Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to go on a tour of the Golden Triangle with my family. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, the Golden Triangle refers to the journey between three cities in northern India: Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur. Quite possibly one of the most popular trips to make while visiting, the Triangle stuns everyone, foreign and local alike, with its colorful culture, delicious food, and stunning architecture. Earlier this year, my mom informed me that we would be making a trip to India, as a somewhat goodbye trip before I headed off to college. I made it clear to her that I didn't want this trip to be the typical family visit, I wanted to see the country. And my mother planned a trip to the Golden Triangle. Our tour took a whole of 5 days. This is the first post in a 3 part series where I will explain to you the best way to cover each of the cities, starting with Delhi. We decided to start our trip in Delhi, one of the three points of the Triangle. Delhi was convenient for us because it is the nation's capital, meaning airlines made their way in and out of the city at a higher frequency. From there we hired a car to drive us through the triangle, 2 days in Delhi, then to Agra for a day, followed by a day in Jaipur, and back to Delhi to round off our last whole day. Overall, the trip was packed to the brim, but with a skilled driver, and traveler's mindset, we made it through. DelhiGoogling "things to do in Delhi" can quite possibly be one of the most anxiety inducing activities known to man. With it's rich Mughal history, and modern day charm, Delhi has an overwhelming amount of things to see. It can also be quite scary when you read the news about all the sexual violence in the city. I just want to say Delhi was probably the highlight of my trip, and the key to making your experience the same is to have a plan. The most important thing when it comes to staying safe is having a respectable driver. Hire a prepaid taxi or book a driver that you know personally, someone that you can trust. Second, you want to have a plan for each and every single day, so you are in safe places at the right times. My family broke it down like so: Day 1:We started our day early. After checking into our hotel (The Raddison Blu), we headed out to Humayun's Tomb. Humayun's Tomb is the mausoleum of Mughal emperor Humayun. It was the first garden-tomb in India, and follows the typical design of Persian gardens. It is also the inspiration for the Taj Mahal. Make sure to head over to Humayun's tomb at a time when there are fewer people so you can truly enjoy the views, I recommend going between 10 AM and 11 AM. After our two-hour excursion at the tomb. My family decided it was time to do some shopping! We headed over to Dilli Haat around lunch time. Dilli Haat is an open air market and food complex run by the Delhi Department of Tourism. We enjoyed walking around the stalls and picking up some cute items to add to our collections, and even though it was lunch time we unfortunately didn't eat because of our jet lag. But if you are hungry, and ready to try some Indian food, Dilli Haat is the perfect place; it showcases cuisines from all around the nation. Another tip for this shopping center: get ready to haggle. Always ask for at least 1/3 of the price quoted and work your way up, never pay more than 60% of the quoted price unless you can't seem to let go! Also keep in mind that the shopkeepers are desperate to make a sale, and sometimes they won't leave you alone even while you are walking away. Make your intentions clear and stay firm (this is a tip for all the markets in India). 2 hours later....we finished exploring the market, and decided to head to our last stop for the day: Qutub Minar. Located in the Qutub complex, the Qutub Minar is a large minaret made out of stone which was seized in the destruction of Hindu and Jain temples in India. It is modeled after another minaret located in Afghanistan. While in the Qutub complex take some time to enjoy the red stone architecture that surrounds you, a hallmark of the Mughal empire. Day 2:Our second day in Delhi was undoubtedly the most packed day our entire trip. This day was a big mix of shopping and sightseeing. We started the day at the Lotus Temple. The Lotus Temple belongs to the followers of the Bahá’í faith, which is the world's newest independent belief system. Admission to the temple is free, and is definitely worth the trip. The temple gets it's name from it's design, built to look like a lotus. Take sometime to wander around the impeccable gardens and eventually make your way into the temple itself! After the Lotus Temple, we decided to take another quick pilgrimage to Akshardam, a Swaminarayan temple (a sect of the Hindu faith propagated by Swaminarayan). Akshardam is one of the most beautiful temples in India, with it's detailed carvings and exuberant decor. Unfortunately, this temple does not allow photography, and has a very strict dress code. Be sure to wear clothing that covers your shoulders and your legs. Camera bags and backpacks, as well as purses are also not allowed into the temple, there is a cloak room available to drop off your items. After our morning excursions we decided to make our way to the hip/modern end of the city: Connaught Place. On our way, we took a quick drive along Rajpath (the ceremonial path) leading to Rashtrapathi Bhavan (presidential residence). This is similar to the White House and is marked at the start by the India Gate, a monument rectified to commemorate the martyrs from WW1. After our quick stop, we made our way to Connaught Place for lunch. I had found this quirky little restaurant called Informal in a small pamphlet. The restaurant features live indian music, and is great for both vegetarians and carnivores alike. The end of lunch signified the start of shopping for us. We started off our afternoon at Lajpat Nagar, a busy street market that sells quite literally everything for resonable prices. Unfortunately, in all the craze I was unable to take any pictures, but I did get my hands on some cute stuff. Make sure you remember each and every turn you take in the market, it's huge, crowded and very easy to get lost in. Also fun fact for any Game of Thrones fans, apparently this market is where the costumes for the show are made. After Lajpat Nagar, we made our way to Sarojini Nagar Market, which was hands down my favorite place to shop in New Delhi. This market is known in the city because it sells export rejects at below rock bottom prices. Brands like Zara are sold between $1-$2 here! This is a market where you shouldn't be afraid to bargain. Make sure you bring your own bag to fill up, and once again keep track of where you're going. Another pro-tip don't go to this market on Mondays, it's closed! With this we ended our day and headed back to our hotel for some room service and a long night's sleep. Day 3:Our last day in Delhi was technically half a day after we arrived around noon from Jaipur. We stopped in at a Haldiram's which is a chain restaurant that sells Indian street food. And then went to our hotel to freshen up. After our quick get ready session we headed off to Old Delhi. We walked around the Red Fort, and set off into Chandni Chowk, a traditional Indian apparel market. Old Delhi is definitely more crowded and polluted than New Delhi. PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL HERE. Walk with the people you know, do not get separated and don't wander into strange places. That being said, the items that you find in this market are one-of-a-kind and absolutely stunning. We spent majority of our afternoon here, and both my parents were adventurous enough to try the Lassi (sweet milk drink), which was apparently delicious. Chandni Chowk also has an entire street, called paranthe wali galli, dedicated to vendors selling parathas (flat bread filled with potato or other stuffing), if you have a strong stomach and are willing to try street food, make sure to find your way here!
Chandni Chowk concluded our trip to Delhi, which was definitely an adventure. If you have more time than we did to explore on your trip, be sure to check out the Jama Masjid (a mosque in the Old Delhi area), the Lodhi Gardens, Gandhi Smriti ( a museum for Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of India), and many more!
19 Comments
8/15/2017 01:42:49 pm
Beautiful! I think India it's a must visit place, so much culture, so much to learn and see!
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Mom
8/15/2017 02:26:27 pm
Part 1 is awesome...can't wait for you to post Part 2 & 3....
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Sue Tanya McHorgh
8/16/2017 09:43:59 am
These pictures makes me want to pack my things and come for a visit unfortunately i cant i have to save for it first. Lovely post.
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8/16/2017 11:09:52 am
What a great post! I had no idea there was so much to explore in Delhi!
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8/16/2017 02:08:15 pm
I was not aware there was a thing names golden triangle. Your trip looks absolutely fantastic! I have never been to India but I would love to go! so much history and things to see
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8/16/2017 05:35:19 pm
Delhi is so interesting. I've read so much amazing things about this place. The Dilli Haat seems interesting and the fact that you were able to experience their rich culture is great.
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Elizabeth O
8/17/2017 06:32:59 am
Delhi is such an interesting place to visit. I have no idea before that there's still a great place to visit in Delhi India. The architecture is so amazing!!
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Elena
8/18/2017 05:09:31 am
I cannot wait to my trip to India next summer. This post will come in handy.
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Candy Rachelle
8/19/2017 10:39:54 pm
My parents are headed to India in a couple of months and are so excited. I can't wait for them to experience this beautiful country and bring me back spices and purses!
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Mercy Russo
8/21/2017 08:03:02 am
Sounds like a really nice trip
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Mahima Siripurapu18 years old. Industrial Engineering major. Dog enthusiast. Aspiring Khaleesi. Foodie. Land dweller. Struggling writer. Horrid chess player. Adequate chef. Thrifting lover. Environmentalist, and yes that does mean I'm a tree hugger. vegetarian. Archives
September 2018
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