How to spend three weeks in India

India. A country like no other. A country filled with contrast, colors and diversity. Where the north and south seem completely different countries. Where hustle is part of everybody life. I love it. Are you thinking about visiting India, but can’t figure out a plan? You don’t know whether to spend two weeks, three, four, or even months? I can understand why. Personally I want to spend as much time in India as possible. However in this post, I will give an itinerary for how to spend three weeks in India.

Delhi

On my last visit to India, I fell in love with this city. Something is constantly happening. People are on the move, sounds and smells are everywhere. It feels like your senses are on overwork, but it was so interesting! People are friendly, the food is great, what’s not to love! Delhi is home to lot’s of great hotels and a lot of different areas to stay in. I can’t advise you where to stay, as my accommodation wasn’t the best. However I stayed in the backpacker zone and found to be a great place to explore from.
Upon arrival I would suggest you to take it easy. Explore at your own pace, and don’t rush.
On day two of your stay, head to the Jama Masjid for sunrise. It is a beautiful place, and being there for sunrise, it is not completely overrun with people.
Following on from Jama Masjid, head to Chadni Chowk. One of the best places in the city to do some street photography. People here are constantly on the move and there is always something happening. For a different viewpoint, head up to the rooftop for a completely different view.
Last thing you have to see in Delhi is Humayuns Tomb. I would suggest you to visit around sunset, or at least late in the afternoon. To make this day easier, try to get a rickshaw driver for the entire day.

Agra

On day three you will take the train to Agra. Train journeys are honestly an experience in itself, and though this one is not that long, it’s an experience as well! Obviously, the big draw in Agra is the Taj Mahal. I wouldn’t advise you to visit the Taj straight away. Instead go down to the river and take a boat ride from where you can photograph this stunning complex. If you don’t want to do the boat ride, you can head to Mehtab Bagh, from where you have a great view of Taj Mahal as well!
On day four, you will be rising early, in order to visit the Taj Mahal for sunrise. It is stunning to visit at this time of day, and you can capture some amazing photos. Wonder around as long as you’d like in order to take it all in. Once you are done, grab some food, before taking the train to Varanasi. (For photographers I would suggest another day, to take it all in). Agra is a must visit stop when you want to spend three weeks in India.

Varanasi

Known as the most holy city in India. Varanasi is a place that simply has to be experienced. For tourists there is not too much to do. However simply visiting is an experience. Wander around the ghats, see the burning places, join for an evening ceremony and take boat ride for sunrise. Spending one night in Varanasi is sufficient in my opinion, especially if arriving early, therefor we are moving on, on day five. For photographers I would definitely advise for more days, as there are so many interesting things to photograph. Be advised though, not to photograph the burning places.

Kabini national park

Leaving Varanasi, we are going to fly down to Bangalore from where we will drive to Kabini national park. In Kabini I suggest that you spend four nights and do eight safaris, meaning that you are going to stay from day five to day nine.
Here there are great opportunities to experience wildlife, and you might even be lucky to see the leopards and panther.

Jaipur

From Kabini I suggest a trip further up north again. Namely to Rajastahn. Rajastahn is one of my favorite areas in all of India, and there are so many beautiful places to visit. The first stop I would suggest in Rajastahn is Jaipur where you will arrive on day 10. Jaipur is also known as the pink city due to the fact that the buildings in the old city are painted in pink. At least that’s what I was told. There are many beautiful sights in Jaipur. I would suggest that you head to Jal Mahal for sunrise, as you can experience a breathtaking sight when the sun rises. As the color starts to fade away in the sky, head towards Amer fort, where you will first climb the wall opposite the fort. Here you have a stunning sight of the entire city. Of course, the fort itself has to be experienced as well.

Among other things worth experiencing is the monkey tempel, the city palace and a breakfast opposite the famous Hawa Mahal.
Two days in Jaipur is enough in my opinion, so you will leave again in the evening of day 11 to take the night train to Jaisalmer.

Jaisalmer

We will arrive during the early hours of the day in Jaisalmer on day 12. Jaisalmer is a really cool place, and the fort is absolutely stunning. One of the biggest draws about Jaisalmer is the desert, where I would suggest you to spend one night. The other day will be spend wandering around inside the fort, taking it all in, and possibly buying a few souvenirs. Jaisalmer is a great place to purchase souvenirs, and wandering around inside the fort, will remind you of something from Alladin. When spending three weeks in India you have to visit Jaisalmer. We will leave Jaisalmer on the 14. day of the trip.

Jodhpur

The most popular places in Jodhpur are probably the fort and the clock tower. However simply wandering around this interesting city is an experience. Jodhpur is known as the blue city, and when you see the houses, you quickly understand why. It is beautiful for photography, and you can get some really cool photos here. That said, you can wander around the markets, interact with the locals, and hopefully capture some great street photography.
A visit to the fort is a must. It is a great way to learn about the history of the place, and to experience some beautiful architecture.
Two days in Jodhpur is enough, but one can probably also do. We leave Jodhpur on day 16.

Udaipur

Known as both one of the city of lakes, and the Venice of the east, Udaipur is a must visit. Once you arrive, you will quickly understand why it’s gained such popularity. Udaipur is extremely beautiful, and as with the other cities we have visited in Rajasthan, this one also has a color to its name. Known as the white city, as you have probably guessed by now, due to the many white buildings.
A sunrise spent by the lakeside with a chai in hand, watching the sun rise and the people passing by, is one of the most memorable mornings you will have in India. Without a doubt.
Beside from experiencing the lake, you also have the opportunity to visit the city palace as well as the lake Palace. I haven’t visited either of them, but I’m sure they will both be worth it. What is wort doing, is wandering about the city. It is very beautiful indeed. When spending three weeks in India you have to visit Udaipur.
Two days in Udaipur should be enough, so leaving on day 18 of the trip, we just have time for a quick stop in Kashmir!

Kashmir

Whenever one hears about Kashmir in the west, it is often due to some political issue. This place is absolutely stunning though. Dal Lake is breathtaking, and I would visit Kashmir, just to photograph Dal lake and the market. You will be able to capture beautiful photos here, both of the lake, the mountain backdrop and the locals obviously. The floating market is a must visit, and if you travel with a drone, you can capture some amazing photos. There are many beautiful places to visit in Kashmir, but with just 2-3 days left of the trip, there is simply not enough time to experience it all. If you have more time in Kashmir, I would advise you to take a look at this article which names some of the best places to visit in the area.

Here you have it. My itinerary for how to spend three weeks in India. Obviously three weeks in India is nowhere near enough, however it is a great introduction to the country. This itinerary can feel very rushed, I know, because I did the exact same one myself. However I wanted to experience as much as possible, due to the little time I had. That way, I also learned which places I would love to come back to on another trip, and which places I would leave out.
If you were to cut one or two places out, that would easily be possible.

Choosing the places proved to be very difficult, as there are so many stunning locations to visit. The good thing about this itinerary are that they are all relatively close to each other.

Other places to add could be Leh Ladakh, Spiti valley, Meghalaya, Hampi, Kerala, Goa, Sikkim, Mumbai and so many more.