Royal Rajasthan: Self-Launched Loop from Delhi

Land at Indira Gandhi International and take the Airport Express Metro to New Delhi station (~£2) or a prepaid taxi (~£8-10). Drop bags at a Paharganj or Karol Bagh guesthouse. In the afternoon walk into Old Delhi: Jama Masjid's courtyard is free, a cycle-rickshaw loop through Chandni Chowk costs £2-3, and Rajghat is free. Take the metro to Qutub Minar (~50p) and, if time allows, a late-afternoon stroll past India Gate and Rajpath. Skip the operator's airport meet-and-greet — the metro does the same job for a fraction of the price.

🚌Airport Express Metro ~£2; metro day pass ~£1.50; cycle rickshaw ~£2.50

🛏Guesthouse in Paharganj or Karol Bagh, ~£14/night

• →Jama Masjid courtyard
• →Cycle-rickshaw through Chandni Chowk
• →Rajghat memorial
• →Qutub Minar
• →India Gate and Rajpath drive-by on foot/metro

Take an early train from Delhi to Jhunjhunu or Nawalgarh (Delhi–Jhunjhunu trains run daily, ~5-6 hrs, sleeper/chair car ~£5-7), then a shared jeep or local bus the last 30-40 km to Mandawa (~£1.50). Check into a converted haveli guesthouse. Spend the afternoon wandering the painted frescoes of Hanuman Prasad Goenka Haveli and Jhunjhunwala Haveli — both are free or a few rupees to enter, and the whole town is walkable in 2-3 hours.

🚌Train Delhi–Jhunjhunu ~£6 + shared jeep/bus ~£1.50

🛏Heritage haveli guesthouse in Mandawa, ~£15/night

• →Hanuman Prasad Goenka Haveli
• →Jhunjhunwala Haveli
• →Shekhawati fresco street walk

Bus or shared jeep from Mandawa to Bikaner (~3.5-4 hrs, ~£3). Bikaner is a handy break point but also home to one of Rajasthan's best-preserved forts: Junagarh Fort costs around £5 to enter with an audio guide. If you want the palace-resort feel of the operator's top-tier hotel, treat yourself to a chai on the terrace at Lalgarh Palace's cafe without paying for the room — or budget a night there if you'd rather splurge.

🚌Local bus Mandawa–Bikaner ~£3; auto-rickshaw around town ~£1.50

🛏Guesthouse near the old city, ~£13/night

• →Junagarh Fort with audio guide
• →Old city bazaar wander

A long but scenic day: bus or train from Bikaner to Jaisalmer (~5-6 hrs, bus ~£5, train ~£4). Arrive mid-afternoon, check into a guesthouse inside or beside the living fort. Walk 20 minutes out to Vyas Chhatri for a free sunset over the sandstone cenotaphs — this is the same viewpoint the tour uses, minus the private car.

🚌Bus Bikaner–Jaisalmer ~£5; auto to Vyas Chhatri ~£1.50

🛏Fort-side guesthouse, ~£14/night

• →Vyas Chhatri sunset
• →Gadisar Lake evening walk

Morning on foot inside Jaisalmer Fort (free to enter, individual palaces ~£2-3 each) then Patwon Ki Haveli and Salim Singh Ki Haveli (~£1.50 each). In the afternoon, book a shared camel-safari jeep trip to Sam Sand Dunes through any guesthouse — typically £12-18 per person including jeep, camel ride and sunset, versus a private arrangement. Back in town by nightfall for dinner on a rooftop.

🚌Shared jeep to Sam Sand Dunes ~£7 share of cost

🛏Fort-side guesthouse, ~£14/night

• →Jaisalmer Fort
• →Patwon Ki Haveli
• →Salim Singh Ki Haveli
• →Shared camel ride and sunset at Sam Sand Dunes

Morning bus or train to Jodhpur (~5 hrs, ~£4.50). Check into a guesthouse in the old blue-city lanes below the fort. Mehrangarh Fort entry is about £6 with an excellent audio guide; Jaswant Thada is ~£1.50 and lovely at golden hour. Finish with a rooftop dinner overlooking the illuminated fort.

🚌Bus/train Jaisalmer–Jodhpur ~£4.50; auto-rickshaw to fort ~£1.50

🛏Old-city guesthouse in Jodhpur, ~£13/night

• →Mehrangarh Fort and museums
• →Jaswant Thada
• →Blue city lanes walk
• →Clock Tower market

Do the Ranakpur detour independently: take a morning bus from Jodhpur to Ranakpur (~3 hrs, ~£3), stop for 1.5 hours at the 15th-century Jain temple with its 1,400 carved marble pillars (free entry, camera fee ~£1.50), then catch a passing bus or shared jeep on to Udaipur (~2 hrs, ~£2). Arrive in Udaipur by evening and settle into a lakeside guesthouse in the old town.

🚌Bus Jodhpur–Ranakpur ~£3 + local bus Ranakpur–Udaipur ~£2

🛏Lakeside guesthouse in Udaipur old town, ~£14/night

• →Ranakpur Jain Temple
• →Evening at Gangaur Ghat

Walk the old town: Jagdish Temple is free, City Palace entry is ~£4.50 with museum. In the late afternoon buy a shared public boat ticket for Lake Pichola at the Rameshwar Ghat jetty (~£3-4 for the basic 30-minute ride — far cheaper than the tour's private island stop). Optional sunset walk or taxi to Monsoon Palace (~£1.50 entry plus ~£3 shared taxi).

🚌All on foot; shared taxi to Monsoon Palace ~£3

🛏Lakeside guesthouse, ~£14/night

• →City Palace and museum
• →Jagdish Temple
• →Public Lake Pichola boat ride
• →Optional Monsoon Palace sunset

A big travel day done the local way: early bus Udaipur–Chittorgarh (~2 hrs, ~£2), leave your bag at a chai stall near the bus stand, and take a shared auto up to Chittorgarh Fort (~£1.50) for a 2-3 hour walk past Kirti Stambh, Vijay Stambh and Rani Padmini's Palace (fort entry ~£2.50). Then an afternoon/evening bus onward to Ajmer (~4.5 hrs, ~£4) and a local bus or shared auto the final 15 km to Pushkar (~£0.50).

🚌Buses Udaipur–Chittorgarh ~£2, Chittorgarh–Ajmer ~£4, Ajmer–Pushkar ~£0.50; shared auto ~£1.50

🛏Guesthouse near Pushkar Lake, ~£12/night

• →Chittorgarh Fort
• →Kirti Stambh
• →Vijay Stambh
• →Rani Padmini's Palace

Wake early for Pushkar Lake ghats and the rare Brahma Temple (free, shoes off) before the day-trippers arrive. Mid-morning bus from Ajmer to Jaipur (~3 hrs, ~£4). In Jaipur, check into a guesthouse in the old pink city and spend the evening in the bazaars around Johari and Bapu Bazaar, or catch a Bollywood film at Raj Mandir for ~£2.

🚌Shared auto Pushkar–Ajmer ~£1 + bus Ajmer–Jaipur ~£4; local autos ~£2

🛏Old-city guesthouse in Jaipur, ~£13/night

• →Pushkar Lake ghats
• →Brahma Temple
• →Jaipur bazaar wander
• →Optional Raj Mandir cinema

Take a local bus or shared auto to Amber Fort (~£1, entry ~£5.50) and climb the ramp on foot rather than paying for a jeep. A combined Jaipur monument ticket covers Amber, City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, Nahargarh and Albert Hall for ~£10 — excellent value. Hire a government-licensed guide at Amber for ~£8-10 shared with other travellers if you want the context. Finish with a photo stop at Hawa Mahal and a thali dinner in the old city.

🚌Local bus to Amber ~£1; autos ~£3

🛏Old-city guesthouse, ~£13/night

• →Amber Fort
• →City Palace
• →Jantar Mantar
• →Hawa Mahal
• →Optional shared local guide

Take an early bus or train from Jaipur toward Agra and break the journey at Abhaneri for Chand Baori stepwell (~£1 entry; get off on the Agra highway and take a short shared jeep from the junction, ~£1). Continue to Fatehpur Sikri (~£2.50 entry; shared jeep from the bus stand ~£1) for a couple of hours among Buland Darwaza and Salim Chishti's Tomb, then a local bus the last hour into Agra (~£1.50). Book your Taj Mahal ticket online for tomorrow's sunrise slot.

🚌Buses and shared jeeps Jaipur–Abhaneri–Fatehpur Sikri–Agra, ~£6 total

🛏Guesthouse in Taj Ganj with rooftop Taj views, ~£12/night

• →Chand Baori stepwell
• →Fatehpur Sikri
• →Buland Darwaza
• →Salim Chishti's Tomb

Enter the Taj Mahal at first light (online ticket ~£12, plus ~£3 for the mausoleum platform; East Gate is usually the quietest). Freshen up, then walk to Agra Fort (~£6 with audio guide). In the afternoon take a Shatabdi Express or the Gatimaan Express from Agra Cantt to Delhi (~2 hrs, ~£10-13 in chair car) and onward to the airport by Airport Express Metro (~£2) or a prepaid taxi (~£8).

🚌Train Agra–Delhi ~£11 + Airport Express Metro ~£2

🛏None (departure day) or add a final night in Delhi ~£14

• →Taj Mahal at sunrise
• →Agra Fort