Self-Launched India Introduction: Delhi, Varanasi, Agra, Ranthambore & Rajasthan

Arrive into Indira Gandhi International Airport at any time. Pre-book an airport metro link ticket (£1.50) or a prepaid taxi from the official booth inside arrivals (£6-10) to reach your accommodation in Paharganj or Karol Bagh — both backpacker-friendly central areas. Get settled, grab your first chai, and orientate yourself. No plans needed today.

🚌Airport Metro Express or prepaid taxi (~£2-10)

🛏Hotel Ajanta, Paharganj, or similar budget hotel (~£18-22/night)

• →Airport arrival and transfer to accommodation
• →Rest and orientation walk around local neighbourhood
• →First street food dinner — try dal makhani or chhole bhature from a local dhaba

Spend a full day exploring India's vast, layered capital. Delhi's metro (£0.30-0.80 per journey) makes getting around easy and cheap. Hit the major sights across Old and New Delhi — from the grandeur of India Gate and Humayun's Tomb to the frenetic lanes of Chandni Chowk. Book a half-day walking tour via GetYourGuide for around £15 to get your bearings with a local guide, or go fully self-launched with a map and the metro.

🚌Delhi Metro all day (~£3)

🛏Hotel Ajanta, Paharganj, or similar budget hotel (~£18-22/night)

• →India Gate and Rajpath (free)
• →Qutub Minar entry (~£4)
• →Humayun's Tomb (~£4)
• →Chandni Chowk street food walk (free to explore)
• →Jama Masjid — largest mosque in India (free, rooftop £1)
• →Optional: Old Delhi walking tour via GetYourGuide (~£15)

Take an early IndiGo or Air India flight from Delhi to Varanasi Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport (book in advance for ~£35-55 one way). Check into your guesthouse in the Assi Ghat area — the backpacker hub, right on the river. This evening, join the famous Ganga Aarti ceremony at Dasaswamedh Ghat — one of the most spectacular religious rituals you'll witness anywhere on Earth. Take a boat ride on the sacred Ganges at sunset (negotiate directly with boatmen at the ghats, ~£3-5 per person).

🚌Flight Delhi–Varanasi (~£35-55), auto-rickshaw from airport (~£4)

🛏Stops at The Ghat Hostel or Hotel Alka by the ghats (~£12-18/night)

• →Flight Delhi to Varanasi (~£35-55)
• →Check in and explore the ghats on foot
• →Sunset boat ride on the Ganges (~£3-5)
• →Evening Ganga Aarti ceremony at Dasaswamedh Ghat (free to watch)

Set your alarm early — this is one of the most memorable mornings of any India trip. Head to the ghats before sunrise and hire a rowing boat to drift along the river as the city wakes up. Watch pilgrims bathe, priests perform rituals, and cremation fires burn at Manikarnika Ghat. The experience is raw, profound, and unforgettable. Spend the rest of the morning wandering the ancient lanes (galis) of the old city. Afternoon is yours — visit Sarnath (where Buddha gave his first sermon, ~£4 entry) by auto-rickshaw (~£5 return).

🚌Rowing boat (~£5), auto-rickshaw to Sarnath (~£5 return)

🛏Stops at The Ghat Hostel or Hotel Alka by the ghats (~£12-18/night)

• →Pre-dawn boat ride along the Ganges (~£4-6 per person, negotiate at the ghats)
• →Observation of morning bathing and cremation rituals at Manikarnika Ghat (free)
• →Walk the narrow galis of the old city
• →Visit Sarnath — Buddhist pilgrimage site with Dhamek Stupa (~£4 entry + ~£5 return auto-rickshaw)

Take the Varanasi–Lucknow Express train (approx. 3.5-4 hours, book via IRCTC or Cleartrip, ~£5-8 in sleeper/AC class). Lucknow is India's city of nawabs, known for its elegant architecture, Awadhi cuisine, and refined culture. Check into a budget hotel in the Hazratganj area and head out to explore. The Bara Imambara complex is extraordinary — its Bhul Bhulaiya labyrinth is one of India's most unusual architectural feats.

🚌Train Varanasi–Lucknow (~£5-8)

🛏Hotel Gomti or Treebo Trend hotels, Hazratganj (~£15-20/night)

• →Train journey Varanasi to Lucknow (~£5-8, 3.5-4 hrs via IRCTC)
• →Bara Imambara and Bhul Bhulaiya labyrinth (~£2 entry)
• →Chota Imambara (~£1 entry)
• →Rumi Darwaza — iconic gateway (free)
• →Evening food walk — try Lucknowi biryani, galouti kebabs, and kulfi

An early train from Lucknow to Agra (approx. 5-6 hours, ~£6-10 via IRCTC — book the Lucknow–Agra Express or similar). Agra sits at the heart of the Mughal Empire's most enduring legacy. Check in near Taj Ganj for easy access to the monuments. This evening, take a stroll to the Mehtab Bagh (Moonlight Garden) on the opposite bank of the Yamuna for a free sunset view of the Taj Mahal silhouette.

🚌Train Lucknow–Agra (~£6-10), cycle-rickshaw locally (~£2-3)

🛏Hotel Kamal or Zostel Agra, Taj Ganj (~£10-16/night)

• →Train journey Lucknow to Agra (~£6-10, ~5-6 hrs)
• →Check in to Taj Ganj area accommodation
• →Evening visit to Mehtab Bagh for Taj Mahal sunset views (~£3 entry)
• →Explore Agra's local market for handicrafts

Wake at dawn and arrive at the Taj Mahal for opening time (6am) — this is when the light is magical and the crowds are thinnest. Entry for foreign visitors is ~£13 including the main mausoleum. Spend two hours here, then head to the nearby Agra Fort (~£7 entry) — a stunning red sandstone fortress with panoramic Taj views. After lunch, hire a private taxi to Ranthambore National Park (approx. 4 hours, ~£25-35 split between travel companions, or catch the Agra–Sawai Madhopur train for ~£6). Check in and rest ahead of tomorrow's safaris.

🚌Taxi or train Agra to Sawai Madhopur/Ranthambore (~£6-35)

🛏Ranthambore Forest Resort or Hammir Wildlife Resort (~£18-28/night)

• →Taj Mahal sunrise visit (~£13 entry)
• →Agra Fort (~£7 entry)
• →Travel to Ranthambore by shared taxi or train (~£6-35 depending on mode)

Book two safari slots — morning (6am-10am) and afternoon (2:30pm-6:30pm) — directly with the Ranthambore National Park online booking system (rajasthanwildlife.in) or via a local agent. Shared 6-seater Canter jeeps cost significantly less than private jeeps. The park is one of India's best for tiger sightings, as well as leopards, sloth bears, and abundant birdlife. Between safaris, walk with locals through the ruins of the 1,000-year-old Ranthambore Fort and visit the atmospheric Ganesh Temple within the park boundary.

🚌Safari jeep/Canter (included in booking)

🛏Ranthambore Forest Resort or Hammir Wildlife Resort (~£18-28/night)

• →Morning safari drive in Ranthambore National Park (~£18-22 per person in shared Canter)
• →Afternoon safari drive (~£18-22 per person)
• →Walk to Ranthambore Fort ruins within the park (included in safari ticket)
• →Visit Ganesh Temple inside the national park

After an optional early morning stroll around Sawai Madhopur town, take a train or bus to Jaipur (approx. 2-3 hours, ~£4-8 by train). Jaipur, Rajasthan's capital, is an assault on the senses in the best possible way — pink-washed buildings, bazaars overflowing with textiles, and Mughal-era palaces around every corner. Check into a haveli-style guesthouse in the old city. Spend the afternoon exploring the walled city bazaars — Johari Bazaar for jewellery, Bapu Bazaar for textiles.

🚌Train Sawai Madhopur–Jaipur (~£4-8)

🛏Moustache Jaipur or Pearl Palace Heritage Hotel (~£12-20/night)

• →Train or bus from Sawai Madhopur to Jaipur (~£4-8, 2-3 hrs)
• →Check in to old city guesthouse
• →Explore the pink-walled old city bazaars (free)
• →Hawa Mahal exterior view (free from outside, £1 entry)

A full day diving into Jaipur's extraordinary architectural legacy. The Amber Fort (also spelled Amer) is a 45-minute tuk-tuk or bus ride from the city centre (~£2-3) and is among the finest hilltop forts in Rajasthan. Entry is ~£8. Back in the city, the City Palace complex (~£10 entry), the Jantar Mantar astronomical observatory (~£4), and Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds, ~£1) are all walkable. Book tickets online to skip queues. End the day with sunset drinks at a rooftop restaurant overlooking the old city.

🚌Tuk-tuk/auto-rickshaw throughout (~£5-8)

🛏Moustache Jaipur or Pearl Palace Heritage Hotel (~£12-20/night)

• →Amber Fort by tuk-tuk (~£8 entry + ~£3 transport)
• →City Palace (~£10 entry)
• →Jantar Mantar UNESCO Observatory (~£4 entry)
• →Hawa Mahal (~£1 entry)
• →Optional: elephant-free jeep or horse-drawn carriage at Amber Fort (~£5)
• →Rooftop sunset dinner in the old city (~£6-10)

Hire a private taxi or join a shared transfer from Jaipur to the tiny village of Jojawar (approx. 3-4 hours, ~£20-30 for a private taxi, potentially split). Jojawar is home to the remarkable Rawla Jojawar — a historic heritage hotel set in a 300-year-old manor — where you can stay for a budget-stretching but unique experience. Spend the afternoon exploring the village on foot and chatting with local residents. This afternoon, look out for a rural jeep safari through the Aravalli Hills, which can be arranged through your guesthouse.

🚌Private taxi Jaipur–Jojawar (~£20-30)

🛏Rawla Jojawar heritage hotel (~£35-50/night — a splurge, but unique) or budget homestay (~£15-20)

• →Private taxi from Jaipur to Jojawar (~£20-30, 3-4 hrs)
• →Village walk and interaction with locals (free)
• →Rural jeep safari through the Aravalli Hills (~£10-15, arrange via accommodation)
• →Visit local artisan workshops

A slower morning to soak in rural Rajasthani life before the journey continues. Walk the surrounding farmland at sunrise, share chai with locals, and observe the daily rhythms of village India that most tourists never see. After breakfast, arrange your onward transport — either back towards Jaipur or toward Jodhpur or Pushkar depending on your preference. The original tour returns to Delhi from here; consider catching an overnight train from a nearby railhead to maximise your time.

🚌Taxi to nearest railhead, then train (~£8-15)

🛏Rawla Jojawar or transit toward next city

• →Sunrise walk through farmland and village (free)
• →Chai with locals and community interaction (free)
• →Optional: visit to a nearby rural school or women's cooperative
• →Depart for next destination — train toward Delhi or Jodhpur (~£8-15)

Use today to travel back toward Delhi. The most scenic and practical option is a train from Ajmer or Abu Road (near Jojawar) to Delhi — book via IRCTC or Cleartrip (~£10-18 in AC sleeper). If time allows, break the journey with a few hours in Ajmer to visit the revered Dargah Sharif shrine. Arrive in Delhi in the evening and check back into a Paharganj or Karol Bagh hotel for your final nights.

🚌Train to Delhi (~£10-18)

🛏Hotel Ajanta or similar Paharganj/Karol Bagh budget hotel (~£18-22/night)

• →Optional stop at Ajmer Dargah Sharif — major Sufi shrine (free)
• →Train journey toward Delhi (~£10-18)
• →Check in and rest on arrival
• →Evening wander at Connaught Place or Lodi Garden

Your last full day in India. Use it to revisit anything you missed, pick up souvenirs, and eat your way through the city one last time. Head to Lodi Garden for a morning stroll among Mughal-era tombs (free). Visit Dilli Haat — an open-air craft market showcasing artisans from every Indian state (£1 entry). For an evening send-off, book a food tour of Old Delhi through GetYourGuide (~£20) for a final feast through Chandni Chowk's legendary street food scene.

🚌Delhi Metro all day (~£3)

🛏Hotel Ajanta or similar Paharganj/Karol Bagh budget hotel (~£18-22/night)

• →Lodi Garden morning walk (free)
• →Dilli Haat craft market (~£1 entry)
• →National Museum (~£3 entry)
• →Optional: Old Delhi food tour via GetYourGuide (~£20)
• →Last-night dinner at a rooftop restaurant in Paharganj or Karol Bagh (~£6-10)

Check out and head to Indira Gandhi International Airport for your onward flight. Take the Airport Metro Express from New Delhi Metro Station for a smooth, cheap ride (~£2.50). Allow plenty of time — Delhi's airport is large and international departures require arriving 3 hours early. Safe travels — you've just done one of the world's great journeys independently.

🚌Airport Metro Express (~£2.50)

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Check out of accommodation
• →Airport Metro Express to IGI Airport (~£2.50)
• →Departure