The Golden Triangle & Rajasthan Highlights

Though this itinerary includes Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur (the "Golden Triangle") and captures many of the essential Rajasthan sights, it does not include Jaisalmer, one of Rajasthan's most wonderful destinations, primarily because it's not very easy to get to. In a 2-week vacation that also takes in Delhi and Agra, it would be hard (but not impossible) to include Jaisalmer. Best to extend your stay in India by a few days if you want to cover this oldest "living" fortified city in Rajasthan. Located in the heart of the Thar Desert on India's far western border, Jaisalmer has breathtakingly beautiful sandstone mansions, though its main attraction, Sonar Killa (Golden Fort), is reason enough to travel this far west. Though not as impressive as Jodhpur's Mehrangarh Fort, Jaisalmer has its unique charm as an inhabited medieval fort, and the tiny guesthouses that lie within its ramparts offer fabulous views. This is a place with no heavy traffic, minimal pollution, and a wonderful sense of timelessness. So if you do come to Jaisalmer, plan to spend 2 nights here, not least because it takes so long to get to.

Days 1-3: Delhi

After your long flight and no doubt middle-of-the-night arrival, have a car waiting for you and check in at Delhi's finest hotel, The Imperial, or at Delhi's best B&B, Master Paying Guest House, which will also arrange an airport transfer. (If you opt for the latter, you'll need to have booked well in advance.) When you feel you're ready to face the world, take in a few New Delhi sights, including India Gate, built to commemorate those who died in World War I. Walk from Rajpath to Rashtrapati Bhavan, where the president of India lives. After you cover the 12th-century Qutb Minar complex in South Delhi, grab a rooftop table at Thai Wok with a view of the complex, or at one of the recommended restaurants in the nearby suburb of Hauz Khas. After lunch, visit the garden tombs of Humayun and of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia (the saint Sheikh Nizamuddin Aulia), one of the holiest Muslim sites in India. Time allowing, stop off at Rajghat, the place where Gandhi was cremated in 1948. Of course if you're here to shop or want to browse, scrap these and head for Dilli Haat, a great place to check out the range of handicrafts you'll find on your travels through India. Pick one of Delhi's excellent restaurants for dinner.

Prepare yourself for the chaos of the crowded streets of 17th-century Shahjahanabad, or Old Delhi -- just a few kilometers from Connaught Place, it feels a hundred years away, and the pungent smells from the ancient streets are a heady reminder that you are far from home. Still surrounded by crumbling city walls and three surviving gates, the vibrant, bustling Shahjahanabad, built over a period of 10 years by Emperor Shah Jahan, is very much a separate city -- predominantly a labyrinth of tiny lanes crowded with rickshaws and lined with havelis (Indian "mansions"), their balustrades broken and once-ornate facades defaced with rusted signs and sprouting satellite dishes. Start with imposing Lal Qila (Red Fort) and Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque. If the crowds haven't left you exhausted, visit Gauri Shankar Temple, Sisganj Gurudwara, and Sunehri and Fatehpuri masjids. The city's lanes and back lanes are exciting to wander through, especially Chandni Chowk, Khari Baoli (the spice market), and Kinari Bazaar -- but do hold tightly to your belongings.

Days 4 & 5: Shekhawati

Make an early start and drive to the Shekhawati region, the open-air art gallery of Rajasthan. Today there are some 30 "painted towns" in the region, but the most essential to include in a first-time itinerary are Ramgarh, Nawalgarh, Fatehpur, and Mandawa. Mandawa is a quaint town with a number of beautifully painted buildings; it is also centrally located and has the best accommodations in the area. Overnight at Castle Mandawa or, if you want to stay in a haveli, at Mandawa Haveli.

Days 6 & 7: Jaipur-Ranthambhore

Drive to the "Pink City" of Jaipur. If possible, book into the wonderful Rajvilas hotel, though Jaipur is one city that has a host of pleasant heritage options to suit every budget, and you may prefer the authenticity of a real heritage hotel. Explore the City Palace, including a visit to Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar, and then focus on sites farther afield: Amber Fort, first royal residence of the Maharajas of Kachchwaha, lies 11km (6 3/4 miles) north, while popular Samode Palace is an hour's drive away. Jaipur, famous for gems and jewelry, enamel and brassware, blue pottery, embroidered leather footwear, rugs, tie-and-dye cotton fabrics, hand-blocked prints, fine Kota doria saris, and ready-made linens and home furnishings, is a shopper's paradise. You could spend days bargain-hunting through the region's wonderful crafts, so be prepared to extend your stay by at least a day. If this is not possible, set off on the evening of Day 7 to Ranthambhore National Park, and overnight at Sher Bagh, Aman-i-Khás, or Vanyavilas.

Day 8: Ranthambhore

Take an early-morning or afternoon game drive into the park. Set aside a few hours to visit Ranthambhore Fort, whose high, jagged escarpment has towered over the park's forests for nearly a thousand years. Go tiger tracking; the highlight of a trip here is spotting a tiger. Even if you don't see a tiger (and do be prepared for this eventuality), the physical beauty of the park is worth experiencing. Other species worth looking for include caracal (a wildcat), crocodile, nilgai (large antelope resembling cattle), chital (spotted deer), black buck (delicate buck with spiraling horns), chinkara (a dainty gazelle), and sambar. The park also holds leopards, wild boars, sloth bears, and rich birdlife. At night, unwind around a campfire and swap stories with other travelers, or discuss the fate of the highly endangered tiger.

Day 9: Bundi

Drive to the tiny, off-the-beaten-track town of Bundi, where life goes on pretty much as it has for centuries. Approached through a gorge, the town is embraced by the hills of the Aravalli Range, topped by Taragarh Fort. Exploring Bundi's narrow streets, with its tiny cupboardlike shops raised a meter or more above street level, is wonderful, with photo opportunities everywhere: old men beating copper pots into perfect shape; tailors working with beautiful fabrics on ancient Singers; huge mounds of orange, red, and yellow spices offset by fresh, colorful local vegetables; rickshaws carting women adorned in color-saturated saris; and temples blaring live music. Besides wandering the streets, visit Garh Palace and Raniji-ki-Baori, the state's most impressive step well. Bundi is also a great place to pick up miniature paintings. Overnight at charming Haveli Braj Bhushanjee.

Days 10 & 11: Udaipur

Visit Udaipur's lovely bazaars and towering City Palace and Museum. If Lake Pichola has water, take a boat ride and overnight at either Lake Palace or one of the other accommodations with a lake view. Or spend the night at elegant Devi Garh just 26km (16 miles) from Udaipur. If the lake is dry, tarry no longer than a day, moving on the next day to one of the excursions outside Udaipur. Begin with the temples at Nathdwara, Nagda, and Eklingji; then move on to the awesome Jain temples at Ranakpur (a must on any itinerary), Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, and magnificent Kumbhalgarh Fort. Alternatively, consider another long, full-day trip to Chittaurgarh, site of the most legendary Mewar battles. Overnight on Day 11 at Rawla Narlai or Deogarh Mahal, from where you can head northwest for Jodhpur.

Day 12: Jodhpur-Delhi

Make an early start to drive to "the Blue City" of Jodhpur and explore fabulous Mehrangarh Fort and Museum. For many, this looming, 15th-century edifice to Rajput valor is still Rajasthan's most impressive fort, with walls that soar like sheer cliffs 122m (400 ft.) high -- literally dwarfing the city at its base -- and a proud history of never having fallen to its many invaders. Don't miss out on Umaid Bhawan Palace, once the largest private residence in the world -- a vivid reminder of the decadence the Rajput rulers enjoyed during the British Raj. Then, catch a flight to Delhi, where you can relax after a rather long day.

Days 13 & 14: Agra

Drive to Agra to visit the jewel of India, the Taj Mahal, stopping en route at Fatehpur Sikri. Visit Itmad-ud-Daulah's tomb and Agra Fort. If you have the time, see beautiful Jama Masjid, built in 1648 by Jahanara Begum, Shah Jahan's favorite daughter. Overnight at the Oberoi's Amarvilas, a worthwhile splurge for your last night in India. Ideally, you can visit the Taj at dawn on Day 14 and spend as much time as you like there before you head back to Delhi for your flight out. If you get into Delhi before nightfall, you'll still have time to do last-minute shopping, as most shops are open till at least 7pm.