Golden Triangle with Udaipur — Self-Launched
7 days · India
Swastik India Journeys charges £508
No-markup version: ~£462 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of the classic Delhi–Agra–Jaipur golden loop plus a Rajput finale in Udaipur. You'll hit the same UNESCO big hitters (Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb, the Taj Mahal, Amber Fort, Jantar Mantar) but travel by train and sleeper bus, stay in Paharganj/Taj Ganj hostel doubles and Udaipur lakeside guesthouses, and hire local guides only where they actually add value (Agra, Jaipur). Costs are rough per-person backpacker estimates — expect to spend more if you want A/C trains in peak season or private cars for the long legs.
Day-by-day
Delhi: Mughal monuments and Old City lanes
Delhi
Base yourself in Paharganj (walking distance to New Delhi station) or a hostel in Hauz Khas if you want a quieter evening. Morning: take the Yellow Line metro to Chandni Chowk and see Jama Masjid (£0.20 entry, extra for camera), then wander the spice lanes of Khari Baoli. Midday: rickshaw to Raj Ghat (free, shoes off, head covered). Afternoon: metro to Qutub Minar (£5 foreigner ticket) and then Humayun's Tomb (£6). Finish at India Gate at sunset and eat at Karim's or a Paranthe Wali Gali stall. Book a cheap day guide via GetYourGuide if you want the history explained — a half-day Old Delhi walking tour runs about £15.
🚌Delhi Metro day pass (~£1.50) plus auto-rickshaw hops (£1-2 each); airport transfer by Airport Express metro £1.80
🛏Hostel dorm or budget double in Paharganj, £10-14
- →Jama Masjid
- →Raj Ghat
- →Qutub Minar (UNESCO)
- →Humayun's Tomb (UNESCO)
- →India Gate
Delhi to Agra: Taj Mahal and the Mughal riverfront
Agra
Take an early Gatimaan Express or Vande Bharat from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Agra Cantt (1h50, ~£8-12 in chair car). Drop bags at a Taj Ganj guesthouse, then hit the Taj Mahal (foreigner ticket £11, closed Fridays) — go late afternoon for soft light and fewer people. Then Agra Fort (£6), Itimad-ud-Daulah (the 'Baby Taj', £3) and Mehtab Bagh (£3) for the classic sunset view across the Yamuna. A local licensed guide at the Taj costs £8-12 via GetYourGuide or negotiated at the east gate — worth it for the Mughal context.
🚌Train Delhi–Agra £8-12; cycle-rickshaw and auto around Agra £3-5 total
🛏Guesthouse double in Taj Ganj, £11-15
- →Taj Mahal
- →Agra Fort
- →Itimad-ud-Daulah
- →Mehtab Bagh
Fatehpur Sikri en route to Jaipur
Jaipur
Worth doing what the original tour did quietly: stop at Fatehpur Sikri (£6, plus £2 to the Jama Masjid custodian) on the way to Jaipur. Cheapest route: local bus or shared taxi Agra–Fatehpur Sikri (£1), explore 2 hours, then bus to Jaipur from the Sikri junction (3.5-4h, ~£4-5). Alternative is the 12:10 train Agra Fort–Jaipur (~£5-8, 4.5h) and skipping Sikri. Arrive Jaipur, check into a guesthouse inside the old city walls near Hawa Mahal so you can walk to dinner — this fixes the complaint in the operator reviews about being stuck in a residential suburb. Evening at Nahargarh or a rooftop for sunset.
🚌Bus/shared taxi Agra–Fatehpur Sikri £1; bus to Jaipur £4-5
🛏Old City guesthouse double, £12-18
- →Fatehpur Sikri
- →Nahargarh sunset viewpoint
Jaipur: Amber Fort and the Pink City
Jaipur
Take a local bus or shared auto to Amber Fort (£6 ticket, opens 8am — go early). Skip the elephant ride on welfare grounds; walk up or take a jeep (£5 shared). Self-guided audio or a guide at the gate (£8-10 via GetYourGuide). Back in town: City Palace (£8), Hawa Mahal (£2, best from the Wind View cafe opposite), and Jantar Mantar (£3). Optional block-printing or cooking workshop in the evening (£15-20) — the original tour guests' favourite experience was a home cooking demo, and Airbnb Experiences has equivalents from about £18.
🚌Local bus to Amber £0.30; auto-rickshaws £4 total
🛏Old City guesthouse double, £12-18
- →Amber Fort
- →City Palace Jaipur
- →Hawa Mahal
- →Jantar Mantar
- →Optional cooking class
Jaipur to Udaipur overland
Udaipur
Cheapest: an overnight or early AC sleeper bus Jaipur–Udaipur (9-10h, £8-12) bookable on RedBus or Klook. More comfortable: train 12956 Jaipur–Udaipur City, ~7h, sleeper class £4 or 3AC £10 — book on IRCTC as soon as the 60-day window opens. Arrive, settle into a lakeside guesthouse in Lal Ghat with a rooftop, and spend the evening on the ghats watching the Lake Palace light up. Food: a thali at a Lal Ghat rooftop, £4-6.
🚌Sleeper bus or train Jaipur–Udaipur, £8-12
🛏Lakeside guesthouse double, Lal Ghat, £13-18
- →Lal Ghat evening walk
Udaipur: palaces, gardens and Lake Pichola
Udaipur
Morning at Saheliyon-ki-Bari (£2) and the Museum of Folk Art / Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal (£2, includes a puppet show). Midday: City Palace complex (£6) — allow 2-3 hours, the crystal gallery is a small add-on. Afternoon: a traditional miniature-painting workshop in the old town (£8-12, several studios on Jagdish Chowk offer walk-ins). Golden hour: shared boat ride on Lake Pichola (£3-5, buy at Rameshwar Ghat) or a public ferry to Jagmandir. Dinner at Ambrai or a cheaper Lal Ghat rooftop.
🚌Walking plus auto-rickshaws, £3-4
🛏Lakeside guesthouse double, Lal Ghat, £13-18
- →Saheliyon-ki-Bari
- →Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal folk art museum
- →City Palace Udaipur
- →Miniature painting workshop
- →Lake Pichola boat ride
Udaipur departure
Udaipur
Slow breakfast on the rooftop, a last wander through the Hathi Pol art shops, then head out. Maharana Pratap Airport is 22km away — shared taxi or prepaid taxi £6-8, or the cheaper bus to the airport road junction. For onward travel, overnight train to Delhi (Mewar Express, ~12h) or a flight to Delhi/Mumbai from £30 if booked early.
🚌Airport taxi £6-8 or onward train
🛏None (departure day)
- →Free morning in the old town
Self-launched vs. Swastik India Journeys
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Swastik India Journeys | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£462 | £508 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £46 per person (9%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Swastik India Journeys-style trips? Check them out here.~£462
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 Golden Triangle with Udaipur — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £462 per person for 7 days in 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 Swastik India Journeys?+
Yes — Swastik India Journeys charges around £508 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £462 — a saving of roughly £46 (9%) per person.
How long is the India trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through 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, backpacker, budget trip through 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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