6 days
From US $1,450
Golden Triangle Bike Tour
Qunitessential India, the Golden Triangle tour gives an altogether different spin to the most popular travel circuit in India. Travel along comparatively untreaded paths and little known backroads on this bike tour from Jaipur to Delhi via Taj Mahal. This amazing circuit looks even more beautiful from a bicycle!
Jaipur | 13:00hrs
Delhi
casual
easy
50km or 30mi
Min. 2, Max. 14
Highlights
Majestic landscape
Ride past some of the most interior landscapes
Itinerary
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Place | casual Inns or similar | Meals | Distance | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAY 1 | Jaipur | Dera Rawatsar | D | ||
| DAY 2 | Shahpura | Shahpura Haveli | B,L,D | 50km / 30mi | cycling |
| DAY 3 | Sariska | Vanaashraya | B,L,D | 50km / 30mi | cycling |
| DAY 4 | Bharatpur | Laxmi Vilas Palace | B,L,D | 45km / 27mi | cycling |
| DAY 5 | Delhi via Taj Mahal | Colonel’s Retreat | B,L | ||
| DAY 6 | Delhi | B |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Jaipur
Our guide meets at your hotel and we do a bike fit before starting with a visit to Amer Fort. After bike fit, visit the famous fortress of Kacchawaha kings at Amber. Large courtyards, intricate carvings on formidable structure, and nuances of Rajput rule can be seen in the fort overlooking the Maota Lake. If you’re up for a walk, take a tunnel to Jaigarh Fort.
The rest of the day is at leisure. Jaipur is the erstwhile capital of the ruling Kacchawahas in the early eighteenth century. We recommend taking a walk in the old city and experiencing the delightful ancient markets at ease. Hawa Mahal and the numerous bazaars selling bright textiles and silver are worth every hour spent.
Day 2: Shahpura
Our guide meets at your hotel around 08:00am.
This day we start early in the morning and ride past small villages, mountainous and greener landscape. The ride largely remains flat and gives a chance to witness the rural life around Jaipur from close quarters.
Day 3: Sariska
We cycle towards the forest of Sariska, through the amazing Aravalli hills, lakes, and past Pratapgarh Fort. Today is an amazing trail for biking. We will continue cycling to Sariska National Park, a favorite haunt of wildlife buffs & professional wildlife photographers from around the world. The topography of Sariska supports scrub-thorn arid forests, rocky landscapes, dry deciduous forests, rocks, grasses, and hilly cliffs. The park is famous for its Bengal Tigers, one of the most magnificent animals of India, which has long fascinated people with its awesome power and beautifully striped coat. It is the first tiger reserve in the world to have successfully relocated tigers.
Day 4: Bharatpur
Begin the day with a hearty breakfast at the hotel, then set off on a bike ride through the picturesque countryside, chequered with mustard fields and millet farms to the Keoladeo Ghana National Park. On the way, we make a stop at Abhaneri for lunch and visit Chand Baori, one of the largest stepwell built over a thousand years ago in the Abhaneri village of Rajasthan.
Later in the evening, we explore the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary on a bike, famous for the avifauna sanctuary that plays host to thousands of birds, where you have an opportunity to interact with the local guide and gain greater insight into the bird lives.
Day 5: Delhi via Taj Mahal
In the late morning, we take a transfer to Agra for a visit to the Taj Mahal. We have a good half-day to visit one of the most awesome and extravagant monuments ever built – the Taj Mahal. It was constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife in 1631-1653, with thousands of semiprecious stones inlaid.
Day 6: Delhi
Delhi hoards centuries of history, remnants of which, lie unassumingly in all parts of the city. Weathered monuments mingle with modern life seamlessly.
We recommend exploring Old Delhi by bike, intense and full of history. You can do this ride with our local Delhi-based cycling partner. The Shah Jahan Bicycle Ride is a classic recipe for an exhilarating glimpse into the life and times of the great Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, and the 1500-acre expanse of his capital – Shahjahanabad.
You will find yourself in a Delhi of another time while you also see the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, the Spice Market, and tranquil Civil Lines, the former British colonial area as a sharp contrast to hectic Old Delhi.
Old crumbling houses precariously line the edge of narrow streets while old wires obstruct your view of the sky here – with so much going on in one place, yet the warmth and acceptance of the area are heart-warming. If you have an appetite for street food, we recommend a bite of oily parathas, kachoris, lassi, and some tea.
Ready to plan your adventure? Download a print-ready detailed itinerary.
Map
Dates and Prices
Single Supplement
From US $350
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Essential Info
Inclusions
LODGING
All hotels as mentioned in the tour details or similar (subject to availability).
trip leader
Expert Trip Leader(s) who look after your every need and add meaning to your vacation.
bike
Immaculately maintained bike with helmet, suited to a terrain.
shuttle
A Van support follows the group of riders and carries all belongings.
meals
Meals as per itinerary. Guests are given the opportunity to dine on their own so that they discover a location independently.
refreshments
Refreshments and mineral water while cycling.
entrance
Entrance fees to most of the monuments and temples.
Exclusions
Airport pickup and drop
We recommend to book direclty from airport or hotel.
Beverages
Beverages such as alcohol, tea, coffee, juice at a hotel or restaurant.
Gratuity
Gratuities for your guide team are not included in the trip price.
Bikes
When you have a road and the thrill of a journey ahead of you, it’s imperative to have a good bike to enjoy it. Our fleet majorly consist of the below bikes as a part of this tour. However, sometimes due to height or availability constraints, we may provide a different but similar quality bike.
Scott Sportster or similar
Included in your trip price
Weather
August and September mark the monsoon season in Rajasthan and the countryside feels alive. The temperature (similar to March) could be close to 25-30 degree Celsius at night, but the days are sunny & humid with temperatures around 30-35 degrees Celsius. Though it may be a bit hot, it is still a good time for biking as the countryside is amazingly green with many water bodies. Generally, it rains for a short period and then settles down which makes the condition much cooler and perfect for biking.
November, December, January & February marks the winter season in Rajasthan. The monsoon season has ended. The temperature could be close to 2-5 degree Celsius on nights in Dec-Jan, but the days are sunny with temperatures around 15-20 degrees Celsius. Nights can get chilly in the highlands. It is recommended to carry warm clothes and a breathable windproof jacket. These are the best months for cycling in Rajasthan. By March, the temperature starts picking up and is around 25-30 degree Celsius at night, but the days are sunny with temperatures around 30-40 degrees Celsius.
In a nutshell, our bike tours in Rajasthan run from August to March. April to July is a complete no-go.
Visa
All foreign nationals entering India are required to possess a valid international travel document in the form of a national passport with a valid visa obtained from an Indian Mission or Post abroad.
E-Visa has been made available by the Government of India to citizens of certain countries, including the United States of America. Details of the scheme are available on the dedicated website created for this purpose: e-Visa
e-Visa has 5 sub-categories viz. e-Tourist Visa (for 30 days/01 year/ 05 years),
For e-Tourist and e-Business visa, Applicants may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival.
Recent front-facing photographs with white backgrounds and photo pages of passports containing personal details like name, date of birth, nationality, expiry date etc, are to be uploaded mandatorily by the applicant. Additionally, one more document depending upon the e-Visa type would also be required to be uploaded. The application is liable to be rejected if the uploaded documents and photograph are not clear / as per specification.
Reviews from our friends
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few tips to avoid getting Delhi Belly while doing this bike tour:
- Always wash your hands before eating anything, even light snacks.
- Do not drink tap water. Drink only bottled water provided by your trip leader or by the hotel/restaurant you're staying or eating in. When buying bottled water from outside, check for seal and the brand. Avoid using ice, since ice is often made from tap water. Soda water, however, is usually safe.
- Avoid eating salads and cut fruits. Peeled fruits such as bananas and oranges are fine.
- Cooked food that is freshly prepared is usually safe to eat. Restaurants and eating joints that are busy are usually safer as the food is fresh and they rarely have anything refrigerated overnight.
Yes, your trip leader will carry bottled water in the support van for guests' use.
Yes, please communicate your dietary preferences to your trip leader and they'll ensure that the food you eat is spiced as per your requirements.
We've designed this itinerary such that most of the cycling happens on quieter countryside roads far from busy traffic. The shuttle transfers on this tour have been strategically planned to bypass busy vehicular traffic.
The road surface is mostly good. 90% of the cycling on our Exotic India Bike Tour happens on paved roads.
Yes, you may wear riding shorts while riding your bike. When not cycling, it would be advisable to wear comfortable full-length pants. We recommend keeping a pair of comfortable pants handy in you support van.
When visiting temples and monuments, visitors should wear full-length, loose-fitting pants. Holy places of certain religions may also require covering your head. Your guide will inform of the dress etiquette required for visiting specific religious places.
We are not medical advisors, and as such are not qualified to dispense medical advice. However, we recommend consulting the resources below for advice on vaccines and medications:
- CDC portal for travlers from the US
- NHS' Fit For Travel portal for travlers from the UK
- Smart Traveller portal or travelers from Australia.
In addition to the above, you may also refer to the travel advice issued from time to time by your government.
Although your tour price includes most common expenses, except the meals not included in the itinerary, you can refer to the following broad guidelines for extra expenditures:
- US $25 per person per day for tours with stays in casual inns
- US $35 per person per day for tours with stays in premiere inns (luxury bike tours)
Most cities in India have ATMs where you can use your card to withdraw local currency.
No, tips are not included in tour price.
As a general rule, you may tip US$ 15-25 per person per day.
This figure is for the entire crew including the trip leader, the driver, and other support staff.
However, you are not obligated to tip, and you can always tip less or more than the above amount depending on the level of service you received on tour.
It is usually the norm to tip the tour guide, who then distributes the amount among the entire crew. However, you can also tip each individual member of the crew if you so desire.
We generally avoid regions which are prone to outbreaks of malaria and dengue. However, as a preventive measure, you may carry mosquito repellant, and wear full-body clothing.
Consult your medical advisor for any pre-emptive medications or vaccines for the above.
The fitness level required for each trip is indicated by the "level" of the tour, which in turn is mentioned on each tour page right next to the price and the trip duration.
Easy: The terrain is mostly flat with a few gentle climbs. Moderate: The terrain is either mostly flat or consists of rolling hills with a few challenging climbs. There could also be a few days with longer riding distances of up to 75 kms (45 miles) Difficult: The terrain is mostly hilly with strong elevation gains and/or has long days on the bike. Such trips are recommended for intermediate to advanced cyclists.
