India by Car and Driver: Delhi, Agra, Jaipur & Varanasi (Self-Launched)
7 days · India (Golden Triangle & Varanasi)
MTA Destination Management Company charges £410
No-markup version: ~£290 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of MTA's classic 7-day Delhi–Agra–Jaipur–Varanasi circuit, built for independent travellers. Book your own budget guesthouses and 3-star hotels, use trains and shared taxis instead of a private car-and-driver, and join small-group or self-bookable guided excursions (Taj Mahal, Amber Fort, Ganges boat ride) via GetYourGuide/Klook or direct with local operators. Same headline sights, roughly a third of the group-tour price.
Day-by-day
Arrive Delhi — Old Delhi highlights
Delhi
Land at Indira Gandhi International Airport and take the Airport Express metro line or a pre-paid Uber/Ola to a Paharganj or Karol Bagh guesthouse (~£1 for the metro, ~£4-6 for an Ola). After check-in, head to Old Delhi: visit Jama Masjid (free, small camera fee), take a cycle-rickshaw through the lanes of Chandni Chowk (~£3, negotiate first), and stop at Rajghat. In the late afternoon drive or metro along Rajpath to see India Gate and Parliament House, then finish at Qutub Minar (entry ~£5).
🚌Airport Express metro (~£1) or Ola/Uber (~£5); Delhi Metro day card (~£2)
🛏Paharganj or Karol Bagh guesthouse / 3-star budget hotel (e.g. Hotel Ajanta, Smyle Inn) — ~£15-25/night
- →Jama Masjid
- →Chandni Chowk rickshaw ride
- →Rajghat
- →India Gate & Rajpath
- →Qutub Minar
Delhi to Agra — the Taj Mahal & Agra Fort
Agra
Take an early Gatimaan Express or Shatabdi train from Hazrat Nizamuddin/New Delhi station to Agra Cantt (~1h40, ~£10-15 booked on IRCTC). Drop bags at a Taj Ganj guesthouse and visit the Taj Mahal (foreigner entry ~£12, extra for the main mausoleum). In the afternoon explore Agra Fort (~£7), then wander the old city. Optional add-ons bookable locally: a vegetarian cooking class (~£20), a Mohabbat Taj show (~£25), or an Ayurvedic massage (~£25). Stay overnight to catch the Taj at sunrise on day 3 if you prefer.
🚌Gatimaan/Shatabdi Express train Delhi→Agra, ~£10-15
🛏Taj Ganj guesthouse / budget hotel (e.g. Hotel Kamal, Joey's Hostel) — ~£12-20/night
- →Taj Mahal at sunset
- →Agra Fort
- →Old city walk
- →Optional cooking class or Taj show
Agra to Jaipur via Fatehpur Sikri & Abhaneri stepwell
Jaipur
Hire a shared taxi or join a small-group day transfer (Taj Ganj agencies offer this, ~£30-45 pp for the whole route with stops) or take the train Agra→Jaipur and arrange a detour separately. En route stop at the abandoned Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri (~£6) and the 9th-century Chand Baori stepwell and Harshat Mata Temple at Abhaneri (free/£1). Arrive Jaipur in the evening and check into a heritage-style budget guesthouse near Hawa Mahal.
🚌Shared taxi transfer with stops ~£30-45 pp, or train Agra→Jaipur ~£8 plus separate Abhaneri taxi
🛏Jaipur guesthouse / heritage budget hotel (e.g. Pearl Palace, Madhuban) — ~£12-22/night
- →Fatehpur Sikri
- →Abhaneri Chand Baori stepwell
- →Harshat Mata Temple
Jaipur — the Pink City
Jaipur
Hire a local auto or a cheap day driver (~£20-25 for the day) and cover Jaipur's core sights: Amber Fort (entry ~£6, elephant rides optional — many travellers now skip them on welfare grounds), a photo stop at Hawa Mahal, the City Palace (~£8) and Jantar Mantar (~£4). Spend the evening browsing Johari and Bapu Bazaar for textiles and jewellery. Optional local experiences: dinner with a Rajasthani family (~£18-25), a night jeep safari (~£25), or an Ayurvedic massage (~£25).
🚌Auto-rickshaw or shared day driver ~£20-25 per day
🛏Jaipur guesthouse / heritage budget hotel — ~£12-22/night
- →Amber Fort
- →Hawa Mahal
- →City Palace
- →Jantar Mantar
- →Local bazaars
Jaipur to Varanasi (overnight train)
Varanasi
Book a seat or sleeper on a Jaipur–Varanasi train (e.g. via Lucknow or MGS, ~12-16 hrs) or take a budget flight if you prefer to save the day (Jaipur→Varanasi from ~£50-70 on IndiGo via Delhi/Lucknow). The operator charges USD 95-120 for a domestic flight, so check IndiGo and Air India Express directly. On arrival, check into a ghat-side guesthouse or hotel in the Assi Ghat or Dashashwamedh area.
🚌AC sleeper train Jaipur→Varanasi ~£10-15, or budget flight ~£50-70 one-way
🛏Varanasi ghat-side guesthouse (e.g. Stops Hostel, Alka Hotel) — ~£12-22/night
- →Overnight train journey
- →Evening stroll along the ghats
Varanasi — Ganges sunrise, Sarnath & Ganga Aarti
Varanasi
Hire a wooden rowboat at sunrise for a Ganges ride past the ghats (~£5-10 per person shared or ~£15 for a private boat). Later visit Sarnath, where Buddha gave his first sermon (~£4 entry for foreigners plus taxi ~£8 return). In the afternoon visit a silk weaving co-op to see Banarasi brocade handloom work. Return to Dashashwamedh Ghat for the spectacular evening Ganga Aarti, best seen from a steps-side seat or a boat.
🚌Walk / auto-rickshaw / shared boat hire
🛏Varanasi ghat-side guesthouse — ~£12-22/night
- →Sunrise boat ride on the Ganges
- →Sarnath visit
- →Silk weaving centre
- →Ganga Aarti ceremony
Varanasi — depart
Varanasi
Enjoy a final morning walk along the ghats and a lassi or chai before heading to Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS) — pre-paid taxi from the ghat area is ~£8-12 and takes about 45 mins in good traffic. Fly onward to Delhi, Goa or wherever your trip continues (Varanasi→Delhi budget fares from ~£40-60 one-way).
🚌Pre-paid airport taxi ~£8-12; onward flight ~£40-60
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Final ghats wander
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. MTA Destination Management Company
| This itinerary (self-launched) | MTA Destination Management Company | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£290 | £410 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £120 per person (29%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more MTA Destination Management Company-style trips? Check them out here.~£290
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 India by Car and Driver: Delhi, Agra, Jaipur & Varanasi (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £290 per person for 7 days in India (Golden Triangle & 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 MTA Destination Management Company?+
Yes — MTA Destination Management Company charges around £410 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £290 — a saving of roughly £120 (29%) per person.
How long is the India (Golden Triangle & Varanasi) trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through India (Golden Triangle & 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, budget, backpacker trip through India (Golden Triangle & 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?
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