15 days in India — Itinerary for India
India — a country rich in an array of cultures, traditions, landscapes, and festivals. Perhaps, 15 days in this wonderful country doesn’t seem like long enough.
That’s where I give you full disclosure — 15 days is not enough to travel the whole of India. In fact, even this small itinerary is jam-packed and was exhausting (in the best way possible).
India was the first stop on my travels, and it's fair to say it was a slight culture shock. It was chaotic, exasperating, and different. I was told to be prepared for the unexpected — but I still found myself in awe at everything around me.
The poverty is aggressively glaring, everything is unpredictable, and social differences are confronting. Love it or hate it, it will leave an imprint in your mind, that will stay with you for life.
So, here is my India travel diary — I hope you can take some information from this, and have an amazing time. I absolutely loved it and will be returning.
Day 1 — Delhi
As the plane arrived in Delhi, I waited for the airplane to fly through the clouds. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach when I realised, they weren’t clouds…that was pollution.
While in Delhi, the smog was particularly bad. The fact is, not many tourists like Delhi. It’s overpopulated, overly polluted, and such shock to Westerners when they first arrive.
As the capital, it is home to a lot of heritage, but I spent less than a day there. Many tourists use Delhi as a stop-off point, for the airport — that’s totally okay.
Even the best India itinerary will likely tell you to skip Delhi.
Day 2 — Agra — Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal
I woke up at around 5 am and caught a bus to Agra. The pollution (although, still quite shocking) was considerably better. The first top in Agra — Agra fort. P.S Beware of the monkeys.
Agra Fort was the residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty. As a world heritage site, the Agra Fort is one of the most breathtaking buildings you’ll see.
Agra Fort is nicknamed “the walled city”, which accurately describes just how grand this palace is. Can you believe people actually lived here?
Then, of course, we visited the Taj Mahal. Do I even need to introduce this building?
Two things I think worth mentioning. As a Westerner, you are as much as a tourist attraction as the Taj Mahal. Be prepared for a lot of photos being taken of you.
Secondly, I felt there was something slightly unfair about the Taj Mahal. Poverty surrounds the walls of this beautiful building estimated to be nearly $1 billion. This became a common theme.
Day 3 & 4 — Jaipur
Ah, Jaipur. The capital of Rajasthan, filled with equal amounts of chaos as beauty. This colourful city brings back amazing memories for me.
Backpacking India is difficult, but the stunning spots like this make it all worth it. Jaipur is somewhere you cannot miss.
It’s known as the pink city, courtesy of its gorgeous pink buildings. While in Jaipur I:
- Visited the Amber Fort
- Visited the City Palace
- Went on a jeep tour
- Got my palm read by a traditional Indian palm reader
- Tried my first ever chai tea
Day 5 — Tordi Sagar
I took a tiny bit of an unconventional stop at Tordi Sagar. This is a small but historic village and made such a lovely change from the chaos of Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur.
While here, you’ll experience a traditional part of India, away from any touristy parts. My favourite memory was watching a talented man make pottery on a spinning wheel.
Day 6 & 7 — Pushkar
The natural next stop was Pushkar. Honestly, this was probably my favourite place.
When we visited Pushkar was hosting its annual camel festival. This meant that it was absolutely flowing with people. Again, making Westerners a tourist attraction.
Importantly, in Pushkar alcohol and meat, and eggs are not allowed. It’s a “hippy” city, which all adds to the charm.
While in Pushkar, I attended a lovely show — featuring fire eaters, and traditional gipsy dancers. It was enchanting.
Day 8, 9 & 10 — Udaipur
I then spent 3 days in Udaipur, giving myself time to rest and rejuvenate.
Udaipur is known as the Venice of the East, an ode to its pristine lakes, and Italian style buildings. I highly recommend you take a boat tour whilst in Udaipur, as well as taking the time to go shopping.
Then, I took the dreaded sleeper train (which honestly wasn’t bad at all.)
Day 11 & 12 — Mumbai
I was so looking forward to Mumbai, and it didn’t disappoint. I took a taxi tour around the city, allowing me to witness all the city’s beauty spots.
This included the Mumbai Washing clothes area and the Gandhi museum.
I also decided to visit the slums in Mumbai, although I do not consider these to be a tourist hotspot, I believe they are an important thing to witness.
I want to respectfully write about the Slums and India’s wealth disparity, but I still find it hard to articulate.
Day 13, 14 & 15 — Goa
Then I took a trip to Goa. Here, you can sunbathe, chill on the beach, shop, and drink. It certainly has a different feel to the rest of India, but that can be nice after a couple of weeks of chaos.
Here, you are free to wear bikinis — something that wouldn’t really be acceptable in the other areas.
That marked the end to my amazing time in India. I took a flight from Goa to Sri Lanka.
India travel advice
This advice will be more catered to women, as my experience in India is likely very different from a male’s.
- Eating in India is a big risk. Make sure you only eat freshly cooked food, avoid salads and juices, and try to eat exclusively at restaurants. Street food in India is a massive risk, which I advise you don’t take.
- Only drink bottled water, as tap water is contaminated — not even the locals drink it. Stay as hydrated as you can, too. Chai is sent from the heavens above, too.
- India is rife with scammers. A gift can quickly urn into a sale, shop keepers will try to rip you off, and drivers will try to get more money. Be vigilant.
- Always remove your shoes at the entrances of temples. Make sure your body is covered, too.
- Credit cards are not accepted at most places in India. Make sure you carry cash.
- Pollution is the worst in the world, in India. You’ll find piles of burning plastic everywhere, smoke, smog, and exhaust fumes. You may want to consider wearing a mask.
- India has a limited number of toilets, and the ones they do have are not nice. Many female backpackers bring a urination device.
- Wear loose-fitting clothes, that cover everything neck to ankle. Though this isn’t the law, it’s respectful. India travel essentials include scarves, tunics, and trousers. India travel guidelines often state that the country isn’t the safest for female solo travellers, bear that in mind.
India travel checklist
I put together a short checklist for all the India travel essentials.
I hope this gives you a tiny bit of information about India.
