Historical India and Nepal — Self-Launched

Land at Mumbai (BOM), take the airport prepaid taxi or the metro/AC local to Andheri and settle into a hostel or simple guesthouse in Juhu or Colaba. Afternoon: walk Juhu Chowpatty for sunset and bhel puri, then a gentle orientation wander. Pick up an Indian SIM/eSIM at the airport (Airtel/Jio, ~£5 with data) and download the UTS app for suburban trains.

🚌Airport prepaid taxi ~₹600 (£6); or metro + auto

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Juhu/Andheri or Colaba (£10–18)

• →Juhu Beach sunset
• →Chowpatty street food
• →Airport SIM setup

Do this on your own two feet and local transport: start at the Gateway of India, catch the 9am ferry to Elephanta Caves (round trip ~₹260/£2.50 plus ₹40 entry; caves closed Mondays). Back on the mainland, walk Marine Drive, then take a taxi or local train to Gandhi's Mani Bhavan museum, the Jain temples at Malabar Hill, Hanging Gardens and Kamla Nehru Park. Skip a costly guided tour — an audio guide or a Klook half-day city tour (~£25) works if you want narration. Note the Prince of Wales Museum (CSMVS) is near the Gateway if you have time before the ferry.

🚌Ferry ~£2.50 return; local train/auto ~£4

🛏Same hostel/guesthouse (£10–18)

• →Gateway of India
• →Elephanta Caves ferry and cave temples
• →Marine Drive
• →Mani Bhavan
• →Hanging Gardens

Take a morning IndiGo/Akasa direct flight Mumbai–Varanasi (~£45–65 if booked 4–6 weeks ahead). Check into a guesthouse in Assi or near Dashashwamedh Ghat. Afternoon auto-rickshaw to Sarnath (~₹300 return): Dhamek Stupa, Chaukhandi Stupa and the Archaeological Museum (closed Fridays). Evening: wander the ghats and watch the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat — free, arrive by 6pm for a step seat.

🚌Domestic flight ~£55; airport transfer ~£8

🛏Ghat-side guesthouse, Assi/Dashashwamedh (£12–20)

• →Flight to Varanasi
• →Sarnath stupas and museum
• →Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat

Haggle a shared rowboat at Assi Ghat around 5:30am for the classic sunrise paddle past the burning ghats (~₹300–500/£4–5 per person for a shared boat, more private). Then a walking route through the old city lanes: Vishwanath (Kashi Vishwanath) temple, and with an auto, Durga Temple, Tulsi Manas and Sankat Mochan. Book a local guide for 3–4 hours via a hostel or GetYourGuide (~£15–20) if you want the stories.

🚌Shared boat £5; autos £5

🛏Same guesthouse (£12–20)

• →Sunrise Ganges boat ride
• →Kashi Vishwanath Temple
• →Durga Temple
• →Tulsi Manas Temple
• →Old city lanes

There is no cheap direct flight equivalent, so take the overnight or daytime train combo: Varanasi–Mahoba on the Bundelkhand Express, then bus/train on to Khajuraho (total ~£10–14, 10–12 hours) — or splash on the short flight if it's running (~£60). Check into a guesthouse in Khajuraho village and rest; the temples are a 10-minute walk.

🚌Train + connecting bus ~£12

🛏Guesthouse in Khajuraho village (£10–18)

• →Train journey through Bundelkhand
• →Khajuraho village evening walk

Rent a bicycle or take an auto to the Western Group (Kandariya Mahadev, Lakshmana, Vishvanatha, Chitragupta, Nandi) — entry ~₹40 with a combined ticket for the monuments. Cycle out to the Chausath Yogini Temple and the eastern Jain group. Skip the pricey sound-and-light and instead catch the free or low-cost temple aarti, or pay ~£8 for the evening show if it appeals.

🚌Bicycle hire £3

🛏Same guesthouse (£10–18)

• →Western Group temples
• →Chausath Yogini Temple
• →Eastern Group Jain temples
• →Optional sound and light show

Shared bus or taxi from Khajuraho to Orchha (~3 hours, £4–6 by bus). Afternoon in this tiny Bundela town: Jahangir Mahal, Rai Praveen Mahal inside the fort complex, the riverside chhatris along the Betwa, and Ram Raja Temple — all walkable and mostly free or a small combined ticket. Sunset from the Betwa from the fort walls is superb.

🚌Bus Khajuraho–Orchha ~£5

🛏Riverside guesthouse or heritage homestay (£12–22)

• →Jahangir Mahal
• →Riverside cenotaphs
• →Ram Raja Temple
• →Betwa river sunset

Short train or bus to Gwalior (~2 hours, £2–3). Climb or take the shared jeep up to Gwalior Fort: Man Mandir Palace (the blue-tiled facade), Gujari Mahal and its archaeological museum, Teli-ka-Mandir, Suraj Kund, and Tansen's and Muhammad Ghaus' tombs below the rock. A local guide at the fort gate is £8–12 for a couple of hours.

🚌Train ~£3; shared jeep up the fort £1

🛏Budget hotel near the railway station (£15–25)

• →Gwalior Fort
• →Man Mandir Palace
• →Gujari Mahal museum
• →Teli-ka-Mandir
• →Tansen Tomb

Take a daytime or evening train Gwalior–Agra Cantt (~1.5 hours, sleeper/chair car £2–4). Settle into a guesthouse in Taj Ganj with a rooftop view of the Taj — these fill fast, so book ahead. Evening stroll in Taj Ganj lanes and an early night for sunrise.

🚌Train ~£3; auto to hostel £2

🛏Taj Ganj guesthouse with rooftop view (£15–25)

• →Train to Agra
• →Taj Ganj rooftop Taj views

Buy the Taj ticket online in advance (~₹1,300/£12, closed Fridays) and be at the East Gate by 5:45am for sunrise. Walk or cycle-rickshaw to Agra Fort (Moti Masjid, Diwan-i-Aam, Diwan-i-Khas, Jahangir's Palace, the Octagonal Tower). Cross the river to Mehtab Bagh for the classic sunset view, and squeeze in Itimad-ud-Daulah's tomb ('Baby Taj') if energy allows. Local guide at the Taj ~£15 optional.

🚌Autos and cycle-rickshaw ~£6

🛏Same Taj Ganj guesthouse (£15–25)

• →Sunrise Taj Mahal
• →Agra Fort
• →Mehtab Bagh sunset
• →Itimad-ud-Daulah's Tomb

Shared taxi or train to Mathura (~1.5 hours), then local autos between Krishna Janmabhoomi, Bankey Bihari Temple in Vrindavan (attend one of the shringar aartis if timing works) and the vast Prem Mandir. Live kirtans happen in the temples most evenings — just follow the sound. Return to Agra in the evening.

🚌Train/shared taxi to Mathura, autos in Vrindavan ~£12

🛏Same Taj Ganj guesthouse (£15–25)

• →Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple
• →Bankey Bihari Temple aarti
• →Prem Mandir
• →Temple kirtan

Bus or taxi Agra–Fatehpur Sikri (~1 hour, £2–4) for the ghost-city palace complex, Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal and Salim Chisti's tomb (shoes off, cover up). Then continue by Rajasthan state bus towards Karauli via Hindaun (~3–4 hours, £3–4). Stay in a basic hotel or a heritage homestay in the old town; wander the Haat Bazar and handicraft shops before dark.

🚌Bus Agra–Fatehpur Sikri–Karauli ~£7

🛏Simple hotel/heritage homestay, Karauli (£12–22)

• →Fatehpur Sikri
• →Buland Darwaza
• →Salim Chisti's Tomb
• →Karauli bazaar walk

A local jeep/taxi to Bayana Fort ruins (~£10–15 return, shareable) and the Shri Mahavir Ji Jain temple nearby. Ask at your homestay about a village walk or farm visit — the blackbuck reserve at nearby Hirniya can be visited on a half-day jeep (~£20 split between 2–3). Quiet, tourist-free Rajasthan.

🚌Local jeep £10

🛏Same homestay (£12–22)

• →Bayana Fort
• →Shri Mahavir Ji Jain Temple
• →Village walk
• →Optional blackbuck jeep safari

Bus or shared taxi Karauli–Sawai Madhopur (~2 hours, £3). Book your Ranthambore safari the moment you can — permits go on the Rajasthan Forest Department portal ~90 days ahead and sell out in peak season (Oct–Mar). Safaris run roughly £30–40 per person per canter/gypsy slot, plus ₹2,000-ish entry. Stay in a budget lodge at Sawai Madhopur, not a jungle resort.

🚌Bus ~£3

🛏Budget lodge, Sawai Madhopur (£12–20)

• →Bus to Sawai Madhopur
• →Ranthambore permit booking
• →Village evening

If you can get both, do the early morning (6:30am) and afternoon (2:30pm) canter safaris across two zones — tigers are notoriously patchy, so two shots doubles your odds. Between safaris, hire a local naturalist-guide for a walk around the fort/temple area, or sleep off the 5am start. Book via the forest portal or a Klook/GetYourGuide reseller if permits confuse you (~£40–45 per safari).

🚌Safari vehicle included in permit price

🛏Same lodge (£12–20)

• →Morning canter safari
• →Afternoon safari
• →Ranthambore Fort viewpoint

Bus Sawai Madhopur–Kota–Bundi (~3 hours, £4–5). Bundi is the best-value fort town in Rajasthan: climb Taragarh Fort for free, then Bundi Palace with the Chitrashala murals, Raniji ki Baori stepwell, Nawal Sagar and Sukh Mahal. A local guide at the palace is £8–10 and worth it for the fresco stories.

🚌Bus ~£5; autos £4

🛏Haveli-style guesthouse (£12–22)

• →Taragarh Fort
• →Bundi Palace and Chitrashala
• →Raniji ki Baori stepwell
• →Sukh Mahal

Take the bus towards Chittorgarh and hop off at Bijolia for the fort ruins, then auto to the Menal waterfalls gorge temple complex (~£10 return). Continue to Bijaipur and stay in a village heritage property — the original tour uses the 4-star Castle Bijaipur, but a village homestay or the castle's cheaper rooms keeps costs down. Ask about a village walk to the tribal hamlets.

🚌Bus + auto ~£10

🛏Village homestay or heritage castle budget room (£20–30)

• →Bijolia Fort
• →Menal waterfalls and gorge temples
• →Bijaipur village walk

Bus to Chittorgarh then an auto to the Pangarh lake area (~£8 total). If you want the lake-camp experience, book a simple lakeside tent or rural guesthouse; otherwise base back in Chittorgarh town for the night. An afternoon jeep drive or long walk through the surrounding farmland and villages is the real draw here — only a couple of hours from Chittorgarh.

🚌Bus + auto ~£8

🛏Lakeside tent/guesthouse or Chittorgarh budget hotel (£18–30)

• →Countryside jeep drive
• →Pastoral village walk
• →Lakeside sunset

Spend the morning at Chittorgarh Fort, India's biggest: Rana Kumbha Palace, Vijay Stambh (Victory Tower), Padmini's Palace and the Meera temple — the whole plateau is one ₹40 ticket. Then a bus to Udaipur (~2 hours, £3–5). Evening at Ambrai Ghat or the Lake Pichola rooftops.

🚌Bus ~£5; fort autos £4

🛏Lakeside hostel or haveli guesthouse, Udaipur (£15–28)

• →Chittorgarh Fort
• →Vijay Stambh
• →Padmini's Palace
• →Ambrai Ghat evening

Walk the old city: Jagdish Temple, City Palace complex, then a boat ride on Lake Pichola from Rameshwar Ghat (~£7) to see the lake palaces. Afternoon: Saheliyon ki Bari, Fateh Sagar Lake, the vintage car museum and Bagore ki Haveli — catch the evening Dharohar folk dance show there (~£3). A Klook walking tour is ~£15 if you want structure.

🚌Autos ~£5; boat £7

🛏Same haveli guesthouse (£15–28)

• →City Palace
• →Lake Pichola boat ride
• →Jagdish Temple
• →Bagore ki Haveli Dharohar show
• →Fateh Sagar Lake

State bus Udaipur–Mount Abu (~4 hours, £4–6). Afternoon: Nakki Lake, Sunset Point (crowded but fun, with the hippie-era vibe), and a wander through the market. Mount Abu is Rajasthan's only hill station, so expect cool nights and cheap thali dinners.

🚌Bus ~£5

🛏Budget hotel near Nakki Lake (£15–25)

• →Bus to Mount Abu
• →Nakki Lake
• →Sunset Point

Hire a scooter or share an auto for the day (~£8–12): Dilwara Jain Temples (free, no photos, staggeringly carved marble), Achalgarh Fort and Arbuda Devi Temple, then up to Guru Shikhar, Rajasthan's highest point, for the view. Raghunathji Temple back in town.

🚌Scooter hire/shared auto ~£8

🛏Same budget hotel (£15–25)

• →Dilwara Jain Temples
• →Achalgarh Fort
• →Guru Shikhar summit
• →Arbuda Devi Temple

Bus towards Udaipur, getting off at Ranakpur for its 1,444-pillar Jain temple (free-ish donation; no leather allowed), then a jeep/taxi on to Kumbhalgarh (~£10). Spend the late afternoon on Kumbhalgarh Fort's 36km wall — the evening light is best and the fort is quiet after the tour buses leave. Stay in a basic guesthouse at Kelwara.

🚌Bus + shared jeep ~£10

🛏Guesthouse at Kelwara/Kumbhalgarh (£12–20)

• →Ranakpur Jain Temple
• →Kumbhalgarh Fort walls
• →Fort sunset

Bus via Udaipur or a shared jeep across to Deogarh (~3–4 hours, £6–8). This is the 'raw' Mewar countryside: Deogarh Mahal's exterior, the bazaar, and a village jeep safari if you can split the cost. Some guesthouses put on Rajasthani folk music in the evening — otherwise find a local wedding band practising.

🚌Bus/shared jeep ~£8

🛏Village guesthouse/homestay (£12–22)

• →Deogarh Mahal
• →Village jeep safari
• →Rajasthani folk music

Train from a nearby station (or bus) to Jodhpur (~3 hours, £3–5), with breakfast or a stop at Luni. Check into the old city near the Clock Tower. Evening in the blue-city lanes and Sadar Bazaar — try a makhaniya lassi from Shri Mishrilal.

🚌Train/bus ~£4

🛏Old-city hostel/haveli guesthouse (£12–22)

• →Luni stop
• →Clock Tower and Sardar Market
• →Blue city lanes

Mehrangarh Fort with the audio guide (~£10 entry), Jaswant Thada's marble cenotaphs, and the flying-fox zip line over the fort's lake if you fancy it. Walk down through Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park (restored rocky habitat), then autos to Mandore Gardens and Balsamand Lake if time allows. See Umaid Bhawan's museum wing or just its exterior.

🚌Autos ~£6

🛏Same haveli guesthouse (£12–22)

• →Mehrangarh Fort
• →Jaswant Thada
• →Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park
• →Mandore Gardens

Bus or train Jodhpur–Jaisalmer (~5–6 hours, £4–7). Book a Sam or Khuri dunes camel + camp package (backpacker-standard camps are ~£25–40 including a camel ride, dinner, folk dance and basic tent; skip the luxury camps). Get to the dunes for sunset, eat, watch the Kalbeliya dancers, and sleep under a very good sky.

🚌Bus ~£6; jeep to dunes included

🛏Standard desert camp, Sam/Khuri dunes (£25–40 incl. dinner)

• →Bus to Jaisalmer
• →Camel ride in Sam dunes
• →Rajasthani folk dance and dinner
• →Desert stargazing

Back to town for the yellow-sandstone fort — a living fort with people's homes, so head in early. Patwon ki Haveli, Salim Singh ki Haveli, the Thar Heritage Museum, Gadisar Lake at sunset and the Silk Route art gallery. Sleep in a cheap guesthouse inside or just outside the fort walls.

🚌Walk/tuk-tuk £3

🛏Guesthouse in Jaisalmer old town (£12–20)

• →Jaisalmer Fort
• →Patwon ki Haveli
• →Salim Singh ki Haveli
• →Gadisar Lake

Rajasthan state bus Jaisalmer–Bikaner (~5 hours, £4–5). Afternoon: Junagarh Fort (the best-preserved in Rajasthan, with an excellent audio guide), Lalgarh Palace, and the exquisitely painted Bhandasar Jain Temple. If you're up for it, a shared jeep out to Deshnoke's Karni Mata rat temple (30km) is £6–8 return — a genuinely odd, unforgettable hour.

🚌Bus ~£5; local jeeps £5

🛏Budget hotel in Bikaner (£12–20)

• →Junagarh Fort
• →Lalgarh Palace
• →Bhandasar Jain Temple
• →Optional Karni Mata Temple

Bus or shared jeep to Mandawa in the Shekhawati region (~4 hours, £4–6). Wander between the painted havelis — many are private homes where a small tip gets you inside — plus the Mandawa Castle. It's a crumbling, photogenic, half-empty town that rewards slow walking.

🚌Bus ~£5

🛏Heritage haveli guesthouse (£15–25)

• →Mandawa painted havelis
• →Mandawa Castle
• →Shekhawati fresco walk

Longish bus day via Jaipur or Ajmer to Pushkar (~6 hours, £6–8). Pushkar is a small holy town around a lake — no alcohol, no meat, lots of cows. Arrive, find a rooftop room, and watch the evening aarti at the ghats.

🚌Bus ~£7; auto from Ajmer £2

🛏Rooftop guesthouse, Pushkar (£10–18)

• →Bus via Ajmer
• →Pushkar lake aarti

Morning: the only major Brahma Temple in India, Savitri Temple up the ropeway or steps for sunrise views, and the lake ghats. Then a bus to Jaipur (~3 hours, £3–5). Evening in the old walled city — Hawa Mahal lit up, Johari Bazaar for silver and textiles.

🚌Bus ~£4; autos £4

🛏Hostel/haveli in Jaipur old city (£12–22)

• →Brahma Temple
• →Savitri Temple viewpoint
• →Pushkar Lake ghats
• →Hawa Mahal by night

Take a local bus or auto to Amber Fort early (the elephant rides are controversial and pricey — a shared jeep or the walk up is fine). Back in town: City Palace, Jantar Mantar, and Hawa Mahal from the street or a café opposite. Optional evening trip up to Nahargarh Fort for sunset over the city — a shared auto or Ola is ~£5.

🚌Local bus/auto/Ola ~£8

🛏Same Jaipur hostel (£12–22)

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

Book a chair-car or AC-3 train Jaipur–New Delhi (~5 hours, £4–8) — the double-decker or the Ajmer Shatabdi if you want speed. Check into a Paharganj or Karol Bagh budget hotel. The Rewari Rail Museum is a detour most travellers skip; instead take an evening wander through Connaught Place and eat at a Karim's or a Paranthe Wali Gali stall.

🚌Train ~£6; metro £1

🛏Paharganj/Karol Bagh budget hotel (£15–25)

• →Train to Delhi
• →Connaught Place evening walk
• →Street food in Old Delhi

Take the metro and do it yourself: Qutub Minar first thing, Humayun's Tomb, then India Gate and a drive past Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Lotus Temple. Afternoon in Old Delhi: Jama Masjid (climb the minaret for £2), a cycle-rickshaw through Chandni Chowk's spice market, Raj Ghat, and the Red Fort exterior or interior if time allows. A Klook/GetYourGuide Old Delhi food walk is ~£20 if you want the eating guided.

🚌Metro + rickshaw ~£6

🛏Same Paharganj hotel (£15–25)

• →Qutub Minar
• →Humayun's Tomb
• →India Gate
• →Jama Masjid
• →Chandni Chowk rickshaw ride
• →Raj Ghat

IndiGo or Nepal Airlines Delhi–Kathmandu (~1h40, £70–110 one way booked ahead). On arrival, get a Nepali SIM at the airport (Ncell/Namaste, ~£5) and pay for your Nepal visa on arrival if you haven't done it online (£25 for 15 days / £40 for 30 days — this trip needs 15). Stay in Thamel. Evening: wander the streets and try momos and sel roti stalls.

🚌Flight ~£90; airport taxi ~£4

🛏Thamel guesthouse/hostel (£10–18)

• →Flight to Kathmandu
• →Thamel evening walk
• →Street food tasting

Do the classic valley circuit on local transport or by joining a GetYourGuide day tour (~£30–40 including transport and guide): Pashupatinath's cremation ghats, Swayambhunath (the monkey temple, steps up), Boudhanath's giant stupa at dusk with the butter lamps, and Kathmandu Durbar Square with the Kumari Ghar. Entry fees run about £3–6 per site for foreigners.

🚌Local bus/taxi or tour ~£12

🛏Same Thamel guesthouse (£10–18)

• →Pashupatinath Temple
• →Swayambhunath
• →Boudhanath Stupa
• →Kathmandu Durbar Square

Take a local bus or taxi to Bhaktapur (~30–40 min, £1–4) and pay the £13 foreigner entry — worth it. Nyatapola Temple, the Pottery Square where you can throw a pot for £2, Durbar Square's golden gate, and the Newari curd (juju dhau). Return to Kathmandu in the late afternoon.

🚌Local bus/taxi ~£5

🛏Same Thamel guesthouse (£10–18)

• →Bhaktapur Durbar Square
• →Nyatapola Temple
• →Pottery Square
• →Newari food tasting

Bus to Patan (Lalitpur) for Patan Durbar Square's Krishna Mandir, the excellent Patan Museum (the old palace's bronze gallery), and the metal-casting workshops of Oku Bahal. Then back via Boudhanath's Tibetan district for handicraft shops and a kora (circumambulation) with the Tibetan community — a quiet, human counterpoint to the temple-heavy day.

🚌Local bus/taxi ~£5

🛏Same Thamel guesthouse (£10–18)

• →Patan Durbar Square
• →Patan Museum
• →Oku Bahal metal workshops
• →Tibetan district and Boudhanath kora

Local bus from Kathmandu's Gongabu (Machhapokhari) bus park to Nuwakot (~3 hours, £2–3). Nuwakot's old palace on the ridge and the surrounding village are the draw; an afternoon village walk with a local guide (£8) shows you the terraces, the temple tank and the everyday life of a hill town well off the trekking trail.

🚌Local bus ~£3

🛏Village homestay or community guesthouse (£8–15)

• →Bus to Nuwakot
• →Nuwakot Durbar
• →Village walk

Bus back towards Kathmandu or south to Dumre, then a share jeep or bus up to Bandipur (~4–5 hours total, £4–6). Bandipur is a car-free Newari hill bazaar half-paved in flagstones, with the Himalaya as a backdrop. Check into a family guesthouse and take a sunset walk to the Thani Mai temple above town.

🚌Bus + share jeep ~£5

🛏Newari family guesthouse (£10–18)

• →Bus/shared jeep to Bandipur
• →Bandipur bazaar walk
• →Thani Mai sunset

Hike up to Ramkot village (~3 hours return) through terraced fields for the best Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and Ganesh Himal views, or simply sit on Tundikhel's grassy plateau. Afternoon: local Newar culture — the Gurkha museum, temple squares, and a dal bhat dinner cooked by your hosts. One of the best-value slow-travel stops in Nepal.

🚌Walking

🛏Same family guesthouse (£10–18)

• →Ramkot village hike
• →Tundikhel viewpoint
• →Gurkha Memorial Museum
• →Dal bhat with hosts

Bus or shared jeep down to Dumre and on to Pokhara (~3 hours, £3–5). Afternoon: cycle or take an auto to Gupteshwor Mahadev cave (with its hidden waterfall chamber), Davis Falls, and the Seti Gorge viewpoint. Evening on Lakeside's quieter north end, or a Tibetan camp (Tashi Palkhel) visit at Hyangja if you have time.

🚌Bus ~£4; rentals ~£4

🛏Lakeside guesthouse (£10–18)

• →Bus to Pokhara
• →Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave
• →Davis Falls
• →Seti Gorge

Share a taxi up to Sarangkot for sunrise over Annapurna and Machhapuchhre (or hike down afterwards, 2 hours). Then rent a scooter (£6–8/day) or cycle for Phewa Lake's Barahi Temple, the World Peace Pagoda ridge, Begnas Lake for a quieter boat ride, Mahendra Cave and the International Mountain Museum. Sunset rowboat on Phewa ~£4.

🚌Taxi to Sarangkot + scooter hire ~£10

🛏Same Lakeside guesthouse (£10–18)

• →Sarangkot sunrise
• →World Peace Pagoda
• →Phewa Lake boat
• →Begnas Lake
• →International Mountain Museum

Long bus day Pokhara–Lumbini via Butwal (~7–8 hours, £6–9) — or a short flight to Bhairahawa if you're short on time (~£70). Arrive and check into a guesthouse in Lumbini village or on the monastic zone's edge; the whole site is flat, quiet and walkable by bicycle.

🚌Bus ~£8

🛏Simple guesthouse, Lumbini (£8–15)

• →Bus to Lumbini
• →Evening walk in the monastic zone

Bicycle the vast Lumbini Development Zone: the Maya Devi Temple (Buddha's birthplace, entry ~£2), the Ashoka pillar, and the many national monasteries. Then a shared jeep or bus out to Tilaurakot (~30km) — the excavated Shakya capital identified with Kapilavastu — and its small museum. Allow a full day; the archaeology is subtle but atmospheric.

🚌Cycle hire £2; shared jeep to Tilaurakot £5

🛏Same Lumbini guesthouse (£8–15)

• →Maya Devi Temple
• →Ashoka Pillar
• →Monastic zone cycle
• →Tilaurakot / Kapilavastu site and museum

Bus from Bhairahawa/Butwal to Bharatpur or Tandi (~4–5 hours, £4–6), then a local bus or jeep to Sauraha on the park's edge. Book a lodge in Sauraha and arrange your park activities that evening — the community-run options in Sauraha are cheaper and more ethical than hotel packages in the park.

🚌Bus + local jeep ~£6

🛏Sauraha jungle lodge (£10–18)

• →Bus to Sauraha
• →Rapti river evening walk

Dawn canoe on the Rapti River past gharials and crocodiles (community canoe ~£5), then walk to the Elephant Breeding Centre. For the afternoon, choose a jeep safari (~£25–35 per person in the park, best wildlife odds and far kinder than elephant-back riding, which we'd skip) or a guided jungle walk with two licensed guides (~£10–15 — high risk but thrilling). Naturalists can be hired locally for ~£15.

🚌Local transport included in activities

🛏Same Sauraha lodge (£10–18)

• →Rapti River canoe
• →Elephant Breeding Centre
• →Jeep safari or guided jungle walk
• →Tharu village walk

Tourist bus Sauraha–Kathmandu (~5–6 hours, £7–10). Back in Thamel by late afternoon — last-minute souvenir shopping, a proper Nepali thali, and a rooftop beer overlooking the stupa. Book an airport taxi for the morning (or take the local Sajha bus for £1).

🚌Tourist bus ~£8

🛏Thamel guesthouse (£10–18)

• →Bus to Kathmandu
• →Thamel last-night shopping

Early taxi to Tribhuvan International Airport. If your flight is late, squeeze in one more Boudhanath kora or a Newari breakfast in Patan. Buffer your connections — Delhi or Doha transits can add a day, so don't book the tightest possible onward flight.

🚌Airport taxi £4

🛏None (departure day)

• →Airport transfer
• →Optional morning temple visit