Indian Odyssey by Rail — Self-Launched

Land in Delhi and settle in. G Adventures includes an airport transfer through their Women With Wheels project — you can book an equivalent pre-paid women-operated airport taxi via an app like BluSmart or a hotel-arranged pickup for around £8-12 (£2 if you brave the Metro from the airport on the Airport Express line). Evening: walk around Paharganj or Karol Bagh for your first thali.

🚌Airport Express Metro from IGI Airport to New Delhi (~£2) or pre-booked taxi (~£10)

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Paharganj/Main Bazaar, £12-20/night

• →Airport transfer (pre-booked taxi or Airport Express Metro)
• →Evening orientation walk in Paharganj
• →Street-food dinner

Exactly as the original does — take the morning Shatabdi Express to Amritsar with breakfast served on board. Book through IRCTC (or an agent at the New Delhi counter). Afternoon: shared taxi or auto to the India-Pakistan border at Wagah for the famous evening beating-retreat ceremony (free, arrive by 4pm). Return to Amritsar and take an orientation walk around the Golden Temple complex lit at night.

🚌Shatabdi Express train, ~6 hrs (~£8-12); shared jeep to Wagah and back (~£4)

🛏Guesthouse near the Golden Temple, £10-18/night

• →Shatabdi Express Delhi–Amritsar with on-board breakfast
• →Wagah border ceremony
• →Golden Temple night orientation walk

Morning at the Golden Temple — free langar (community kitchen) meals are open to all, and the Sikh community-service ethos is visible without a guide. Then take a bus or shared taxi up into the Kangra Valley to Dharamshala/McLeod Ganj. Evening orientation walk through McLeod Ganj's Tibetan quarter.

🚌Local bus or shared sumo/taxi Amritsar–Dharamshala, ~5 hrs (~£5-8)

🛏Guesthouse in McLeod Ganj, £8-15/night

• →Golden Temple visit and langar
• →Tibetan quarter orientation walk

Free day to do exactly what the original suggests. Visit the Dalai Lama's main temple and residence, tour the Norbulingka Institute preserving Tibetan arts, or hike the short trail to Bhagsunag waterfall and the Shiva café above it. Optional intro-to-Tibetan-cooking and yoga classes are everywhere and cheap.

🚌Walk and local auto-rickshaw (£1-3)

🛏Guesthouse in McLeod Ganj, £8-15/night

• →Dalai Lama temple complex
• →Norbulingka Institute tour
• →Bhagsunag waterfall hike (optional)
• →Optional yoga or Tibetan cooking class

Explore Mandi as the tour does, with the highlight being Rewalsar Lake — a sacred spot for Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs alike, with floating island shrines. Reach Rewalsar by local bus from Mandi (about 45 mins) and walk the lakeshore and hilltop monasteries.

🚌Local bus Dharamshala–Mandi (~£4) plus bus to Rewalsar (~£1)

🛏Simple guesthouse or dharamshala in Mandi, £8-14/night

• →Rewalsar Lake walk
• →Monastery circuit
• →Mandi old town and temples

Travel back toward the capital and position yourself for the next rail leg. This is a buffer day — use it to top up your IRCTC account, confirm onward sleeper bookings at the station reservation office, and pick up supplies. Overnight sleeper train or a budget hotel in Delhi.

🚌Bus Mandi–Delhi (~£6) or overnight train, plus metro within Delhi (~£1)

🛏Budget hotel in Delhi or overnight sleeper train (AC3 ~£8)

• →Return travel to Delhi
• →Confirm onward sleeper reservations at the station
• →Market wander near New Delhi station

Ride the fast Shatabdi-style or Gatimaan Express down to Agra (about 2 hrs). Afternoon free to visit Agra Fort independently or cross the river to Mehtab Bagh for sunset views of the Taj across the Yamuna.

🚌Express train Delhi–Agra (~£6-9)

🛏Budget hotel in Taj Ganj with rooftop Taj views, £10-18/night

• →Train to Agra
• →Optional Mehtab Bagh sunset viewpoint

The two highlights the original includes as guided tours. Book a licensed guide through GetYourGuide/Klook (approx £15-25 shared) or simply buy your own tickets and use an official audio guide. Taj Mahal entry for foreigners is roughly £11 (₹1,100) plus £2 for the mausoleum; Agra Fort is about £5. Sunrise is the magic hour — book the earliest slot.

🚌Auto-rickshaw and walking (£2-4)

🛏Budget hotel in Taj Ganj, £10-18/night

• →Taj Mahal (self-guided or booked guide)
• →Agra Fort
• →Optional marble-inlay workshop visit

Head into Rajasthan's Pink City by train or bus. Evening orientation walk through the old walled city and bazaars, with a first taste of Rajasthani food — dal baati churma and pyaaz kachori.

🚌Train or bus Agra–Jaipur, ~4-5 hrs (~£5-8)

🛏Guesthouse in the old city, £10-18/night

• →Travel to Jaipur
• →Old city orientation walk
• →Bazaar browsing

Visit Amber Fort — the tour's Day 12 highlight — independently; entry about £5. Reach it by local bus (#5) for pennies or a shared auto. Add Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar and the City Palace if you have energy, or a sunset walk up to Nahargarh Fort for the city panorama.

🚌Local bus to Amber (~£0.30) or shared auto (~£2)

🛏Guesthouse in the old city, £10-18/night

• →Amber Fort (self-guided, optional audio guide)
• →Hawa Mahal and City Palace (optional)
• →Nahargarh Fort sunset (optional)

Detour to Pushkar — a holy lake town with 400-odd temples and a laid-back traveller scene. Walk the ghats, hike up to the Savitri Temple for sunrise/sunset views, and eat at the rooftop cafés around the lake.

🚌Local bus Jaipur–Ajmer (~£2) then bus/auto to Pushkar (~£0.50)

🛏Guesthouse or rooftop hostel, £8-15/night

• →Pushkar Lake and ghats
• →Savitri Temple hike
• →Rooftop café evening

Return east and set up your long southbound journey. Rajasthan to Karnataka is best done as a sequence of overnight trains (Jaipur/Delhi → Mumbai/Ahmedabad → Goa → Mysore), which keeps you moving and saves hostel nights. Confirm all segments at a reservation office.

🚌Bus/train back to Delhi (~£5-8)

🛏Budget hotel or overnight sleeper train

• →Return travel to Delhi
• →Plan and book southbound sleeper segments
• →Connaught Place wander

Board an overnight sleeper train south. AC3 (three-tier air-conditioned) is the comfortable budget sweet spot; SL (sleeper class) is cheapest and most sociable. Pack snacks, a chain and a padlock. Roughly 16-24 hrs depending on route.

🚌Indian Railways sleeper, AC3 ~£20-28

🛏Sleeper train berth

• →Overnight sleeper train
• →Onboard chai and station snacks

Arrive in Mumbai and check into Colaba or Fort. Orientation walk: Gateway of India, Taj Mahal Palace from outside, Colaba Causeway, Marine Drive's Queen's Necklace at dusk.

🚌Mumbai suburban train and taxi (~£2-3)

🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Colaba/Fort, £12-22/night

• →Gateway of India
• →Colaba Causeway and Marine Drive walk

Choose your own Mumbai: Elephanta Island caves by ferry, the Dharavi community walking tour (book direct with a social enterprise, ~£10), Crawford Market, or a Bollywood studio tour. Evening: Mumbai street food crawl.

🚌Local train plus ferry (~£1-4)

🛏Budget hotel in Colaba/Fort, £12-22/night

• →Elephanta Island ferry and caves (optional)
• →Dharavi community walk (optional, book direct)
• →Street-food crawl (vada pav, bhel puri)

Take an overnight or morning train down the Konkan coast to Goa (the Konkan Railway is one of India's most scenic lines — grab a window). Base yourself in a beach village and slow the pace for a few days.

🚌Train Mumbai–Goa, AC3 ~£10-15, or overnight sleeper

🛏Beach guesthouse in North or South Goa, £10-20/night

• →Konkan Railway train journey
• →Beach arrival wander

Relax and explore: North Goa's Anjuna and Vagator for beach cafés and markets, or South Goa's Palolem and Agonda for quiet sand. Hire a scooter (~£5/day) to reach Old Goa's churches and Fontainhas Latin quarter in Panaji.

🚌Scooter hire (£5/day) or local bus (~£0.50)

🛏Beach guesthouse, £10-20/night

• →Beach day
• →Scooter hire to Old Goa churches
• →Fontainhas walk

Travel inland to Hampi, Karnataka's boulder-strewn ruin field. Overnight or long day of travel by train/bus via Hospet. Arrive and settle into Hampi Bazaar or the quieter Anegundi side of the river.

🚌Train/bus Goa to Hospet (~£8-12), auto to Hampi (~£1)

🛏Guesthouse or hut in Hampi/Anegundi, £8-15/night

• →Travel to Hampi
• →Hampi Bazaar orientation walk

Explore the Vijayanagara ruins at your own pace: Virupaksha Temple, Vittala Temple with its stone chariot, the Royal Enclosure and the Achyutaraya complex. Bicycle hire (~£2/day) makes the spread manageable; a coracle ride across the Tungabhadra is a lovely extra.

🚌Bicycle hire (~£2) and walking

🛏Guesthouse in Hampi, £8-15/night

• →Vittala Temple and stone chariot
• →Virupaksha Temple
• →Bicycle loop of the ruins
• →Coracle river crossing (optional)

Roll south toward Mysore — the original's Day 24 highlight. Overnight train or day bus via Bengaluru. Arrive and orient yourself around the palace and Devaraja Market.

🚌Train/bus Hampi–Bengaluru–Mysore (~£8-14)

🛏Guesthouse in Mysore, £8-16/night

• →Travel to Mysore
• →Devaraja Market wander

Visit Mysore Palace — the former home of the Maharajas (entry about £5, audio guide extra). Climb the 1,000 steps up Chamundi Hill for city views and the Nandi bull, and finish at the colourful Devaraja Market and Mysore's sandalwood-oil shops.

🚌Local bus and auto-rickshaw (~£2-3)

🛏Guesthouse in Mysore, £8-16/night

• →Mysore Palace
• →Chamundi Hill climb
• →Devaraja Market
• →Optional yoga at a local shala

Continue south by overnight train into Kerala. Arrive in Kochi's Fort Cochin area — Chinese fishing nets, Dutch and Portuguese heritage, spice markets and the Mattancherry Palace.

🚌Train Mysore–Ernakulam, sleeper ~£10-15

🛏Homestay or guesthouse in Fort Cochin, £10-18/night

• →Overnight train to Kerala
• →Fort Cochin orientation walk

Morning heritage walk in Fort Cochin, then head to Alleppey (Alappuzha) for a backwater experience — a shared houseboat day cruise, a smaller canoe tour, or an overnight on a rice-boat converted to a houseboat. Budget canoes (~£10) are cheaper and more intimate than the big houseboats.

🚌Local train Kochi–Alleppey (~£1) and tuk-tuk

🛏Fort Cochin homestay or backwater homestay, £12-20/night

• →Fort Cochin heritage walk
• →Alleppey backwater canoe or houseboat tour
• →Kathakali performance (optional)

Cross into Tamil Nadu to Madurai, home of the vast Meenakshi Amman Temple. Evening visit to the temple complex is free and atmospheric, especially around the golden lotus tank.

🚌Train/bus Kochi–Madurai (~£6-10)

🛏Budget hotel near the temple, £8-15/night

• →Travel to Madurai
• →Meenakshi Amman Temple evening visit
• →Night flower market

Explore Madurai's temple town in the morning, then travel east toward the coast. Puducherry (Pondicherry) is a lovely French-colonial seaside stop if you have the appetite for it. Otherwise continue toward Chennai.

🚌Train Madurai–Puducherry/Chennai (~£5-9)

🛏Guesthouse in Puducherry or Chennai, £10-18/night

• →Madurai temple and palace morning
• →Travel to the Coromandel coast

Day trip or overnight in Mahabalipuram, the shore-temple and rock-carving site south of Chennai. Explore the Five Rathas, Arjuna's Penance and the Shore Temple at sunset by the Bay of Bengal.

🚌Local bus Chennai–Mahabalipuram (~£1)

🛏Beach guesthouse in Mahabalipuram, £8-15/night

• →Mahabalipuram Shore Temple
• →Five Rathas and rock carvings
• →Beach sunset

Begin the long arc back toward the north-east. This is a moving day on the rail network — pick your next base (Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar or Kolkata) based on how much time you want to spend on the east-coast route. Overnight sleeper.

🚌Indian Railways sleeper, ~£10-18

🛏Sleeper train berth

• →Overnight sleeper train east coast
• →Station food and chai stops

Arrive in Kolkata — colonial architecture, trams, and some of India's best sweets. Visit the Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge, and Kumortuli, the potters' quarter where Durga idols are made. Evening by the Hooghly.

🚌Metro, tram and taxi (~£2-3)

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Sudder Street area, £10-18/night

• →Victoria Memorial
• →Howrah Bridge
• →Kumortuli potters' quarter

Free day: Kalighat Temple, the Indian Museum, Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity house, or a Kolkata food walk (kathi rolls, puchka, rasgulla). Evening possible add-on: a Darjeeling-bound sleeper or a train toward Bodh Gaya/Varanasi.

🚌Local transport (~£2)

🛏Budget hotel in Kolkata, £10-18/night

• →Kalighat Temple
• →Indian Museum (optional)
• →Kolkata food walk

Sleeper train west to Varanasi, the world's oldest living city on the Ganges. Arrive, wander the ghats at dusk, and get your bearings in the lanes behind Dashashwamedh Ghat.

🚌Sleeper train Kolkata–Varanasi, ~£8-14

🛏Guesthouse near the ghats, £8-16/night

• →Travel to Varanasi
• →Ghat orientation walk
• →Optional Ganga Aarti evening ceremony

The tour's Day 51 highlight, done independently: join a dawn rowboat cruise on the Ganges (~£4-8 shared) to watch the bathing and cremation rituals at the burning ghats. Later, visit Sarnath, where Buddha gave his first sermon.

🚌Rowboat hire (~£5) and auto-rickshaw to Sarnath (~£3)

🛏Guesthouse near the ghats, £8-16/night

• →Sunrise Ganges boat cruise
• →Manikarnika and Dashashwamedh ghats
• →Sarnath day trip (optional)

Travel to Khajuraho for its UNESCO temple complex — the world-famous sculpted panels and the Western Group of temples. Easy to explore on foot or by bicycle.

🚌Train/bus Varanasi–Khajuraho (~£6-10)

🛏Guesthouse in Khajuraho, £8-15/night

• →Travel to Khajuraho
• →Western Group of Temples
• →Optional evening light-and-sound show

The original mentions an optional cycle-rickshaw tour for an extra cost — you can book one locally for a couple of pounds. Alternatively cycle to the Eastern and Southern temple groups, or visit the archaeological museum.

🚌Cycle-rickshaw (~£2-3) or bicycle hire (~£2)

🛏Guesthouse in Khajuraho, £8-15/night

• →Cycle-rickshaw tour of temples (optional, book locally)
• →Eastern Group of Temples
• →Museum visit (optional)

Short hop to Orchha, a riverside town of Bundela palaces and cenotaphs. Climb the Jahangir Mahal for sunset over the Betwa River, and walk the chhatris along the water.

🚌Train Khajuraho–Jhansi (~£2) then auto to Orchha (~£1)

🛏Guesthouse in Orchha, £8-15/night

• →Orchha Fort and Jahangir Mahal
• →Betwa River chhatris
• →Sunset from the palace roof

Continue by rail to Gwalior. Explore the hilltop Gwalior Fort, the Sas-Bahu temples and the Jai Vilas Palace. The fort's blue-tiled Man Mandir palace is a highlight.

🚌Train Orchha/Jhansi–Gwalior (~£3)

🛏Budget hotel in Gwalior, £8-16/night

• →Gwalior Fort
• →Jai Vilas Palace (optional)
• →Old town walk

Travel to Sawai Madhopur for Ranthambore National Park — a chance at spotting tigers. Book your safari jeep/gypsy seat through the forest department or a licensed operator in advance; morning safaris have the best odds.

🚌Train Gwalior–Sawai Madhopur (~£5-8)

🛏Guesthouse near the park, £10-18/night

• →Travel to Sawai Madhopur
• →Safari booking assistance
• →Evening at the park gate

Dawn and/or afternoon jeep safari in Ranthambore (shared safari ~£20-35 per person including park fees, booked via the Rajasthan forest department or a local operator). Look for tigers, sloth bears, leopards and the hilltop Ranthambore Fort.

🚌Safari jeep (included in safari cost)

🛏Guesthouse near the park, £10-18/night

• →Jeep safari (shared)
• →Ranthambore Fort (optional)
• →Wildlife photography

Head to Bundi — a quieter, blue-washed Rajasthan town with a fabulous palace, stepwells and the Taragarh Fort above town. Excellent low-key alternative to the tourist circuit.

🚌Train/bus Ranthambore–Bundi (~£3-5)

🛏Haveli guesthouse in Bundi, £8-15/night

• →Bundi Palace and Chitrashala
• →Raniji ki Baori stepwell
• →Taragarh Fort sunset climb

Travel to Udaipur, the City of Lakes. Settle into the old town and take a sunset boat ride on Lake Pichola, with the white Lake Palace floating in the middle. Rooftop dinners overlooking the water are the classic Udaipur evening.

🚌Bus/train Bundi–Udaipur (~£5-8)

🛏Haveli guesthouse in the old town, £10-18/night

• →Travel to Udaipur
• →Lake Pichola boat ride
• →Rooftop dinner overlooking the lake

Explore the City Palace complex and Jagdish Temple, then wander the ghats and the Bagore ki Haveli for a folk-dance show in the evening. Optional day trip to the Ranakpur Jain temples for their incredible carved marble.

🚌Walking and auto-rickshaw (~£2)

🛏Haveli guesthouse in the old town, £10-18/night

• →City Palace
• →Jagdish Temple
• →Bagore ki Haveli folk show (optional)
• →Ranakpur Jain temples day trip (optional)

Ride to the Blue City. Jodhpur's old town is a maze of indigo houses beneath the towering Mehrangarh Fort. Watch the sunset from the fort's ramparts or the rooftop cafés below.

🚌Train/bus Udaipur–Jodhpur (~£4-6)

🛏Guesthouse in the old town, £8-15/night

• →Travel to Jodhpur
• →Mehrangarh Fort exterior and sunset
• →Blue city old-town walk

Full day at Mehrangarh Fort (entry ~£5, audio guide worthwhile). Also Jaswant Thada, the Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park, and the chaotic Sardar Market around the clock tower for spices and textiles.

🚌Auto-rickshaw and walking (~£2)

🛏Guesthouse in the old town, £8-15/night

• →Mehrangarh Fort
• →Jaswant Thada
• →Sardar Market spice and textile shopping

Travel deep into the Thar Desert to Jaisalmer, the golden sandstone city. Evening wander through the fort's living streets and havelis, with a rooftop view over the desert.

🚌Train/bus Jodhpur–Jaisalmer (~£4-7)

🛏Guesthouse inside or near the fort, £8-16/night

• →Travel to Jaisalmer
• →Sonar Quila night walk
• →Haveli viewing

Morning exploring the fort's Jain temples and Patwon ki Haveli, then an afternoon camel safari into the Sam or Khuri dunes with a night under the stars at a desert camp — book direct or via Klook/GetYourGuide (~£25-40), cheaper than the operator-included versions.

🚌Camel and jeep transfer (included in safari/camp)

🛏Desert camp (tented) or return to town guesthouse, £10-18/night

• →Jain temples and havelis
• →Camel safari into the dunes
• →Desert camp overnight with folk music

Travel to Bikaner, home of the Junagarh Fort and the famous Bikaneri bhujia and rasgullas. Explore the fort and the Rampuria Havelis' red sandstone facades.

🚌Train/bus Jaisalmer–Bikaner (~£5-7)

🛏Guesthouse in Bikaner, £8-15/night

• →Junagarh Fort
• →Rampuria Havelis
• →Bikaneri sweet and snack tasting

Head back east toward the Rajasthan capital or straight toward Delhi. Use the day to consolidate bookings for the final northern loop and to rest.

🚌Train Bikaner–Jaipur/Delhi (~£4-8)

🛏Guesthouse in Jaipur or Delhi, £10-18/night

• →Travel east
• →Trip logistics and booking
• →Optional Jaipur craft shopping

Dedicate a full day to Old Delhi: the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, and a walk through Chandni Chowk's spice and silver lanes — ideally on a food and heritage walk booked through a local operator (~£10-15). Rickshaw rides here are an experience in themselves.

🚌Metro and cycle-rickshaw (~£2-4)

🛏Budget hotel in Delhi, £12-20/night

• →Red Fort
• →Jama Masjid
• →Chandni Chowk food and heritage walk (self-booked)

Explore Delhi's lesser-known Mughal and Sultanate sites: Humayun's Tomb (a Taj precursor), the Qutub Minar complex, and the Lodi Gardens. These are quieter and beautifully photogenic.

🚌Metro and auto-rickshaw (~£2-3)

🛏Budget hotel in Delhi, £12-20/night

• →Humayun's Tomb
• →Qutub Minar complex
• →Lodi Gardens walk

Head north by train to Haridwar and onward to Rishikesh — yoga capital on the Ganges. Settle into a riverside guesthouse, walk the suspension bridges and attend the evening Ganga Aarti at Parmarth Niketan.

🚌Train Delhi–Haridwar (~£3-6) plus bus/auto to Rishikesh (~£1)

🛏Riverside guesthouse or ashram, £8-15/night

• →Travel to Rishikesh
• →Laxman Jhula and Ram Jhula walk
• →Evening Ganga Aarti

Book a drop-in yoga class (many ashrams offer free or donation-based classes) and, if you're up for it, white-water rafting on the Ganges (~£15-25 via local operators, cheaper than any packaged add-on). Afternoon: Beatles Ashram and the riverside cafés.

🚌Walking and auto-rickshaw (~£2)

🛏Riverside guesthouse, £8-15/night

• →Yoga class
• →Ganges white-water rafting (optional)
• →Beatles Ashram (optional)

Visit Haridwar's Har Ki Pauri ghat for the evening Ganga Aarti — one of India's most spectacular river ceremonies. Explore the Mansa Devi temple by cable car.

🚌Bus/auto Rishikesh–Haridwar (~£1) and local transport

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Haridwar, £8-15/night

• →Har Ki Pauri Ganga Aarti
• →Mansa Devi temple cable car (optional)
• →Haridwar market walk

Return to the capital for your final days. Use the afternoon for any last shopping — Dilli Haat for crafts, or the Khan Market area — and a final Delhi meal.

🚌Train/bus Haridwar–Delhi (~£4-6)

🛏Budget hotel in Delhi, £12-20/night

• →Travel to Delhi
• →Dilli Haat crafts shopping (optional)
• →Final dinner

A flexible buffer day — India's trains run late, so keeping a spare day before flying out is wise. Revisit anything you missed, pick up souvenirs, or simply rest before the journey home.

🚌Metro and auto-rickshaw (~£2)

🛏Budget hotel in Delhi, £12-20/night

• →Free day in Delhi
• →Optional Lotus Temple or Akshardham
• →Packing and prep

Transfer to the airport for your onward flight — pre-book an airport taxi or take the Airport Express Metro. Trip ends.

🚌Airport Express Metro (~£2) or pre-booked taxi (~£10)

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Airport transfer
• →Departure