Delhi Mini Adventure — Self-Launched
3 days · Delhi, India
G Adventures charges £320
No-markup version: ~£113 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY take on G Adventures' 3-day 18-to-Thirtysomethings Delhi Mini Adventure. Instead of a CEO-led group, you'll navigate Delhi yourself using the metro, auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws and your own two feet — covering the same beats: Colonial Delhi, the chaos of Chandni Chowk and Jama Masjid, the Gandhi Smriti ashram, the Tibetan colony of Majnu ka Tila, plus an optional cycle ride through Mehrauli and Qutub Minar. You'll stay in a social backpacker hostel in Paharganj or the Karol Bagh area rather than a tour hotel, book your own walking and cycling tours via GetYourGuide/Klook or directly with local operators, and eat your way through parathas, chaat and butter chicken for a fraction of the group price. All costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Delhi — settle into Paharganj
New Delhi
Land at Indira Gandhi International Airport and make your own way into the city. The cheapest reliable option is the Airport Express Metro (Orange Line) to New Delhi station, roughly ₹60-100 (~£1) and 20 minutes to the airport line terminus, from where Paharganj is a 5-10 minute walk or short auto ride. Alternatively use the official Delhi Traffic Police prepaid taxi counter (around ₹250-400, ~£3-4) — avoid touts offering 'cheap' rides. Check into a backpacker hostel in Paharganj (dorms from ~£8-12/night, private rooms ~£20). Spend the evening doing a gentle orientation walk: Main Bazaar in Paharganj, then wander toward Connaught Place to get your bearings. Grab dinner at a local dhaba — chole bhature or a thali for ₹150-250 (~£2). Buy a metro card or set up the Delhi Metro app; a day of metro travel costs well under £2. No group welcome meeting — instead, do a short self-guided evening walk or join your hostel's common-room crowd for tips.
🚌Airport Express Metro or prepaid taxi from IGI Airport (~£1-4)
🛏Backpacker hostel in Paharganj (dorm bed)
- →Self-guided Paharganj and Connaught Place orientation walk
- →Buy metro card / set up Delhi Metro app
- →Dinner at a local dhaba in Paharganj
Colonial Delhi, Chandni Chowk and Little Tibet
Delhi
The big day. Start early with a self-bookable Old Delhi morning walking/food tour (GetYourGuide or Klook, from about £15-25 per person, or ~£8-12 if you book a local cycle-rickshaw tour directly on the ground). Cover Colonial Delhi's highlights — India Gate, Rajpath/Kartavya Path, and the Lutyens-era government buildings — on the metro (Yellow Line to Central Secretariat or Udyog Bhawan). Then switch to the Yellow Line to Chandni Chowk and dive into the Old Delhi bustle: the lanes of Chandni Chowk market, spice market (Khari Baoli) and Jama Masjid (free, small camera fee). Use a cycle-rickshaw (₹100-200, ~£1-2) between stops and auto-rickshaws for longer hops. In the afternoon, take the metro to Rajiv Chowk/Shivaji Stadium area and visit Gandhi Smriti (the Gandhi ashram and museum, free entry, closed Mondays) — allow an hour. Late afternoon, hop the Yellow Line to Vidhan Sabha or take a 15-minute auto to Majnu ka Tila, Delhi's Tibetan colony on the Yamuna's edge, for momos, butter tea and monasteries. Eat lunch in Chandni Chowk (paranthe wali gali — stuffed parathas for ~£2) and dinner in Majnu ka Tila (~£3-4).
🚌Delhi Metro (Yellow Line), cycle-rickshaw and auto-rickshaw (~£3-5 total)
🛏Backpacker hostel in Paharganj (dorm bed)
- →Self-booked Old Delhi walking/food tour via GetYourGuide or Klook
- →India Gate and Kartavya Path walk
- →Chandni Chowk market and Khari Baoli spice market
- →Jama Masjid visit
- →Gandhi Smriti (Gandhi ashram and museum)
- →Majnu ka Tila 'Little Tibet' wander and momos
Mehrauli, Qutub Minar and craft museums
Delhi
Your free day — use it well. Option one (recommended): join a self-bookable morning cycle tour of Mehrauli and the Qutub Minar area (book via GetYourGuide/Klook or direct with a local Delhi bike-tour company, ~£20-30 including bike hire; independently, you can rent a bike locally for ~£5-8 and ride the Mehrauli Archaeological Park loop yourself). The Qutub Minar complex entry is about ₹600 (~£6) for foreign visitors — the tower is stunning in early light. Back via the Yellow Line metro to Hauz Khas or a short auto. Option two: stay central and hit the National Crafts Museum (₹20-100 entry, ~£1), the National Museum, or Humayun's Tomb (~£6 entry) — all easy on the metro. Lunch at Hauz Khas Village or a local thali spot (~£3-5). Collect your bags from the hostel, then head to the airport by Airport Express Metro (from New Delhi station, ~£1) or prepaid taxi (~£4) for your onward flight, or roll into your next stop on the backpacker trail. The original tour ends at 17:00; with DIY you're free to leave whenever suits your flight.
🚌Metro, local bike hire or cycle tour, Airport Express Metro or prepaid taxi to airport (~£2-6)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Mehrauli and Qutub Minar cycle tour (self-booked)
- →Mehrauli Archaeological Park
- →Qutub Minar complex
- →Optional: National Crafts Museum or Humayun's Tomb
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£113 | £320 |
| Duration | 3 days | 3 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £207 per person (65%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£113
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Delhi Mini Adventure — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £113 per person for 3 days in Delhi, India. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £320 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £113 — a saving of roughly £207 (65%) per person.
How long is the Delhi, India trip?+
This itinerary runs 3 days, covering 3 day-by-day stops through Delhi, India.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, budget, backpacker trip through Delhi, India, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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