Exotic North India: Delhi to Rajasthan Self-Launched Adventure

Land at Indira Gandhi International, take the Airport Express metro to New Delhi station (~₹60/£0.60) or a pre-booked Ola/Uber (~₹600/£6). Check into a Paharganj or Karol Bagh guesthouse, get an Indian SIM (Airtel/Jio, ~₹300 for a tourist plan) and set up UPI if you can. Easy first evening in Connaught Place for thali dinner.

🚌Airport Express metro ~£0.60 or taxi ~£6

🛏Paharganj or Karol Bagh guesthouse / hostel private room (£12-16)

• →Airport transfer
• →SIM card and UPI setup
• →Connaught Place evening stroll

Self-guided monument day: Qutub Minar (£3), Humayun's Tomb (£3), Lotus Temple (free), then India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan by metro. Late afternoon head to Old Delhi — Jama Masjid (free/£2 camera), Raj Ghat, and a cycle-rickshaw loop through Chandni Chowk spice market (~₹150/£1.50). Skip the Red Fort interior if time is tight. A GetYourGuide Old Delhi street-food walk (~£15) is a good substitute for the tour guide.

🚌Delhi Metro day of rides ~£2 plus rickshaw ~£1.50

🛏Paharganj guesthouse (£12-16)

• →Qutub Minar
• →Humayun's Tomb
• →Lotus Temple
• →India Gate & Rashtrapati Bhavan drive-past
• →Jama Masjid & Raj Ghat
• →Chandni Chowk cycle rickshaw + street food walk

Morning flight (IndiGo/SpiceJet, book 3-6 weeks ahead, ~£40-55) or overnight train (NDLS–BSB, sleeper ~£5 / 3AC ~£14, 11-13 hrs). On arrival, local auto to your ghat-side guesthouse, then a short ride to Sarnath to see Dhamek Stupa, Chaukhandi Stupa and the Archaeological Museum (combined ~£3). Evening on the ghats at Assi or Dashashwamedh.

🚌Flight Delhi–Varanasi ~£45 (or 3AC train ~£14)

🛏Assi Ghat / Bengali Tola guesthouse (£10-14)

• →Sarnath Dhamek Stupa & museum
• →Chaukhandi Stupa
• →Sunset on the ghats

5:30am shared rowboat from Assi Ghat to Manikarnika (~₹300/£3 per person, negotiate direct with boatmen). Walk the old city to Tulsi Manas, Durga and Sankat Mochan temples, then Vishwanath (corridor ticket ~£3). Rest midday, then return for the 6:45pm Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat — arrive early and watch from a boat or steps for free.

🚌Autos and boat ~£4 total

🛏Assi Ghat guesthouse (£10-14)

• →Sunrise Ganges boat ride
• →Tulsi Manas, Durga & Sankat Mochan temples
• →Kashi Vishwanath corridor
• →Evening Ganga aarti

Train from Varanasi to Ayodhya Cantt (2-3 hrs, sleeper ~£2 / 3AC ~£6) — book on IRCTC or via 12Go. Check into a dharamshala or budget hotel near Naya Ghat, then a slow evening walk along the Saryu river to watch the evening aarti from the steps.

🚌Train ~£4 plus autos £2

🛏Ayodhya budget hotel / dharamshala (£8-12)

• →Train ride
• →Saryu riverfront evening aarti

Hire a local auto-rickshaw for the day (~₹800/£8) to cover Hanuman Garhi, Kanak Bhawan, Ram Janmabhoomi (book the free darshan slot online same day), Mani Parvat, Nageshwarnath, Gulab Bari, Moti Mahal Masjid and Tulsi Smarak. Finish with a holy dip at Guptar Ghat — bring a change of clothes.

🚌Full-day auto hire ~£8

🛏Ayodhya budget hotel (£8-12)

• →Ram Janmabhoomi darshan
• →Hanuman Garhi
• →Kanak Bhawan
• →Mani Parvat & Nageshwarnath
• →Guptar Ghat holy dip

Bus or train to Lucknow (~3 hrs, ~£3). Dump bags at a Hazratganj or Aminabad guesthouse, then walk the Bara Imambara complex (Bhul Bhulaiya labyrinth, ~£3), Chota Imambara, Rumi Darwaza and Ambedkar Memorial Park. Dinner is the main event — Awadhi kebabs at Tunday Kababi or a biryani at Wahid's.

🚌Train/bus ~£3 plus e-rickshaws £2

🛏Hazratganj guesthouse (£12-15)

• →Bara Imambara & Bhul Bhulaiya
• →Chota Imambara
• →Rumi Darwaza
• →Ambedkar Memorial Park
• →Awadhi food crawl

Morning train Lucknow–Agra (5-6 hrs, 3AC ~£8; book early — this is the tightest leg). Afternoon check-in near Taj Ganj, then a low-key wander of the Taj's south gate area and Kinari Bazaar. Buy your Taj Mahal ticket online tonight for tomorrow's sunrise slot.

🚌Train ~£8 plus autos £2

🛏Taj Ganj guesthouse (£12-15)

• →Train day
• →Taj Ganj evening walk

Taj Mahal at 6am opening (~£12, book at asi.payumoney.com or via Klook) — it's quietest in the first hour. Breakfast, then Mehtab Bagh (£3) for the river-side view. Afternoon: Agra Fort (£6) with Moti Masjid, Jahangir Palace and the Diwan halls, then Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb (Baby Taj, £3) and Jama Masjid. A Klook guided Agra day tour (~£25) is an alternative if you want narration.

🚌Autos across the city ~£4

🛏Taj Ganj guesthouse (£12-15)

• →Sunrise Taj Mahal
• →Mehtab Bagh
• →Agra Fort
• →Itmad-ud-Daulah (Baby Taj)
• →Jama Masjid Agra

Bus or train to Fatehpur Sikri (1.5 hrs, ~£2), locker your bag at the gate, and see the Mughal ghost city (£6): Buland Darwaza, Tomb of Salim Chisti, Diwane-e-Khas, Panch Mahal (a battery car is available, ~£1). Continue by bus/train to Jaipur (~2.5 hrs, ~£4). Check in near Bani Park or the old city.

🚌Bus/train combo ~£7

🛏Bani Park / Old City guesthouse (£12-16)

• →Fatehpur Sikri complex
• →Salim Chisti tomb
• →Buland Darwaza
• →Panch Mahal

Local bus or Ola to Amber Fort (£5 + optional jeep £4 instead of the elephant ride). Back via Jal Mahal photo stop and Hawa Mahal (free from the street / £4 interior). Afternoon: City Palace (£8) and Jantar Mantar (£3), Birla Temple at dusk (free). Skip the guided tour and use a self-guided audio app, or a Klook Jaipur day tour (~£30) if you prefer a guide.

🚌Local bus + auto ~£5

🛏Jaipur guesthouse (£12-16)

• →Amber Fort
• →Jal Mahal & Hawa Mahal
• →City Palace
• →Jantar Mantar
• →Birla Temple

Train or bus to Sawai Madhopur (~3-4 hrs, ~£4). Pre-book your safari tickets 60-90 days out at ranthambore.com — core zone beds sell out fast and cost ~₹1,500 + vehicle share per person per game drive (~£18 all-in). Evening check-in at a budget jungle lodge and a walk to Ranthambore Fort's lower ramparts.

🚌Train ~£4 plus autos £2

🛏Sawai Madhopur jungle lodge (£15-20)

• →Travel to Sawai Madhopur
• →Evening walk near the fort

Dawn jeep safari (6:30am) and afternoon safari (2:30pm) with shared canter/jeep — joined tours via Klook/GetYourGuide run ~£25-35 each if you'd rather not navigate the permits yourself. Tigers are the headline but expect sloth bears, sambar and peacocks; Zone 3 around the lakes is the classic.

🚌Safari jeep included in drive cost ~£35-45 for two drives

🛏Sawai Madhopur jungle lodge (£15-20)

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

Bus or shared jeep to Bundi (~3 hrs via Kota, ~£4). Afternoon half-day walk of the town's blue-washed old quarter: Taragarh Fort (free climb, steep), Bundi Palace with the Chitrashala frescoes (~£5), Ratan Daulat, Raniji ki Baori stepwell, Nawal Sagar Lake and the 84-pillared cenotaph. Bundi is one of Rajasthan's quietest heritage towns — a great place to slow down.

🚌Bus ~£4 plus autos £2

🛏Bundi haveli guesthouse (£10-14)

• →Taragarh Fort
• →Bundi Palace & Chitrashala
• →Raniji ki Baori stepwell
• →Nawal Sagar Lake
• →84-pillared cenotaph

Bus or train to Chittorgarh (~2 hrs, ~£3), leave bags at the station, then auto up to the vast hilltop fort (£5 entry + ~£6 auto round trip): Rana Kumbha Palace, Victory Tower, Meerabai Temple, Padmini's Palace and the Tower of Fame. Continue to Udaipur in the late afternoon (~2.5 hrs, ~£4). Check into a guesthouse by Lake Pichola.

🚌Bus/train combo ~£9 plus fort auto £6

🛏Lake Pichola-area guesthouse (£12-16)

• →Chittorgarh Fort
• →Victory Tower
• →Padmini's Palace
• →Meerabai Temple

City Palace (£7) and Bagore Ki Haveli museum (£3, plus evening folk dance show £4). Jagdish Temple (free), Saheliyon ki Bari (£2), Fateh Sagar Lake and Ambrai Ghat at sunset. Do the Lake Pichola boat ride (~£8 for the longer ghat-to-island loop) and the ropeway up Machla Magra (£3). Shilpgram and the vintage car museum are optional add-ons.

🚌Autos ~£4

🛏Udaipur guesthouse (£12-16)

• →Udaipur City Palace
• →Bagore Ki Haveli + folk show
• →Jagdish Temple
• →Lake Pichola boat ride
• →Udaipur ropeway
• →Saheliyon ki Bari

Bus or shared jeep to Ranakpur (~2 hrs, ~£3) for the extraordinary white marble Jain temple (camera ticket ~£2, shoes and leather off). Continue to Jodhpur by bus (~3 hrs, ~£4). Check into a guesthouse in the blue city below Mehrangarh and catch sunset from a rooftop near Toorji ka Jhalra.

🚌Bus/shared jeep ~£7

🛏Jodhpur old city guesthouse (£12-16)

• →Ranakpur Jain Temples
• →Blue city sunset rooftop

Mehrangarh Fort (£6 incl. audio guide — one of the best in India), Jaswant Thada (£2), Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park (£3) and the Clock Tower bazaar for spices and mirchi vadas. Umaid Bhawan Palace has a small museum (£4). Afternoon auto out to Mandore Gardens and Balsamand Lake if time allows. Optional zip-line over the fort moat (~£10).

🚌Autos ~£5

🛏Jodhpur guesthouse (£12-16)

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

Bus or train to Jaisalmer (~5 hrs, ~£5). Leave big bags at your Jaisalmer hotel, then a jeep out to the Sam or Khuri dunes for a camel ride (~£12-15 including jeep) and a night in a standard desert camp with Rajasthani folk music and dance — book a modest camp directly or via Klook (~£25-35 including dinner and breakfast).

🚌Bus ~£5 plus camp jeep included

🛏Standard desert camp, Sam/Khuri dunes (£15-20)

• →Travel to Jaisalmer
• →Camel ride on the dunes
• →Rajasthani folk music and dance
• →Desert camp night

Back to the city and check in at a guesthouse inside or below the living fort. Jaisalmer Fort (free to enter, palace museum £3), Patwon-ki-Haveli (£2), Salim Singh-ki-Haveli, Thar Heritage Museum, Gadisar Lake at sunset and the Silk Route art galleries. Eat at a rooftop overlooking the fort.

🚌Autos and walk ~£3

🛏Jaisalmer fort-area guesthouse (£10-14)

• →Jaisalmer Fort
• →Patwon-ki-Haveli & Salim Singh-ki-Haveli
• →Thar Heritage Museum
• →Gadisar Lake sunset

Long travel day by bus (~6 hrs, ~£6) or train via a change. Arrive Bikaner and settle into a guesthouse near Junagarh Fort. Easy evening in the old town — Bikaneri bhujia and kachoris are the local specialities.

🚌Bus ~£6 plus autos £2

🛏Bikaner guesthouse (£10-14)

• →Bus across the Thar
• →Old town snack crawl

Junagarh Fort (£6 with audio guide), Lalgarh Palace museum (£3) and the beautifully painted Bhandasar Jain Temple (free, small donation). If you have energy, a shared taxi 30 km out to Karni Mata Temple at Deshnoke to see the rats (~£8 return) — an optional detour the tour only offers if time allows.

🚌Autos ~£4 plus optional Karni Mata taxi £8

🛏Bikaner guesthouse (£10-14)

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

Bus to Mandawa (~3 hrs, ~£4), the frescoed haveli town of the Shekhawati region. Hire a local guide or just wander — the painted havelis (Gulab Rai Ladia, Murmuria, Goenka) are mostly free or £1-2 each, and Castle Mandawa can be viewed from outside or entered for a small fee.

🚌Bus ~£4 plus autos £2

🛏Mandawa heritage haveli guesthouse (£14-18)

• →Shekhawati haveli walk
• →Mandawa frescoes
• →Castle Mandawa

Bus or train back to Delhi (~5-6 hrs, ~£6). Optional stop at the Rewari Rail Museum if you take the slow route. Check back into Paharganj, do your last shopping in Janpath or Dilli Haat, and enjoy a final curry dinner.

🚌Bus/train ~£6 plus metro £1

🛏Paharganj guesthouse (£12-16)

• →Travel to Delhi
• →Dilli Haat shopping
• →Farewell dinner

Breakfast and transfer to the airport by Airport Express metro or taxi. If your flight is late, a morning at the National Museum or Lodhi Gardens is an easy way to use the time. Trip ends.

🚌Airport Express ~£0.60 or taxi ~£6

🛏None (departure day)

• →Airport transfer
• →Optional National Museum or Lodhi Gardens