Majestic Rajasthan & Sacred Varanasi: Self-Launched Heritage & Spirituality Route
11 days · India (Delhi, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Agra, Varanasi)
Brahmlaxmi Tours and Travel charges £1,975
No-markup version: ~£1,045 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An 11-day self-launched version of Brahmlaxmi Tours' Delhi-to-Varanasi heritage itinerary. You'll cover the same Mughal and Rajput highlights — Jama Masjid, Qutub Minar, Udaipur's City Palace, Ranakpur's marble temples, Mehrangarh Fort, Amber Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, the Taj Mahal — then ride the rails east to Varanasi for Sarnath and the Ganga Aarti. Instead of a private car and driver, you'll mix sleeper and AC chair-car trains, state-run buses and shared autos; instead of a fixed hotel chain, you'll stay in guesthouses and budget hotels in the same neighbourhoods. Expect roughly 6-8 hours of travel on the longest transfer days, book trains well in advance (they sell out 60+ days ahead), and use local guides or self-booked walks at each monument for context. All costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller rates in GBP, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Delhi — Paharganj base camp
Delhi
Land at Indira Gandhi International and take the Airport Express Metro (approx £1.80) or a prepaid taxi (~£5-7) to Paharganj or Karol Bagh. Settle into a budget guesthouse, get an Indian SIM/eSIM sorted, and take an easy evening walk around Connaught Place. Keep the day light to shake off jet lag — tomorrow is a full sightseeing day.
🚌Airport Express Metro ~£1.80 or prepaid taxi ~£6
🛏Budget guesthouse in Paharganj or Karol Bagh (~£18/night, twin/dorm options cheaper)
- →Airport transfer by metro or prepaid taxi
- →Evening stroll around Connaught Place
- →Buy local SIM/eSIM and set up UPI or cash
Old & New Delhi highlights on foot and by rickshaw
Delhi
Start early at Jama Masjid (entry ~£0.50, camera fee extra), then wander Chandni Chowk's spice and textile lanes — a cycle rickshaw loop costs about £2-3 (agree the price first). Continue to Rajghat (free), then take an auto past India Gate, Parliament House and Rashtrapati Bhavan. Finish at Qutub Minar (foreigner ticket ~£6). Self-book a half-day Old Delhi food walk on GetYourGuide (~£20) if you want guided context on the bazaars.
🚌Metro day pass ~£1.50; autos and cycle rickshaws ~£6 total
🛏Budget guesthouse in Paharganj or Karol Bagh (~£18/night)
- →Jama Masjid
- →Chandni Chowk cycle-rickshaw loop
- →Rajghat
- →India Gate / Parliament House drive-past
- →Qutub Minar
- →Optional: Old Delhi food walk ~£20
Fly or train to Udaipur — Lake Pichola evening
Udaipur
Book a morning IndiGo/SpiceJet flight Delhi-Udaipur (~£40-55 one-way, 1h20) — cheaper but slower is the overnight Mewar Express train (~£8-14 in 3AC). Check into a guesthouse in the Lal Ghat area near the lake. In the late afternoon take a shared boat ride on Lake Pichola (~£7-10) and stroll the ghats and Hathi Pol craft shops as the palaces light up.
🚌Domestic flight ~£50 or overnight train ~£12; airport transfer auto ~£3
🛏Lakeside guesthouse in Lal Ghat, Udaipur (~£20/night)
- →Lake Pichola boat ride
- →Lakeside ghat stroll
- →Hathi Pol craft browsing
Udaipur's palaces, temples and Nagda ruins
Udaipur
Do the City Palace (combined ticket ~£8) and Jagdish Temple (free) on foot in the morning. In the afternoon hire an auto or shared taxi to Eklingji Temple and the Nagda Temples ruins (~£15-20 round trip, 45 mins each way). Alternatively self-book a half-day Udaipur city tour on Klook/GetYourGuide (~£18) which bundles transport and a guide. Sunset at Ambrai Ghat is free and excellent.
🚌Auto/shared taxi to Eklingji & Nagda ~£18 return
🛏Lakeside guesthouse in Lal Ghat, Udaipur (~£20/night)
- →City Palace
- →Jagdish Temple
- →Eklingji Temple
- →Nagda Temples
- →Sunset at Ambrai Ghat
Ranakpur Jain temples en route to Jodhpur
Ranakpur / Jodhpur
Take a Rajasthan State Road Transport bus or shared jeep from Udaipur toward Jodhpur, breaking the journey at Ranakpur (~£4-6, about 2 hours). The Chaumukha Temple's 1,444 carved marble pillars are the highlight (entry ~£2, shoes and leather items not allowed). Continue onward to Jodhpur by bus (~£3-5, 2.5 hours) and stay near the Clock Tower in the old city.
🚌RSRTC bus Udaipur-Ranakpur ~£5 and Ranakpur-Jodhpur ~£4
🛏Guesthouse near Clock Tower / Navchokiya, Jodhpur (~£18/night)
- →Ranakpur Jain Temples (Chaumukha Temple)
- →Evening at Clock Tower market and Sardar Market
Mehrangarh Fort and the Blue City, then overnight train to Jaipur
Jodhpur
Walk or auto up to Mehrangarh Fort (entry + audio guide ~£7) and allow 2-3 hours for the ramparts and museum. Visit Jaswant Thada (small entry ~£1) and get lost in the indigo lanes of Navchokiya with their blue-washed houses. In the evening catch the Jodhpur-Jaipur train (3AC ~£7-10, about 5-6 hours) or a Rajasthan bus (~£5).
🚌Jodhpur-Jaipur train 3AC ~£8 or bus ~£5
🛏Budget hotel near Hawa Mahal / Bani Park, Jaipur (~£18/night)
- →Mehrangarh Fort
- →Jaswant Thada
- →Navchokiya blue lanes and Clock Tower bazaars
Jaipur: Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar
Jaipur
Take local bus #5 or a shared auto to Amber Fort (~£1-2); entry ~£6, and the light-and-sound show is optional. Photo-stop at Hawa Mahal (free from the street, or ~£2 inside), then see the City Palace (~£8) and Jantar Mantar (~£2.50) on foot in the Pink City. Book a Jaipur heritage walking tour on GetYourGuide (~£18) if you want the fort history properly explained, plus an evening block-print or bangle workshop (~£12).
🚌Local bus to Amber ~£1; shared autos ~£4 total
🛏Budget hotel near Hawa Mahal / Bani Park, Jaipur (~£18/night)
- →Amber Fort
- →Hawa Mahal photo stop
- →City Palace Jaipur
- →Jantar Mantar
- →Optional: heritage walk ~£18
Stepwell and ghost city: Jaipur to Agra via Abhaneri and Fatehpur Sikri
Abhaneri / Fatehpur Sikri / Agra
Take an early train or bus Jaipur to Bandikui/Dausa (~£2-3) and a short auto to Chand Baori stepwell at Abhaneri (entry ~£2). Continue by bus toward Fatehpur Sikri (~£3-5) and explore the UNESCO-listed Mughal capital (entry ~£6). Then bus or shared taxi the final 40 km to Agra (~£2-3). This is a long day — start by 7am and pack snacks. Alternatively book a shared one-way transfer on Klook (~£25) to save time.
🚌Train/bus combo Jaipur-Abhaneri-Fatehpur Sikri-Agra ~£12
🛏Budget hotel in Taj Ganj, Agra (~£20/night)
- →Chand Baori Stepwell
- →Fatehpur Sikri
- →Sunset over Agra rooftops
Sunrise Taj Mahal and Agra Fort
Agra
Pre-book your Taj Mahal ticket online (~£12, closed Fridays) for the first entry slot — from Taj Ganj you can walk in 10 minutes. Allow 2-3 hours; a licensed guide at the gate runs ~£10-15 but is negotiable, or use the official audio guide (~£2). Afterwards visit Agra Fort (~£6, 20 mins by auto ~£2). Optional sunset view of the Taj from Mehtab Bagh (~£3). Buy train tickets for tomorrow's Varanasi leg tonight.
🚌Walking plus autos ~£3
🛏Budget hotel in Taj Ganj, Agra (~£20/night)
- →Taj Mahal at sunrise
- →Agra Fort
- →Optional: Mehtab Bagh sunset view
Train to Varanasi — Sarnath and Ganga Aarti
Varanasi
Take a daytime AC Chair Car train Agra to Varanasi (roughly 10-12 hours, ~£12-18) or, if you prefer to save a day, fly via Delhi (~£55-70). On arrival, head to Sarnath (auto ~£2-3), where Buddha gave his first sermon — see the Dhamek Stupa, Ashokan Pillar and Sarnath Museum (combined ticket ~£2.50, museum closed Fridays). Return to the old city for the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat at dusk (free, arrive 45 mins early for a seat on the steps).
🚌Agra-Varanasi AC Chair Car train ~£15; local autos ~£5
🛏Guesthouse near Assi Ghat or Dashashwamedh, Varanasi (~£18/night)
- →Sarnath: Dhamek Stupa, Ashokan Pillar, Museum
- →Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat
Sunrise boat on the Ganges and silk weaving
Varanasi
Take a shared sunrise rowboat on the Ganges (~£4-6 per person, or private for ~£10) from Assi Ghat to Manikarnika to watch the bathing and cremation rituals at first light. Afterwards visit a silk weaving co-op in Madanpura or Sarai Mohana (~free, tip-based) to see Banarasi brocade on handlooms, then grab a last kachori-sabzi breakfast. Transfer to Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport by auto/taxi (~£4-6).
🚌Auto to airport ~£5
🛏None (departure day) — optional extra night ~£18
- →Sunrise Ganges boat ride
- →Silk weaving centre visit
- →Last breakfast of kachori-sabzi and lassi
Self-launched vs. Brahmlaxmi Tours and Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Brahmlaxmi Tours and Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,045 | £1,975 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £930 per person (47%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Brahmlaxmi Tours and Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,045
estimated per person
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Majestic Rajasthan & Sacred Varanasi: Self-Launched Heritage & Spirituality Route cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,045 per person for 11 days in India (Delhi, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Agra, Varanasi). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Brahmlaxmi Tours and Travel?+
Yes — Brahmlaxmi Tours and Travel charges around £1,975 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,045 — a saving of roughly £930 (47%) per person.
How long is the India (Delhi, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Agra, Varanasi) trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 day-by-day stops through India (Delhi, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Agra, Varanasi).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, adventure, backpacker trip through India (Delhi, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Agra, Varanasi), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
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