Taj Temples & Tigers India Tour — Self-Launched
10 days · India (Delhi, Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur, Varanasi)
Alkof Holidays charges £1,160
No-markup version: ~£842 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Alkof Holidays' 10-day "Taj Temples and Tigers" circuit — Mughal monuments in Delhi and Agra, two jeep safaris in Ranthambore, the pink city of Jaipur, and sunrise on the Ganges in Varanasi. Instead of a driver and city-by-city guide, you use India's excellent trains (plus one cheap domestic flight), book budget guesthouses directly, and hire local guides or self-book tours on GetYourGuide/Klook only where they add value (Ranthambore safari permits, Varanasi boat ride). Accommodation sits in the same comfortable private-room guesthouse/3-star-budget bracket as the original, just booked direct. Costs are rough per-person estimates for a solo traveller in GBP, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive New Delhi
New Delhi
Land at IGI Airport and take the Airport Express metro (Orange line) to New Delhi station for about £2.50 (prepaid taxi/Airport Connect taxi is £7-10). Check into a guesthouse in the C.R. Park / South Delhi or Karol Bagh area — the budget equivalent of the tour's Hotel Rockland. Take it easy: walk a tree-lined boulevard, grab a masala chai and your first thali dinner, and sort out a local SIM (Airtel/Jio, ~£4 for a month with data — you'll need your passport). Buy your train tickets online in advance on IRCTC (or via 12Go Asia / MakeMyTrip if IRCTC's foreigner registration is fiddly).
🚌Airport Express metro from IGI Airport (~£2.50)
🛏Private room guesthouse or budget 3-star, C.R. Park / Karol Bagh, Delhi (~£22)
- →Explore the neighbourhood on foot
- →Buy Airtel/Jio SIM card
- →Pre-book onward trains on IRCTC
Old and New Delhi highlights
New Delhi
Do the classic Delhi loop yourself. Start at Rajghat (Gandhi's memorial, free), then walk to Jama Masjid (£0.50 entry, modest dress required) and ride a cycle rickshaw through Chandni Chowk's spice lanes (£3-4). After lunch, take the metro south: Humayun's Tomb (£5) and Qutub Minar (£5) are both UNESCO sites and easily paired in an afternoon. Finish with an autorickshaw drive past India Gate and the President's House. A half-day GetYourGuide/Klook Old Delhi walking-food tour (~£15-20) is a solid add if you want a guide for the chaos.
🚌Metro + autorickshaw + rickshaw (~£6)
🛏Private room guesthouse or budget 3-star, Delhi (~£22)
- →Rajghat
- →Jama Masjid
- →Chandni Chowk cycle rickshaw ride
- →Humayun's Tomb
- →Qutub Minar
- →India Gate drive-past
Delhi to Agra — Agra Fort and Mehtab Bagh sunset
Agra
Take the 06:00 Gatimaan Express from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Agra Cantt, about 1h40 for £8-12 in AC Chair Car (book early). Drop bags at a guesthouse or budget hotel in Taj Ganj or Fatehabad Road. In the afternoon visit Itmad-ud-Daulah (the 'Baby Taj', £4), Agra Fort (£5), and wander a marble-inlay workshop in Taj Ganj (free to look, sales pitch included). End at Mehtab Bagh (£4) for sunset views of the Taj across the Yamuna — the same spot the tour uses.
🚌Gatimaan Express Delhi–Agra (~£10) + autorickshaws (~£5)
🛏Guesthouse / budget 3-star with Taj-view rooftop, Taj Ganj (~£22)
- →Itmad-ud-Daulah
- →Agra Fort
- →Marble inlay workshop
- →Mehtab Bagh sunset
Taj Mahal at sunrise → Fatehpur Sikri → Ranthambore
Ranthambore
Get to the Taj Mahal east gate before dawn — gates open around sunrise and the £12 ticket (closed Fridays) is bought online at asi.payumoney.com. Two hours inside before the crowds is the whole point. Back for breakfast, then hire a car for the day (or take the tourist shuttle) to Fatehpur Sikri (£5, ~1 hour from Agra) for the abandoned Mughal capital and Buland Darwaza. Continue by private car to Sawai Madhopur (~4 hours, £30-35 shared/whole car; trains from Agra Fort to Sawai Madhopur also run in ~3h for £5 but timings are awkward). Check into a jungle-lodge-style resort outside the park.
🚌Day car Agra–Fatehpur Sikri–Ranthambore (~£32)
🛏Budget resort / lodge near Ranthambore National Park (~£24)
- →Taj Mahal at sunrise
- →Fatehpur Sikri UNESCO site
Two jeep safaris in Ranthambore National Park
Ranthambore National Park
Book your safari permits online in advance at ranthambore.com (government portal) — they sell out weeks ahead in season (Oct–Apr). A jeep (Gypsy, 6 seats) or Canter costs roughly £30-40 per person per safari including vehicle and guide; book the morning (6:30) and afternoon (2:30) slots for the best tiger odds. Between safaris, relax at the lodge, spot langurs and birds, and visit the Ranthambore Fort viewpoint if time allows. Most lodges include all meals — a good reason to stay put in the heat of the day.
🚌Lodge transfers + park jeep (included in permit price, ~£2)
🛏Budget resort / lodge near Ranthambore National Park (~£24, often half-board)
- →Morning jeep safari
- →Afternoon jeep safari
- →Ranthambore Fort walk (optional)
Ranthambore to Jaipur — Pink City markets
Jaipur
Take the train from Sawai Madhopur to Jaipur (~3 hours, £4-8) or a shared car (~£25). Check into a haveli-style guesthouse in the walled city near Hawa Mahal. Spend the afternoon and evening lost in the bazaars of the Pink City — Johari Bazaar for gems, Bapu Bazaar for textiles, and a rooftop dinner overlooking the old town.
🚌Train Sawai Madhopur–Jaipur (~£6) + rickshaws (~£4)
🛏Haveli guesthouse in the walled city, Jaipur (~£22)
- →Pink City bazaar wander
- →Rooftop dinner in the walled city
Amber Fort and Jaipur's monuments
Jaipur
Do Jaipur's big-ticket sights independently. Take a local bus or autorickshaw uphill to Amber Fort for opening (8am, £6) — get the audio guide or hire an on-site guide for ~£8. On the way down stop at Jal Mahal (free, photo stop) and Panna Meena ka Kund stepwell (free). After lunch, hit the composite £5 ticket that covers City Palace-adjacent Albert Hall Museum plus Jantar Mantar (£2.50 separate) and the Hawa Mahal exterior (£1 to climb). An evening GetYourGuide cooking class or block-printing workshop (~£20) is a lovely swap for another monument.
🚌Local bus/autorickshaw (~£6)
🛏Haveli guesthouse in the walled city, Jaipur (~£22)
- →Amber Fort & Palace
- →Jal Mahal
- →Jantar Mantar
- →Hawa Mahal
- →Albert Hall Museum
- →Optional block-printing workshop
Fly Jaipur to Varanasi
Varanasi
Fly Jaipur to Varanasi (IndiGo/SpiceJet/Air India, 1h45, one-way £45-60 booked 3-6 weeks ahead on MakeMyTrip or Goibibo). Check into a guesthouse in the old city close to the ghats. Late afternoon, walk the ghats from Assi to Dashashwamedh and settle in for the Ganga Aarti ceremony at sunset (free — arrive an hour early for a stepside spot, or £2 for a boat view). Dinner of kachori sabzi and lassi in the lanes behind the ghats.
🚌Domestic flight Jaipur–Varanasi (~£52) + airport taxi (~£5)
🛏Guesthouse near the ghats, Varanasi (~£20)
- →Walk the ghats
- →Ganga Aarti at sunset
Sunrise on the Ganges, old city and Sarnath
Varanasi
Book a shared sunrise rowboat on the Ganges through GetYourGuide or directly with a boatman at Assi Ghat (~£8-12 per person) — best light and the bathing/cremation ghats at their most atmospheric. Follow it with a guided old-city walk (£10) covering Kashi Vishwanath Temple (free; no phones, security queue) and Bharat Mata Mandir (£1). After lunch take an autorickshaw 10km to Sarnath (~£4 each way) for Dhamek Stupa, Chaukhandi Stupa and the Archaeological Museum (both ~£2; museum closed Fridays). Evening free for a second aarti or a rooftop chai.
🚌Autorickshaws to Sarnath (~£6)
🛏Guesthouse near the ghats, Varanasi (~£20)
- →Sunrise boat ride on the Ganges
- →Old city guided walk
- →Kashi Vishwanath Temple
- →Bharat Mata Mandir
- →Sarnath stupas and museum
Varanasi to Delhi and fly home
Varanasi → New Delhi
Fly Varanasi to Delhi (1h30, £40-55) and connect to your international flight — leave a generous buffer, ideally an overnight in Delhi if your long-haul departs early. If you have spare hours, add the Indira Gandhi Airport Express metro straight from New Delhi station (£2.50) and a last plate of chaat. Optional extension: Bodh Gaya, 265km from Varanasi, if you want to add the Buddha's enlightenment site before flying out.
🚌Flight Varanasi–Delhi (~£48) + Airport Express (~£2.50)
🛏None (or budget airport hotel in Delhi ~£25 if needed)
- →Fly to Delhi
- →Optional Bodh Gaya extension
Self-launched vs. Alkof Holidays
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Alkof Holidays | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£842 | £1,160 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £318 per person (27%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Alkof Holidays-style trips? Check them out here.~£842
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.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Taj Temples & Tigers India Tour — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £842 per person for 10 days in India (Delhi, Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur, Varanasi). 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 Alkof Holidays?+
Yes — Alkof Holidays charges around £1,160 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £842 — a saving of roughly £318 (27%) per person.
How long is the India (Delhi, Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur, Varanasi) trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through India (Delhi, Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur, Varanasi).
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, wildlife, adventure trip through India (Delhi, Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur, Varanasi), 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.