Delhi, Agra & Rajasthan: Self-Launched 16-Day Golden Triangle Loop

Land at Indira Gandhi International Airport. Pre-book an airport transfer via your guesthouse (£5–8) or take the Airport Express Metro to New Delhi station (~£1.50) then an auto-rickshaw. Base yourself in Paharganj or Karol Bagh — Paharganj is the classic backpacker hub right by New Delhi station. Get an Indian eSIM or a local SIM at the airport, draw cash from an ATM, and take it easy. In the evening wander the lanes near your guesthouse for your first thali (£2–3) and an early night to beat jet lag.

🚌Airport Express Metro or pre-booked airport pickup

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Paharganj/Karol Bagh (private room ~£14–18)

• →Airport arrival and transfer to Paharganj
• →SIM card and cash setup
• →Evening wander through Paharganj lanes

A big sightseeing day. Join a small-group or free-walking-tour style Old Delhi morning (£5–10 via GetYourGuide, or free with tip), which typically covers Jama Masjid, Raj Ghat and a cycle-rickshaw spin through Chandni Chowk's spice and silver markets. In the afternoon use the Metro (day pass ~£1.50) to tick off New Delhi's landmarks yourself: India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan (exterior), Humayun's Tomb (~£6) and Qutub Minar (~£6). Skip a private guide — signage is good and audio guides are available at the ticket desks.

🚌Delhi Metro day pass plus autos between sights (~£3)

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Paharganj/Karol Bagh (~£14–18)

• →Old Delhi walking tour with Jama Masjid, Raj Ghat and Chandni Chowk rickshaw ride
• →Humayun's Tomb
• →Qutub Minar
• →India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan exterior

Take a train or bus west into Rajasthan. The simplest route is a train from Delhi to Jhunjhunu (or a bus to Nawalgarh), then a shared auto or local bus the last 20–30 km to Mandawa — total roughly £8–12 and 6–7 hours. Alternatively an AC sleeper bus from Delhi to Mandawa/Jhunjhunu overnight or in the morning (~£8). Mandawa is small and walkable: spend the late afternoon on a self-guided loop of the fresco-covered merchant havelis (most are free or ask a £1 tip). Many havelis double as guesthouses — a night in one is the experience.

🚌Train Delhi–Jhunjhunu plus local bus/shared auto, or AC bus (~£10)

🛏Heritage haveli guesthouse in Mandawa (~£15–20)

• →Self-guided painted haveli walk in Mandawa
• →Sunset from the rooftops of a heritage haveli

Bus or shared taxi from Mandawa to Bikaner (~3.5–4 hours, £4–7 by bus, £12–15 shared). Check into a guesthouse near the old town. In the afternoon visit Junagarh Fort (~£8 with audio guide, genuinely excellent), then Lalgarh Palace museum and the intricately carved Bhandasar Jain Temple. The National Research Centre on Camels is a 15-minute auto ride out of town (~£2 entry) and makes a good late-afternoon stop. Bikaner is famous for bhujia and kachori — grab both from the old town.

🚌Local bus or shared taxi Mandawa–Bikaner, autos in town (~£8)

🛏Budget guesthouse in Bikaner old town (~£12–16)

• →Junagarh Fort
• →Lalgarh Palace museum
• →Bhandasar Jain Temple
• →National Research Centre on Camels

Take the morning bus or train from Bikaner to Jaisalmer (~5–6 hours, £4–8). Book a desert safari through your Jaisalmer guesthouse or directly with an operator in town — a shared-jeep-plus-camel-safari sunset trip with dinner, folk music and dance and a night in a desert camp runs roughly £30–45 per person including transfers, camel ride and meals. Non-touristy options leave from villages like Khuri or Sam's quieter edges; ask for a small group. Bring a headtorch, warm layer for the night and cash.

🚌Bus Bikaner–Jaisalmer plus shared jeep to the dunes (~£10)

🛏Desert camp near Sam/Khuri dunes, shared tent (~included in safari price)

• →Camel safari in the Thar Desert
• →Sunset over the dunes
• →Rajasthani folk music and dance around the campfire

Return from the desert in the morning and check into a guesthouse inside or just below Sonar Quila. Explore the living fort on foot: the Jaisalmer Fort Palace Museum (~£5), the exquisite Jain temples inside the walls (~£2), and Patwaon-ki-Haveli (~£2). Wander the lanes, then head to Gadisar Lake for sunset and the boating jetty. Many fort guesthouses have rooftop restaurants — dinner with the fort lit up is the highlight of the stop. A local guide for two hours costs ~£10 if you want the history fleshed out.

🚌On foot and auto-rickshaw in town (~£2)

🛏Guesthouse in or beside Jaisalmer Fort (~£14–18)

• →Jaisalmer Fort Palace Museum
• →Jain temples in Sonar Quila
• →Patwaon-ki-Haveli
• →Sunset at Gadisar Lake

Take the morning bus or train to Jodhpur (~5 hours, £4–7). Drop bags in a guesthouse in the old blue city below the fort. Spend the afternoon at Mehrangarh Fort (~£8 with audio guide — one of India's best), then walk down to Jaswant Thada's marble cenotaphs (~£2). Finish with the Clock Tower and Sardar Market for spices, textiles and makhaniya lassi. Umaid Bhawan's museum is optional and only worth it if you have time before closing.

🚌Bus or train Jaisalmer–Jodhpur plus autos (~£7)

🛏Guesthouse in Jodhpur old city (~£14–18)

• →Mehrangarh Fort with audio guide
• →Jaswant Thada
• →Clock Tower and Sardar Market
• →Optional Umaid Bhawan Museum

The Ranakpur detour is the awkward bit solo but totally doable: take a bus to Ranakpur village (~2.5 hours, £3) or a shared jeep from Jodhpur, spend an hour at the staggering 1,444-pillar Jain temples (free/donation, camera fee ~£1, respectfully no leather or dark clothing), then catch a bus or shared taxi onward to Udaipur (~2.5 hours, £4). If timings look tight, ask at your Jodhpur guesthouse to package a seat-in-car to Ranakpur and Udaipur (~£25–30) — still far cheaper than private hire. Arrive in Udaipur in the late afternoon and find a rooftop for sunset over the lake.

🚌Bus/shared jeep Jodhpur–Ranakpur–Udaipur (~£10)

🛏Budget guesthouse near Lake Pichola (~£15–20)

• →Ranakpur Jain Temples
• →Sunset rooftop dinner over Lake Pichola

A relaxed day in India's most romantic city. Start at the City Palace complex (~£8 combined ticket including the Crystal Gallery), then the Museum of Folk Art near Fateh Sagar. In the afternoon visit Sahelion-ki-Bari gardens (~£2) and take a shared boat ride on Lake Pichola at sunset (~£6–8, book at the jetty). Bagore-ki-Haveli's evening folk dance show (~£4) is a great low-cost finale. Walk the ghats and eat at a lakeside rooftop.

🚌Autos and walking (~£3)

🛏Budget guesthouse near Lake Pichola (~£15–20)

• →City Palace and Crystal Gallery
• →Museum of Folk Art
• →Sahelion-ki-Bari
• →Sunset boat ride on Lake Pichola
• →Bagore-ki-Haveli folk dance show

Bus from Udaipur to Chittorgarh (~2.5 hours, £3–5). Chittorgarh Fort sprawls over 700 acres and needs 3–4 hours — hire a local auto-rickshaw to run you between the gates and monuments for ~£8, or walk the main cluster. Key stops: Rana Kumbha's Palace, Kumbha Shyam Temple, the Victory Tower (Vijay Stambh), Meerabai Temple, the Tower of Fame (Kirti Stambh), Padmini's Palace and the fort museum. Entry ~£5. Chittorgarh town is small and cheap — good for an early night.

🚌Bus Udaipur–Chittorgarh plus auto-rickshaw around the fort (~£10)

🛏Simple hotel or guesthouse in Chittorgarh town (~£12–16)

• →Chittorgarh Fort circuit by auto-rickshaw
• →Rana Kumbha's Palace and Vijay Stambh
• →Padmini's Palace and the fort museum

Bus or train to Ajmer (~4 hours, £4–6), then a local bus or shared auto the final 14 km to Pushkar (~£1). Pushkar is tiny, vegetarian and alcohol-free — check into a guesthouse in the old town and slow down. Walk the ghats of Pushkar Lake at golden hour, visit the Brahma Ji Temple (one of very few in the world, ~£1, phones left outside), and poke around the cattle fair ground/sadar bazaar which fills with camels in Kartik Purnima season. Sunset from Savitri Temple (ropeway ~£2 or a 20-minute stair climb) is excellent.

🚌Bus/train Chittorgarh–Ajmer plus local bus to Pushkar (~£6)

🛏Guesthouse in Pushkar old town (~£12–16)

• →Pushkar Lake ghats at sunset
• →Brahma Ji Temple
• →Cattle fair ground and bazaar
• →Optional Savitri Temple ropeway

Morning back to Ajmer to see the Dargah Sharif of Moinuddin Chishti — cover your head, leave shoes outside, and be ready for crowds and touts (£1 for shoe deposit; free entry). Adhai-Din-Ka-Jhonpara, a 12th-century mosque with stunning carved arches, is a short auto ride away (~£1 entry). Then take a train or bus from Ajmer to Jaipur (~2.5 hours, £3–5) and check in near the old city or MI Road. Evening: Chokhi Dhani is touristy but fun; cheaper and better is a Rajasthani thali in the old town (~£4).

🚌Autos in Ajmer plus train/bus to Jaipur (~£6)

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Jaipur old city/MI Road (~£15–20)

• →Ajmer Dargah Sharif
• →Adhai-Din-Ka-Jhonpara mosque
• →Evening in Jaipur's old city

Early start for Amber Fort (~£6 entry, or the £12 composite ticket covering Amber, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Nahargarh and Albert Hall). Take a local bus or auto to Amber and walk up — skip the elephant rides. Continue to Jal Mahal for photos, then back into the city for the City Palace (~£8), Hawa Mahal (free from the street or via the composite ticket) and Jantar Mantar. Finish with sunset at Surya Mandir/Nahargarh for the classic view over the pink city. Uber and Ola both work well in Jaipur (~£1–2 per hop).

🚌Local bus/auto/Uber around Jaipur (~£4)

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Jaipur (~£15–20)

• →Amber Fort and Palace
• →Jal Mahal
• →City Palace, Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar
• →Sunset at Surya Mandir/Nahargarh

Train or bus from Jaipur to Fatehpur Sikri (~3 hours, £3–5). Leave bags at a station cloakroom or with a nearby guesthouse and spend 2–3 hours at the abandoned Mughal capital — the Buland Darwaza, Jama Masjid and the royal complex (~£6, or £8 with the archaeological museum). Then a local bus or shared auto to Agra (~1.5 hours, £1.50). Check into a guesthouse in Taj Ganj, the neighbourhood directly behind the Taj — cheap, atmospheric and walking distance to the east gate. Buy your Taj Mahal ticket online in advance (~£12, includes shoe covers and water).

🚌Train/bus Jaipur–Fatehpur Sikri plus local bus to Agra (~£8)

🛏Guesthouse in Taj Ganj, Agra (~£13–18)

• →Fatehpur Sikri: Buland Darwaza, Jama Masjid and royal complex
• →Pre-book Taj Mahal sunrise ticket online

Be at the east gate before opening for the sunrise slot — the Taj Mahal is at its best in the first hour. Allow 2 hours, and don't bring tripods, drones or large bags. Afterwards, Mehtab Bagh across the river gives the classic reflection shot (~£3). Then Itmad-ud-Daulah (the 'Baby Taj', ~£3), Agra Fort (~£6) and Akbar's Tomb at Sikandra (~£3) round out the day — grab autos between them (~£1 each). Spend the last afternoon shopping for marble inlay and handicrafts around the Sadar Bazaar and Taj Ganj.

🚌Autos between sights (~£4)

🛏Guesthouse in Taj Ganj, Agra (~£13–18)

• →Sunrise at the Taj Mahal
• →Mehtab Bagh
• →Itmad-ud-Daulah (Baby Taj)
• →Agra Fort
• →Akbar's Tomb at Sikandra
• →Handicraft shopping in Sadar Bazaar

Take the Agra Cantt to New Delhi Gatimaan Express or Shatabdi (~1h50, £7–12) — book ahead and travel with bags. Alternatively a bus (~3.5–4 hours, £3–5). Allow a generous buffer: aim to reach the airport 3–4 hours before an international departure (Agra–Delhi can run long). If you have a late flight, stash bags at New Delhi station cloakroom (~£1) and do one last Delhi meal or browse Connaught Place before heading to IGI.

🚌Gatimaan/Shatabdi Express Agra–New Delhi plus airport transfer (~£12)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Train to Delhi
• →Last-minute shopping at Connaught Place (optional)
• →Departure from IGI Airport