Fifteen days is enough time to see several regions of India. See the best of North India by visiting the Golden Triangle, Varanasi, Rajasthan, and Mumbai, or take a culinary tour across the same region for cooking classes in Luckawi and market tours in Delhi. Alternatively, consider a Delhi to Mumbai culture tour where you'll visit ancient cities and religious art. Last, there's the option to explore the states of Karnataka and Goa, where you'll take pottery classes and visit spice plantations.

Itinerary #1: Best of North India: Golden Triangle, Varanasi, Rajasthan & Mumbai

A great option for travelers who have yet to touch the country, this 15-day-tour will take immerse you in the vivid and historic cities and countryside of Northern India. You'll visit the palaces of Jaipur and bustling Mumbai, marvel at the iconic Taj Mahal, and explore one of the world's holiest cities, Varanasi.

Experience the history and beauty of India from Rajasthan to Varanasi
Day Highlights Overnight
Day 1 Arrive in Delhi, Transfer to Hotel Delhi
Day 2 Delhi Full-Day Sightseeing Delhi
Day 3 Fly to Varanasi Varanasi
Day 4 Explore Varanasi, Overnight Train to Agra Luxury Train
Day 5 Arrive in Agra, Visit the Taj Mahal Agra
Day 6 Agra Sightseeing Tour Agra
Day 7 Transfer to Jaipur via Fatehpur Sikri Jaipur
Day 8 Explore Jaipur Jaipur
Day 9 Transfer to Jodhpur Jodhpur
Day 10 Jodhpur City Tour Jodhpur
Day 11 Transfer to Udaipur via Ranakpur Udaipur
Day 12 Udaipur Sightseeing & Sunset Boat Cruise Udaipur
Day 13 Flight to Mumbai, City Tour Mumbai
Day 14 Elephanta Caves & Mumbai Bollywood Tour Mumbai
Day 15 Departure from Mumbai  


Welcome to India! Your journey will begin in Delhi, where you'll tour ancient tombs, gardens, and towers before visiting the Presidential Palace. Next, you'll travel to the holy city of Varanasi, where you'll see pilgrims bathing in the purifying waters of the Ganges River, drink chai, and visit Sarnath, where the Buddha is said to have delivered his first sermon. Next is the city of Agra, home to not only the famous Taj Mahal but also Mehtab Bagh—a Moonlight Garden—and a glass palace called the Shish Mahal, all of which you'll visit.

You'll continue to the Rajasthan capital of Jaipur, also known as the Pink City. In Jaipur, you'll spend time shopping in its many bazaars and visiting the City Palace, which has been home to the Jaipur royal family for centuries. Next up is a long but beautiful drive to Jodhpur, where you'll visit the royal cenotaphs of Jaswant Thada before journeying to Udaipur, visiting the Jagdish Temple and a cruise on Lake Pichola. End your trip in Mumbai, exploring the Elephanta Caves and touring a Bollywood studio. Learn more 

Itinerary #2: Culinary Tour of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh & Rajasthan

A foodie's delight, this 15-day culinary tour of North India will take you to sample some of the country's best-known and most delicious cuisine. You'll visit markets in Delhi, learn to cook Luckawi cuisine, and enjoy a food tour in the shadow of the Taj Mahal.

Street food cooking in Rajasthan
Day Highlights Overnight
Day 1 Arrive in Delhi Delhi
Day 2 Explore Old Delhi Delhi
Day 3 Fly to Lucknow Lucknow
Day 4 Lucknow Cooking Class Lucknow
Day 5 Sightseeing Tour & the Royal Treatment in Lucknow Lucknow
Day 6 Train to Agra Agra
Day 7 Explore Agra Agra
Day 8 Transfer to Jaipur via Fatehpur Sikri Jaipur
Day 9 Explore Jaipur Jaipur
Day 10 Cooking Class in Rural Pachewargarh Jaipur
Day 11 Drive to Pushkar Pushkar
Day 12 Transfer to Kumbhalgarh via Ajmer Kumbhalgarh
Day 13 Transfer to Udaipur Pushkar
Day 14 Explore Udaipur Udaipur
Day 15 Fly to Delhi, Depart  


Your trip will begin in Delhi, where you'll visit Chandni Chowk, the most famous market in Old Delhi, and sample jalebis. Then you'll fly to Lucknow for a series of cooking classes. You'll learn to cook the traditional Dum Pukht cooking method at the Institute of Hotel Management and meet with descendants of Lucknow's legendary Nawabs at a palace in the city before dining with the royal family. The following day, you'll take a train ride to Agra.

After visiting the Taj Mahal and the massive Agra Fort in Agra, you'll embark on a food tour to sample local delights from some of the city's most famous food purveyors. Next, you'll journey to Jaipur, exploring the city's most iconic historical sights, including Maharajah's home of the City Palace, and join an interactive cooking session in a family home. After another cooking class in Pachewargarh, you'll visit holy sites in Pushkar and Ajmer before sampling delicious Marwari food, including local favorites, like onion samosas and daal baati choorma, in Udaipur, and transferring to Delhi for your flight home. Learn more

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Itinerary #3: Delhi to Mumbai Culture Tour 

For those who like to be on the move and traversing two Indian states, this 15-day cultural tour begins in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh before carrying on to the state of Maharashtra, where you'll visit UNESCO-listed cave complexes, Ajanta and Ellora. Your trip will finish with sightseeing along the Arabian Sea in Mumbai.

Kick off the trip with an afternoon in Gwalior Fort
Day Highlights Overnight
Day 1 Arrive in Delhi Delhi
Day 2 Delhi City Tour Delhi
Day 3 Train to Gwalior, Visit Gwalior Fort Gwalior
Day 4 Train to Bhopal, City Tour Bhopal
Day 5 Day Trip to Sanchi & Bhumbetka Bhopal
Day 6 Transfer to Indore, Visit Kanch Mandir Indore
Day 7 Transfer to Ujjain, Temple Tour Ujjain
Day 8 Transfer to Dhar via Mandu Dhar
Day 9 Transfer to Maheshwar, Explore Maheshwar
Day 10 Transfer to Aurangabad, Explore Aurangabad
Day 11 Day Trip to the Ajanta Caves Aurangabad
Day 12 Day Trip to the Ellora Caves Aurangabad
Day 13 Fly to Mumbai, Free Time Mumbai
Day 14 Mumbai City Tour Mumbai
Day 15 Depart Mumbai  


Kick off the itinerary in Delhi with a tour of Old Delhi and its 17th-century palaces, followed by a visit to colonial-era New Delhi. Next, you'll travel to the remote fort city of Gwalior to visit temples like Sas Bahu Ka Mandir before heading to the 11th-century city of Bhopal. In Bhopal, you'll see the Taj-ul-Masjid, the largest mosque in Asia, and take day trips to the Buddhist complex of Sanchi Stupa and ancient cave paintings in Bhimbetka. Next, you'll drive to Indore to explore its vibrant markets and old-world palaces.

Traveling to Ujjain, you'll take a temple tour of the city, dating back to 600 BCE! Next up in Dhar, you'll visit 15th- and 16th-century buildings from the Ghuri and Khilji dynasties before transferring to the small holy town of Maheshwar. Here you'll visit the banks of the sacred Narmada River. Your next base will be in Aurangabad, from which you'll take day trips to see the Buddhist art in the Ajanta Caves and the monastery-temple complexes in the Ellora Caves. Your journey will end in Mumbai, where you'll take a guided tour before catching your flight onward. Learn more

Itinerary #4: Best of Karnataka & Goa 

This 15-day tour covers two South Indian states—Karnataka and Goa—and will show you the best cultural attractions each has to offer. Taking a more leisurely pace than the other itineraries on this list, you'll begin in Bangalore before heading on to visit temples, forts, and palaces along the way to the enticing shores of Goa and the Arabian Sea. 

Finish the trip with time to explore Goa's many golden-sand beaches
Day Highlights Overnight
Day 1 Arrive in Bangalore Bangalore
Day 2 Bangalore City Tour Bangalore
Day 3 Explore Bangalore's Arts & Crafts Scene Bangalore
Day 4 Transfer to Mysore via Channapatna Mysore
Day 5 Mysore City Tour Mysore
Day 6 Transfer to Hassan via Shravanbelagola Hassan
Day 7 Visit the Belur & Halebeedu Temples, Explore Hassan Hassan
Day 8 Transfer to Hampi via the Chitradurga Temple Hampi
Day 9 Explore Hampi Hampi
Day 10 Transfer to Badami via Aihole & Pattadakal Badami
Day 11 Explore Badami Badami
Day 12 Transfer to Goa, Free Time Goa
Day 13 Visit Dudhsagar Waterfall, Tour a Spice Plantation Goa
Day 14 Goa Free Day Goa
Day 15 Depart Goa  


Upon arriving in Bangalore, you'll tour the city, visiting temples, palaces, and the Lalbagh Botanical Garden. Next, you'll explore the city's vibrant arts and crafts scene, taking a pottery class in Pottery Town and visiting textile weavers and printers. Transferring to Mysore, you'll see two exquisite art factories, tour the Palace of the Maharajah, and shop the city's famous printed silks and ivory carvings. You'll continue to visit the home of Jainism in Shravanabelagola before checking in to a hotel in Hassan.

In Hassan, you'll see museums and temples evoking the area's rich religious and cultural history before transferring to Hampi via the Chitradurga Temple. Hampi is known for its historic ruins, and you'll visit several, along with the Lotus Palace. Next, you'll head to Badami via the temple complexes of Aihole and Pattadakal. In Badami, you'll visit Vedic cave temples before traveling to the Arabian Sea-facing city-state of Goa, full of Baroque cathedrals, yoga classes, and a day trip to a spice plantation you'll see before your flight home. Learn more 

More Great India Itineraries 

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to India? Check out these other India itineraries, with culinary tours, cultural trips, and best-of tours to hit the highlights. 

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Map of 15 Days in India - 4 Unique Itinerary Ideas
Map of 15 Days in India - 4 Unique Itinerary Ideas