Self-Launched Golden Triangle: Delhi, Agra & Jaipur

Touch down in Indira Gandhi International Airport and make your way into the city. The Delhi Metro Airport Express runs directly from Terminal 3 to New Delhi station in about 20 minutes for around £1 — skip the overpriced pre-paid taxis unless you have heavy luggage. Check into your guesthouse in the Paharganj or Karol Bagh area, both well-positioned budget hubs. Spend the afternoon acclimatising: wander Connaught Place, grab a street chai, and eat your first plate of butter chicken or dal makhani at a local dhaba. Rest up — Delhi demands energy.

🚌Delhi Metro Airport Express from T3 to New Delhi station: ~£1

🛏Hotel Namaskar or similar guesthouse in Paharganj (~£12-16/night)

• →Arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport
• →Take Delhi Metro Airport Express to city centre (~£1)
• →Check into guesthouse in Paharganj or Karol Bagh
• →Evening stroll around Connaught Place
• →Dinner at a local dhaba — try butter chicken or dal makhani (~£3-5)

Start early in Old Delhi. Head to the Red Fort (entry ~£2 for foreigners), then walk through the chaotic, fragrant lanes of Chandni Chowk market — a sensory overload in the best way. Stop at Jama Masjid, one of India's largest mosques (free entry, modest dress required). In the afternoon, head south to New Delhi: visit Humayun's Tomb (~£5), a stunning Mughal precursor to the Taj, and stroll through Lodhi Garden for free. The street food scene here is legendary — try aloo tikki, jalebi, and paranthe in the old city. Note: the G Adventures itinerary includes a supported street kids guided walk; you can replicate this spirit by booking a street food walk via GetYourGuide (~£15-20), many of which partner with local community guides.

🚌Delhi Metro Day Pass ~£2; auto-rickshaw rides ~£1-2 each

🛏Hotel Namaskar or similar guesthouse in Paharganj (~£12-16/night)

• →Visit Red Fort, Old Delhi (~£2 entry)
• →Walk through Chandni Chowk market (free)
• →Visit Jama Masjid (free, donation welcome)
• →Visit Humayun's Tomb (~£5 entry)
• →Stroll Lodhi Garden (free)
• →Book a community street food walking tour via GetYourGuide (~£15-20)
• →Street food dinner in Old Delhi (~£3-5)

Take the Gatimaan Express or Shatabdi Express train from Hazrat Nizamuddin station to Agra Cantt (~£8-12, book in advance via IRCTC or a third-party booking site like Cleartrip). The journey takes around 1.5-2 hours. Head straight to the Taj Mahal for an afternoon visit — arrive before 4pm for the best golden-hour light (entry ~£12 for foreigners). The Taj is best entered via the East or South Gate; tickets are sold at the gate or bookable online. Afterwards, walk or take a tuk-tuk to Agra Fort (~£7 entry), the magnificent red sandstone and marble Mughal fortress just 2km away. From the fort's ramparts you can actually see the Taj Mahal in the distance. Dinner near Taj Ganj — try the local Mughlai cuisine.

🚌Gatimaan/Shatabdi Express Delhi–Agra: ~£8-12; tuk-tuks around Agra ~£1-2

🛏Hotel Sidhartha or Zostel Agra (~£10-16/night), walking distance from Taj Mahal

• →Take Gatimaan/Shatabdi Express from Delhi to Agra (~£8-12)
• →Visit the Taj Mahal — afternoon light is stunning (~£12 entry)
• →Visit Agra Fort (~£7 entry)
• →Dinner in Taj Ganj area — Mughlai cuisine (~£4-6)

Rise before dawn for the unmissable Taj Mahal sunrise — the pink and gold light on white marble is extraordinary and crowds are thinner (~£12 entry, same as yesterday's ticket type). After the visit, check out and hire a driver or book a shared taxi for the day (~£20-30 for private car, split between travel companions) to cover Fatehpur Sikri and Abhaneri before continuing to Jaipur. Fatehpur Sikri is a magnificent, largely intact Mughal ghost city and UNESCO World Heritage Site (~£5 entry) — budget at least 2 hours. Continue to the Chand Baori stepwell at Abhaneri village (free entry), a 10th-century marvel of geometric engineering over 20 metres deep. Then head onward to Jaipur (total road journey ~4-5 hours from Agra, passing through both sites). Alternatively, take a bus from Agra to Jaipur (~£4-6, ~5 hrs) and arrange Fatehpur Sikri as a day trip detour — many local buses pass through or near it.

🚌Private car Agra–Fatehpur Sikri–Abhaneri–Jaipur: ~£20-30 (shareable); or bus Agra–Jaipur ~£4-6

🛏Zostel Jaipur or Hotel Pearl Palace (~£12-18/night)

• →Taj Mahal at sunrise — arrive at gate opening (~£12 entry)
• →Visit Fatehpur Sikri UNESCO ghost city (~£5 entry, ~2 hrs)
• →Visit Chand Baori stepwell at Abhaneri (free entry)
• →Road transfer to Jaipur via private car (~£20-30 shared) or bus (~£4-6)

Spend a full day exploring Jaipur, the 'Pink City' of Rajasthan, named for its distinctive terracotta-pink buildings painted in 1876 to welcome the Prince of Wales. Start at the City Palace (~£8 entry), a stunning complex of courtyards and museums still partly inhabited by the royal family. Just across the square is the iconic Hawa Mahal — the Palace of Winds — with its 953 intricately carved windows (~£1 entry). In the afternoon, head to Jantar Mantar, the 18th-century astronomical observatory and UNESCO World Heritage Site (~£3 entry). Wind down with a wander through Johari Bazaar for jewellery and Bapu Bazaar for textiles and spices. Rajasthani thali for dinner is a must — a feast of dal baati churma, curries, and bread for under £5.

🚌Auto-rickshaw day pass or Ola/Uber app rides around Jaipur ~£3-5

🛏Zostel Jaipur or Hotel Pearl Palace (~£12-18/night)

• →Visit City Palace (~£8 entry)
• →Visit Hawa Mahal — Palace of Winds (~£1 entry)
• →Visit Jantar Mantar UNESCO astronomical observatory (~£3 entry)
• →Browse Johari Bazaar and Bapu Bazaar (free)
• →Rajasthani thali dinner at a local restaurant (~£4-5)

Head out early (before the heat builds) to Amber Fort, perched on a hillside 11km north of Jaipur — take a shared jeep from Jaleb Chowk (~£1-2 each way) or an auto-rickshaw (~£3-4). The fort (~£7 entry for foreigners) is a spectacular blend of Hindu and Mughal architecture with labyrinthine courtyards, mirrored halls (Sheesh Mahal), and sweeping views over Maota Lake. Allow 2-3 hours to explore properly. Back in the city, the G Adventures itinerary lists an optional Pink City cycle tour — book this independently via GetYourGuide or directly with operators like Cycling Jaipur (~£15-20 including lassi stop). Alternatively, explore the Nahargarh Fort on the city's ridge for panoramic sunset views (~£4 entry). Evening: rooftop dinner in the old city.

🚌Shared jeep to Amber Fort ~£1-2; auto-rickshaw ~£3-4; Ola/Uber for rest of day ~£2-4

🛏Zostel Jaipur or Hotel Pearl Palace (~£12-18/night)

• →Visit Amber Fort — arrive early to beat heat and crowds (~£7 entry)
• →Shared jeep up to Amber Fort from Jaleb Chowk (~£1-2)
• →Explore Sheesh Mahal (Hall of Mirrors) inside Amber Fort
• →Optional: Book Pink City cycle tour via GetYourGuide (~£15-20)
• →Visit Nahargarh Fort for sunset views (~£4 entry)
• →Rooftop dinner in old city (~£5-7)

Experience the rural heartbeat of Rajasthan with a visit to a traditional village — the G Adventures itinerary specifically features Dhula village, which can be visited independently or via a community tourism day tour (~£15-25 via local operators or GetYourGuide 'Rajasthan village experience' listings). These half-day excursions typically include a bullock cart ride, a traditional home-cooked meal, interaction with artisan craftspeople, and walks through farmland and rural lanes. In the afternoon, return to Jaipur for any last shopping, or visit the Albert Hall Museum (~£2), Jaipur's oldest museum in a grand Indo-Saracenic building surrounded by gardens. Pack for the return to Delhi.

🚌Day tour transport typically included; otherwise auto-rickshaw/taxi ~£5-8

🛏Zostel Jaipur or Hotel Pearl Palace (~£12-18/night)

• →Village excursion to Dhula or similar rural Rajasthani village (~£15-25 via local operator)
• →Bullock cart ride and traditional home-cooked rural lunch
• →Meet local craftspeople and artisans
• →Return to Jaipur — visit Albert Hall Museum (~£2)
• →Last-minute shopping in Jaipur bazaars
• →Pack for Delhi return

Take the morning Shatabdi Express or Double Decker Express train from Jaipur to Delhi (~£6-10, journey ~4.5 hrs) — book in advance via IRCTC. Trains arrive at Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin or New Delhi station. Depending on your flight time, you may have a few hours for last-minute stops: India Gate and the surrounding Rajpath lawns are free and photogenic, or grab street food and souvenirs in Connaught Place. Head to the airport via the Metro Airport Express (~£1) or pre-paid taxi (~£8-12). Your Golden Triangle adventure, done independently and at a fraction of the tour price.

🚌Shatabdi/Double Decker Express Jaipur–Delhi: ~£6-10; Airport Metro: ~£1

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Morning Shatabdi or Double Decker Express Jaipur to Delhi (~£6-10)
• →Optional: Visit India Gate and Rajpath (free)
• →Souvenir shopping at Connaught Place or Janpath market
• →Metro Airport Express or taxi to IGI Airport (~£1-10)
• →Depart Delhi