Kathmandu to Delhi Adventure — Self-Launched

Land at Tribhuvan International and make your way into Thamel or the quieter Paknajol area. Grab a local SIM (Ncell or NTC, ~£3-5 with data) and change some cash — Nepal uses NPR but Indian rupees are also widely traded in the border belt. Spend the afternoon acclimatising on foot: wander Thamel's alleyways, eat your first plate of dal bhat (£2-3) and book your onward options for the next few days. If you want the Everest flight, arrange it this evening for a clear morning.

🚌Pre-paid taxi from the airport ~£5-7

🛏Guesthouse in Thamel (double/private en-suite, ~£12-18)

• →Settle into Thamel
• →Buy local SIM
• →Evening wander and street food

Optional early-morning Everest scenic flight from Kathmandu airport (Buddha Air / Yeti Airlines, ~£120-160 direct or via GetYourGuide) if skies are clear — a bucket-list substitute for the group tour's included stop. Then climb the 365 steps to Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple), the hilltop stupa with sweeping valley views, entry ~£2. Follow with a self-booked momo-making class or a Kathmandu food walk via GetYourGuide (~£15-20) for the Newari dishes and hidden courtyards.

🚌Taxis/rickshaw around town ~£2-4 total

🛏Guesthouse in Thamel (~£12-18)

• →Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
• →Optional Everest scenic flight
• →Momo-making class / food walk

Long transfer day. The cheapest reliable option is a tourist bus from Kathmandu's Kantipath/Sorhakhutte to Pokhara, ~6-7 hours for ~£7-9; a private shared jeep or domestic flight (Yeti/Buddha, ~£60-90, 25 min) are faster alternatives. The road winds through terraced hills and along the Trishuli River. Arrive in Pokhara, check into Lakeside, and eat by Phewa Lake as the Annapurnas catch the last light.

🚌Tourist bus Kathmandu–Pokhara ~£7-9 (or flight ~£60-90)

🛏Guesthouse in Lakeside, Pokhara (~£10-16)

• →Scenic drive along the Trishuli
• →Lakeside evening stroll

Head up to Sarangkot before dawn (shared taxi ~£5 each way, or a local bus to the base then walk) for sunrise over the Annapurna range and Machhapuchhre. Back down, join a community cooking session at the Sisterhood of Survivors Project — a grassroots initiative training trafficking survivors as paralegals — where you learn to make momos with the women over an authentic local lunch (~£8-12, book direct or via a local operator). Afternoon free for paragliding, boating on Phewa Lake or a visit to the World Peace Pagoda.

🚌Shared taxi to Sarangkot ~£10 return

🛏Guesthouse in Lakeside, Pokhara (~£10-16)

• →Sarangkot sunrise viewpoint
• →Sisterhood of Survivors momo lunch
• →Optional paragliding or Phewa Lake boat

Bus or shared jeep south to Sauraha/Chitwan, ~4-5 hours (~£5-7). Settle into a Tharu community homestay on the buffer-zone edge of the UNESCO-listed park. Afternoon cycling excursion through Tharu villages and farmland, then an evening of traditional Tharu stick dance and song with a home-cooked dinner. This is the cultural heart of the trip and best booked direct through a community tourism operator.

🚌Local bus Pokhara–Sauraha ~£5-7

🛏Tharu homestay (~£10-15 incl. dinner)

• →Tharu village cycling
• →Tharu cultural dance and dinner

Full day in Chitwan. Morning dugout canoe trip on the Rapti River for crocodiles, kingfishers and river turtles, then a jungle walk with a licensed naturalist guide. Afternoon 4x4 jeep safari deeper into the park chasing one-horned rhino, spotted deer, wild boar and — with luck — sloth bear or tiger. Park permits and guided jeep seat ~£30-45 total, booked via the homestay or your Sauraha guesthouse.

🚌Canoe and 4x4 jeep included in park package

🛏Tharu homestay or Sauraha guesthouse (~£10-18)

• →Dugout canoe on the Rapti
• →Guided jungle walk
• →4x4 jeep safari

Cross into India. Local bus or shared jeep from Sauraha to the Sunauli/Belahiya border (~£3-5, 3 hrs), walk through immigration, then pick up an Indian bus or shared jeep to Gorakhpur (~£2-4, 2.5 hrs). From Gorakhpur take a sleeper or chair-class train to Varanasi (Indian Railways, book on IRCTC in advance, ~£4-8, 6-7 hrs). Arrive late; a pre-booked Varanasi guesthouse near Assi Ghat or the old city is easiest for a late arrival. Ensure your Indian e-visa is sorted before you travel.

🚌Bus/jeep to border + train Gorakhpur–Varanasi ~£8-12 total

🛏Guesthouse in Varanasi (~£10-15)

• →Nepal–India border crossing
• →Overnight Indian Railways leg

Start with a sunrise rowboat on the Ganges (~£5-8 per person shared, book the evening before at the ghats) to watch pilgrims bathe and cremation ghats smoke at first light. Afternoon tuk-tuk out to Sarnath (~£6-8 return) — where the Buddha gave his first sermon — to see the Dhamek Stupa, the archaeological museum and the ruins, entry ~£2. Return for the evening Ganga Aarti fire ceremony at Dashashwamedh Ghat, then take a shared evening boat to float a candle-and-flower offering on the river (~£4-6).

🚌Tuk-tuk to Sarnath ~£6-8 return

🛏Guesthouse in Varanasi (~£10-15)

• →Sunrise Ganges boat trip
• →Sarnath Buddhist site and museum
• →Evening Ganga Aarti and flower ceremony

A slower day to explore the lanes on foot: the Vishwanath Temple area, Manikarnika Ghat, and the silk-weaving workshops of Madanpura for Banarasi brocade (buy direct from weavers). Join a self-booked Varanasi street-food walk via GetYourGuide (~£15-20) for kachori sabzi, chaat, malaiyo and the famous Banarasi paan. Evening free to revisit the ghats at your own pace or catch a classical music performance at a local venue.

🚌Walking and cycle-rickshaw ~£3-5

🛏Guesthouse in Varanasi (~£10-15)

• →Old city ghat walk
• →Silk-weaving workshops
• →Optional street-food tour

Day of transit. Book an AC3 or sleeper-class overnight train from Varanasi Junction to Agra (or the faster route via a change at Kanpur/Delhi), ~10-12 hrs, ~£6-10. Use the day for laundry, repacking and stocking up on snacks. If you prefer, a daytime train plus one night in a budget Agra hotel works too. Night on the move saves a night's accommodation.

🚌Indian Railways overnight train Varanasi–Agra ~£6-10

🛏Sleeper/AC3 train berth

• →Indian Railways overnight journey

Arrive early and drop bags at your hotel near Taj Ganj. Tickets to the Taj Mahal are ~£12 for foreign visitors (buy online via the ASI portal to skip queues) plus a small extra for the main mausoleum. Go at sunrise for the best light and thinnest crowds, and consider a self-booked guided tour (~£15-25 via GetYourGuide) to hear the love story behind Shah Jahan's marble masterpiece. Afternoon free to see Agra Fort (~£6) or cross to Mehtab Bagh for the river view at sunset.

🚌Auto-rickshaw around town ~£2-4

🛏Budget hotel near Taj Ganj (~£12-20)

• →Taj Mahal sunrise visit
• →Agra Fort
• →Mehtab Bagh sunset viewpoint

Hire a shared seat or a private car for the day (~£40-60 split between 2-4 travellers, or take the bus and stop en route) to travel the Golden Triangle's western leg. Break at Fatehpur Sikri, the abandoned Mughal capital (~£6 entry), and the Chand Baori stepwell at Abhaneri. Roll into Jaipur — the Pink City — by evening and settle into a guesthouse in the old city near Hawa Mahal.

🚌Shared/private car or bus Agra–Jaipur ~£15-25 per person

🛏Guesthouse in old Jaipur (~£12-20)

• →Fatehpur Sikri
• →Abhaneri stepwell
• →Arrive Jaipur old city

Head out early to Amber Fort, the hilltop blend of Hindu and Mughal architecture (~£6 entry, plus ~£1 for a shared jeep up the ramp). Wander the Sheesh Mahal and grand courtyards. Back in the city, take a self-booked Jaipur heritage or food walk (~£15-25 via GetYourGuide) covering the City Palace, Jantar Mantar and Hawa Mahal, and finish with a rooftop dinner of Rajasthani laal maas and ghewar.

🚌Local bus or shared jeep to Amber ~£1-3

🛏Guesthouse in old Jaipur (~£12-20)

• →Amber Fort
• →City Palace and Jantar Mantar
• →Optional Jaipur food/heritage walk

Travel to the capital: the fastest option is a Shatabdi/Ajmer–Delhi train (~£10-14, 4.5-6 hrs, book on IRCTC), or a comfortable Volvo bus (~£6-9, 5-6 hrs). Check into a hostel or budget hotel in Paharganj or Karol Bagh. Afternoon for a self-guided wander: India Gate, Humayun's Tomb (~£6) or a street-food crawl through Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk — parathas at Paranthe Wali Gali, kebabs near Jama Masjid.

🚌Train Jaipur–Delhi ~£10-14

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Delhi (~£10-18)

• →India Gate
• →Humayun's Tomb
• →Chandni Chowk street food

Final morning depending on your flight time: the Red Fort, Lodhi Gardens or Qutub Minar (~£6) are all easy independent options. Grab last-minute gifts in Dilli Haat or Janpath, then head to Indira Gandhi International Airport by Airport Express metro (~£2) or app taxi (~£4-6). Trip ends — 15 days, two countries, no group tour needed.

🚌Airport Express metro or taxi to IGI ~£2-6

🛏—

• →Qutub Minar or Red Fort
• →Dilli Haat shopping
• →Depart from Delhi