In Lodi Gardens, a 90-acre park in New Delhi, young couples film cute Tiktoks at an ancient tomb. In Haus Khas, an ancient fort shares a wall with fashion boutiques and bars spinning vinyl.

In partnership with Intrepid, Broadsheet goes on the road with a small, intimate group of travellers to experience India first-hand. Under the wing of an expert local leader – who provides insights and off-the-beaten-track experiences we wouldn’t otherwise get – we explore the grace and grandeur of northern India’s Golden Triangle; weave between rickshaws on the busy streets of Delhi; get swept up in the romance of Jaipur, the pink city; and sink into the history of Agra (home to the Taj Mahal).

Here’s how to spend eight days in a country so vibrant and enthralling it’s impossible not to feel present.