Things to do in the Golden Triangle

Think of the Golden Triangle as a piece of Toblerone, solid and sublime, packed with legendary flavours. Cultural heritage is, of course, the honeycomb here, as you travel through periods of princes and palaces, Mughals and Maharajahs, each trying to outdo the other in terms of architecture, fortitude and craftsmanship. Thankfully, many of the great sites are in the safe hands of UNESCO for all to enjoy. Travel through not only great cities but also through time, seeing influences from the Mughal Empire, the Rajput royals and the British Empire. Cultural influences are everywhere, from the Chandni Chowk market in New Delhi to the Johari Bazaar in Jaipur, homestays in rural Rajasthan to heritage hotels overlooking the Taj Mahal.

If your holiday coincides with one of India’s famous festivals then your cultural experience will go off the scale. So will the crowds, but you just have to go with the flow. In fact, that is one of the big secrets of being able to truly immerse yourself in Indian culture in the Golden Triangle: look past the dust and the noise, crowds and cacophonies, and enter the otherworldliness of it all. In a world that is still deeply informed by religion, politics and heritage, you will be buzzing around that honeycomb.