Golden Triangle and Goa
Overview
- Duration: 10 days / 9 nights
- Departures: Private, any date
- Group size: Private, from 2 travellers
- Accommodation: Comfortable, family-friendly 4★ hotels, with a pool where possible, and a beach hotel in Goa
- Country: India
A family trip in two parts: the great sights of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur at a pace that suits children, followed by four nights of beaches, Portuguese churches and spice farms in Goa.
This ten-day family trip combines the best-known sights of north India with relaxed time on the beach. It suits families with children of about six and over, as well as grandparents travelling with grandchildren, who want to see the Taj Mahal and the forts of Rajasthan without a crowded schedule.
The first five days follow the Golden Triangle. You start with two nights in Delhi, take the train to Agra for the Taj Mahal at dawn, and drive on to Jaipur via the stepwell at Abhaneri. Your guides tell the stories behind each place in a way that holds younger listeners, and there are hands-on moments such as a rickshaw ride and a block-printing class.
Then you fly to Goa for four nights on the coast. Two days are left completely free, and one gentle outing takes you to the old Portuguese churches and a spice farm, with lunch included.
The pace is easy, with plenty of rest time, but a few points are worth knowing. Seeing the Taj at sunrise means a very early start. The road from Agra to Jaipur takes around five hours. North Indian cities are crowded and noisy, which some children find tiring, so we keep sightseeing to mornings where we can. Some monuments close one day a week, and we plan the days around this.
We can adjust the trip for your family, for example by adding a night in Ranthambore or more time by the sea. Get in touch through our contact page.
Day-by-day itinerary
Your driver meets the family at the airport with a name board and takes you to your hotel. Long flights are tiring for young travellers, so nothing is planned today. If everyone is awake later, the hotel pool or a short walk in a nearby park is enough. Your guide calls in the evening to say hello.
Overnight: Delhi
Children usually love the cycle-rickshaw ride through the lanes of Old Delhi, with your guide pointing out spice stalls and sweet shops. Peek into the courtyard of Jama Masjid, then head to the open lawns of Humayun’s Tomb, where there is space to run around. Finish with an ice cream near India Gate in the late afternoon.
Overnight: Delhi · Meals: Breakfast
Travel to Agra by express train, about two hours, which most children find more fun than the car. In the afternoon, explore Agra Fort with your guide, who brings the Mughal emperors to life with stories of battles, palace life and a son who imprisoned his father. Go to bed early, ready for a dawn start.
Overnight: Agra · Meals: Breakfast
See the Taj Mahal early, before the heat and the crowds; your guide can help the children spot the patterns of inlaid stone. After breakfast, drive to Jaipur, about five hours, with a stop at Abhaneri to see Chand Baori, a deep stepwell with thousands of steps in zigzag patterns. Arrive in Jaipur in time for dinner.
Overnight: Jaipur · Meals: Breakfast
Climb up to Amber Fort, a hilltop palace of ramparts, courtyards and secret passages, and find the mirrored hall of the Sheesh Mahal. Later, visit the Jantar Mantar, where giant stone instruments once tracked the sun and stars; children can see a huge sundial at work. Finish with a short block-printing class to make your own souvenir.
Overnight: Jaipur · Meals: Breakfast
After a relaxed breakfast, take a domestic flight to Goa, direct or with a connection depending on schedules. Your driver meets you and takes you to your beach hotel, chosen for a safe stretch of sand and family rooms. Spend the rest of the afternoon in the pool or on the beach as the sun goes down over the Arabian Sea.
Overnight: Goa · Meals: Breakfast
Today there is no schedule at all. Build sandcastles, swim where the lifeguards advise and try fresh fish curry or prawns with rice at a beach shack for lunch. Older children might enjoy a bodyboard lesson. Sea conditions change through the season, so always follow local flags and advice before going into the water.
Overnight: Goa · Meals: Breakfast
With your guide, visit the churches of Old Goa, a World Heritage site, including the Basilica of Bom Jesus. Wander the colourful streets of Fontainhas, the old Latin quarter of Panaji, with its painted houses. In the afternoon, visit a spice farm inland, where you taste and smell pepper, cardamom and nutmeg, followed by a simple Goan lunch.
Overnight: Goa · Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Another unplanned day. You could take a morning boat trip along the coast, where dolphins are sometimes seen (sightings depend on luck and conditions), visit a local market, or just return to the beach. This last full day is a good chance for everyone to rest before the long journey home.
Overnight: Goa · Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy a last breakfast and a final swim if time allows. Your driver takes you to the airport for your onward flight, whether home directly or via Delhi or Mumbai. We time the transfer around your flight and confirm all details in your written quote.
Overnight: — · Meals: Breakfast
What’s included
- Accommodation with breakfast for 9 nights, with family rooms or connecting rooms where available
- Private airport and hotel transfers
- Private car and driver for sightseeing and road journeys
- Local English-speaking guides for sightseeing in Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Old Goa
- Express train from Delhi to Agra
- Domestic flight from Jaipur to Goa
- Block-printing session in Jaipur and spice farm visit with lunch in Goa
- Entrance fees to sights in the itinerary
- 24/7 support during your trip
Not included
- International flights
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed, and drinks
- Tips
- Personal expenses
- Optional activities such as boat trips and water sports
Good to know
Sample itinerary: we adapt the route, hotels and dates to you and confirm everything in your written quote. Best November–March.
You take an express train from Delhi to Agra, about two hours, and travel by private car with your own driver from Agra to Jaipur, about five hours including the stop at Abhaneri. Child seats can be arranged on request. A domestic flight, direct or with a connection, takes you from Jaipur to Goa. In Goa your driver takes you to the sights, and most journeys are under an hour or so.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. We keep sightseeing to mornings where possible, build in rest time and choose hotels with pools and family rooms. The longest road day is Agra to Jaipur, about five hours, broken up by a stop at the stepwell.
Drink bottled or filtered water, eat freshly cooked food and carry hand gel. Your guide can recommend clean, child-friendly places to eat. Speak to your doctor or a travel clinic about vaccinations well before you travel.
From November to March the weather in Goa is dry and sunny, and the sea is usually calm. North India is pleasant at the same time, though early mornings in December and January can be foggy and cold. From June the monsoon brings heavy rain and rough seas.
Of course. Many families add two or three nights in Goa, or a night at Ranthambore for a tiger safari, where sightings depend on luck and season. Tell us your dates on our plan your trip page.
