India, Nepal & Bhutan: Self-Launched 22-Day Version

Land at Indira Gandhi International, take the Delhi Airport Metro Express to New Delhi station (~£2) or a prepaid taxi (~£5-7). Base yourself in Paharganj or Karol Bagh — cheap, central and full of backpacker guesthouses. Pick up an Indian eSIM or Airtel SIM (need passport + photo), withdraw rupees, and take it easy. Evening stroll and first thali in Paharganj.

🚌Delhi Airport Metro Express ~£2

🛏Guesthouse in Paharganj or Karol Bagh (private room, ~£15)

• →Airport transfer by Delhi Metro Express
• →Airtel/Jio SIM card setup
• →Paharganj evening wander

Book a half-day Old Delhi walking tour on GetYourGuide or with a local outfit like Delhi Walks (~£15-20), which covers Jama Masjid, the Chandni Chowk spice market and a cycle-rickshaw ride. In the afternoon use the metro (day pass ~£1) to reach Qutub Minar (£3.50 entry), Humayun's Tomb (£3.50) and the Lotus Temple (free, closed Mondays). Drive-past India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan in a shared auto. Raj Ghat and the Red Fort exterior are free to walk around.

🚌Delhi Metro day pass ~£1 + autos ~£3

🛏Guesthouse in Paharganj or Karol Bagh (private room, ~£15)

• →Old Delhi walking tour with cycle rickshaw
• →Qutub Minar
• →Humayun's Tomb
• →Lotus Temple
• →India Gate & Raj Ghat

Take a morning Gatimaan Express or Vande Bharat from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Agra Cantt, 1h40, ~£8-12 in AC chair car. Book on IRCTC (or 12Go/ixigo if you don't have an Indian card). Drop bags at a Taj Ganj guesthouse, then explore Agra Fort (£5.50) with the Moti Masjid, Jahangir Palace and Diwan-i-Khas. Late afternoon cross the river to Mehtab Bagh (£3) for the classic sunset Taj view, and stop at Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb (£3) en route.

🚌Train Delhi–Agra ~£10; autos ~£4

🛏Guesthouse in Taj Ganj, Agra (~£14)

• →Gatimaan Express to Agra
• →Agra Fort
• →Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb
• →Mehtab Bagh sunset view of the Taj

Buy the Taj Mahal ticket online (£12, closed Fridays) for the first entry slot and be at the East Gate before dawn — it's the only way to see it without crowds. Allow 2-3 hours. Spend the rest of the day slowly: a marble-inlay workshop in Taj Ganj, a rooftop breakfast with a view, and an afternoon at your own pace. Optional: cycle to Agra's Mughal-era Chini ka Rauza (free).

🚌Walking + autos ~£3

🛏Guesthouse in Taj Ganj, Agra (~£14)

• →Sunrise entry to the Taj Mahal
• →Marble inlay workshop visit
• →Rooftop breakfast

Hire a shared taxi or take the local bus from Agra's Idgah bus stand to Fatehpur Sikri (~£1.50, 1h). At the site, use the official shuttle or the battery cart (£1) up to the complex, then walk the Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal, Diwan-e-Khas and the Tomb of Salim Chisti (£5.50 combined). Continue by bus or shared taxi to Jaipur (~£4, 4h) — or pre-book a private car for the whole Agra–Fatehpur Sikri–Jaipur leg at ~£35 if you want speed. Stay in the old city near Hawa Mahal.

🚌Bus/shared taxi Agra–Fatehpur Sikri–Jaipur ~£6

🛏Haveli-style guesthouse in Jaipur old city (~£16)

• →Fatehpur Sikri complex
• →Buland Darwaza & Panch Mahal
• →Tomb of Salim Chisti

Take local bus 5 or a shared auto to Amber Fort (£10 combo ticket). Skip the elephant ride — rides are controversial and the jeep (£5) or the walk up is better. The composite ticket also covers City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal and Nahargarh (£8, valid 2 days). Afternoon: Hawa Mahal from the Wind View Café, then Jantar Mantar and City Palace. Sunset at Nahargarh Fort (£2) for the best view over the city. Optional guide ~£18 for a half-day.

🚌Local bus + autos ~£4

🛏Haveli-style guesthouse in Jaipur old city (~£16)

• →Amber Fort & Sheesh Mahal
• →City Palace & Jantar Mantar
• →Hawa Mahal
• →Nahargarh Fort sunset

Morning train back to Delhi (Double Decker or Ajmer Shatabdi, ~£8, 5h) or a Volvo bus (~£6). If you fancy the Rewari rail museum stop from the original tour, it's a detour south of Delhi — only worth it if you're a rail enthusiast. Otherwise, arrive in Delhi, rest up, and eat well in Hauz Khas or Connaught Place ahead of tomorrow's flight.

🚌Train Jaipur–Delhi ~£8

🛏Guesthouse in Paharganj or Karol Bagh (~£15)

• →Train Jaipur–Delhi
• →Connaught Place / Hauz Khas evening

Book the Delhi–Kathmandu flight yourself on IndiGo or Nepal Airlines (~£110-130 one way, 1h50; sit on the right for Himalayan views). Get a Nepal visa on arrival (£25 for 15 days, £40 for 30 days — pay in cash or card). Take a pre-paid taxi from Tribhuvan Airport to Thamel (~£4). Afternoon: acclimatise, sort your TIMS/permits only if trekking, and eat momos in Thamel.

🚌Flight ~£120; airport taxi ~£4

🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Thamel, Kathmandu (~£12)

• →Flight Delhi–Kathmandu
• →Nepal visa on arrival
• →Thamel orientation walk

Walk to Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple, £1.30) in the morning, then take a taxi to Pashupatinath (£6.50) — arrive late afternoon for the evening Bagmati Aarti ceremony (free with entry). Use a local guide at Pashupatinath (~£10) or an audio guide. The Kathmandu Durbar Square ticket (£6.50) is valid for multiple days — ask at the office. Patan Durbar Square (£6.50) is a 20-minute taxi (£2) away and quieter; the Patan Museum is superb.

🚌Taxis ~£6

🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Thamel, Kathmandu (~£12)

• →Swayambhunath
• →Pashupatinath Temple & evening Aarti
• →Kathmandu Durbar Square
• →Patan Durbar Square & Patan Museum

Take a 5am shared taxi or local bus to Nagarkot for sunrise over the Himalaya (~£10 return shared, or £5 by bus). Come down to Bhaktapur by bus (£1) and spend the day in the car-free old town — Lion Gate, Golden Gate, Palace of 55 Windows and Nyatapola Temple. Entry £10. Juju Dhau (king curd) is the local speciality. Return to Kathmandu by local bus or taxi (£2-6).

🚌Shared taxi/bus Nagarkot + Bhaktapur ~£6

🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Thamel, Kathmandu (~£12)

• →Nagarkot sunrise viewpoint
• →Bhaktapur Durbar Square & Palace of 55 Windows
• →Pottery Square

Take the tourist bus from Kantipath to Sauraha (5-6h, ~£9) or a shared jeep. Book a jungle lodge in Sauraha directly (Booking.com or direct WhatsApp) — most include free pickup from the bus stop. Late afternoon, walk through a Tharu village and catch a Tharu cultural dance show at the community hall or your lodge (£2).

🚌Tourist bus ~£9

🛏Jungle lodge in Sauraha, Chitwan (~£16)

• →Tourist bus to Sauraha
• →Tharu village walk
• →Tharu cultural dance performance

Book a full-day jungle package through your lodge (typically £35-45 including park permit, canoe, guide and lunch) rather than a separate operator. It covers a dugout canoe on the Rapti River at dawn, a walk to the Elephant Breeding Centre at Khorsor, and an afternoon jeep safari with a licensed naturalist looking for rhino, gharial and deer. Note: elephant-back safaris are increasingly discouraged — a jeep or walking safari is a better and more ethical choice.

🚌Included in lodge package

🛏Jungle lodge in Sauraha, Chitwan (~£16)

• →Dugout canoe on the Rapti River
• →Elephant Breeding Centre
• →Jeep safari with naturalist
• →Birdwatching

Tourist bus from Sauraha to Pokhara takes 5-6h (~£8) — or break the trip at Bandipur for a night if you have slack. Arrive in Pokhara's Lakeside district and settle into a guesthouse with a roof terrace. Sunset walk along Phewa Lake and a lakeside dal bhat.

🚌Tourist bus ~£8

🛏Guesthouse in Lakeside, Pokhara (~£13)

• →Tourist bus to Pokhara
• →Phewa Lake sunset stroll

Shared taxi or scooter to Sarangkot for sunrise (£6-8 return, or £3 by local bus). Later, hire a scooter (£6/day) or cycle to the World Peace Pagoda, hike down to Phewa Lake and take a rowboat to Barahi Temple (£2). Mahendra Cave and the Seti River Gorge are reachable by local bus (£1). International Mountain Museum (£3) is a good rainy-day option. Paragliding from Sarangkot, if you want it, is ~£70 — book direct with a licensed operator.

🚌Scooter hire + shared taxis ~£8

🛏Guesthouse in Lakeside, Pokhara (~£13)

• →Sarangkot sunrise
• →World Peace Pagoda
• →Barahi Temple by rowboat
• →Mahendra Cave & Seti River Gorge
• →International Mountain Museum

Bus from Pokhara to Kurintar (2h, £2), then the Manakamana cable car up to the hilltop temple (£7 return) — a genuinely spectacular ride. Continue by bus to Kathmandu (3h, £3). Alternatively take a direct tourist bus and skip the temple if you're short on time. Evening back in Thamel.

🚌Buses ~£5 + cable car £7

🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Thamel, Kathmandu (~£12)

• →Manakamana cable car & temple
• →Bus back to Kathmandu

This is the day to plan carefully: Bhutan requires a visa (USD 40, ~£31) plus the Sustainable Development Fee of USD 100/day (~£78/day, so ~£470 for 6 days), and independent travellers must book through a licensed Bhutanese tour operator — but you can choose a budget operator and design your own itinerary. The operator handles visa, SDF, guide and transport. Fly Kathmandu–Paro with Drukair or Bhutan Airlines (~£230-280 one way; sit on the left for Everest views). Your guide meets you at Paro and drives you the 1.5h to Thimphu. Evening walk through Thimphu's streets and the weekend market.

🚌Flight ~£250; private car with guide (included in package)

🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Thimphu (~£25, usually bundled with operator package)

• →Flight Kathmandu–Paro
• →Bhutan visa & SDF processing via local operator
• →Thimphu evening market walk

With your licensed guide: National Memorial Chorten, the giant Buddha Dordenma at Kuenselphodrang, Tashichho Dzong (open after 5pm when the monks are in residence), the Folk Heritage Museum (£2) and the National Textile Museum (£2). The government Handicraft Emporium is fixed-price and good for gifts. Skip the zoo, or visit the Takin preserve instead. Optional evening archery match — Bhutan's national sport.

🚌Private car with guide (included in package)

🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Thimphu (~£25)

• →National Memorial Chorten
• →Buddha Dordenma
• →Tashichho Dzong
• →Folk Heritage Museum & Textile Museum
• →Takin preserve

Drive over the 3,100m Dochula Pass, where the 108 chortens and Druk Wangyel Monastery sit in cloud forest — on a clear day you see the entire eastern Himalaya. Descend into the warmer Punakha valley (about 2.5h total). Afternoon walk through Punakha town, the market and the suspension bridge over the Pho Chhu.

🚌Private car with guide (included in package)

🛏Guesthouse in Punakha (~£25)

• →Dochula Pass & 108 chortens
• →Druk Wangyel Monastery
• →Punakha suspension bridge

Punakha Dzong — Bhutan's most beautiful fortress, at the confluence of the Pho and Mo Chhu — is best in late morning light. Then drive up to Talo Monastery and the Nalanda Buddhist Institute, where you can sit in on a prayer session and talk with monks (a small donation is appreciated). Optional 1h hike to Chimi Lhakhang, the fertility temple, through rice paddies.

🚌Private car with guide (included in package)

🛏Guesthouse in Punakha (~£25)

• →Punakha Dzong
• →Talo Monastery
• →Nalanda Buddhist Institute
• →Chimi Lhakhang hike

Stop at the rebuilt Wangdue Phodrang Dzong and its local market, then cross back over Dochula for Simtokha Dzong and the road to Paro (about 3.5h driving). Arrive in Paro town, browse the main street and walk up to Rinpung Dzong in the late afternoon light.

🚌Private car with guide (included in package)

🛏Boutique guesthouse in Paro (~£27)

• →Wangdue Dzong & market
• →Simtokha Dzong
• →Rinpung Dzong walk

The headline of Bhutan: hike to Taktsang (Tiger's Nest), 2-3h up and 2h down, clinging to a cliff at 3,120m — go early, the café halfway up is the classic rest stop. Then National Museum (Ta Dzong, £2), Drukgyel Dzong and Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan's oldest temples. Celebrate with a hot stone bath and dinner in Paro town.

🚌Private car with guide (included in package)

🛏Boutique guesthouse in Paro (~£27)

• →Tiger's Nest (Taktsang) hike
• →National Museum Ta Dzong
• →Drukgyel Dzong
• →Kyichu Lhakhang
• →Hot stone bath

Final breakfast, a last wander through Paro town, and transfer to Paro International Airport for your onward flight (Drukair flies to Delhi, Kathmandu, Bangkok and Singapore). If you're flying out via Delhi, note that Indian e-visas need to be applied for at least 4 days ahead. Total SDF for 6 days in Bhutan (~£470) is paid upfront to your Bhutanese operator.

🚌Airport transfer ~£5 (often included)

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Paro town walk
• →Airport transfer