Anwar Khan
Private India Specialist · Agra
Anwar Khan
·Private India SpecialistAgra native. 15 years full-time guiding. Lives in Tajganj, 500 metres from the Taj Mahal. Every guide on this site is written from direct experience — the exact routes he runs, the timings he recommends, and the mistakes he has watched tourists make.
Quick Answer: The Numbers
| Tour type | Duration | Cost per person | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget group | 3–4 days | £350–600 | Group of 15–25, guesthouses, rushed sightseeing |
| Mid-range group | 5–6 days | £900–1,800 | Small group (8–12), 3-star hotels, shared guide |
| Private (our tour) | 7 days | From £3,860 | Solo/couple, heritage hotels, Anwar Khan as guide, no groups |
| Ultra-luxury | 7–10 days | £8,000+ | Oberoi/Taj properties, private jet transfers available |
All prices are per person, based on two people travelling together. Solo surcharges apply on most tours. International flights not included.
What Actually Drives the Cost
The Golden Triangle covers three cities — Delhi, Agra, Jaipur — roughly 720km in total. Most of the price difference between tour tiers comes down to four things:
Guide quality
A licensed, English-speaking private guide costs 3–5x more than a shared group guide. The difference in experience is proportional.
Hotel tier
Heritage havelis and boutique properties cost significantly more than chain hotels. In Agra, a hotel with a Taj Mahal view from your room adds £80–200/night over standard.
Group size
Private means only you (and your travel companion). Group tours share the cost across 10–25 people — lower price, lower quality of access and time.
Transport
Private AC vehicle vs shared coach. On a 7-day route the difference in comfort is significant. Some budget tours use overnight buses.
Entry Fees 2026 — Foreign Nationals
These fees are fixed by the Archaeological Survey of India and apply regardless of which tour you book. They are paid separately unless explicitly stated as included.
| Sight | INR | £ GBP | $ USD | $ AUD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taj Mahal | ₹1,300 | £12 | $15 | $23 |
| Taj Mahal inner chamber | ₹200 | £1.90 | $2.50 | $3.80 |
| Agra Fort | ₹650 | £6 | $8 | $12 |
| Mehtab Bagh | ₹300 | £2.80 | $3.60 | $5.50 |
| Fatehpur Sikri | ₹610 | £5.80 | $7.50 | $11.50 |
| Amber Fort (Jaipur) | ₹500 | £4.80 | $6 | $9.20 |
| City Palace (Jaipur) | ₹700 | £6.70 | $8.50 | $13 |
| Qutub Minar (Delhi) | ₹600 | £5.70 | $7.30 | $11 |
| Total (all 8 sites) | ~₹4,860 | ~£45 | ~$58 | ~$89 |
Approximate conversions at May 2026 rates. ASI periodically revises entry fees. Our private tour includes all entry fees.
Hotel Costs on the Golden Triangle
| Tier | Delhi/night | Agra/night | Jaipur/night | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | £25–50 | £20–40 | £20–40 | Guesthouses, no view |
| Mid-range | £80–150 | £70–120 | £70–120 | ITC, Radisson, best-value 4-star |
| Boutique/heritage | £150–300 | £180–350 (Taj view) | £150–280 | Trident Agra, Samode Haveli, etc. |
| Ultra-luxury | £400+ | £500+ | £400+ | Oberoi Amarvilas, Taj Rambagh, etc. |
Transport Costs
| Leg | Private car | Train (1st class) | Budget bus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi → Agra | £80–120 | £12–20 | £3–6 |
| Agra → Jaipur | £70–100 | £8–15 | £3–5 |
| Jaipur → Delhi | £80–120 | £10–18 | £3–6 |
Private car prices include the driver for the full day, not just the transfer. The car is at your disposal for city sightseeing. Train prices are per person in AC Chair Car / 1st AC class.
Daily Spending Money
Budget £30–60 per person per day for everything outside your tour package. Here is what that covers:
Meals
- ·Street food lunch: £1–3
- ·Good restaurant: £6–12
- ·Rooftop dinner: £10–18
- ·Chai (tea): £0.20
Tips
- ·Driver (per day): £4–8
- ·Guide (per day): £8–15
- ·Hotel staff: £1–2/day
- ·Restaurant: 10% of bill
Extras
- ·Rickshaw/tuk-tuk: £1–3
- ·Water/snacks: £2–4
- ·Shopping allowance: variable
- ·SIM card: £5–8 total
Prices in Your Currency
Our 7-day private Golden Triangle tour — all inclusive (guide, vehicle, hotels, entry fees, daily breakfast):
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
From £3,860 per person
Most common origin. Direct flights Delhi from London ~£400–600.
🇺🇸 United States
From $4,890 per person
Flights Delhi from New York ~$700–1,100. American Express and USD widely accepted.
🇦🇺 Australia
From AUD $7,600 per person
Flights Delhi from Sydney/Melbourne ~AUD $1,200–1,800. No time zone overlap — WhatsApp preferred for booking.
🇨🇦 Canada
From CAD $6,700 per person
Flights Delhi from Toronto/Vancouver ~CAD $1,100–1,600. Similar planning timeline to UK.
Approximate conversions at May 2026 rates. All tours priced in GBP — final invoice in your preferred currency on request.
Private vs Group Tour: Is It Worth the Extra Cost?
The honest answer: it depends what you want from India. If you want to tick the Taj Mahal off a list, a budget group tour works. If you want to actually understand what you are looking at — the history, the architecture, the stories — a private guide transforms the experience.
What a private guide actually changes
- → You enter the Taj Mahal at opening (6am). Group tours arrive at 9–10am in the heat and queues.
- → Your guide knows which rooms of Agra Fort are worth the detour and which to skip.
- → Restaurant choices are not sponsored. Your guide eats at the same places.
- → Jaipur's textile markets: a guide who knows the traders gets you a fair price. Without one, you overpay by 40–60%.
- → The history is contextualised — Mughal succession, Rajput alliances — not just monument names recited.
Our 7-Day Private Golden Triangle Tour
From £3,860 per person
All inclusive · private vehicle · Anwar Khan as guide · heritage hotels