India's Golden Triangle

[RaraRachael]

Friend and I are both in our early 60s. She's suggesting we do India's Golden Triangle - Delhi, Taj Mahal and Ranthambhore National Park.

Has anyone done it? I'm reasonably fit but I'm worried it will be too hot, busy and smelly. It's really outside my comfort zone as I've only previously been to Europe and Florida.

I did it about 25 years ago. It was fascinating and beautiful….. BUT, I had constant food poisoning and the air pollution in Delhi made me ill - red face, sore throat, eyes stinging and watering, nose running, coughing, wheezing etc. and I’m not even asthmatic. I couldn’t wait to leave. I was fine as soon as I got on the plane.

I’ve been to other 3rd world countries without anything like these problems.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/world/asia/india-delhi-pollution.html?smid=url-share

If you want to see tigers you need to book with a wildlife specialist company because tigers are not easy to find. 2 trips into a park to see a tiger is the bare minimum! 3 days/6 trips is essential. Corbett park is fantastic but has long grass. Absolutely no guarantee of seeing a tiger! Bandhavgarh is smaller and gives a better chance. Panna and Kanha are also worth considering. None are handy for the golden triangle though and Corbett certainly isn’t. I’ve not been to Tadoba but we are going to Kaziranga and Pilibhit next year. Basically to see elephants and rhino. Ranthambhore is spoilt by volume of tourists and use of noisy canters.

i Guess it depends how well travelled and confident you are but India is the only place I have been that Is have felt really unsafe on my own. The hassle and scamming around d the tourist sites is intense.

I was there on an organised tour but I flew out early and had a couple of days to myself beforehand - It was VERY glad to join up with my tour group! We had a great local guide who took us places we’d never get to as a tourist. It’s the only time I’ve not travelled independently.

@LudlowStreetHow were you pls bing to travel? I’d definitely not go to India on my own. Well maybe to a beach resort! Hotels are safe. The issue is travel and enjoying the sites when you get there. India is chaotic. Travel is chaotic. Your only obvious way of travel is a hired car. Cities have sightseeing trips you can book but people will hassle you and do the hard sell. Group travel doesn't necessarily prevent this but - safety in numbers. India can be very hard work. I’d strongly suggest you somehow join a group or get a company to sort out a bespoke tour for you. I think I’d speak to tour operators and see if your flights dovetail with dates they do tours. Bespoke tours obviously cost more. I can honestly say that travel in India is unique. I’ve been on Indian trains and just getting on the right one is a challenge. You need first class. Never been on a coach and standards of driving are low.

There are plenty of nice places to see outside Europe that may not be as out of your comfort zone as India :) I wouldn’t suggest India as a first option if you’ve only been to the US and Europe - maybe Sri Lanka if you want something a little similar but less chaotic, South East Asia like Thailand, Philippines. I did the golden triangle last year and after 50 countries it was one of the most intense travel experience.

Thanks @GirlsAbroad I got the atlas out last night and decided the only long haul place I'd want to visit is Australia.
The thought of going to some places terrifies me so I'll just stick to my limited choices.

We’re just back - went by group tour but we escaped by ourselves a few times. Uber booking was easy, enjoyed taking a few auto rickshaws, eating in local restaurants- booking on line easy. Booking guided tours via get my guide - easy! The most thrilling moments were when we went off piste without the group, next time we’ll do it ourselves with a few multi day group hours thrown in. I loved the people on the group and it was certainly easy but it also felt like it took the edge and the excitement out of travel and it meant we ate mostly hotel food - which was a bit dull and we all got sick - which feels unavoidable.

I’ve spent loads of time in India; it’s a glorious place.

Go with an organised tour and make sure you pick lovely hotels. India does luxury hotels very well, much better than the UK.

Dont go in winter due to the smog. It’s awful. Don't go in summer either due to the extreme heat and monsoon rains. A sweet spot tends to be March-April and October.

Don't go if you can’t cope with child beggars and disabled adults in the street begging. I also hated the littering and mess and the seeming disregard for areas of natural beauty.

My favourite place in India was Shimla. Stunning.

I am really interested in doing the Golden Triangle and would be prepared for the challenge - other than getting ill. I know this can happen anywhere but has anyone been to India and not succumbed to illness??

I am of Indian heritage, visit once a yesr and am never ill. But I don't eat buffets at five star hotels. I eat hot and freshly made street food!

The buffets were hard going and they were the only option 80% of the time - I don't think I can face another buffet in my lifetime. None of us in the group could see a pattern to the illness - everyone seemed to get ill at different times. On one of our escapes we did a street food tour and no illness came from that one. Who knows!

I have two sets of friends who recently travelled around India independently- they didn't get sick - I think it's possible but sometimes no matter what you do it's hard to avoid.

I've done it with an organised driver in a group and it was absolutely fantastic. We went in January and it was perfect for us weather wise. Amazing trip.

We didn't have any illness but they said to only eat vegetarian food from street vendors - it was fine.

I absolutely loved Jaipur. Did enjoy Delhi just for the craziness.. Agra agree - such a strange place and so dirty and rubbish everywhere. I've been back to Goa since and it was really good, a lot less manic

We always have freshly cooked food if possible but I wasn’t great in Calcutta recently. Came and went though! DH absolutely fine. My first issue in 4 visits to India.

We have never been in a position to eat street food - on organised trips it’s just not likely. I’d say the hotels are mostly fine. We are doing a street food tour next year and have done one before but street food in Calcutta would be virtually impossible.

Goa and Kerala are slower paced India and nothing like the golden triangle.

Oh my goodness the driving! Will never forget our coach driver driving the wrong way down a motorway into the oncoming traffic because it was a short cut!

Southern India is hotter.

OP, I went to the golden triangle and Amritsar about 20 years ago. I loved it but we had a guide the whole time.

Thus year we went on a private tour to Tamil Nadu and Kerala. This was also great and very different to the golden triangle.

You have been advised by pp about when to go.

@stayawayfromthattrapdoor We didn’t have that but saw lots of cars crossing the central reservation across oncoming traffic to get to a cafe!

In the late 80s, on our first visit to India, we spent 2 weeks being driven around in a Hindustan Ambassador. An Indian version of a 50s Morris Oxford I think. Roads only had tarmac in the middle for one car width and cars swerved each other at the last minute to avoid a head on crash. Hardly anyone slowed down. Many other near misses and our driver was drunk when he offered to take us to see the Taj Mahal by moonlight. We didn’t see anything but he struggled to turn the car round and we just went from kerb to kerb across the road. We’ve had exemplary driving on subsequent trips!

Yes, as I said in my pp we have been twice and I have not got food poisoning and neither did my husband. I think the secret is to eat in your hotel or if you eat out then stick to vegetarian.

Oh you are missing so
much!

We did both - still got ill! The whole group got ill but not at the same time and even not when they had the same food.

How good were the hotels?

I went last year for my 60 birthday. I was in a guided tour of 35 people. I didn’t get ill and neither did anyone else that I’m aware of. Certainly not enough for it to be mentioned. I was advised to have charcoal tablets to prevent any illness and I know some other people on the group took them too. Obviously can’t say it was definitely the charcoal but we only ate food prepared in the hotel and only pre packed food out and about. Also only used bottled water.