Discover India: Self-Launched Delhi to Udaipur Adventure

Land at Indira Gandhi International, take the Airport Express metro to New Delhi station (~£1.50) or a prepaid taxi (~£4-5). Check into a budget hotel or hostel in South Delhi (GK-1, Hauz Khas or Paharganj for the cheapest beds). Spend the afternoon acclimatising: a short walk, chai, and an early dinner. If you want the operator's 'Women With Wheels' experience, book a female-driver city transfer or a women-led walking tour directly — several Delhi operators run these for around £15-25.

🚌Airport Express metro ~£1.50 or prepaid taxi ~£4-5

🛏Budget hotel/hostel, South Delhi or Paharganj (£12-18)

• →Airport transfer
• →Neighbourhood orientation walk
• →Optional women-led Delhi walk (~£20)

Do the classic Delhi day independently. Take the metro to Chandni Chowk and walk the lanes yourself (or join a GetYourGuide Old Delhi food/heritage walk, ~£15-20). Visit Jama Masjid (£0.30, plus camera fee), Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib (free, cover your head; volunteer in the langar kitchen), and ride a cycle rickshaw through the spice market (~£2). In the afternoon take the yellow line metro to Qutub Minar (£0.50 entry). Finish at Humayun's Tomb (£0.60) if you still have energy.

🚌Delhi Metro day pass ~£1.50; rickshaws ~£3

🛏Budget hotel/hostel, South Delhi or Paharganj (£12-18)

• →Old Delhi heritage/food walk (~£18)
• →Jama Masjid entry (~£0.30)
• →Qutub Minar entry (~£0.50)
• →Humayun's Tomb entry (~£0.60)

Book an AC 2-tier or AC 3-tier sleeper on the Shiv Ganga Express or similar Delhi–Varanasi overnight train via IRCTC (book well ahead; AC3 ~£12-15, AC2 ~£20). Aim for a train that arrives late afternoon, or take an early-morning flight (~£35-45) if you're short on time. Check into a guesthouse in Assi Ghat or near Dashashwamedh. At dusk, walk to Dashashwamedh Ghat for the free Ganga Aarti ceremony — arrive 45 minutes early for a step seat, or hire a small boat to watch from the water (~£4-6 shared).

🚌Delhi–Varanasi AC3 sleeper ~£13; or flight ~£40

🛏Guesthouse near Assi or Dashashwamedh Ghat (£12-18)

• →Ganga Aarti ceremony (free)
• →Optional boat view of aarti (~£5)

Haggle a rowing boat at Assi Ghat at 5:30am for the classic sunrise float past the burning ghats and bathing steps (~£6-8 per boat, shareable). Return for breakfast, then take an auto to Sarnath (~£3) to see the Dhamek Stupa and the museum where the Lion Capital of Ashoka is kept (combined entry ~£1). In the evening, do a self-paced Old Benaras heritage walk through the galis, or book a small-group spiritual walk via Klook/GetYourGuide (~£12).

🚌Autos ~£5 total

🛏Guesthouse near Assi or Dashashwamedh Ghat (£12-18)

• →Sunrise rowing boat (~£7)
• →Sarnath stupa and museum (~£1)
• →Old Benaras evening walk (~£12 optional)

Take a morning train from Varanasi to Lucknow Junction (3-5 hrs, AC chair car ~£6-9). Drop bags at a budget hotel in Hazratganj or Alambagh. Visit Bara Imambara and the Bhool Bhulaiya labyrinth (£0.60), then walk to the nearby Chhota Imambara and the Clock Tower. In the evening, do a DIY food walk in Aminabad: Tunday Kababi for galawati kebabs (~£3), basket chaat at Royal Cafe, and kulfi — total spend £6-8 for a full crawl.

🚌Varanasi–Lucknow AC chair car ~£7; autos ~£4

🛏Budget hotel, Hazratganj/Alambagh (£12-16)

• →Bara Imambara entry (~£0.60)
• →Aminabad street-food crawl (~£7)

A long travel day: book the Lucknow–Agra train (most routings change at Kanpur or Delhi; 8-10 hrs total, ~£8-12 in AC3). Alternatively split it with a short stop in Kanpur. Arrive Agra in the evening, check into a guesthouse in Taj Ganj so you're minutes from the east gate, and eat at a rooftop restaurant with a view of the Taj at dusk. Buy your Taj Mahal ticket online in advance (£1.10 for the mausoleum plus main monument) to skip the queue.

🚌Lucknow–Agra train ~£10; autos ~£3

🛏Guesthouse in Taj Ganj (£12-18)

• →Rooftop sunset view of the Taj
• →Pre-purchase Taj Mahal e-ticket

Be at the east gate for opening (sunrise is best for light and crowds). Walk in independently or hire an ASI-approved guide at the gate for ~£10 shared. After breakfast, visit Agra Fort (£0.60) if time allows, then take an afternoon train to Sawai Madhopur (3-4 hrs, ~£3-6) — the station is 5 minutes from the park gate. Settle into a budget guesthouse near the park. Book your safari slots online via the Rajasthan Forest Department portal (ranthambore.rajasthan.gov.in) as soon as the 90-day window opens — they sell out fast.

🚌Agra–Sawai Madhopur train ~£5; autos ~£4

🛏Guesthouse near Sawai Madhopur/park gate (£15-25)

• →Sunrise Taj Mahal entry (~£1.10)
• →Optional guide (~£10 shared)
• →Agra Fort entry (~£0.60)

Do a morning jeep safari (6-seater shared, ~£28-35 per person for a 3.5-hr game drive including permit and vehicle, bookable direct or via Klook/your guesthouse). Spend the afternoon climbing to Ranthambore Fort and the Trinetra Ganesha Temple on foot — free, 45 minutes up, with views over the park. If budget allows, add an afternoon safari (~£30) for a second tiger chance. Safari zones are assigned by lottery; Zone 3 and 4 are the classic lake zones.

🚌Shared safari jeep included in permit cost; local autos ~£3

🛏Guesthouse near Sawai Madhopur/park gate (£15-25)

• →Morning shared jeep safari (~£32)
• →Ranthambore Fort and Ganesh Temple walk (free)
• →Optional second safari (~£30)

Morning train Sawai Madhopur–Jaipur (1.5-2 hrs, ~£2-4). Check into a budget haveli or guesthouse in the old Pink City near Hawa Mahal. In the afternoon, book a hand block-printing workshop in Sanganer or Bagru directly with a workshop (e.g. via Klook, ~£18-25, includes materials and a take-home scarf). Evening: sunset from Nahargarh Fort viewpoint or rooftop chai over the bazaars.

🚌Train ~£3; autos ~£5

🛏Budget haveli/guesthouse, Pink City (£15-22)

• →Hand block-printing workshop (~£22)
• →Nahargarh Fort viewpoint (~£0.50)

Start early at Amber Fort (entry £1.10; audioguide £3 or a licensed guide £10 shared) — take a local bus or auto from Hawa Mahal (~£1). Return to the old city for the City Palace (£8 foreigner ticket) and Jantar Mantar (£2.20). Skip the guide and use the signage. In the late afternoon, join a home cooking class via GetYourGuide/Airbnb Experiences (~£20-28, includes market visit and dinner) — the closest DIY match to the operator's family culinary experience. Optional: hot-air balloon ride booked direct with Sky Waltz (~£170).

🚌Local bus/autos ~£4

🛏Budget haveli/guesthouse, Pink City (£15-22)

• →Amber Fort entry (~£1.10)
• →City Palace (~£8)
• →Jantar Mantar (~£2.20)
• →Home cooking class with market visit (~£25)
• →Optional rooftop view of Hawa Mahal (free)

Take a local bus or shared taxi from Jaipur to Ajmer (2.5 hrs, ~£2-3), then a short auto to Pushkar (~£1.50). Wander the bazaar and Pushkar Lake ghats independently and visit the Brahma Temple (free; shoes off, no photos inside). For the rural stay, book a village homestay through Airbnb or a Rajasthan community-tourism network in a village such as Doongariya Khurd near Ajmer (~£18-25 incl. home-cooked dinner) — ask your host to arrange the return auto.

🚌Jaipur–Ajmer bus ~£2.50; auto to Pushkar ~£1.50

🛏Village homestay near Pushkar/Ajmer (£18-25 incl. dinner)

• →Pushkar Lake and Brahma Temple (free)
• →Village walk with host
• →Home-cooked Rajasthani dinner

Bus or shared taxi Ajmer–Udaipur (6 hrs, ~£5-7) or take the train via Chittaurgarh. Check into a guesthouse in the old city near Lal Ghat. In the late afternoon, buy a ticket for the shared sunset boat on Lake Pichola from Rameshwar Ghat (~£7-9, 30-40 mins, passes close to the Lake Palace) — book on arrival at the ghat kiosk. Dinner on a rooftop overlooking the lake.

🚌Ajmer–Udaipur bus ~£6; autos ~£3

🛏Guesthouse near Lal Ghat, Udaipur (£12-18)

• →Lake Pichola sunset boat (~£8)
• →Old city ghat walk

Visit the City Palace complex and Crystal Gallery in the morning (£3-4, audioguide £2), then Jagdish Temple (free) and the Bagore ki Haveli dance show in the evening (£2, 7pm). Drop in on a morning yoga class at a local studio near Lal Ghat (~£5-8, pay at the door) — most guesthouses also run rooftop sessions. If you want the Monsoon Palace, share an auto up for sunset (~£8 return per vehicle).

🚌Walking plus autos ~£4

🛏Guesthouse near Lal Ghat, Udaipur (£12-18)

• →City Palace entry (~£4)
• →Jagdish Temple (free)
• →Yoga class (~£6)
• →Bagore ki Haveli dance show (~£2)
• →Optional Monsoon Palace sunset (~£4 shared)

The fastest option is a direct Udaipur–Delhi flight (~£40-55, 1h20); the cheaper option is the overnight Mewar Express in AC3 (~£12-15, ~12 hrs — depart the evening before to arrive Day 14 morning). Check back into a Delhi hotel and spend the afternoon shopping at Dilli Haat or Khan Market. Farewell dinner with any travel friends you've picked up along the way — £8-12 for a good thali or a Connaught Place restaurant.

🚌Udaipur–Delhi flight ~£45 or AC3 train ~£13

🛏Budget hotel/hostel, South Delhi (£12-18)

• →Dilli Haat market
• →Farewell dinner

Breakfast, last-minute souvenir run, and take the Airport Express metro to IGI for your flight home (~£1.50, 20 mins from New Delhi station). If your flight is late, add a morning visit to the Gandhi Smriti or Lodhi Gardens (both free).

🚌Airport Express metro ~£1.50

🛏—

• →Optional Lodhi Gardens or Gandhi Smriti (free)