Self-Launched: The Ultimate Adventure Through Rajasthan

Land at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and pre-book an airport pickup or take the Airport Express Metro (~£2) or an Ola/Uber (~£4-6) to a budget stay in Paharganj or near Karol Bagh (£12-20/night). Rest up, then in the late afternoon join an Old Delhi heritage walk you've booked independently via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£10-15), covering Chandni Chowk lanes and finishing at Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib (headscarf provided, free langar meal). Dinner at a local thali spot like Lakhori or a Karim's-style eatery (~£4-6).

🚌Airport Express Metro ~£2 or Ola/Uber ~£4-6; walk/metro around the city (~£1)

🛏Budget heritage-style guesthouse or hotel in Paharganj/Old Delhi (~£12-20)

• →Old Delhi heritage walking tour (self-booked ~£10-15)
• →Chandni Chowk & Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib visit
• →Welcome dinner at a local restaurant

Do a Salaam Baalak Trust city walk (~£8-10, book direct or via GetYourGuide) led by a former street-child guide. Pick up lunch for the train, then take a morning/early-afternoon Gatimaan Express or Shatabdi train from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Agra Cantt (2-3hrs, ~£8-14, book on IRCTC or 12Go Asia). In the late afternoon hire a bicycle from a local rental shop or join a small-group village cycling tour (~£10-15) through rural lanes towards the Taj Mahal. Dinner at a local restaurant (~£4).

🚌Gatimaan/Shatabdi Express Delhi-Agra ~£8-14; bicycle hire ~£3-5

🛏Budget hotel in Agra, Taj Ganj area with rooftop views (~£12-18)

• →Salaam Baalak Trust walking tour (~£8-10)
• →Village cycling tour (~£10-15)
• →Sunset Taj views from the countryside

Buy your Taj Mahal ticket online in advance (~£12 for foreigners, plus £2 for the mausoleum). Enter at sunrise to beat the crowds. Rest and lunch afterwards, then visit Agra Fort (~£6). In the late afternoon join a self-booked Agra street food walking tour via GetYourGuide (~£12-18) sampling chaat, petha and jalebi and watching marble inlay craftsmen at work. Note the Taj is closed Fridays.

🚌Auto-rickshaw hops around Agra ~£2-3 total

🛏Budget hotel in Agra, Taj Ganj area (~£12-18)

• →Taj Mahal sunrise entry (~£14 incl. mausoleum)
• →Agra Fort (~£6)
• →Agra street food walking tour (~£12-18)

Optional sunrise yoga session overlooking the Taj (~£5-8, many Taj Ganj rooftops offer this). Take a shared taxi or train to Bharatpur (~1.5hrs, £3-6), then explore Keoladeo National Park by cycle rickshaw with a local guide (~£10-14 entry plus rickshaw/guide). Look out for storks, herons and the Pallas's Sea Eagle. Continue by car/train to Jaipur (~3hrs, ~£8-12). In the evening, book an in-home Rajasthani cooking class via Airbnb Experiences or GetYourGuide (~£15-20) with dinner included.

🚌Car/shared taxi Agra-Bharatpur-Jaipur ~£12-18 total

🛏Budget guesthouse in Jaipur's old city or MI Road area (~£12-20)

• →Sunrise yoga over the Taj (~£5-8)
• →Keoladeo National Park birdwatching by rickshaw (~£12-16)
• →Rajasthani home cooking class & dinner (~£15-20)

Join a self-booked Jaipur cycling tour (~£15-20) for a dawn ride past Hawa Mahal, out to Amber Fort and the City Palace. Rest during the midday heat, then in the afternoon hike up to Nahargarh Fort (~£3-4 entry) for sweeping sunset views over Jaipur — it's around 30-45 minutes on foot from the base. Stay for dinner at the fort/rooftop spots or head back into town. Combined Amber Fort entry is ~£6.

🚌Bicycle tour + short auto-rickshaw hops ~£2-4

🛏Budget guesthouse in Jaipur (~£12-20)

• →Pink City cycling tour (~£15-20)
• →Amber Fort & City Palace entry (~£6)
• →Nahargarh Fort hike & sunset (~£3-4)

Catch an early train from Jaipur to Jodhpur (~5hrs, £8-14, book on IRCTC/12Go). On arrival visit Mehrangarh Fort (~£7) for the grand palaces and Blue City views. Walk through the Blue City lanes and grab lunch (~£4). Then take a shared taxi or local bus ~40km to Chandelao village, staying at Chandelao Garh heritage stay (~£30-45/night) — a restored 17th-century fort with rural access and local crafts.

🚌Jaipur-Jodhpur train ~£8-14; shared taxi to Chandelao ~£4-6

🛏Chandelao Garh heritage stay, Chandelao (~£30-45)

• →Mehrangarh Fort (~£7)
• →Blue City walk
• →Chandelao Garh heritage stay

Hire a jeep and driver for the day from Chandelao (~£30-40 for the group, ~£8-12 each) to travel through rural Rajasthan. Stop to meet camel-hair rug weavers and potters — try your hand at pottery. Continue through Bishnoi villages where conservation traditions make wildlife sightings (nilgai, blackbuck, chinkara, Egyptian vulture) likely. Visit a Bishnoi home. In the evening, arrange a desert barbecue on a rocky outcrop above the Thar — many heritage stays in Chandelao can organise this (~£15-20 each, food included).

🚌Private jeep hire for the day ~£8-12 per person

🛏Chandelao Garh heritage stay (~£30-45)

• →Bishnoi village tour with artisan visits (~£8-12)
• →Pottery workshop
• →Thar Desert barbecue dinner (~£15-20)

Drive ~3.5hrs from Chandelao to Narlai, a village in the Aravalli range surrounded by granite hills, temples and stepwells. Base yourself at a budget/family guesthouse or a reasonably priced room at Rawla Narlai-style heritage stay nearby (~£25-45). Lunch at a locally owned restaurant. In the late afternoon join a leopard safari with expert naturalists and local trackers through the Godwar region (~£30-45 per person for the jeep share) — expect granite hills, scrubland and wildlife including jackals, hyenas, antelope and, with luck, caracals or sloth bears.

🚌Private car Chandelao-Narlai ~£30-40 total (~£8-12 each)

🛏Guesthouse or heritage stay in Narlai (~£25-45)

• →Godwar leopard safari with naturalist (~£30-45)
• →Village & stepwell exploration

Early wake-up for a second jeep safari (~£30-45 pp) to track leopards at their most active while the light breaks. Return for a late breakfast and relax. In the afternoon, hire a local guide (~£8-12) for a 3hr hike through the Aravalli hills and scrub forest, past tribal hamlets and pastoral settlements, with chances to meet Rabari herders.

🚌Jeep for safari included; local guide on foot

🛏Guesthouse or heritage stay in Narlai (~£25-45)

• →Dawn leopard jeep safari (~£30-45)
• →Aravalli hills hike with local guide (~£8-12)

Drive ~3.5hrs to Udaipur (~£30-40 total, ~£8-12 each). Check into a lakeside budget guesthouse or haveli (~£15-25). Explore the City Palace complex (~£8, one of Rajasthan's largest) at a leisurely pace. In the evening take a Lake Pichola boat cruise (~£6-10) with views to Jag Mandir and the Lake Palace, then dinner at a local restaurant (~£4-6).

🚌Private car Narlai-Udaipur ~£8-12 each

🛏Lakeside budget guesthouse or haveli in Udaipur (~£15-25)

• →City Palace Udaipur (~£8)
• →Lake Pichola boat cruise (~£6-10)
• →Lakeside dinner

Take a short shared taxi to a nearby village (~£4-6) and set off on a 4hr hike through the Aravalli hills with sweeping rural views, finishing in a traditional Bhil village where you can arrange a home lunch with a local family (~£8-12, many Udaipur guesthouses can connect you). Afternoon free to wander the lakeside or browse the bazaars. Farewell dinner at a rooftop restaurant (~£6-8).

🚌Shared taxi to trailhead ~£4-6

🛏Lakeside budget guesthouse or haveli in Udaipur (~£15-25)

• →Aravalli hike (~free/maps app route)
• →Bhil village lunch with local family (~£8-12)
• →Farewell rooftop dinner (~£6-8)

Breakfast at your guesthouse, then head to Maharana Pratap Airport (UDR) — pre-book an Ola/Uber (~£5-8) or take a shared taxi. If flying on to Delhi or Mumbai, book an internal flight in advance (typically £35-60). Trip ends.

🚌Taxi to Maharana Pratap Airport ~£5-8

🛏—

• →Airport transfer