Some places are perfect for the independent traveler. And some, well, aren't. For our series "Iconic Itineraries," we've picked destinations that are must-sees but whose tourism infrastructures are so geared to groups that having an authentic experience can seem next to impossible. Not to worry. Working with the world's leading travel specialists, we've created step-by-step trips that let you see the best each place has to offer—but on your terms. Each of our highly detailed itineraries has been vetted and perfected by a Condé Nast Traveler editor, and each can be bought as is with just one phone call or customized at will. So here are:

The Challenge
The traveler who goes to India is in good company: Few other countries can equal the sheer number of explorers, treasure hunters, pilgrims, merchants, conquerors, and fortune seekers who have found their way there over the centuries. "Why India?" has a millennium's worth of answers. "How India?" however, is the real question. Even the most intrepid traveler is likely to find himself exhausted by the challenges the country presents. How, after all, in a country of one billion, does one find some time alone with the Taj Mahal? How does one negotiate the ubiquitous traffic (vehicular, animal, and human) that can derail even the best-planned itineraries? And should one really go during the high season, October through March, when the weather is lovely but the crowds are thick? How, in other words, to begin planning a trip to a place that can feel at once so tantalizing and so inaccessible?

The Solution
First of all, you're going to want to book a private guided tour. Yes, it's more expensive, but every time you see a tour group getting herded on and off their bus, you'll know it was money well spent. Second, keep your ambitions in check: All of India cannot be seen in two weeks or even two months; to see the Subcontinent in its entirety is a lifetime's task. For help, I contacted Victor Biswas of International Ventures and Travel, or IVAT (see "Top Travel Specialists"), who gave me the first of what would be a series of good suggestions: "Everything starts in Rajasthan," he said, referring to the culturally rich state in North India. "The south may have the brains," he added, referring to the generations of great writers and artists that India's southern states have produced, "but the north has the brawn." Biswas argued that what makes North India unique is the number of great cultures and kingdoms that have left their mark upon the land, the people, and the religion. "The north absorbed it all and offers the clearest picture of the cultures and traditions that have made India what it is today," said Biswas. His second bit of good advice? Don't go during the low season: April through June is scorching, and July through September, the monsoon season, is oppressively humid. I went at the end of high season, the second and third weeks of March, when the days are warm but still dry, the nights breezy, and the crowds no longer at their peak. Here is the itinerary Biswas and I designed, which covers all the highlights of North India and can be customized to suit any traveler's whims or idiosyncrasies.

Day 1: Old Delhi, New Delhi
By the time you meet your guide at 11 a.m. in the lobby of The Imperial hotel (91-11-2334-1234; theimperialindia.com; doubles, $450–$540), you'll feel like you've been traveling for days. And in a way, you will have been: American Airlines flight 292, a 16-hour nonstop from Chicago, leaves on Thursday at 7:20 p.m. and you don't reach Delhi until 10:40 Friday night. From there, you'll be met and driven 40 minutes to your hotel, The Imperial, a landmark known for its elegant rooms.