credit card. A few minutes later, we were in a car on our way to a hotel. I need to say that the next day the agent visited us in a hotel, personally apologized and compensated for the cab ride expense. It was the only mishap we had for the whole trip.
Day 1 New Delhi
Radisson Blu Marina was a decent quality western style hotel located in the attractive old colonial-style building at New Delhi’s Connaught Circle. However, we quickly realized that a hotel location in India cities does not mean much since you would not probably venture outside on your own anyways. Each morning we met our driver and a guide outside a lobby, went on a program fully supervised, at the end returned to our place and called it a day. On the first morning, we met our driver, Kalash, who escorted us during the whole trip. Unlike the driver each day, we had a different guide.
Our New Delhi discovery started at India Gate – the capital most monumental landmark that commemorates national war heroes.
It is located on Rajpath, where India’s parliament and government buildings stay and remind the National mall in Washington DC.
Then was Safdarjung Tomb – a mausoleum of a late Mughal Emperor built-in 1754 in sandstone and marble.
The complex was well preserved and looked astonishing.
The next must-see monument in New Delhi was Qutub Minar.
The uniqueness of this minaret was that it originated in 12-13th centuries under Mamluk rule and is a beautiful piece of an early Muslim art with little analogy elsewhere in India and the world. Unlike the Safdarjung Tomb that is visited mostly by tourists, Qutub Minar features a mosque and a madrasa and is always vibrant and crowded.
The continuation of our tour was a leap in a history timeline with a stop at Red Fort.
Built by another Mughal Emperor in 1643 in red brick, this massive fortress later became the symbol of India’s independence era. From here, a prime minister addresses the nation every year on Independence Day (15 August). The fort is not always open to the public – the day of our visit was not that lucky day, so we could only see it from outside. Then we explored the marvelous Lotus temple.
The impressive modern building and surrounding grounds were dedicated in 1986. It is Bahá’í faith House of Worship but opens to all, regardless of religion or any other qualification. We took off our shoes and joined a line of visitors to get inside the temple and listen to a short narrative by a staff. Then we walked around beautiful grounds. If you have been to Israel’s Haifa, you can compare this with Bahai’s garden there.
That was all for our first day in New Delhi. The time was late afternoon. The guide offered us a place for lunch or an early dinner, but a jet lag kicked in, and we felt like resting. We returned to the hotel, had an OK meal at a restaurant on-premises, and then relaxed till the end of the day.
Day 2 Old Delhi and a train to Jaipur.
Names New and Old for Delhi are somewhat misleading. Old does not mean it is an ancient historical, and New is a modern part of India’s capital. When the British came in the 19th century and established the quarters here, they called the area New Delhi. In reality, those are just two parts of the same city. The parts, however, have their differences. While most of the official functions and businesses are concentrated in the “New” town, the “Old” somehow feels like one big bazaar.
Old Delhi hosts two essential landmarks – Jama Masjid, one of the country’s largest mosques, and Raj Ghat – a memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, the father of independent India.
In the morning, Kelash and a guide were waiting for us at the hotel lobby. First, we headed to Jama Masjid.
The complex was built in the 17th century, along with the Red Fort that was located nearby. We spent quite some time exploring these enormous grounds. Have to mention – all barefoot since shoes are not allowed in Muslim temples. If you don’t feel like walking around shoeless – bring disposable socks. Often you get them in amenity kits on airplanes. As far as we understand the Quran, socks are not shoes, and wearing them is appropriate.
Jama Masjid was impressive, monumental, and spiritual. After the visit, we reunited with our shoes and stepped into the Old city. The mosque ended, and the bazaar started.
We had an exciting walk along countless lines with all kind of shops and vendor stands mixed with people, cows, and monkeys.
Most impressive was a spice area with all imaginable and unimaginable kinds of condiments mixing into one impossible aroma.
Be careful going there if you are sensitive to strong smells, if not – do go there!
Few words about cows and monkeys. In India, these creatures are everywhere.
Watch out for monkeys as they might snatch your shiny belongings in an instant and have pity for cows. They are “holy” (so forget about beef for the whole duration of your stay), but “holy” in reality means an owner discards a poor animal when it stops producing milk.
Old ugly thin cows are roaming freely in villages, city’ streets, and highways at the mercy of strangers that might give them something to eat until meeting a sad ultimate demise.
The fun way to explore Old Delhi is hiring a rickshaw.
In New Delhi and other Indian cities, they are motorized, but here it’s original bikes. Tuk-tuks – moto or pedal are the natural mean of transportation in urban centers since narrow streets, poor road conditions, overpopulation, and total lack of any traffic discipline what’s o ever makes other options – like taxi’s practically useless.
We took a rickshaw from the midst of a bazaar to a place outside where Kalash’s car was waiting for us and headed to our final stop in Delhi – Raj Ghat. Created initially as a memorial for the modern India founder – Mahatma Gandhi, it later became a place to commemorate other prominent Indian politicians. Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv – both prime-ministers, both assassinated, have memorials here as well as dozen other dignitaries.
The place, however, is not a cemetery. According to Hindu tradition, a corpse is cremated, and ashes are spread around the Ganges River (see later in Varanasi chapter). Ordinary Indians leave this world without a trace, but for the most prominent, the memorials are created – a place to remember, reflect, and pay a tribute. A distinguished artist created each monument, has a lot of symbols, and usually takes years to build. Our visit to the place was emotionally moving, pensive. Its tranquility was a sharp contrast to an overwhelming bazaar experience earlier that morning.
After Raj Ghat, it was time to leave Delhi. We headed to a train station to board a train to Jaipur. Kelash was following us in a car. If you are looking for a raw exotic – Delhi train station is the place to experience it. After a hectic security check at the entrance gate, we were able to make it to a platform. It was almost an hour before the train departure, but all carriages in the cheapest class were already packed with passengers.
Those carriages were not air-conditioned and did not even have glass windows – only open holes with protecting bars. It would be not a very comfortable ride for those folks I supposed. We booked a private compartment in the First class. Out carriage was air-conditioned and had glass windows but was closed for boarding, so we had to wait outside for some time. Finally the door open and we boarded. The rest of the travel was not stressful. The carriage was old, but our private cabin was reasonably clean and roomy. Fresh linens were provided, and later on a trip, a waiter from a restaurant car walked along and offered food. The toilet, however, was still exotic – one at the end of the carriage, basically a hole in a floor, a mug on a chain and bucket with water that you were supposed to use to clean after yourself upon this “facility” use. Never mind, the train ran almost on schedule. In the evening after a 5-hour ride, we arrived at Jaipur station. Kelash was not there yet, but our agent in Delhi arranged a local driver to meet us at a platform and drive to a hotel. Another intense but exciting day was over. Jaipur was next.
Day 3. Jaipur
Radisson Blue Jaipur was brand new and swanky but located far from a historical center in a business district. This hotel, however, was probably the best on our trip. Jaipur is the capital of a very own Rajasthan state that translates “The Royal.” Back in time, it was a separate kingdom that managed to survive Mughal invasions and British rule. Under the republic, the maharaja lost his political power but kept his title, a Palace, and a hundred servants. He also could save his money but had to keep them in the national bank. It’s still good to be a maharaja! As a side deal, he lets visitors see a part of his private apartments (for a quite steep extra admission fee). We would visit the royal palace later but started the day exploring the fantastic Amber Fort.
This well preserved 17th-century palace and a fort was built from sandstone and marble and are exceptionally beautiful in the morning hours.
That means all the tours of the city start there and the place is crowded at the beginning of the day.
Here is also another tourist trap – an elephant ride to the top of the hill where the palace entrance is. Elephants in India are much luckier than cows. They are fed and appropriately kept. They work only until noon and then call it a day. For the first time being, we wanted to try a ride and joined the queue. Fortunately, it was off-season, and the wait was not long. It was just OK experience, and we would not miss much if we skipped it. During a ride, a photographer snapped a picture of us on an elephant. The quality was so-so, but we bought it – it was a cute, funny memory after all.
We dismantled the elephant, entered the palace, and spent a couple of hours exploring its endless courtyards, lavish rooms, and gardens. Don’t miss the mirror room.
We noted a smart harem design – no woman could see another woman’s house entrance from her place. A guaranteed discretion meant no unnecessary squabble among a maharaja’s wives.
In the early afternoon, the elephants retired, and the crowd receded. It was probably the smartest time to visit the Amber Fort.
Meanwhile, we moved to the next attraction – the Royal City Palace of Jaipur. First, we looked at the incredible façade of Hawa Mahal – the Palace of Winds.
It was an extension of the main palace built-in 1799. While the façade with thousands of small windows was astonishing, the interior was mediocre, so we quickly moved to the see the principal place.
The impressive City Palace is right in the center of the Old City. It is lavish and well-kept. A maharaja once occupied the whole site, but now the current owner keeps only a few rooms that he gladly shows to wandering tourists for an extra entrance fee. Per our guide advise, we skipped it and spent more time in the main building. It was a fantastic display of royal armory, dresses, jewelry, and other artifacts from the state’s most prosperous era of the 18th century.
Those two visits were amazing but quite intense. To change pace, we went to an incredibly interesting and kind of weird place called Jantar Mantar.
It is an open-air collection of nineteen architectural astronomical instruments commissioned by the enlightening king Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur. The devices display the measure dimensions, stars location, and time very precisely.
Our last place to visit that day was Gaitore – a cremation ground for the Kachhwaha Rajput kings and the members of the royal family. As I’ve mentioned, Hindu does not want burry but create memorials to commemorate prominent figures. Gaitore is a serene and beautiful spot, a place to find quietness not afforded to the city’s other popular attractions.
Still, we were not done yet. After the tour, we stopped at a Cashmere wool store. The choice of colors and the variety of different fabrics from scarves to large rugs was mind-boggling. We bought a few things that we still cherish – it was probably the best purchases we made in all our trips. Just keep in mind – as often in the East, if you are interested in buying, you must bargain hard.
That was finally the end of the day. We had dinner at the hotel restaurant, which was a bit better than in Delhi but also just OK. A road to Agra was next.
Day 4 Road from Jaipur to Agra
The next morning we loaded the Kalash car and hit the road. From Jaipur to Agra, it was a quite good highway. A straight ride time maybe 4-5 hours, but there are two must-see sightseeing sites on the way, so the actual travel takes longer.
The first stop was at Abhaneri – a small village about 2 hour drives from Jaipur and then 20 minutes off the highway through some attractive Indian countryside. At that village, there is an impressive Chand Baori – a stepwell. It is very ancient, but what we see now was rebuilt in the 18th century. The site reminds a huge funnel turned upside down with thousands of steps leading down to the dark water. It’s fascinating but feels a bit spooky. Back in time, though, it was a place for locals not only get water but to socialize, bath, and entertain.
Then we continued for another couple of hours and reached the fantastic Fatehpur Sikri.
A Mughal king of Agra built a new capital here in the 16th century only to completely abandon it a few decades later and move further to Lahore (now Pakistan ). We spent about an hour exploring red stone buildings with impressive facades that were empty inside.
There was also a big mosque nearby. We took a look but did not go in. We did not feel like removing shoes again. This was the sight we visited without a guide. It’s easy to find a way around but watch out for hawkers that are especially annoying here.
After that, we were on a final stretch to Agra. The city is just about 25 miles from Fatehpur Sikri, but the highway, for some reason, stops just before reaching it, and the final miles are slowed down in severe traffic (but not the worst we saw in India). By the time we reached a hotel was late afternoon. We were tempted to see the Taj Mahal right away, but we did not want to spoil the impression and left it for the following day.
Day 5. Agra – Taj Mahal.
Radisson Agra was probably the second-best hotel on the trip. Not brand new as in Jaipur but clean and shiny and also very busy with both well to do locals and foreigners. People from all over the world came here to visit Agra’s main attraction – the magnificent Taj Mahal. Likewise, we did not waste our time and rushed to see the marble beauty. Kalash and a guide were waiting for us by the hotel entrance. It was off-season, and the famous fountain that you may see at iconic pictures did not function (the authorities turn it on only when some dignitaries visit). Another drawback was a fog that set down on most of the country and followed us almost to the end of the trip.
Nevertheless, our first impression was astonishing. Taj Mahal itself is a mausoleum that Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built to commemorate the passing of his beloved wife, Mumtaz. Still, the site is more extensive and also includes a mosque, a guest house, and an immaculate garden.
Persian masters created this most beautiful tomb in the world in the 17th century. In place of a reward, they were blinded so they could not recreate this wonder elsewhere. We spent hours there wandering around, been amazed by intricate marble decorations that went beyond a traditional Mughal style.
Then we moved to see Agra Fort – the city’s second main attraction. It was the Mughal emperor’s residence until the capital was moved in the 17th century. To build the Taj Mahal king, Jahan almost bankrupted the country and was eventually deposed by his son, who imprisoned him in this fort. As it is located right across from the Taj, the king prisoner could see his creation everyday till his end but could not set afoot there.
Those disturbing history and the foggy weather briefly brought a melancholic mood to our otherwise cheerful journey. We returned to the hotel and had lunch there. In the afternoon by Kalash’s suggestion, we went again to see the Taj Mahal from the backside, from a park on a bank of Yamuna River.
Despite the continuing fog, that view from that point was incredible as the marble complex reflected in a different color. If you visit there, make sure you see the monument from both sides – the front and the back.
Visiting the Taj and the Fort pretty much completed our Agra experience. At the end of the daily activities, we stopped by a gift shop where numerous souvenirs claimed to be made of the same marble as Taj Maha. Bargain hard if you want to get a good price.
Day 6. From Agra to Varanasi.
Delhi – Jaipur – Agra – Delhi is the most popular tourist itinerary and is called “The Golden Triangle of India.” But your journey would not be complete without a visit to Varanasi! We left Agra in the morning for a 4-hour drive to Delhi airport. There we said goodbye to Kalash, checked in to our flight, and relaxed in a lovely VIP lounge accessible with Priority Pass. Vistara Air flight took only one hour. India’s budget airline was surprisingly good. It was flying modern planes, and the service was excellent. The airfare was just $40 per person, but we splurged $20 extra to get premium economy seats. The flight was on time. At Varanasi airport, we stopped at the taxi desk at an arrival hall and were quickly dispatched to a cab. The ride to a hotel took about 40 minutes and cost just over $10. En route, we saw cars with covered corps attached to the roofs by ropes (Indians don’t use coffins). They were heading to the city for proper Hindu burials. We realized we were up to an intense experience. Upon arrival at a hotel, we just relaxed in our room and left exploring the city to tomorrow.
Day 7. Varanasi.
The day in Varanasi was the most incredible time of our incredible journey. Radisson Varanasi hotel where we stayed was adequate although a bit dated. A breakfast there like in other India’s Radisson was not included in the room rate, but for a gold membership that cames just for having Radisson VISA card, we got a substantial discount.
Exploring the city started with a visit to Sarnath.
It is an essential place in the Buddhist faith. Here Buddha was enlightened and empowered to become a messiah eventually. It’s a destination of pilgrimage of faithful from other Buddhist countries. We saw a modern temple, an ancient stupa (kind of an obelisk), and a beautiful lotus garden on the premises.
The whole experience was exciting, but it was just a prelude to what laid ahead. We returned to the hotel for a little break and then met a second guide who took us to Varanasi’s most important Hindu temple – Vishwanath temple. It was located on the campus of a local University, so we saw students praying to gods before taking their exams. The temple was relatively modern, large, and architecturally impressive.
Next, we returned to the city center (in terrible traffic) to visit two more temples – and ancient Sankat Mochan and a funny Durga (Monkey) Temple. That temple is dedicated to the monkey god and naturally is a sanctuary to the city’s enormous monkey population. The monkey god Hanuman is especially cherished in Hindu faith, besides on the day of our visit was some special celebration, so the temple was full of worshipers who patiently stayed in line to get Hanuman’s blessing. The whole scene was a bit surreal, with packs of real monkeys roaming around unabated. If you visit there, watch your belongings as those sneaky creatures can snatch them.
The final temple of the day was the Golden temple. It’s the city most beautiful but also unfortunately out of reach for non-Hindus. It is located in the heart of the old town right next to a mosque. In the past, there were several conflicts between Hindu and Muslims in that area; therefore, the security was strict. Everyone had to pass through a metal detector, but still, if you were not Hindu, you were not allowed inside the premises and could only watch this marvelous structure with a golden dome from outside. Right in the middle of our visit, the sirens went on. Everyone ran for a cover, and we found shelter in some shop. Fortunately, that turned out to be a false alarm. That was a moment we’d realized how unstable the situation in India might become quickly.
After that intense episode, we headed to the sacred Ganges river bank for the final and most dramatic experience of the day and the whole trip.
They are called ghats – the riverfront steps leading to the water. There are 88 ghats in Varanasi – most of them used for ceremonial bathing, but two exclusively designated to burials.
It was twilight when we arrived there, and the funeral fires began to flare over the river. Hindu believe the death is contagious. Our guide stopped at a decent distance from the funeral ghats and asked if we want to proceed further. We felt a bit eerie but curious at the same time and decided to continue. A guide made a phone call, and soon a man was introduced to us and said he would guide us through the burial scene. A man was from the untouchable cast – the lowest cast in Indian hierarchy and, therefore, a cast that was running funeral proceedings. The view was surreal. The funeral fires eliminated the darkness of the Ganges banks. There were dozens of them.
Each fire was burning a corpse lying openly on blushing woods. Indians have a very different concept of death from Western cultures. By them, it is a happy event when the cycle of reincarnation ends, and a sole ultimately finds peace and happiness in nirvana. We saw groups of people – men only, no women since they might express sorrow and jeopardize getting to the nirvana process. Men watched a corps of a loved one burning and light-minded, almost jokingly socialized with each other among all that there were usual cows. The funeral masters – untouchables – controlled a process and made sure corps are properly burning. They also chased cows away from fires.
But nirvana can only be achieved if all the ceremonies are conducted properly. That included cremating a body by the holy Ganges using a unique cider tree wood and all the necessary rituals (like numerous bathing in the river) that take days to fulfill. Naturally, proper Hindu funeral costs astronomical money (some of the untouchables are wealthy indeed). We saw poor older people coming to Varanasi Ganges and begging for money. That money would pay for the sacred funeral, so their suffering ended, and they would finally obtain happiness in nirvana. Our untouchable guide claimed that part of the proceeds collected from well-to-do clients goes to those poor to help them satisfy their last wish. He asked if we wanted to contribute. We did.
We made a circle around burial ghats and reunited with our regular guide.
Then we boarded a boat and sailed the Ganges to see the final and in contrast, more cheerful attraction – the Aarti ceremony. Our boat joined dozens of others as we watched from the river as facing water Brahmins circled lamps around in a clockwise manner, accompanied by chants or songs in praise of “Mother Ganga.”
It is believed that after the ritual is complete, the Goddess showers her blessing onto each present there. The ceremony was very colorful, but also quite long. As much as we wanted to get the Goddess blessing, short till the finale, we asked our guide to return us to the hotel. Back at our hotel room – still feeling the ashes from the burials fires, Marina and I had a similar wish – take a shower and wash all our clothes.
Day 8. Mumbai and back home.
That was a day to go back home. I arranged a flight from Varanasi with a long layover in Mumbai, so we had a chance to have a glimpse at the capital of Maharashtra state and the country’s second-most populous city. Mumbai felt and looked different than other India’s places. Situated on the country’s west shore and, therefore, closer to Europe, it was the British outpost during the Raj era. To this day, with many colonial buildings in the historic district still intact, the city center looks unusually European.
We did an overview drive around Mumbai’s landmarks, then spent the rest of our time in the Taj Mahal Palace hotel.
It was much more than a tourist accommodation place. Built as a club for the British colonial elite at the beginning of the 20th century, it was well kept and preserved in current days and hosts numerous Western-style restaurants and functions.
We went to one of its café for tea and received our best teatime experience, not even a comparison with what we got in London.
From Taj Mahal Palace, we stepped outside and walked along an ocean promenade to the city landmark – The Gateway of India.
It was built in 1911 for the visit of King George V and Queen Mary and still looks impressive. Then we contemplated going to watch a Bollywood movie that I’ve heard was an experience of its own but instead decided to go back to the airport and relax in the lounge before our flight. I figured we could watch Bollywood movies on a plane anyways.
Reading Air India reviews should not be done at bedtime, but in our view, their business class was not so bad. The direct flight to Newark took 15 hours, departed late at night, and arrived early morning, so most of the flight time we just slept. The plane touched down at Newark airport on time. We were at home. Another incredible journey was complete.
