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Itineraries/Asia/India

12 Days in India

The Taj Mahal at sunrise, Jaipur's pink palaces and elephant encounters, Udaipur's lake city at sunset, and a Kerala backwater houseboat under the stars. Twelve nights across India's Golden Triangle and beyond — the trip that turns a family into travellers, with honest pacing that accounts for heat, crowds, and sensory overload.

12 nights
Family of 4
~A$9,120
5 stops
Delhi3n
Agra1n
Jaipur3n
Udaipur3n
Kochi & Alleppey (Kerala)2n
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Your stop-by-stop itinerary

5 stops across 12 nights. Each one chosen so you experience a different side of India.

1

Delhi

3 nights
Fly Sydney/Melbourne to Delhi (DEL) on Air India direct (13-14 hours) or via Singapore/KL. Arrive evening, rest Day 1. Return to Delhi for final night before the 14h flight home. Pre-book airport pickup through hotel (INR 800-1,200) — don't negotiate taxis at midnight.

Highlights

  • Red Fort + Chandni Chowk — INR 600/adult, free under 15. Cycle rickshaw tour through the old market lanes (INR 500-800/family), street food sampling
  • Humayun's Tomb — INR 600/adult, free under 15. Precursor to the Taj Mahal, quieter and equally photogenic. Pack a picnic for the Lodhi Garden next door
  • Qutub Minar — INR 600/adult, free under 15. 73m sandstone tower, 1,000 years old. Best visited early morning
  • India Gate + Rajpath drive — free. The ceremonial heart of New Delhi, ice cream vendors, evening stroll
  • National Museum of India — INR 650/adult, INR 200/child. World-class Mughal and Indus Valley collections
  • Delhi cooking class — INR 3,500-4,500/pp. Half-day market tour + hands-on North Indian cooking. Book via Airbnb Experiences or hotel concierge

Local tips

  • 💡Hire a private driver for Delhi days (INR 1,200-1,600 for 8 hours). Safer, more reliable, and cheaper than multiple taxis/autos. Your hotel concierge will arrange one.
  • 💡Delhi is the most intense city on this route. Schedule a pool/rest afternoon on Day 2 to let the family decompress. The culture shock is real and kids need processing time.
  • 💡Carry allergy cards in Hindi. Stick to cooked food and bottled water. Bring Imodium and electrolytes from Australia — stomach issues are common and manageable.
Suggested stay: 4-star family room in Karol Bagh, Khan Market or Connaught Place
2

Agra

1 night
Delhi to Agra on Shatabdi Express train — 2 hours, AC chair car INR 800-1,200/pp. Family of 4: ~INR 3,500. Book at IRCTC.in 30 days ahead. Hotel pickup from Agra Cantt station (INR 300).

Highlights

  • Taj Mahal sunrise — INR 1,100/adult, free under 15. Book online to skip queues. Arrive 30 min before sunrise gate opening. The single most iconic moment of the trip
  • Agra Fort — INR 600/adult, free under 15. Mughal palace-fortress with Taj Mahal views from the balconies. 1.5 hours
  • Mehtab Bagh — INR 400/pp. Garden across the river with the classic Taj Mahal reflection photo. Less crowded than the Taj itself
  • Yamuna River sunset boat ride — INR 1,000-1,500/boat (fits 4). Quiet end to the day with Taj silhouette views
  • Marble inlay workshop — free guided demo at Agra's artisan workshops. Kids watch craftspeople recreate Taj patterns in semi-precious stone

Local tips

  • 💡One night in Agra is enough. Sunrise Taj + afternoon Agra Fort + sunset boat covers everything. Two nights leaves dead time.
  • 💡The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays. Plan your route around this — it's the single scheduling constraint on the entire trip.
  • 💡Agra touts are aggressive. Pre-arrange all transport through your hotel and decline any 'free guides' at the Taj gate.
Suggested stay: 4-star hotel near Taj East Gate (quieter than the main gate area)
3

Jaipur

3 nights
Agra to Jaipur by road (240 km, 4.5 hours by private car, INR 4,000-5,000). Stop at Fatehpur Sikri ghost city en route (INR 600/adult, free under 15). Alternative: Agra-Jaipur train (6 hours, less comfortable).

Highlights

  • Amber Fort — INR 500/adult, free under 15. Composite ticket covers 7 Jaipur monuments for INR 1,000. Jeep ride up to the fort (INR 500/jeep, fits 4). Morning visit before 9:30am
  • Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds) — INR 200/adult. The iconic pink facade. Quick visit (30 min inside), better photographed from the café across the street
  • City Palace — INR 500/adult. Active royal residence with museums, courtyards, and the famous Peacock Gate
  • Jantar Mantar — INR 200/adult. UNESCO astronomical observatory with the world's largest stone sundial. Surprisingly engaging for kids
  • Chokhi Dhani cultural village — INR 800-1,200/pp including dinner. Rajasthani folk dances, puppet shows, camel rides, and a full thali dinner under the stars. The best family evening in Jaipur
  • Bapu Bazaar shopping — free to browse. Textiles, bangles, block-print fabrics. Bargain 40-50% off the asking price

Local tips

  • 💡Buy the composite monument ticket (INR 1,000) at your first site — it covers Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Nahargarh Fort, and more. Saves INR 400+ vs individual tickets.
  • 💡Jaipur is the most family-friendly city on this route. The Pink City is compact, heritage hotels have pools, and the pace is gentler than Delhi.
  • 💡Book Chokhi Dhani for your last evening in Jaipur — it's the single best family dinner experience in Rajasthan.
Suggested stay: 4-star heritage hotel in the Pink City or C-Scheme
4

Udaipur

3 nights
Jaipur to Udaipur by domestic flight on IndiGo or Air India — 1 hour, INR 2,500-3,500/pp. Family of 4: ~INR 12,000. Road option (6.5 hours) saves money but kills a day.

Highlights

  • Lake Pichola sunset boat cruise — INR 400-600/pp shared, or INR 3,000-4,000 private boat for 4. The iconic Udaipur experience — Jag Mandir and Lake Palace gleaming at golden hour
  • City Palace — INR 300-500/adult, free under 15. Part museum, part active royal residence. Balcony views over the lake. 2 hours
  • Sajjangarh Monsoon Palace — INR 200/pp + INR 200 vehicle. Hilltop palace with 360° views over the Aravalli hills. Best at sunset on a clear day
  • Jagdish Temple evening aarti ceremony — free (donation). The nightly prayer ritual with bells, incense, and chanting. Atmospheric and family-safe
  • Vintage car museum — INR 500/adult, INR 200/child. Maharajas' classic car collection. Kids love the Rolls-Royces
  • Old City walk + lakeside dinner — free to walk. Ambrai restaurant on the lake is the best family dinner spot in Udaipur

Local tips

  • 💡Udaipur is much safer and calmer than Delhi or Jaipur. Let the family wander the Old City streets — it's pedestrian-friendly and the biggest risk is buying too many miniature paintings.
  • 💡Book the sunset boat cruise in the morning (queues form by 3pm) or through your hotel concierge for a small markup.
  • 💡Skip midday sightseeing (11am-4pm). Use the hottest hours for the hotel pool, then venture out for the golden-hour magic that makes Udaipur famous.
Suggested stay: 4-star lakeside hotel in the Old City or Fateh Sagar area
5

Kochi & Alleppey (Kerala)

2 nights
Udaipur to Kochi by domestic flight — 2.5 hours via Mumbai connection, INR 3,500-4,500/pp. Family of 4: ~INR 15,000. Kochi to Alleppey by private car (1.5 hours, INR 2,500). Return Kochi to Delhi flight for connection home.

Highlights

  • Alleppey backwater houseboat overnight — INR 12,000-14,000 for 4 people, all meals included. Floating through palm-fringed canals, sunset from the top deck, dinner cooked on board. The trip's grand finale
  • Chinese fishing nets at Fort Kochi — free. The iconic 600-year-old cantilever nets at the harbour mouth. Photograph at sunset
  • Mattancherry Palace + Jewish Synagogue — INR 200/adult. Dutch colonial history and the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth
  • Kathakali dance performance — INR 600-1,000/pp. Traditional Kerala dance-drama with elaborate costumes and face paint. Makeup demo 30 min before the show
  • Fort Kochi spice market walk — guided tour INR 1,500-2,000/pp. Cardamom, pepper, cinnamon — Kerala's spice trade history brought to life

Local tips

  • 💡The houseboat is the single best experience on this route and worth every rupee. Book a deluxe (not budget) boat — the difference is air conditioning, a proper bathroom, and a cook who can adapt for kids.
  • 💡Kerala is the gentlest stop on the route — English widely spoken, clean, green, no hustlers. Perfect wind-down before the long flight home.
  • 💡Fly Kochi to Delhi (4 hours) for the international connection. Qantas/Air India SYD flights depart Delhi late evening — you can do a morning in Kochi and still make the connection.
Suggested stay: 1 night Fort Kochi boutique hotel + 1 night Alleppey houseboat (deluxe, all meals included)

Good to know

Estimated cost

The ~A$9,120 estimate covers accommodation across all 5 stops. Flights, daily spending, activities, and transport are additional — use SaveToRoam’s savings planner to track it all.

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