India's North & South — Self-Launched Golden Triangle & Kerala Adventure
15 days · India
Exodus charges £3,600
No-markup version: ~£593 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Exodus's 15-day Golden Triangle plus Kerala trip. Start with the classic Delhi–Agra–Jaipur circuit using trains and local guides, then fly south to Kochi for tea hills, spice plantations, a Periyar jungle walk, a Kerala backwater houseboat and beach time in Kovalam. All transport, stays and activities are booked independently, cutting the operator price by roughly two-thirds.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Delhi
Delhi
Land at Indira Gandhi International and take the Airport Express metro or a prepaid taxi to your stay in Paharganj or Karol Bagh. Settle in, then wander the backpacker lanes for a cheap thali dinner. Pick up a local SIM (Airtel/Jio, ~£5 for a month) and confirm onward train tickets.
🚌Airport Express metro ~£0.60, or prepaid taxi ~£4
🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Paharganj (private room, ~£15/night)
- →Arrive and transfer to hotel
- →Paharganj street-food dinner
- →Buy local SIM card
Old and New Delhi on foot
Delhi
Join a small-group Old Delhi walking tour (GetYourGuide/GuruWalk, ~£8-12) that covers Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid and the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara community kitchen. In the afternoon take the metro to Humayun's Tomb (£6 entry) and finish at India Gate and Raj Ghat — all reachable on foot and by metro.
🚌Delhi Metro day pass ~£3
🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Paharganj (~£15)
- →Old Delhi guided walking tour
- →Jama Masjid
- →Bangla Sahib Gurudwara
- →Humayun's Tomb
- →India Gate
Train to Agra and Agra Fort
Agra
Take the Gatimaan Express or a Shatabdi train from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Agra (~1h40, ~£8-12). Drop bags and visit Agra Fort (£6) in the afternoon. Stay near the Taj's south or east gate so you can walk to sunrise entry tomorrow.
🚌Gatimaan Express train Delhi–Agra ~£10
🛏Guesthouse near Taj Ganj (~£15/night)
- →Train journey to Agra
- →Agra Fort visit
Sunrise Taj Mahal and on to Jaipur
Jaipur
Enter the Taj Mahal at sunrise (£13 for foreigners). Afterwards hire a shared or private car to Jaipur (~5-6h), stopping at Abhaneri Stepwell en route (small entry fee). Arrive in the Pink City and eat dinner near Hawa Mahal.
🚌Private/shared car Agra–Jaipur ~£45 total (shareable)
🛏Budget heritage-style hotel or guesthouse in Jaipur old city (~£18/night)
- →Sunrise at the Taj Mahal
- →Abhaneri Stepwell stop
- →Evening in Jaipur bazaars
Amber Fort, City Palace and Jaipur food walk
Jaipur
Grab an auto-rickshaw to Amber Fort (£6 entry) early to beat the crowds, then see the City Palace and Jantar Mantar. In the afternoon take a paid Jaipur street-food walking tour (~£15) that ends with sweets at LMB. Evening free in the bazaars for textiles and block-print shopping.
🚌Auto-rickshaws ~£4 total
🛏Budget heritage-style hotel in Jaipur (~£18)
- →Amber Fort
- →City Palace
- →Jaipur street-food walking tour
- →Bazaar shopping
Neemrana Fort-Palace day or Fort-day out
Neemrana / Jaipur
Take a car or local bus to Neemrana Fort-Palace (~2h) for a heritage day visit with pool access, or substitute a cheaper alternative: an overnight at a Bundi or Alwar heritage haveli. Return to Jaipur or overnight near Neemrana depending on budget. This is a budget-controlled replacement for the operator's premium fort stay.
🚌Shared car Jaipur–Neemrana return ~£30 (shareable)
🛏Heritage guesthouse near Neemrana or back in Jaipur (~£25)
- →Neemrana Fort-Palace visit
- →Heritage haveli evening
Fly south to Kochi
Kochi
Return to Delhi (train or car) and take an afternoon IndiGo/Air India flight to Kochi (~£45-70 if booked ahead). Transfer to Fort Kochi. Have a waterfront seafood dinner near the Chinese fishing nets.
🚌Flight Delhi–Kochi ~£55
🛏Budget guesthouse in Fort Kochi (~£18/night)
- →Internal flight to Kerala
- →Fort Kochi waterfront dinner
Fort Kochi walking day
Kochi
Join a Fort Kochi walking tour (~£10) covering the Dutch Palace, St Francis Church, the Jewish Synagogue and the Chinese fishing nets, or do it yourself with a ₹ audio guide. Afternoon free for the Kerala Kathakali centre or cafes along Princess Street.
🚌Local ferry and walking ~£1
🛏Budget guesthouse in Fort Kochi (~£18)
- →Fort Kochi walking tour
- →Dutch Palace
- →Jewish Synagogue
- →Chinese fishing nets
Bus to Munnar tea hills
Munnar
Take a KSRTC or private bus from Kochi to Munnar (~4h, ~£3). Check into a guesthouse among the tea plantations and spend the afternoon on a self-guided tea-estate walk, or join a local plantation guide (~£5). Cooler climate — bring a layer.
🚌KSRTC bus Kochi–Munnar ~£3
🛏Tea-estate guesthouse in Munnar (~£15/night)
- →Bus through the Western Ghats
- →Tea plantation walk
- →Tea museum visit
Munnar to Thekkady and spice plantation
Thekkady
Bus or shared jeep to Thekkady (~4h). In the afternoon take a spice plantation tour with a local family (~£8) and an optional cooking demonstration (~£10). Evening option: a Kathakali or Kalaripayattu performance (~£5-8) at one of Thekkady's arts centres.
🚌Bus Munnar–Thekkady ~£3
🛏Budget guesthouse in Kumily/Thekkady (~£15/night)
- →Spice plantation tour
- →Kerala cooking demonstration
- →Kathakali dance performance
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary jungle walk
Thekkady
Book a morning Periyar Tiger Reserve guided nature walk or bamboo rafting at the gate or online (~£10-15). Look for bison, deer and birds — tiger sightings are rare but possible. Afternoon free for the local market or an Ayurvedic massage.
🚌Walking and local auto-rickshaw ~£2
🛏Budget guesthouse in Kumily/Thekkady (~£15)
- →Periyar Reserve guided nature walk
- →Bamboo rafting option
- →Ayurvedic massage
Bus to Alleppey and backwater houseboat
Alleppey (Alappuzha)
Morning bus to Alleppey (~4-5h, ~£3). Board a shared overnight Kerala houseboat or cheaper canoe-style boat for a backwater cruise with meals included (~£45-70 per person depending on boat class). Sunset on the canals with fresh Keralan cooking onboard.
🚌Bus Thekkady–Alleppey ~£3
🛏Kerala houseboat (shared, including meals) ~£55
- →Kerala backwater houseboat cruise
- →Village and canal sightseeing
Alleppey to Kovalam
Kovalam
Disembark after breakfast and take a train or bus down to Trivandrum, then a local bus or auto to Kovalam (~5-6h total, ~£6). Check into a beach guesthouse and have a relaxed dinner overlooking the Arabian Sea.
🚌Train/bus Alleppey–Trivandrum–Kovalam ~£6
🛏Beach guesthouse in Kovalam (~£18/night)
- →Coastal journey to Kerala's beaches
- →Kovalam sunset
Free beach day or Kanyakumari day trip
Kovalam
Relax on Lighthouse or Hawa Beach, or take a day trip to Kanyakumari (~3h by train, ~£2 each way) to see the Vivekananda Rock and the meeting of three seas. Optional surfing lesson at Kovalam (~£20) or a final Ayurvedic treatment.
🚌Optional train to Kanyakumari ~£4 return
🛏Beach guesthouse in Kovalam (~£18)
- →Beach relaxation
- →Optional Kanyakumari day trip
- →Optional surfing lesson
Depart from Kovalam / Trivandrum
Kovalam / Trivandrum
Take a local bus or taxi to Trivandrum Airport (~40 min) for your flight home, or continue onward with a slow-travel extension into Tamil Nadu or Goa. Plan domestic→international connections with buffer time.
🚌Bus/taxi Kovalam–Trivandrum airport ~£4
🛏None (departure day)
- →Departure transfer
- →Optional onward travel planning
Self-launched vs. Exodus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Exodus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£593 | £3,600 |
| Duration | 15 days | 15 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £3,007 per person (84%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Exodus-style trips? Check them out here.~£593
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's North & South — Self-Launched Golden Triangle & Kerala Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £593 per person for 15 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 Exodus?+
Yes — Exodus charges around £3,600 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £593 — a saving of roughly £3,007 (84%) per person.
How long is the India trip?+
This itinerary runs 15 days, covering 15 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, foodie 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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