Taj Mahal & Nepal Wildlife: Self-Launched Delhi–Agra–Kathmandu–Chitwan Adventure
8 days · India & Nepal
Real viaggi india charges £1,150
No-markup version: ~£830 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent version of Real viaggi india's 8-day Delhi–Agra–Kathmandu–Chitwan circuit, done solo and self-launched. You'll catch sunrise at the Taj Mahal, wander Mughal Delhi, fly over the Himalayas on an Everest scenic flight, explore Kathmandu's stupas and ghats, then ride a tourist bus into Chitwan for a jungle safari and a Tharu cultural evening. Everything here is bookable yourself: trains and buses instead of private AC cars, hostels and guesthouses instead of boutique lodges, and GetYourGuide/Klook excursions instead of a group guide. Note the operator's page is inconsistent about whether the Delhi–Kathmandu flight is included (the FAQ says no), so this plan prices it separately — and prices an overnight bus/train+road alternative as a cheaper substitute. Costs are approximate backpacker estimates and will swing with season, especially around October–November and Holi/Diwali.
Day-by-day
Arrive Delhi — Paharganj base camp
Delhi, India
Land at Indira Gandhi International and take the Airport Express metro (₹60–110, ~20 min to New Delhi station) or a prepaid taxi (~₹500–700) into Paharganj or the Main Bazaar area. Check into a hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, sort out an Indian e-SIM locally, and use the afternoon to shake off jet lag: walk to Connaught Place, eat your first chole bhature or a thali (~£3), and pick up a metro card (₹200 with ₹50 deposit). Book tomorrow's Delhi sightseeing on GetYourGuide tonight and pre-purchase your Taj Mahal ticket online for day 3 (₹1,100 foreigner rate, timed entry).
🚌Airport Express metro from IGI (~£1) or prepaid taxi (~£6)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Paharganj (~£10–14)
- →Airport Express metro into central Delhi
- →Connaught Place and Main Bazaar wander
- →Buy metro card and e-SIM
- →Pre-book Taj Mahal timed-entry ticket online
Mughal Delhi then train to Agra
Delhi → Agra, India
Do the half-day New Delhi circuit under your own steam — it's all close together and the metro handles it: India Gate and Rajpath (Kartavya Path) are walkable from each other, Humayun's Tomb is 10 minutes by auto (~£1.50, ticket ₹600), and the All India War Memorial is a 5-minute walk from India Gate. In the afternoon head to New Delhi railway station and take an AC Chair Car on the Gatimaan Express (departs ~15:50, ~1h 40m, ~£8–12 booked on IRCTC) or a Shatabdi if you prefer an earlier slot. In Agra, stay in Taj Ganj so you can walk to the east gate at dawn. Budget an early night — sunrise starts before 6am.
🚌Autos in Delhi (~£4 total) + Gatimaan Express AC Chair Car (~£10)
🛏Guesthouse in Taj Ganj, Agra (~£12–16)
- →India Gate and Rajpath walk
- →Humayun's Tomb
- →Gatimaan Express train to Agra
- →Taj Ganj evening food walk
Sunrise Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, back to Delhi
Agra → Delhi, India
Be at the Taj Mahal east gate by 5:30am for opening — the sunrise light on the marble is the whole point, and it's far quieter than midday. Allow 2 hours. Then walk or take a short auto to Agra Fort (~₹200 foreigner ticket) and spend 90 minutes on the Mughal ramparts with the Taj visible across the river. Grab a late lunch in Sadar Bazaar, then return to Delhi by Gatimaan Express (~17:50, ~£10) or the faster option of an AC Volvo bus from the Yamuna Expressway terminal (~£5–7, 3.5h). Back in Paharganj for the night — repack light for Nepal.
🚌Auto to gates (~£3) + Gatimaan Express return (~£10)
🛏Hostel dorm or guesthouse, Paharganj (~£10–14)
- →Sunrise entry at Taj Mahal (pre-booked ticket)
- →Agra Fort
- →Sadar Bazaar lunch
- →Evening train or Volvo bus back to Delhi
Fly Delhi → Kathmandu, Swayambhunath & Patan
Kathmandu, Nepal
Morning flight Delhi–Kathmandu (~1h 45m) — book 4–8 weeks ahead on IndiGo/Air India or via Skyscanner; typical one-way is £70–120 depending on season and baggage. Buy your Nepal visa on arrival (15 days, US$30) and take a prepaid taxi from Tribhuvan airport to Thamel (~NPR 700–900, ~£5). Drop bags at a Thamel hostel or guesthouse, then do the half-day city loop yourself: taxi or local bus to Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple, NPR 200), then on to Patan Durbar Square (NPR 1,000 for foreigners) for the Krishna Mandir and Patan Museum. Eat momos and dal bhat in Patan's back lanes (~£4) before heading back to Thamel.
🚌Flight Delhi–Kathmandu (~£90) + airport taxi (~£5) + local taxis (~£6)
🛏Thamel hostel dorm or budget guesthouse (~£9–14)
- →Flight Delhi to Kathmandu
- →Nepal visa on arrival
- →Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
- →Patan Durbar Square and Patan Museum
Everest scenic flight, Pashupatinath, Boudhanath & old Kathmandu
Kathmandu, Nepal
The Everest experience flight leaves Tribhuvan around 6:30–7:00am and gives you 50 minutes of Himalayan panorama including Everest from the window — book directly with Buddha Air or Yeti Airlines (~US$200–230 / ~£160–185) or through a Thamel agent; the cheapest legitimate alternative if that's too steep is a mountain-flight-free day and a Nagarkot sunrise instead (~£15 by local bus). Back on the ground, take a taxi to Pashupatinath (NPR 1,000) for the ghats and cremation ceremonies along the Bagmati, then 20 minutes' walk to Boudhanath (NPR 400) for the great stupa and a rooftop lunch. Finish with a self-guided old-Kathmandu walk: Durbar Square, Kumari Ghar, and the alleys of Asan Tole. Independent walking-tour audio guides on GetYourGuide are ~£6 if you want context.
🚌Airport-adjacent flight (included in activity) + taxis around the valley (~£8)
🛏Thamel hostel dorm or budget guesthouse (~£9–14)
- →Everest scenic mountain flight
- →Pashupatinath Temple ghats
- →Boudhanath Stupa kora walk
- →Old Kathmandu Durbar Square and Asan Tole
Tourist bus to Chitwan + Tharu cultural evening
Kathmandu → Chitwan (Sauraha), Nepal
Take the 6:30–8:00am Greenline or Budhha/AC tourist bus from Kantipath in Kathmandu to Sauraha, Chitwan — ~5–6 hours including a breakfast stop, roughly NPR 1,800–2,500 (~£11–15); book the day before at any Thamel agency. Alternatively the local bus from Kalanki is half the price (~£6) but slower and more cramped. Arrive Sauraha early afternoon, check into a riverside guesthouse, and rent a bicycle (~£2) to ride to the Rapti River for sunset. Most guesthouses run a Tharu stick-dance cultural programme in the evening (NPR 300–500, ~£2–3) — join it in the village hall rather than paying a tour operator markup.
🚌Kathmandu–Sauraha tourist bus (~£13)
🛏Riverside guesthouse in Sauraha (~£10–15)
- →Scenic AC tourist bus to Sauraha
- →Riverside sunset and bicycle hire
- →Tharu stick-dance cultural programme
Chitwan National Park jungle safari
Chitwan National Park, Nepal
Book your safari the evening you arrive, direct with the park or your guesthouse — not through a middleman. Options and 2026-ish rates: a shared jeep safari into the park (~NPR 4,500–5,500 including park permit, ~£27–33, 4–5 hours, best odds for rhino, sloth bear and — rarely — tiger); a guided jungle walk with two licensed naturalists (~NPR 2,500–3,500, ~£15–21); or a dugout canoe trip down the Rapti at dawn (~NPR 1,500, ~£9) which is the cheapest and best birding option. Note: elephant-back safaris are widely discouraged on welfare grounds and many travellers now skip them — jeep and walking safaris are the ethical equivalents. Afternoon: visit the Gharial Breeding Centre and the Elephant Breeding Centre on foot or by bike, then a lazy lunch by the river.
🚌On foot and bicycle hire (~£2)
🛏Riverside guesthouse in Sauraha (~£10–15)
- →Shared jeep safari in Chitwan National Park
- →Dugout canoe trip on the Rapti River
- →Gharial and Elephant Breeding Centres
- →Birdwatching from the riverbank
Chitwan back to Kathmandu — depart
Chitwan → Kathmandu, Nepal
Catch the early morning tourist bus back to Kathmandu (~5–6h, ~£13) arriving early afternoon, or if you're flying out of Kathmandu the same evening, book a late-night departure and leave a 4-hour buffer given Prithvi Highway traffic. If you've got time before your flight, use it for a last thali in Thamel or a quick souvenir run for pashmina and singing bowls around Asan Tole. Airport taxi from Thamel ~NPR 700 (~£5). If you're continuing on rather than heading home, Sauraha connects onward to Pokhara by bus (~£10) for the Annapurna foothills.
🚌Sauraha–Kathmandu tourist bus (~£13) + airport taxi (~£5)
🛏None (departure day) — or ~£12 if you add an overnight
- →Return tourist bus to Kathmandu
- →Last-minute Thamel shopping
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. Real viaggi india
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Real viaggi india | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£830 | £1,150 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £320 per person (28%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Real viaggi india-style trips? Check them out here.~£830
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 Taj Mahal & Nepal Wildlife: Self-Launched Delhi–Agra–Kathmandu–Chitwan Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £830 per person for 8 days in India & Nepal. 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 Real viaggi india?+
Yes — Real viaggi india charges around £1,150 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £830 — a saving of roughly £320 (28%) per person.
How long is the India & Nepal trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through India & Nepal.
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 adventure, culture, wildlife trip through India & Nepal, 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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