Golden Triangle & Varanasi: Self-Launched Edition

Land at Indira Gandhi International and take the Airport Express metro (Blue Line) to New Delhi station, roughly £1.50–2. Avoid the touts at arrivals and book a prepaid taxi only if you land after midnight (~£5–7). Check into a Paharganj or Karol Bagh guesthouse, swap a little cash, buy an Indian eSIM or local SIM with your passport, then wander Main Bazaar for a first thali (Chandni Chowk's Paranthe Wali Gali is a 20-minute walk away). Early night before a big sightseeing day.

🚌Airport Express metro from IGI to New Delhi station (~£2); walkable neighbourhood

🛏Budget guesthouse in Paharganj or Karol Bagh (private room, A/C) — £13

• →Airport Express metro into the city
• →Main Bazaar and Paranthe Wali Gali food walk
• →Evening rooftop chai

Ride the Metro to Chawri Bazaar for Jama Masjid at opening (free entry, ~£2 camera fee, cover shoulders and legs). Take a cycle rickshaw through Chandni Chowk's spice lanes (~£2, agree the price first), view the Red Fort from outside or buy the £6 ticket, then continue to Raj Ghat. In the afternoon use the Metro to Gurudwara Bangla Sahib (free, volunteer in the langar kitchen), then Qutub Minar (£6) if you have legs left. Skip paid guides — download a self-guided walking-audio app or join a free tip-based walk from a Delhi hostel if you want company. Sunset drive past India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan from an auto (~£2).

🚌Delhi Metro day card (~£2.50) plus cycle rickshaw and autos (~£4)

🛏Same Paharganj/Karol Bagh guesthouse — £13

• →Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk cycle rickshaw ride
• →Gurudwara Bangla Sahib
• →Qutub Minar
• →India Gate and Rajpath by auto

Take the 06:10 Gatimaan Express from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Agra Cantt (about 1h40, £6–9 in chair car — book on IRCTC a few weeks ahead). Drop bags at a Taj Ganj guesthouse, then explore Agra Fort (£6) with a downloadable audio guide. Late afternoon head to the Taj Mahal's east gate for the sunset slot (£12 — buy online at asi.payumoney.com, closed Fridays). Fridays and full-moon nights aside, sunset light on the marble is superb and less crowded than sunrise. Dinner of Mughlai food in Taj Ganj.

🚌Gatimaan Express Delhi–Agra (~£8); autos and walking in Agra (~£3)

🛏Guesthouse with rooftop Taj view in Taj Ganj — £15

• →Agra Fort
• →Taj Mahal sunset entry
• →Taj Ganj rooftop dinner

Catch a local bus or shared taxi from Agra's Idgah bus stand to Fatehpur Sikri (~1.5 hrs, £1.50–3). Explore the abandoned Mughal capital, Buland Darwaza and the tomb of Sheikh Salim Chishti in the mosque compound (£6 combined ticket; the mosque itself is free but you'll be asked for shoe-cover and camera fees). Continue by bus from the same stand to Bharatpur or straight to Jaipur (3–4 hrs, £2–4). Check into a guesthouse in the old city near Hawa Mahal and eat a Rajasthani thali (dal baati churma) in the evening.

🚌Agra–Fatehpur Sikri local bus (~£2), Fatehpur Sikri–Jaipur bus (~£3.50), autos (~£2)

🛏Old-city guesthouse near Hawa Mahal, Jaipur — £15

• →Fatehpur Sikri and Buland Darwaza
• →Tomb of Sheikh Salim Chishti
• →Rajasthani thali dinner

Take a local bus or shared auto to Amer Fort early (combined Amer + Nahargarh + Hawa Mahal + Jantar Mantar composite ticket ~£7, valid two days). Skip the elephant ride — it's contested ethically and pricey (£15+) — and walk up the ramp instead, or ride the fort's jeep (~£3). On the way back stop at Jal Mahal for photos, then hit the City Palace (£8), Jantar Mantar and Hawa Mahal from the street-side chai cafés. Finish with a wander through Johari and Bapu Bazaar for textiles and block prints. Optional Bollywood film at Raj Mandir cinema (~£2).

🚌Local bus/shared auto to Amer (~£2), autos between sights (~£3)

🛏Old-city guesthouse near Hawa Mahal — £15

• →Amer Fort (composite ticket)
• →Jal Mahal viewpoint
• →City Palace and Jantar Mantar
• →Hawa Mahal and Johari Bazaar

Morning flight from Jaipur (JAI) to Varanasi (VNS) with IndiGo or SpiceJet, roughly 1h40. Book 3–6 weeks ahead for £45–65 one way; if you're on a tighter budget the overnight Marudhar Express train takes ~17 hrs in sleeper class for £5–8 but eats a whole day. Land, take a prepaid taxi to the ghats (~£5), and check into a guesthouse in Assi or near Dashashwamedh. Spend the afternoon acclimatising: walk the ghats from Assi to Manikarnika, drink malaiyo or lassi, and book a sunrise boat the next morning directly with a boatman at Assi Ghat (agree £4–6 for a shared rowboat).

🚌Jaipur–Varanasi flight (~£55); airport taxi into town (~£5)

🛏Ghat-side guesthouse in Assi or near Dashashwamedh — £16

• →Arrival walk along the ghats
• →Malaiyo and lassi tasting
• →Sunrise boat booking with a local boatman

Meet your boatman at 05:45 for a sunrise rowboat past the burning ghats and temples (£5 shared, plus tip). Afterwards walk Old Varanasi's lanes to Kashi Vishwanath temple (free; leave phones and leather outside — security is strict). Mid-morning take a shared auto or local bus to Sarnath (~8 km, ~£1) to see Dhamek Stupa, Chaukhandi Stupa, the Mulagandha Kuti Vihar and the Sarnath Museum (£2, closed Fridays). Return for a light dinner and reach Dashashwamedh Ghat by 18:30 to watch the Ganga aarti from the steps for free — arrive early or pay £1–2 for a boat-side view.

🚌Shared auto/bus to Sarnath (~£2), walking plus cycle rickshaws (~£2)

🛏Ghat-side guesthouse — £16

• →Sunrise Ganges boat ride
• →Kashi Vishwanath temple and Old Varanasi lanes
• →Sarnath stupas, Mulagandha Kuti Vihar and museum
• →Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat

Morning flight Varanasi to Delhi (~£50–65, 1h30) with enough connection buffer for an international departure — or take the overnight train the night before if you're stretching the budget. If your flight is late, leave bags at the guesthouse and take one last ghat walk for chai and kachori sabzi before heading to the airport. Note: on the original tour Day 8 returns you to Delhi, so allow at least 4–5 hours between your domestic landing and international check-in.

🚌Varanasi–Delhi flight (~£55); airport transfers (~£6)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Final ghat walk and breakfast
• →Flight back to Delhi