Rajasthan In Depth — Self-Launched

Land at Delhi and take the Airport Express metro (~£2) or an Ola/Uber (~£5) to a hostel in Paharganj or Karol Bagh. In the afternoon do a self-paced walk of New Delhi's landmarks: Qutub Minar (₹600), Humayun's Tomb (₹600) and the Lotus Temple (free, closed Mondays), driving past Rashtrapati Bhavan and India Gate. A GetYourGuide half-day Delhi highlights tour with hotel pickup costs around £25-35 if you'd rather have a guide.

🚌Airport Express metro or Ola/Uber from IGI Airport; metro between sights

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Paharganj/Karol Bagh (Madpackers, Zostel or similar)

• →Qutub Minar
• →Humayun's Tomb
• →Lotus Temple
• →India Gate
• →Rashtrapati Bhavan (drive past)

Morning walk through Old Delhi: Jama Masjid (free, small camera fee), Raj Ghat and a cycle-rickshaw spin through Chandni Chowk's spice and silver markets (~£3-5 haggled). Red Fort can be viewed from outside or entered for ₹650 if you want the full audio-guide tour. Take a late-afternoon Vande Bharat or Intercity Express to Jaipur (chair car ~£6-9, 5 hours, book on IRCTC). Check into a guesthouse inside the old city walls near Hawa Mahal.

🚌Metro to Chandni Chowk; train New Delhi–Jaipur (~£6-9, 5 hrs); auto-rickshaw in Jaipur (~£2)

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Jaipur Old City (Zostel Jaipur, Madpackers or heritage haveli ~£12-18)

• →Jama Masjid
• →Raj Ghat
• →Chandni Chowk cycle-rickshaw ride
• →Red Fort (exterior or entry)

Full day in the Pink City. Get a local bus or shared auto to Amber Fort (£1) and enter for ₹500, or pre-book a GetYourGuide Amber Fort + City Palace guided tour (~£30-40 including entry). Skip the elephant ride in favour of the jeep or the walk up. Afternoon covers City Palace (₹700), Jantar Mantar (₹200) and a photo stop at Jal Mahal en route back, with Hawa Mahal and Birla Temple at golden hour. Optional sunset detour to Nahargarh Fort (~£2 taxi shared) for the best view over the city.

🚌Local bus/shared auto to Amber (~£1); auto-rickshaws between sights (~£3 total)

🛏Guesthouse or hostel, Jaipur Old City

• →Amber Fort (jeep or walk up)
• →City Palace
• →Jantar Mantar
• →Jal Mahal
• →Hawa Mahal
• →Birla Temple
• →Nahargarh Fort sunset (optional)

Take a morning bus from Jaipur's Sindhi Camp to Mandawa (~4-5 hours, £3-5) or a shared taxi if you can find co-travellers. Mandawa is a small Shekhawati town packed with fresco-covered merchant havelis — the Gulab Rai Ladia, Murmuria and Goenka havelis can be visited on foot with a cheap local guide (£5-8) or independently with a ₹100-200 ticket. Stay in a converted haveli for the atmosphere.

🚌State/private bus Jaipur–Mandawa (~£3-5, 4-5 hrs); everything on foot

🛏Budget heritage haveli or guesthouse in Mandawa (~£12-20)

• →Mandawa haveli fresco tour
• →Gulab Rai Ladia Haveli
• →Murmuria Haveli
• →Mandawa fort viewpoints

Bus onward to Bikaner (~4 hours, £3-5). Spend the afternoon at Junagarh Fort (₹400 with audio guide), Lalgarh Palace and the intricately carved Bhandasar Jain Temple (free). Late afternoon head to the National Research Centre on Camel (~£1 entry plus ~£2 for a short camel ride and a taste of camel milk) — a cheaper, calmer alternative to a full desert safari.

🚌Bus Mandawa–Bikaner (~£3-5); auto-rickshaw to camel farm (~£3 return)

🛏Guesthouse near Bikaner old town (~£12-18)

• →Junagarh Fort
• →Lalgarh Palace
• →Bhandasar Jain Temple
• →Camel Breeding Farm & camel ride

Long travel day: bus or train to Jaisalmer (~5-6 hours, £4-6). Book a budget non-touristic desert camp or dune camp in advance (Klook and GetYourGuide both list Sam/Khuri dune packages from ~£35-55 including jeep transfer, camel ride, Rajasthani folk dance, dinner and a tent for the night) — this replaces the operator's included desert camp night at similar quality.

🚌Bus/train Bikaner–Jaisalmer (~£4-6, 5-6 hrs); jeep transfer to dunes included in camp package

🛏Desert camp tent with dinner and cultural show, Sam or Khuri dunes (~£35-50 package)

• →Camel ride on the dunes
• →Sunset in the Thar Desert
• →Rajasthani folk dance and music performance
• →Desert camp overnight

Return to town and check into a guesthouse inside or just below Jaisalmer Fort. Explore the living fort (free to enter, ₹250 for the fort palace museum), then Salim Singh-ki-Haveli and Patwon-ki-Haveli (₹100-200 each), the Thar Heritage Museum, Gadisar Lake at sunset and the Silk Route art galleries. A local guide for a 2-3 hour fort walk costs £8-12 and is worth it for the history.

🚌Shared jeep back from dunes (~£8) or included in camp transfer; walking in town

🛏Guesthouse in Jaisalmer fort area (~£12-18)

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

Morning bus or train to Jodhpur (~5 hours, £4-6). Afternoon at Mehrangarh Fort (₹600 with audio guide, one of India's best), Jaswant Thada (₹50), Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park and a wander through the blue-washed lanes below the fort to the Clock Tower and Sardar Market for street snacks.

🚌Bus/train Jaisalmer–Jodhpur (~£4-6); auto-rickshaws (~£3)

🛏Guesthouse in Jodhpur old city (~£12-18)

• →Mehrangarh Fort
• →Jaswant Thada
• →Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park
• →Clock Tower & Sardar Market
• →Blue city walk

Take an early bus toward Falna/Ranakpur and stop at the Ranakpur Jain Temples (₹200 entry plus camera fee; shoes and leather off) — the 1,444 carved marble pillars are a highlight. Continue by bus to Mount Abu (~2 hours more, £2-3). Buses on this stretch are frequent but slow; alternatively take the train to Abu Road and a shared jeep up the hill.

🚌Bus Jodhpur–Ranakpur–Mount Abu (~£6-8 total); shared jeep from Abu Road if arriving by train

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Mount Abu (~£14-20)

• →Ranakpur Jain Temples
• →Hill-station evening stroll around Nakki Lake

Early visit to the Dilwara Jain Temples (free, no photos — the finest marble carving in India; open 12-5pm, go early). Then head up to Guru Shikhar, Rajasthan's highest peak (shared jeep ~£4 or bus + walk), taking in Achalgarh Fort, Arbuda Devi Temple and Raghunathji Temple en route. Finish with sunset at the Nakki Lake viewpoint; boat hire on the lake is ~£3.

🚌Shared jeep to Guru Shikhar (~£4); local buses and walks

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse, Mount Abu

• →Dilwara Jain Temples
• →Guru Shikhar summit
• →Achalgarh Fort
• →Arbuda Devi Temple
• →Nakki Lake sunset

Morning bus down to Abu Road and onward to Udaipur (~4-5 hours, £4-6), or the train from Abu Road to Udaipur if timings work. Settle into a lakeside guesthouse and spend the evening at Ambrai Ghat watching the Lake Palace light up. Optional detour to Eklingji and Nagda temples by shared auto (~£5) if you arrive early.

🚌Bus/train Mount Abu–Udaipur (~£4-6); shared auto for optional temple detour

🛏Guesthouse near Lake Pichola, Udaipur (~£14-22)

• →Ambrai Ghat evening
• →Lake Pichola shoreline walk
• →Eklingji & Nagda temples (optional)

Full day in Udaipur. City Palace (₹400 plus museum), Jagdish Temple, Saheliyon ki Bari and the Vintage & Classic Car Collection (₹400). Take a shared boat ride on Lake Pichola (~£6-8) late afternoon, then the Dharohar folk dance and music show at Bagore ki Haveli (₹150-200, 7pm daily) — the same performance the tour includes. A GetYourGuide guided Udaipur walking tour is ~£15-20 if you want context on the old city.

🚌Walking plus auto-rickshaws (~£3)

🛏Guesthouse near Lake Pichola, Udaipur

• →City Palace
• →Jagdish Temple
• →Saheliyon ki Bari
• →Classic Car Museum
• →Lake Pichola boat ride
• →Dharohar dance show at Bagore ki Haveli

Bus to Chittorgarh (~2-2.5 hours, £2-3). Spend the afternoon exploring Chittorgarh Fort, India's largest — Vijay Stambh (Victory Tower), Rana Kumbha Palace, Padmini Palace, Meerabai Temple, Kirti Stambh and the fort museum. The site is huge: hire a local guide (£8-10) or an auto to loop the highlights, otherwise it's a lot of walking in the heat.

🚌Bus Udaipur–Chittorgarh (~£2-3); auto-rickshaw around the fort (~£5 shared)

🛏Budget hotel in Chittorgarh town (~£12-18)

• →Chittorgarh Fort
• →Vijay Stambh
• →Rana Kumbha Palace
• →Padmini Palace
• →Meerabai Temple
• →Fort museum

Bus to Bundi (~3 hours, £2-4), optionally breaking at Bijolia's Garh Palace ruins. Bundi is Rajasthan's most underrated stop: climb to Taragarh Fort and Bundi Palace (combined ticket ~₹300), then find Raniji ki Baori — a spectacular 46m-deep stepwell — plus Sukh Mahal, Nawal Sagar Lake, Phool Sagar and the 84-pillared cenotaph. All easily walkable in an afternoon.

🚌Bus Chittorgarh–Bundi (~£2-4); walking in Bundi

🛏Guesthouse in Bundi old town (~£10-16)

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

Long-ish travel day: bus or train via Ajmer to Pushkar (~5 hours, £5-7), then a short shared jeep up to the lake town. Afternoon half-day loop of Pushkar Lake's ghats, the rare Brahma Temple, Savitri Temple (cable car ~£2 or a steep sunrise hike), and the smaller Mahadev, Varah and Rangji temples. Note Pushkar is vegetarian and alcohol-free.

🚌Bus/train Bundi–Ajmer–Pushkar (~£5-7); shared jeep to Pushkar

🛏Guesthouse near Pushkar Lake (~£10-16)

• →Pushkar Lake ghats
• →Brahma Temple
• →Savitri Temple (cable car)
• →Rangji Temple

Travel via Ajmer or Jaipur to Sawai Madhopur by train (~6 hours, £4-7), then a shared auto to your guesthouse near the park gate. Use the afternoon to sort your safari permits: morning and afternoon gypsy (6-seater shared, ~£25-30 per person per drive) or canter (20-seater, ~£15-18) seats can be booked on the official Rajasthan Forest Department portal or through your guesthouse. Park is closed 1 July–30 September.

🚌Train Pushkar/Ajmer–Sawai Madhopur (~£4-7); shared auto to hotel (~£2)

🛏Budget guesthouse or jungle lodge near Ranthambore gate (~£14-22)

• →Safari permit booking for the next two days
• →Village walk around Sawai Madhopur

Two game drives today: the dawn gypsy run (6:30am, best tiger odds) and the afternoon run (2:30pm), each ~3.5 hours in an open 6-seat Gypsy with a forest guide. Shared gypsy seats run ~£25-30 each; canter seats ~£15-18. Between drives, visit Ranthambore Fort and the Trinetra Ganesh Temple on the park edge. Book at least a few weeks ahead — zone and vehicle allocations sell out in peak season.

🚌Park gypsy/canter included in safari permit

🛏Budget guesthouse or jungle lodge near Ranthambore gate

• →Morning game drive
• →Afternoon game drive
• →Ranthambore Fort & Trinetra Ganesh Temple

Repeat the morning and afternoon game drives — different zones of the park, and two days of drives gives a realistic chance of a tiger sighting alongside sloth bears, leopards, sambar and crocodiles. Budget the same ~£40-55 for two shared drives, or swap the afternoon for a quieter nature walk in the buffer zone if you want a break from jeeps.

🚌Park gypsy/canter included in safari permit

🛏Budget guesthouse or jungle lodge near Ranthambore gate

• →Morning game drive
• →Afternoon game drive
• →Buffer-zone nature walk (optional)

Take a day train back to Delhi (~5 hours, £4-8) — the Jan Shatabdi or Mumbai Rajdhani routes both stop at Sawai Madhopur. Check into a Paharganj or Karol Bagh guesthouse, then spend the evening on a last wander through Connaught Place or a meal at a Karim's-style Mughlai spot. Sort any last-minute shopping and pre-book your airport transfer for tomorrow.

🚌Train Sawai Madhopur–New Delhi (~£4-8, 5 hrs); metro/auto in Delhi (~£2)

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, Paharganj/Karol Bagh (~£12-18)

• →Connaught Place evening
• →Street-food and market wander

Morning at leisure — optional final visit to Lodhi Gardens or the National Museum (₹300) if your flight is late. Take the Airport Express metro (£2) or an Ola/Uber (£4-6) to IGI Airport. If you still have buffer time, a GetYourGuide Delhi street-food tour (~£25) makes a good last-day activity.

🚌Airport Express metro or Ola/Uber to IGI Airport (~£2-6)

🛏—

• →Lodhi Gardens (optional)
• →National Museum (optional)
• →Airport transfer