Fatehpur Sikri is India’s famous and the most magnificent ghost city that history knows about.

Commissioned in the 16th century, this fortified city served the Mughal Emperor Akbar as a capital for a total of 15 years.

Today we know Fatehpur Sikri as a World Heritage Site but there was a time that this place wasn’t the marvel it is today.

Long before the establishment of the Mughal Dynasty, this place was just as ordinary as the adjoining areas.

However, its the role in establishing the dynasty, and Sheik Salim Christi predicting the birth of Akbar’s heir made Sikri a revered spot on the India travel map.

Fatehpur Sikri that will come to you on your Golden triangle trip will be brimming with stories like these.

It will pamper your culture-loving heart while bringing to you the best amalgamation of Indian and Mughal styles of architecture.

To be honest, because of Fatehpur Sikri’s mammoth gate that’s about 50 m high and tall red sandstone walls, a trip here is like time-travel.

And, within the sky-scraping walls, you’ll come across a plethora of palaces, towers and noteworthy structure that deserves all eyes from travellers around the globe.

While strolling through its opulent corridors you’ll learn that every of this structure has been crafted to perfection.

And to be honest, we second that.

However, even hours spent here will not be enough to explore the expanse of this structure.

Timings: 6 AM – 6 PM

Time Required to explore: 3 hours

Entry Fee

1. Indians: INR 35
2. Foreigners: INR 550

Top Places to visit inside Fatehpur Sikri:

1. Jodha Bai’s palace
2. Jama Mosque
3. Buland Darwaza
4. Tomb of Salim Chisti

Distance from Agra: 35.8 km

Another village escapade coming up!

If you thought villages in India are just the melting pot of culture, then Abhaneri will prove you wrong.

Securing a revered position on the travel list of Rajasthan, Abhaneri is one such village that’s blessed with architectural prowess.

This hamlet is home to a plethora of temples that will turn your culture-loving heart red.

However, the living stepwell that’s the first and last of its kind in Rajasthan or says India will be the one that’ll get your heart racing at a thousand miles per seconds.

The stepwell we are talking about is Chand Baori, an architectural masterpiece that’s a proud possession of Indian Heritage.

Loitering through the corridors of this stepwell you’ll come across many small shrines with stone idols of Hindu deities.

However, it will be the layout of the stairs that will make your heart go gaga. Plus, do you know that there is still water in this ancient stepwell, which for some reason is green?

How about you leave it as enigmatic as it is and find this answer yourself by visiting this place? Sounds like a plan! 

Opening timings:7am–5 pm

Entry Fee:

1. Indians- 40 INR
2. Foreigners- 200 INR

Distance from Jaipur: 90 km

India is as much about the culture and rural lifestyle as it is about monuments and metropolitans.

With this destination, we will explore this first bit on your Golden Triangle India Trip so that you know what real India looks like.

Not too far from the glittery pink city of Rajasthan is a village that still lives decades behind the world.

Isolated from the city and even the neighbouring villages, this small hamlet had procured Rajasthani culture for ages.

For travellers willing to learn about Rajasthan from the grassroots, the gates of Rusirani Village are wide open.

However, dancing women, singing folks and high-end food is not how they showcase the culture of Rajasthan. Rather, they let you into their households to see their lifestyle a little closer, which is any day a win.

A day tour in Rusirani starts with an off-roading adventure followed by a warm welcome by all the village folks.

The day further advances by giving you the privilege of interacting with local folks on an uncut chit chat session to fuel the culture buff in you.

However, what steals away the highlight is the all-authentic yummy in the tummy meal they provide.

And, if you are feeling more culturally driven, you can even help the folks prepare them on coal stoves.

With Rusirani you’ll go to village walks and will enjoy the simplicity of the rural lifestyle.

But that’s not all, there are other things too that you can explore here. How about a trip to an ancient temple or a jaunt in the nearby wildlife sanctuary? Well, for knowing more you’ll have to visit it.

Famous for: Cultural Immersion and panoramic views

Things you shouldn’t miss: Visiting ancient Shiva temples that are a part of the Hindu epic Mahabharata.

Distance from Jaipur: 70 km

Just like any trip to India, this list too cannot be completed without a religious jaunt. For this, you can add Galtaji Temple to your itinerary.

Not that from the pink paradise of Jaipur, exists the most hidden gem of Rajasthan, Galtaji Temple.

Dotted by the mighty Aravalli, this Hindu shrine is among the top places to visit near Jaipur.

Galtaji Temple is known for its holy shrines, serene kunds and natural springs. Commissioned from pink sandstones, this very temple complex matches the entourage of the Jaipur city.

Bounded by bushes and trees from all end, this temple which is designed like a palace feels like a hideout in heaven.

And, it’s rounded roofs, carved pillars and intricate design concretes this statement.

Inside this temple complex are several shrines each dedicated to a Hindu deity.

Here at this temple, you’ll also come across seven holy ‘kunds’ (water tanks) and several freshwater springs.

One of these springs is shaped in the form of a cow head that supplies freshwater into one of the tanks Galta Kund, where water never dries.

Among the locals, Galtaji Temple is famous as a monkey paradise.

Here you’ll see multiple tribes of monkeys lurking and swinging on the lush green trees, which is a story to behold on its own.

So, if it’s the peace and serenity you crave on an India tour, adding Galtaji Temple to your bucket list will be gratifying.

Timings: 5:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Time Required: 1-2 hrs

Entry Fee: No entry fee,

Camera: INR 50

Adding a wildlife adventure to an itinerary always ends in being a treat for the senses.

And, when the chances of spotting wildlife are as great as in Ranthambore, then, the experience becomes unmatched.

Among all the places to visit between Agra and Jaipur, Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur is a spectacle to catch.

It invokes the nature lover in you and accentuates your senses to that extreme where hearing your heartbeat becomes possible.

Tigers in this sanctuary are famous for being fearless.

They hunt in broad daylight even in the presence of human visitors. And, thanks to the monochromatic terrain and sparse vegetation, catching them doing so isn’t a hard job.

While strolling through its golden grounds you’ll encounter edifices breaking the monotony of the terrain.

It is here that you’ll discover a treasure of myths and mysteries to cleanse your wildlife palette and pamper the history buff in you.

All this already sounds amazing to us, how about you give it a try and tell how right we were?

Ranthambore timings:

– October: 7 AM to 10.30 AM and 2.30 PM to 6 PM.

– November to January: 7 AM to 10.30 AM and 2 PM to 5.30 PM.

– February to March: 6.30 AM to 10 AM and 2.30 PM to 6 PM.

– 1st April to 15th May: 6 AM to 9.30 AM and 3 PM to 6.30 PM.

– 15th May to 30th June: 6 AM to 9.30 AM and 3.30 PM 7 PM.

Safari Gypsy price:

1. Rs 974 per person for Indians
2. Rs 1,714 per person for foreigners.

Safari Canter Price:

1. Rs 617 per person for Indians
2. Rs 1,357 per person for foreigners.

  Distance from Jaipur: 190 km

Can’t get enough of the wildlife adventures in India?

How about you add another one to your list of places to visit between Agra and Jaipur?

Bharatpur is awe gasping beauty where nature oozes its ecstasy from every nook and cranny.

This village is most profoundly famous for its UNESCO listed Keoladeo National Park, which habitats over 370 species of animals and birds.

It is the only bird sanctuary in entire India or for that matter the world where you can ace bird watching on the backseat of a rickshaw.

Imagine exploring the nutty trails on an open-roof cycle ride, won’t that be bizarrely brilliant?

A day at the bird sanctuary will bring you closer to the endangered Siberian crane,open-bill, painted stork, egret, darter, white ibis, spoonbill, and many other bird species.

And, if you are in this safari for bigger animals, then believe us leopards, striped hyenas and wild boars here won’t disappoint you.

Apart from this, Bharatpur as a town is busy and chaotic, although, it does have several age-old structures that echo with Rajasthan’s rich past.

So, if you want to explore the window that acts as a buffer between history and nature you surely would want to visit Bharatpur.

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary timings: 6 AM to 6 PM

Bharatpur Safari Cost:

1. Indians is 25 INR.
2. Foreigners: 200 INR
3. Camera charges: 200 INR.

How to visit: Agra- Fatehpur Sikri- Bharatpur ( total distance: 56 km)