India
10 days in India: itinerary
Ten days is enough for one region, not the whole country. Do Delhi (3 nights) → Agra (1) → Jaipur (3) → Varanasi (3), flying the long legs. If you would rather slow down, swap Varanasi for Udaipur. Ten days fails when you add Kerala or Goa on top of the Golden Triangle.
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Key facts
- Best route
- Delhi → Agra → Jaipur → Varanasi (or Udaipur) → Delhi
- Hotel changes
- 4 bases in 10 nights; keep it at or under 4
- Delhi–Agracheck
- Gatimaan or Vande Bharat express, about 1 h 40 m
- Agra–Jaipurcheck
- Car via Fatehpur Sikri about 5 h, or train
- Jaipur–Varanasicheck
- Fly; check schedules, some routings connect through Delhi. The train is a long overnight
- Total costcheck
- ₹55,000–1,20,000 per person for 10 days, mid-range, excluding international flights (2026 estimate)
- Best monthscheck
- Oct–Mar for the northern loop; check conditions if you travel April–June
Route map
The 10-day route is the 7-day Golden Triangle with one more stop bolted on. Delhi, Agra and Jaipur sit in a rough triangle in the north; Varanasi is 700 km east of Delhi and Udaipur is 400 km south-west of Jaipur. Both add-ons are worth a flight rather than a long train day.
Keep the order Delhi → Agra → Jaipur so the Agra–Jaipur leg can be done by car via Fatehpur Sikri in one morning, then fly out of Jaipur to Varanasi or Udaipur and back to Delhi for the flight home. Do not try to add Kerala, Goa or Mumbai to this loop — that is a 14-day trip, not a 10-day one.
- Book trains the moment your dates are fixed; popular classes sell out weeks ahead.
- Fly any leg over a day's travel, and check flight schedules before you lock the route.
- Add one buffer day per week for fog, delays or stomach trouble.
| Day | Base | Move | Time | Cost (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Delhi | Arrive, no move | — | — |
| 4 | Agra | Delhi → Agra, train | 1 h 40 m | ₹750–1,700 |
| 5 | Jaipur | Agra → Jaipur, car via Fatehpur Sikri | 5 h | ₹4,000–6,000 per car |
| 6–7 | Jaipur | No move | — | — |
| 8 | Varanasi | Jaipur → Varanasi, flight (check schedules; some routings connect) | check | check |
| 9–10 | Varanasi | No move; fly to Delhi on day 10 | check | check |
Day by day
Days 1–3, Delhi. Land, sleep, then split the city: Old Delhi's lanes and Jama Masjid on one morning, Humayun's Tomb and Qutub Minar on another, and a half-day for a museum or a bazaar. Keep the last night near the airport if you have an early flight.
Day 4, Agra. Take the early train, drop bags, see Agra Fort in the afternoon and the Taj Mahal at sunrise on day 5 before you leave. One night is enough; two is a waste unless you are also doing Fatehpur Sikri properly.
Days 5–7, Jaipur. Drive from Agra via Fatehpur Sikri, arriving by mid-afternoon. Give Amber Fort a full morning (go at opening, 8am, before the crowds and heat), the City Palace and Jantar Mantar an afternoon, and keep a half-day for the bazaars and block-printing workshops.
Days 8–10, Varanasi. Fly in on day 8, take a dawn boat on the Ganges on day 9, walk the ghats and see the evening aarti. On day 10 fly back to Delhi, ideally arriving the night before your international departure; if the timings do not work, fly in the morning and connect the same day.
| Day | Morning | Afternoon | Evening |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive Delhi | Rest, neighbourhood walk | Dinner near the hotel |
| 2 | Old Delhi, Jama Masjid | Red Fort or Chandni Chowk | Street food in Old Delhi |
| 3 | Humayun's Tomb, Qutub Minar | Museum or bazaar | Pack for Agra |
| 4 | Train to Agra | Agra Fort | Taj Mahal from Mehtab Bagh |
| 5 | Taj Mahal at sunrise | Drive to Jaipur via Fatehpur Sikri | Arrive Jaipur |
| 6 | Amber Fort at opening | City Palace, Jantar Mantar | Rooftop dinner |
| 7 | Bazaars, block printing | Free or a cooking class | Pack for Varanasi |
| 8 | Fly to Varanasi | Walk the ghats | Evening aarti |
| 9 | Dawn boat on the Ganges | Sarnath or old city lanes | Free |
| 10 | Last ghat walk | Fly to Delhi | Airport hotel or onward flight |
Getting around
Trains are the backbone of the northern loop. Delhi–Agra has fast daytime expresses; Agra–Jaipur is easier by hired car if you want Fatehpur Sikri on the way, otherwise a slower train. Jaipur–Varanasi and Varanasi–Delhi are long by rail, so fly those legs — IndiGo, Air India and Akasa all serve them. Check schedules and fares when you book: some Jaipur–Varanasi routings connect through Delhi, and fares swing widely with how early you book.
Within cities, use app-based cabs (Uber, Ola) or a hotel-arranged car rather than hailing autos at stations, where the tout problem is worst. In Delhi, the Metro is fast and cheap for the sights it reaches. In Varanasi, the old city is walk-only; expect to leave the car at the edge and walk to your guesthouse.
- Book trains on the official IRCTC site or app; you need an account and a verified phone number.
- Allow 45–60 minutes to reach Delhi or Mumbai airports in traffic.
- Keep small rupee notes for autos, chai and tips; ₹500 notes are hard to break.
Where to stay
Pick one base per city and stay put. In Delhi, most first-timers stay in Connaught Place or Aerocity (near the airport); Old Delhi is atmospheric but noisy. In Agra, stay in Taj Ganj within walking distance of the east gate, or in a quieter hotel with a Taj-view roof. In Jaipur, the old city (near Hawa Mahal) puts you in the bazaars; Civil Lines is quieter and greener. In Varanasi, a guesthouse on the ghats is the experience, but expect steep steps and no car access — Assi Ghat is calmer than Dashashwamedh.
Book the first two nights before you fly and leave the rest flexible. Mid-range hotels in all four cities run ₹3,000–8,000 a night in season (2026 estimate); hostels and guesthouses ₹800–2,000. Peak season is October to March, and prices jump around Diwali and New Year.
Costs
A mid-range 10-day trip — 3-star hotels, trains and a couple of internal flights, restaurant meals, entry fees and a car with driver for the Agra–Jaipur leg — lands around ₹55,000–1,20,000 per person (roughly $650–1,400), excluding international flights. Backpacker style with hostels, trains and street food can come in under ₹35,000; a comfortable trip with nicer hotels and private guides runs ₹1,50,000 and up.
The biggest variables are internal flights (book early), hotel category and how many guided tours you take. Monument entry fees are modest for Indians and higher for foreign visitors — budget ₹3,000–5,000 across the trip for the main sites.
| Item | Budget | Mid-range |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (10 nights) | ₹8,000–20,000 | ₹30,000–80,000 |
| Transport (trains, flights, cars) | ₹8,000–15,000 | ₹20,000–40,000 |
| Food | ₹4,000–8,000 | ₹10,000–20,000 |
| Entry fees and guides | ₹2,000–4,000 | ₹5,000–10,000 |
| Total per person | ₹22,000–47,000 | ₹55,000–1,20,000 |
2026 estimate; excludes international flights. Mid-range total is the headline figure; the budget column can fall under ₹35,000.
Variations
Swap Varanasi for Udaipur if you want lakes and palaces instead of ghats — fly Jaipur → Udaipur, spend three nights, then fly to Delhi. Udaipur is the softer, slower Rajasthan stop.
Swap the north entirely for the south if you are travelling outside October–March: fly into Kochi, do Fort Kochi, the backwaters and Munnar, and fly out of Kochi or Thiruvananthapuram. That is a different 10 days, not an add-on to the Golden Triangle. Check conditions for the season you travel.
If you have less time, see the 7-day Golden Triangle itinerary; if you have more, the 14-day Rajasthan loop adds Jodhpur and Udaipur.
- Varanasi swap: Jaipur → Udaipur (fly), 3 nights, Udaipur → Delhi (fly).
- South swap: Kochi → Alappuzha backwaters → Munnar → Kochi.
- Shorter: 7 days in India covers Delhi, Agra and Jaipur only.
Questions people ask
Is 10 days enough for India?
Yes, for one region. Ten days comfortably covers Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and one more stop such as Varanasi or Udaipur. It is not enough for the Golden Triangle plus Kerala, Goa or Mumbai — that needs 14 days or more.
What is the best route for 10 days in India?
Delhi (3 nights) → Agra (1) → Jaipur (3) → Varanasi (3), flying the Jaipur–Varanasi and Varanasi–Delhi legs and checking schedules, since some routings connect through Delhi. Swap Varanasi for Udaipur if you prefer lakes and palaces to ghats.
Where should I stay on a 10-day trip to India?
One base per city: Connaught Place or Aerocity in Delhi, Taj Ganj in Agra, the old city or Civil Lines in Jaipur, and a ghat-side guesthouse in Varanasi. Book the first two nights ahead and keep the rest flexible.
How much does 10 days in India cost?
Mid-range, budget ₹55,000–1,20,000 per person (about $650–1,400) for hotels, transport, food and entry fees, excluding international flights. Backpacker style can come in under ₹35,000. Prices are 2026 estimates.
When is the best time to do this route?
October to March is the supported window for the northern loop. Outside those months, check conditions and consider switching to the south (Kerala, Tamil Nadu) or the Himalaya instead.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialIncredible India (Ministry of Tourism)
- officialIndian Railways (IRCTC)
- officialAir India
- officialIndiGo
- secondaryWikivoyage – India