In short: For 10 days, do the Golden Triangle plus Udaipur. For 2 weeks, go deep into Rajasthan or slow through the south. For 3 weeks, do Rajasthan in the north, then fly south to Kerala. Stay at least 2 nights everywhere, swap one famous stop for a hidden gem, and use overnight trains to save both hotel nights and daylight.
The thing our travellers say most after their trip is "I wish I'd done fewer places." These routes come from 200+ real trips planned by Planout, and from our local buddies across India who know which stops are worth it and which are just famous. Every itinerary includes a hidden-gem swap, because the best day of most trips is the one that wasn't in any guidebook.
Itinerary 1: 10 days, first time in India (Golden Triangle + Udaipur)
Day | Where | Nights | Getting there and what to do |
|---|---|---|---|
1 to 2 | Delhi | 2 | Fly in. Old Delhi food walk, Humayun's Tomb, Lodhi Art District |
3 | Agra | 1 | Fast train, about 2 hours. Taj Mahal at sunrise (closed Fridays), Mehtab Bagh at sunset |
4 to 6 | Jaipur | 3 | Train about 4 hours. Amber Fort, City Palace, block printing in Bagru |
7 to 9 | Udaipur | 3 | Short flight or train. Lake Pichola, City Palace, cooking class |
10 | Fly out | Via Delhi or Mumbai |
Hidden-gem swap: replace one Jaipur night with Abhaneri's Chand Baori, a 1,200-year-old stepwell with 3,500 steps, on the way from Agra.
Wildlife swap: replace one Jaipur night with Ranthambore for two tiger safaris.
Itinerary 2: 14 days, Rajasthan in depth
Day | Where | Nights | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
1 to 2 | Delhi | 2 | Arrive, beat jet lag, street food |
3 | Agra | 1 | Taj Mahal sunrise, Agra Fort |
4 to 6 | Jaipur | 3 | The Pink City at a human pace |
7 | Bundi | 1 | Painted palaces, 50+ stepwells, the Rajasthan of 30 years ago |
8 to 9 | Jodhpur | 2 | Blue City, Mehrangarh Fort, Bishnoi villages |
10 | Village stay near Kumbhalgarh | 1 | Walk the second-longest continuous wall in the world |
11 to 13 | Udaipur | 3 | Lakes, rooftop dinners, a slow ending |
14 | Fly out |
The history thread: this route follows the story of the Rajput kingdoms, who built hilltop forts to hold off rivals for centuries. Ask your local buddy in Jodhpur about Mehrangarh's cannonball marks on the gate walls.
Itinerary 3: 14 days, South India (the calmest first trip)
Day | Where | Nights | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
1 to 2 | Fort Kochi | 2 | Chinese fishing nets, Jew Town, a Kathakali show |
3 to 4 | Munnar | 2 | Tea hills, ridge walks, cool air |
5 | Thekkady | 1 | Spice farms, Periyar forest |
6 | Kumarakom backwaters | 1 | Village canoe ride and a homestay, quieter than the Alleppey houseboat strip |
7 to 9 | Varkala | 3 | Cliff beach, surf lessons, Ayurveda |
10 to 11 | Madurai | 2 | Meenakshi Temple's night ceremony |
12 | Karaikudi (Chettinad) | 1 | Grand mansions and the spiciest food in the south |
13 | Pondicherry | 1 | French quarter, cafés, Auroville |
14 | Fly out of Chennai |
Ben from the US spent 36 days exploring the south with Planout and covered 18+ cities. Most first-timers will love half that pace.
Itinerary 4: 21 days, North + South
Days | Region | Stops |
|---|---|---|
1 to 9 | North | Delhi (2), Agra (1), Jaipur (3), Udaipur (3) |
10 | Travel day | Fly Udaipur to Kochi via Mumbai or Bengaluru |
11 to 20 | South | Fort Kochi (2), Munnar (2), Kumarakom (1), Varkala (3), Hampi or rest (2) |
21 | Fly out | Kochi or Trivandrum |
Itinerary 5: 21 days for adventurers
Delhi (2) → Rishikesh (3) → Bir for paragliding (3) → Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj (3) → Amritsar (2) → Varanasi (3) → Goa or Gokarna to unwind (4).
This is the shape of Sebastian's trip: "From paragliding to surfing to Holi, I travelled solo but never alone."
Itinerary 6: the road less travelled (north-east India, 14 to 21 days)
Karel and Natasja from the Netherlands cycled through the north-east with Planout. In their words: "It felt easier and freer than imagined." A route inspired by theirs:
Guwahati (1) → Shillong (2) → Cherrapunji and the living root bridges (3) → Dawki's glass-clear river (1) → Kaziranga for one-horned rhinos (2) → Majuli, the world's largest river island (2) → Ziro Valley (3).
Some north-east states need an Inner Line or Protected Area permit for foreigners. Plan this one with a local who has done it.
Five rules that make any India itinerary work
Two nights minimum per stop. One-night stops mean you see a hotel and a station.
One rest day per week. India is intense. Plan nothing on day 7.
Overnight trains for 8+ hour journeys. You save a hotel night and a full day.
Fly anything over 12 hours by train, unless the journey is the point.
One buffer night in your departure city. Winter fog in the north can delay trains by hours.
Want one of these built around you?
Tell us your dates, interests and pace. Planout will adjust any route, check train availability, add hidden gems that match what you love, and send it back free. Get your free plan →
Related: How to Plan a Trip to India · Best Time to Visit India · How to Book Indian Trains as a Foreigner
