On the map it will seem like you can do the Golden Triangle within 3 days, but the reality is a bit different. First of all, the traffic in India is something beyond your imagination and you can easily spend 6 hours for just over 200 kilometers\u2019 drive. There are a lot of agencies that offer \u201cDaily trips from Delhi to Taj Mahal\u201d, but that must be one hell of a ride. Not to mention the crowds you will encounter if you are not there first thing in the morning. I\u2019d say that our 4-day (5 nights) Golden Triangle itinerary<\/strong> is perfect if you don\u2019t want to spend too much time in India and rather combine your trip with visiting some other destination, like Maldives or Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT<\/strong><\/p>\n In terms of the weather the best time to visit Golden Triangle is from October to mid-April<\/strong>, if you want to avoid the unbearable heat of the summer and the downpour of monsoon season. We were there in the beginning of February and while daily temperatures were somewhere between 22-25\u00b0C, it was quite chilly during the nights \u2013 winter temperatures can easily drop below 10\u00b0C. Unfortunately, in the winter months air pollution rises and brings the smog, especially around Delhi. So, I\u2019d rather chose March<\/strong> for visiting if I were you. HOW TO TRAVEL <\/strong><\/p>\n You can visit the Golden Triangle either by car, bus, train or airplane. The easiest way is to hire a driver<\/strong> through a local agent, like we did. He was our \u201cshadow companion\u201d during the whole trip \u2013 he picked us up at the airport and dropped us off for the return flight. Hiring a driver in India is a good option for several reasons:<\/strong> the service is relatively cheap, the drivers are very reliable and even if you decide to take a local flight you still need a transport to get to all the attractions. If I had to do it all over again, I would probably consider choosing a return flight from Jaipur to Delhi (check here for local flights)<\/a>\u00a0however, keep in mind that in winter months the smog can interfere with flight schedules.<\/p>\n HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT TAVEL GUIDE AND DRIVER<\/strong><\/p>\n The best way is to contact any tour agency in India. There are plentiful of contacts on the internet, I found mine on Tripadvisor and I was really satisfied with the service. Mr. Deepak<\/strong> was actually the one who suggested the itinerary for us, after I had told him that I only wanted \u201cjust to see Taj Mahal\u201d. I am grateful that I followed his advice because it would have been a shame to miss Jaipur and Agra fort. Besides arranging the driver, Deepak also advised us to take a guide in each city<\/strong> and that was another good idea \u2013 without them we would probably miss more than half of the sights on our way. We arranged everything via email and if you want his contact jus drop me a line. Anyway, make sure that you ask what is included in the price: fuel and tolls, taxes for crossing the state borders, insurance, driver’s expenses (his accommodation, food etc)… and also ask if the driver speaks English. That can be quite a challenge, espeically with their funny accent \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n OUR GOLDEN TRIANGLE ITINERARY \u2013 BY CAR<\/strong><\/p>\n WHERE TO STAY DURING THE TRIP<\/strong><\/p>\n I followed my friend\u2019s advice to book only 5-star hotels<\/strong> in order to avoid stomach problems (hygiene is a BIG problem in India!<\/strong>). However, we didn\u2019t want to waste too much money just to spend the night in each city, so I went for the most affordable options: for Delhi I booked WelcomHotel Dwarka (relatively close to the airport but over 1 hour drive from the city center, so do your own math\u2026), for Agra I hesitated a little about that Taj Mahal view but I am glad I didn\u2019t pay that extra money (we wouldn\u2019t have seen it anyway because of the smog\/fog) so I picked Crystal Sarovar Premiere<\/a>, and in Jaipur I booked Ramada Jaipur (let\u2019s say it was ok for the money). I advise you to pre-book your hotels<\/strong> especially during high season \u2013 remember, Golden Triangle sights get crowded in seconds. And I am sure you can find some good options among 3 or 4-star hotels as well. MEDICATION AND VACCINATION \u2013 HOW TO AVOID GETTING SICK<\/strong><\/p>\n Honestly, I was terrified of this trip because of everything I had read and heard about hygiene standards in India. I didn\u2019t want to risk even so much as a tiny digestion problem, especially because the best part of the trip (Maldives) was yet to come. I took Hepatitis A and B vaccinations<\/strong> (make sure you calculate the time you need between the intervals) because I plan to travel to Africa soon and I will need it anyway. I didn\u2019t complicate with other vaccinations (no need for Malaria medication in this area, especially not in the dry period), but I did fill up my\u00a0travel health kit<\/a>\u00a0with these extras: Carboline chewable tablets, soluble hydration tablets, hand sanitizers and (don\u2019t laugh) rubber gloves. I also followed these simple rules:<\/strong> wash your hands all the time, drink only bottled water (I also washed my teeth with it), eat only fruits you can peel, eat only cooked or grilled food and flush everything with some whiskey from time to time. Worked for me perfectly \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n WHAT TO WEAR IN INDIA<\/strong><\/p>\n India is an extremely religious country so it is advised for the ladies to dress appropriately. There are no restrictions however and you will see a lot of half-naked women (mostly tourists) wandering around but if you want to avoid getting stared at, at least cover your shoulders. The most elegant way is to wear a scarf (or better yet buy one on one of the markets) and not too tight pants. If you are a solo female traveler, I advise you to follow these rules more carefully because there is a high level of violence against women in India.<\/p>\n AND FINALLY \u2013 TRAVEL COSTS AND FEES<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.travelwithanda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Fotor_151833304576781_resized.jpg\")
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