My 7 Days India Itinerary: India’s Highlights & Gems

India is one of my favourite destinations in the world, though it can be a logistical nightmare to plan a trip there. Firstly, the country is huge that it categorises as a subcontinent. Second, it is chaotic and the infrastructure is yet to be developed to the western standards. Which is why I am here to help you plan your 7 days India itinerary.

While in my itinerary you will check out some of the main highlights, such as Taj Mahal, you will also explore some less popular places, like Udaipur. Most 7 days itineraries focus on India’s Golden Triangle only, so if you want to check how you can combine Agra & Jaipur (which belong to the Golden Triangle) with Mumbai and Udaipur, this blog is for you.

While I did plan to visit New Delhi too, and actually went there, sadly, I came down with the flu and spent my whole visit in a hotel room sick. So, that’s pretty much the main reason why Delhi is not on the list because I’m here to bring you my personal experience and travel tips from the places I have personally visited to make your life easier and your India trip unforgettable.

✅ If you’re looking for a custom travel plan, find out more about my personalised itinerary service here.

Heads up! Some links in this blog are affiliates. If you click and buy, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Rest assured, I only recommend stuff I’ve tested or trust. You can read more about our affiliate disclaimer here.

📖 Read my How to Survive in India: Top Tips to Know before Your Trip blog post.

How to Get to India

Getting to India is quite easy because it is well-connected with major cities worldwide. For this itinerary, the best is to fly to Mumbai first.

✅ Check the flight prices here.

How to Get around India

Now, getting around India is the tricky part.

While most people would love to experience a train ride (I was one of them too), once you start looking into it, you realise it’s almost next to impossible to get the train tickets. In the end I gave up on it and I wouldn’t recommend it to you either.

The best is to either fly domestically or to hire a driver if the distance is not too big. We flew from Mumbai to Udaipur and then Udaipur to Jaipur, and then hired a driver from Jaipur to Agra.

I would definitely recommend you to get around India that way too, especially for this 7 days itinerary.

Once you’re in the cities, then the best is to get a tuk-tuk for short rides, or hire a driver through your hotel for a day (you will need him for one full day in Jaipur, but we’ll come to that).

You can get tuk-tuks by just stopping them on the street or ordering them on Uber which works well in India.

Where to Stay in India

Here are the best hotels in India for this exact itinerary, covering Mumbai, Udaipur, Jaipur and Agra.

Where to Stay in Mumbai

📖 Read my Is It Worth Staying at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai? A Complete Review blog post.

Where to Stay in Udaipur

Where to Stay in Jaipur

Where to Stay in Agra

📖 Read my 4 Hotels with Amazing Taj Mahal View for Every Budget blog post for more.

When to Visit India

Generally, the best time to visit India is from October to March. The weather is the most pleasant then. You can expect warm, dry and sunny days. From April it tends to get very hot, while between June and September India is experiencing a monsoon season.

We visited in February and the weather was perfect – warm and sunny, but not too hot for sightseeing and we had no rain at all.

How Many Days in India is Ideal

The more, the better. Personally, 2 weeks is the ideal amount of time for the first-time visit, but even with 7 days, you can still do a lot.

I would definitely not come for less than that, unless you’re doing an Asia tour and you want to squeeze in one or two cities in India, then you can do it for less.

But if you want to see the best of India, you need at least 7 full days, which we will focus on in this itinerary.

Day 1 in India: Mumbai

On your first day in Mumbai you will explore the main sites of Mumbai.

✅ If you’re not feeling comfortable exploring Mumbai on your own and/or you would like to learn more about each sight from a local guide, I recommend this highly rated guided tour.

📖 Read my Mumbai 3 Days Itinerary: How to Spend Your Time Perfectly blog post for more.

Gateway of India

Gateway of India is the most famous sight in Mumbai and definitely the most monumental and historic one.

It’s actually an arch-monument that was completed in 1924 and erected to commemorate the landing of George V for his coronation as the Emperor of India in December 1911.

💡 FUN FACT: King George V was the first British monarch ever to visit India!

This will be the most touristy place in Mumbai, but even though it can get busy there, it was still not overcrowded and you could enjoy it properly.

Sadly, this part of Mumbai, alongside some others, was a subject of terrorist attack in 2008. Fortunately, today it is one of the safest areas in the city because of the rigorous security systems which were implemented after the attack.

For example, even though this is an open-space area, you need to pass the security scan to visit. Personally, these types of security measures are comforting to me and I don’t find them intimidating, but be prepared for that.

Taj Mahal Palace

Next to Gateway of India, you will find the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.

I put it on the list of things to do in Mumbai because it is more than a hotel, it is a landmark with an interesting history too! Actually, it is such an important sight of Mumbai, that I dedicated one whole day to it!

If you can, I definitely encourage you to stay at Taj Mahal Palace.

📖 Read my Is it Worth Staying at Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai? My Review blog post.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya Museum

Or easier to remember as the Prince of Wales Museum, it’s a must-have location to visit in Mumbai!

If you’re like me and love visiting museums to learn more about the history and culture of a place you’re visiting, Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum is a perfect place to do it.

I especially loved the collection of ancient sculptures. Plus, the building itself is gorgeous from the inside, and especially from the outside, so at least check the outdoor grounds.

Flora Fountain

Flora Fountain was built in 1864 and it depicts the Roman goddess Flora.

It’s one of the busiest crossroads in Mumbai where you can experience the local crazy drives by observing it. But what I love about this place is that it offers a 360 degree view of some of the most beautiful buildings in Mumbai.

All these buildings were built during the Victorian reign of Mumbai and this is the part of the city that reminds me of London a lot.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Train Station

You may think what is interesting to see at the train station, but trust me, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is well worth stopping by (and it’s anyway on the route you’d be doing if you’re following this exact itinerary).

It’s such a wonderful train station, with impressive architecture both outside and inside.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus was completed in 1887, the year marking 50 years of Queen Victoria’s rule.

Crawford Market

Crawford Market is the best known market in Mumbai, and also the busiest one.

Do note that you are not allowed to visit the market on your own, there’s even a walled disclosure that you can only enter with a certified local guide. Don’t worry, there are plenty of them roaming around and targeting tourists like yourself, usually they’re dressed in white and will show you a certificate that they are THE guide you need by yourself.

I never really understood why you need a guide, but it is not a scam, apparently. You don’t need to pay them, but they will expect a tip, so make sure you give them something.

Marine Drive

For finishing your first day in Mumbai, I recommend you to get to Girgaon Chowpatty Beach at Marine Drive and watch the sunset and the local life.

Just don’t expect it to be too relaxing because you’re in India and that means that people will be coming to you to take selfies. At first it was fun, but near the end it became too overwhelming, especially for me as so many local women and kids came for selfies, that we had to leave the beach.

P. S. You can soak up your feet into the sea, but the water is dirty for swimming + it is not custom for women to swim at the beach, especially not in bikinis, so leave that for your hotel pool.

📖 Visiting India as a woman? Read my Essential Tips for Visiting India as a Female Traveller blog post.

Day 2 in India: Mumbai

On your 2nd day in Mumbai I recommend you to either take it easy and relax by the pool at your hotel, to try out something unique like visiting the slum, or to take a day trip.

Below you can find the list of best activities and things to do on day 2.

Relax at Taj Mahal Palace Hotel

This is exactly how we’ve decided to spend our 2nd day in Mumbai, especially after a full day of sightseeing. Plus, we wanted to make the most out of it since we already paid for the room.

Even though the check-in is after 2 pm, you can still relax by the pool while you’re waiting for the room to be ready.

Taj Mahal Palace Hotel is definitely more than a hotel, it is such an iconic landmark of Mumbai!

King George V and Queen Mary were one of the very first famous people to stay there, and were later followed by: The Beatles, Mick Jagger, Alfred Hitchcock, the Dalai Lama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and even Neil Armstrong!

The hotel has 9 restaurants, including popular ones like Wasabi by Morimoto – make sure to reserve a table in advance because it gets booked up. We stayed at Taj Mahal Palace on Valentine’s Day, so the hotel organised a barbecue in the outside area with live jazz music. It was perfect!

It also has a spa and shopping areas, so as you can see, you won’t be bored at all!

📖 For a more comprehensive overview, check my Is It Worth Staying at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai? A Complete Review blog post.

✅ BOOK YOUR STAY AT TAJ MAHAL PALACE

Dharavi Slum Tour

If you would love to see the other side of Mumbai and learn how people live in the most harsh conditions you can imagine, I recommend you to take a guided tour to Dharavi slum.

Dharavi slum is considered to be the most densely populated slum in the world with 1,000,000 people living there in an area of just over 2.39 square km (0.92 square mi)!

Street Food Tour

On the other hand, if you’d love to have a pure hedonistic day in Mumbai, then you can also go on a guided street food tour!

I DO NOT recommend at all doing this alone because you don’t want to risk catching a Delhi belly! Local guides know which street food vendors serve the best and most hygiene (hygiene is relevant word here) food. That way you can experience the local cuisine without risking food poisoning.

📖 On that note, check my 5 Essential Tips for Surviving India – Top Things to Know blog post.

Colaba Market & Leopold Cafe

On your second day you can explore Colaba Market (smaller version of Crawford and no guide needed!) on your own.

What I recommend you to include is to eat and have drinks at least once at Leopold Cafe! It was opened in the 19th century, so it’s a pretty historical food place to visit. It is famous with tourists and locals alike.

Sadly, it was also a place of 2008 terrorist attacks, so today there’s a security guard in front of the entrance who will scan you to check you don’t have any weapons with you.

Honestly, I didn’t mind it all, on the contrary, I felt more safe with this approach. The food is really delicious there and it’s perfectly fine to have a pint of beer too! It’s a progressive modern, yet historical place you really have to visit at least once (I went twice!).

It is very close to the Taj Mahal Palace and Gateway of India, so you can easily combine it with your stay at Taj Mahal Palace, just like I did.

Elephanta Caves

Surely, the best day trip you can do from Mumbai is visiting Elephanta Caves.

It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, also called the ‘City of Caves’ located on an island in the Sea of Oman close to Mumbai. Some caves were carved about 1500 years ago, so it’s a pretty impressive place to visit.

Day 3 in India: Udaipur

Udaipur, also known as the White City, was one of my favourite places in India.

But it’s not only me who loves it a lot – almost every year it’s been voted as one of the best (and 2 times the best) cities of Asia by readers of Travel and Leisure.

✅ Consider taking this highest rated Full-Day Private Udaipur Sightseeing Tour.

City Palace

City Palace in Udaipur is one of the best and most popular sites in the city.

Its construction started in the 16th century and it was built over a period of the next 400 years.

The City Palace is completely built in granite and marble, which gives it a distinct white look. My favourite part was the balconies with beautiful views of Lake Pichola and the city. From there you get to realise why Udaipur has been called the White City.

You can get the tickets at the counter.

Jagdish Temple

Jagdish Temple was my favourite site in Udaipur.

It was really special to me because it’s the first Hindu temple I have ever visited.

Jagdish Temple is raised on a tall terrace and was built in the 17th century. The temple is free to visit, but remember to dress modestly and take off your shoes.

Sunset & Dinner at Lake Pichola

There’s no better way to end your visit to Udaipur than watching the sunset and having dinner by the Lake Pichola.

Day 4 in India: Jaipur

Jaipur, also known as the Pink City, was my favourite place during my visit to India.

It’s way more chaotic than Mumbai and especially Udaipur, but it’s there where I finally experienced the India that I imagined in my head: full of different smells (pleasant and unpleasant ones), streets filled with people, monkeys, elephants and cars, a city both noisy and colourful.

With this itinerary you will spend 3 full days in Jaipur, although 4 days is ideal to see everything this amazing city has to offer. I can’t wait to be back one day again.

✅ If you want to explore Jaipur with a guide, I recommend this best rated tour which is completely customisable.

City Palace

Just like in Udaipur, you can’t start your visit in Jaipur without seeing its City Palace first.

The palace is a royal residence and a former administrative headquarters of the rulers of the Jaipur State.

Construction of the City Palace started in the 18th century after they moved the royal residency from Amber Fort (which you’ll see the following day) to Jaipur.

It’s definitely a beautiful site to visit, though I loved the Udaipur City Palace first.

You can get the tickets at the counter.

Hawa Mahal

My favourite and also the most beautiful site in Jaipur is Hawa Mahal, also known as the Palace of Winds.

It’s the part of the City Palace which was built as the women’s chambers to primarily allow the royal women to observe everyday life and festivals on the street without being seen. You can peek from one of the windows to experience how their lives there were.

Even though it’s part of the city palace complex, if you want to explore Hawa Mahal, you need to buy separate tickets for that and use the separate entry. You can do it at their counter too.

Tattoo Cafe

For the best and most instagrammable views of Hawa Mahal, go to Tattoo Cafe which is across the street.

You need to pay for the entry, but you can then use this to discount the drinks and food. I recommend having a drink at least to soak up the views.

Jantar Mantar

Jantar Mantar is the most unique attraction in Jaipur.

It is an assembly of stone-built astronomical instruments, designed to be used with the naked eye.

Jantar Mantar is the most significant, most comprehensive and the best preserved of India’s historic observatories, which is why it was enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You can get tickets at the counter.

Johri Bazaar

Johri Bazaar practically stretches along the main street and is a great place for souvenir shopping.

Day 5 in India: Jaipur

On your 2nd day in Jaipur, you will need a driver or a guided tour to visit the places mentioned below as they are further away from the city centre and no taxi drivers want to drive you there unless you book a full day ride.

You can hire a driver through your hotel as most of them are offering this as a service. We paid about £20 for the whole day for the both of us (that’s including tips).

✅ Or you can book this guided tour which includes most of the places we’ve seen with our driver.

Gatore ki Chhatriyan

Gatore ki Chhatriyan are the Royal Tombs which we initially weren’t planning on visiting, but our driver suggested we make a short stop there as it was anyways on the way towards the Amber Fort.

The place was almost empty and truly beautiful, so we were really happy we had a knowledgeable driver with us to suggest a place we didn’t see anyone else recommending.

You can get the tickets at the counter and I remember them being very cheap.

Amer Fort

Also known as Amber Fort or Amber Palace is one of the best historical places to visit in Jaipur, as it was a former royal residence.

It is one of the best examples of Rajput architecture which characterises a lot of buildings in Rajasthan.

Amber Fort was built in the 16th century and it is completely made out of red sandstone and marble, which gives it an amber colour (hence the name). It is not a surprise it was enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Next to Amer Fort, you will find Amer or Jaipur Wall, a 12 km (7 miles) long wall. Sadly, we didn’t have time to check it, but I do recommend it to you as it looks amazing and it’s the 3rd longest wall in the world (first one being in China ofc).

While the walls are free, to enter Amber Fort you need to get a ticket which you can easily do at the counter.

Shiromani Temple

Shiromani Temple is a 17th century Hindu temple and the best one I’ve seen in India so far.

It’s unique because it is dedicated to Krishna, Meera Bai and Vishnu.

The temple is free to visit, but you need to dress modestly and take off your shoes as you enter the grounds.

Panna Meena ka Kund

Panna Meena ka Kund is a famous instagrammable stepwell in Jaipur built in the 16th century.

It was built so the people of Amer could collect water, which was later used at many temples nearby. Women also came here to fill their water pots for household work.

While previously you could walk down the steps, especially to get that perfect photo, today this is strictly prohibited due to safety concerns related to slippery steps and the risk of falling, so please don’t ignore the rules. There will be security guards too.

It is still a cool and unique place to visit, and it’s free.

Jal Mahal

Jal Mahal, or also known as the Water Palace, is a beautiful palace in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake, built in the 17th century.

Sadly, it is not allowed to visit because it’s privately owned, but you can still admire it from a distance.

Elephant Sanctuary

And lastly, we went to visit an elephant sanctuary, which also wasn’t on our list at all, actually, I didn’t even know there was one in Jaipur!

But our awesome driver asked us if we would love to go and of course we wanted to.

This was THE BEST part of our day in Jaipur, and overall the most beautiful experience we had in India.

There are different packages – we chose feeding and befriending an elephant. Additionally, you can also choose to walk with them and to paint them.

The great thing is that all the money you pay goes to their food, especially bananas which they adore.

✅ This is the sanctuary we visited and which I cannot recommend more to you.

Day 6 in India: Jaipur

This is your last day in Jaipur and second to last on this 7 days India itinerary.

You will explore more of Jaipur, and because everything mentioned is close to the city centre, you can easily use tuk-tuks whenever you need them.

Patrika Gate

Patrika Gate is at the entrance to the Jawahar Circle Garden and it’s one of the most instagrammable places in Jaipur.

The details are so beautiful, so much so, that I don’t think I’ve ever spent that long admiring a gate.

The park is very nice too, and a peaceful oasis in super loud and chaotic Jaipur.

Albert Hall Museum

If you love museums, I recommend check out Albert Hall Museum.

Even though it’s not extraordinary like some other museums in the world (and the Mumbai one was better imo), if you have time, definitely visit.

Sun Temple

Sun Temple is on your way to Monkey Temple which you’ll visit next.

Even though Sun Temple was nothing in particular, the views of Jaipur are really amazing from there.

Monkey Temple

Monkey Temple is as you can guess inhabited by monkeys. Some even estimate that there are about 4000 monkeys in the temple proximity.

And while you won’t see 4000 of them, there will be a few dozen. They may seem to look domestic, but they’re not, so be extra careful and don’t make eye contact.

Also, don’t dare to touch or approach the babies because their moms are overly protective.

Lastly, take care of your belongings as they’re known to steal from people.

Trust me, I’m not saying all of this because I’m trying to scare you or because I’m exaggerating. Firstly, on the streets of Jaipur I was almost attacked by a monkey because I spoke to it and he misinterpreted my intentions and almost jumped on my head to attack me (lol).

But also, while we were at the temple talking with other two girls travelling, we heard someone screaming and other people saying how some girl was attacked by them.

So, you’ve been warned!

Despite all of that, the temple is really interesting to visit and if you obey the rules, you’d be fine and no monkey will harm you.

Other Forts

I also planned to visit Jaigarh Fort and Nahargarh Fort, but sadly we had no time. However, if you do have, I recommend squeezing in at least one of these two to your India itinerary.

Day 7 in India: Agra

And the best is left for your last day in India – a visit to Agra and Taj Mahal.

Even though Agra was my least favourite location in India, it is definitely worth going there to see Taj Mahal, one of the 7 Wonders of the New World.

Because New Delhi, Agra and Jaipur are known as the Golden Triangle, there are a lot of guided tours you can get from Jaipur or Delhi to visit Taj Mahal.

You can also hire a driver and explore Taj Mahal on your own, especially if you’d love to stay in Agra instead of making a day trip. That’s how we’ve done it and I do recommend it if you prefer exploring at your own pace.

📖 Read my My Ultimate Taj Mahal Guide: Everything You Need to Know blog post for more.

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It’s the ivory-white marble mausoleum of Mumtaz Mahal, a wife of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan who built this in 1670. It took 22 years to be completed and apparently the builders fingers were cut off, so they can never again build something as beautiful as Taj Mahal.

Today it is considered a Monument to Love.

What I did, and what I would recommend to you as well, is to go right after the sunrise, because then you’d still be able to catch a glimpse of it, but you will notice how most people will already be exiting.

The best entry gate is east because it usually has shorter queueing time, except for sunrise. Also, there’s a skip-the-line there, which is great if you bought your tickets online (what I did and my recommendation to you). It’s also nearby most tourist hotels, so if you’re staying in Agra, this is definitely the best option.

While there is no strict dress code for Taj Mahal, I would still recommend you to dress respectfully and if possible locally.

Taj Mahal opens 30 minutes before sunrise and closes 30 minutes before sunset, so based on when you’d be there, check online when this falls.

💡One important thing to note is that Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays.

If you’d love to explore Taj Mahal on your own you can get the tickets at the counter or online. However, I recommend getting them online because then you can go to the skip-the-line entry at east gate and save significant time on queuing.

✅ If you’re buying tickets online, you can only do it on the official website.

If you booked a guided tour, then this will all be taken care of for you.

Agra Fort

Once you’re done marveling at the beauty of Taj Mahal, I recommend you to visit Agra Fort as well.

It’s a historical fort built in the 16th century in the Mughal architecture style.

Agra Fort was a royal residence of the rulers of the Mughal dynasty until 1638 when the capital was moved from Agra to Delhi.

Because of its cultural and historical significance, Agra Fort was enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

✅ You can buy the tickets together with Taj Mahal on the official website.

Is India worth Visiting

Even before I travelled to India, I heard everyone saying that I’m either going to love it or hate it. I was always open-minded and I knew India would not be the standard destination. I knew I would enter an entirely different world, full of chaos, smells, colours, wonderful people. A world that is in full contrast, from huge poverty to pure luxury.

I am not going to lie to you: India is not for everyone. And especially not for someone who is just starting to travel. Or someone who only got used to the standards of Europe, Western World and All-Inclusive travel.

But if you’re already an experienced traveller (and I don’t mean by that you had to visit 100 countries already, but that you’ve been to different cultures and you like this diversity), then India is definitely for you.

My answer to the question if India is worth visiting will always be yes. I can’t wait to be back. But know what you’re getting into. Go with an open heart and I’m sure you’ll have the best time of your life.

✅ If you’re looking for a custom travel plan, find out more about my personalised itinerary service here.

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