2012. december 31., hétfő

Golden Triangle Tour - North India

If you ever wanted to see the Taj Mahal you need to visit Agra. It cannot be missed out when you plan a North India tour, and there are no words to tell you about the experience when you first set your eyes on the magnificent building; one of the Seven Wonders of the World. If you have only a few weeks or a week for touring, the best option is to choose the Golden Triangle Tour. This is the most popular package of most India tour operators, as it covers Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, the capital of colorful Rajasthan. We had all three cities included in our tour with MerryGo Travels, and you can read the detailed description of their Golden Triangle Tour Package on their website.

Delhi


Delhi has enough to offer for a week or months, really. A historical building on every corner, and life never stops. Old and New Delhi are completely different, and you need to see the contrast to understand what I mean. While New Delhi is well laid out and planned with real avenues and great buildings, wide roads, Old Delhi is something old, narrow, crowded and still full of life. There are loads of markets to visit, but you want to see the most important monuments first. You first need to see the Red Fort, which was built by the Mughal Emperors of India. It is something magnificent. The Jama Masjid is another spectacular building, a mosque built in 1650. The building called Humayun's Tomb is really a complex of tombs with gardens, and has recently been awarded a World Heritage status. 





However, for those who would like to spiritually develop, the Lotus Temple is a must. It provides a neutral place for meditation for everyone from any race or religion. 

We have also seen Raj Ghat, the memorial place of Mahatma Gandhi. 








Agra


In Agra, there are two main attractions: Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort. Not telling the readers about the legends of the place and the stories; you need to hear them there and then. If you take a guide you will be a couple of hundred Rupies lighter but an experience richer. 

The Taj Mahal is under renovation on Fridays, therefore, you should visit it on other days. The morning visits are the best, as you will see the lights coming upon the magnificent building. No words can describe the experience, you need to be there. The ticket office opens at 6.30. Some people will try to sell you VIP tickets but they are a waste of time. The only point is to get you to take a guide. Queues move fast in the morning, so there is no point at all. 


In Agra Fort, you are likely to spend hours even without a guide, There is so much to see and explore, such as the different features of architecture, rooms and features. It is also a good place to take a photo of Taj Mahal. 


Rajahstan - Jaipur

As a city, we did not think a lot about Jaipur; the traffic was horrendous, loads of bars though. On the other hand, seeing the real colors of Rajasthan and experiencing the lifestyle, it is a good place. We sort of dropped into a street wedding by taking photos and were invited to march with the crowd. People in Rajasthan and Jaipur are very friendly, even though it is a tourist place. The Pink City will be the favorite of the ladies; a street with only pink buildings. The highlight was Hawa Mahal: the Palace of Winds. 













We loved the architecture, however, if you are scared of heights, you should take it easy; it is five stories. It did almost beat the elephant ride up to the Amber Fort. It costs 900 Rupees, and you are not allowed to take photos with the elephants. However, there are some "paparazzi" on the side of the road taking photos. When you come down they will spot you and chase you until you buy them. I actually had to shout at one of them to let us be, but hey; this is just a part of the experience. 



Overall; the Golden Triangle Tour is enough to give you a good taste of India, introduce you to the culture and traditions, if you have limited time. 

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