Best India Tour — 13 Days Self-Launched (Delhi to Udaipur via Varanasi)

Land at Indira Gandhi International Airport and make your own way into the city — nothing is pre-arranged. Take the Airport Express metro (Delhi Aerocity to New Delhi station, roughly £2) or a pre-paid taxi from the official counter (about £7-9 to Paharganj). Check into a budget guesthouse or hostel in Paharganj or a mid-range area like Karol Bagh. Spend the afternoon resting and walking around Connaught Place. Buy a local SIM (Airtel/Jio, ~£4 for a 1-month tourist plan) and set up UPI or carry cash. Visit a Delhi Metro customer-service window to buy a rechargeable Metro card.

🚌Airport Express metro ~£2 or pre-paid taxi ~£8

🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Paharganj (approx £12/night)

• →Airport Express metro to city
• →Buy local SIM card
• →Evening walk in Connaught Place
• →Set up UPI / get Metro card

Self-book a guided Old Delhi walking tour (GetYourGuide, ~£8-12, usually includes Raj Ghat, the Red Fort exterior, Jama Masjid and the Chandni Chowk lane experience) — many of these include the cycle-rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk. Red Fort entry is about £5 (closed Mondays). In the afternoon, take the Metro to Qutub Minar (~£5) and Humayun's Tomb (~£5). Drive-past landmarks like India Gate, the Parliament building and Rashtrapati Bhavan can be reached via auto-rickshaw or on foot around Rajpath. Combine Qutub Minar and Humayun's Tomb with a skip-the-line combination ticket if you want to save queues.

🚌Delhi Metro day pass ~£2.50; autos between sites ~£3 total

🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Paharganj (approx £12/night)

• →Old Delhi guided walking tour with rickshaw ride
• →Raj Ghat memorial
• →Red Fort
• →Jama Masjid
• →Chandni Chowk bazaar
• →Qutub Minar
• →Humayun's Tomb
• →India Gate & Rajpath

Fly Delhi-Varanasi (IndiGo/Air India, book 4-8 weeks ahead, approx £45-60 one way) or take the overnight train from New Delhi station (e.g. the Shiv Ganga Express, 3AC sleeper ~£12-16, ~12-13 hours). Check into a guesthouse in the Assi Ghat or Dashashwamedh Ghat area. That evening head to Dashashwamedh Ghat for the spectacular Ganga Aarti ceremony at sunset — arrive early to get a good spot on the steps or book a rooftop viewpoint seat locally. Optional extra: day trip to Sarnath (where Buddha preached his first sermon), reachable by auto from Varanasi (~£4 each way; entry ~£3, closed Fridays).

🚌Delhi-Varanasi flight ~£50, or overnight sleeper train ~£14

🛏Guesthouse near Assi Ghat/Dashashwamedh Ghat (approx £14/night)

• →Travel to Varanasi
• →Evening Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat
• →Optional Sarnath day trip

Book a shared sunrise rowboat on the Ganges (do this directly at the ghats ~£3-5 pp, or via GetYourGuide for ~£8-10) — you'll pass the cremation ghats and burning steps in the early light. Then walk the cobblestone lanes along the banks through Kashi Vishwanath Temple (security check, no phones), the Bharat Mata Temple (a rare map-relief temple), the Durga Temple (Monkey Temple), and Tulsi Manas Temple. Tour the Banaras Hindu University campus and its New Vishwanath Temple. Eat local: try kachori-sabzi for breakfast and Banarasi paan. Many travellers combine the boat trip with a walk through the lanes with a young local guide (approx £8).

🚌Walking plus auto-rickshaws ~£3

🛏Guesthouse near Assi Ghat/Dashashwamedh Ghat (approx £14/night)

• →Sunrise boat ride on the Ganges
• →Dashashwamedh Ghat walk
• →Kashi Vishwanath Temple
• →Bharat Mata Temple
• →Durga Temple (Monkey Temple)
• →Tulsi Manas Temple
• →Banaras Hindu University campus

Travel by train from Varanasi to Khajuraho (the Varanasi-Khajuraho line, roughly 8-9 hours; sleeper/AC chair, ~£4-8) or fly (indirect flights are expensive and rare weekly). Check into a budget guesthouse in Khajuraho village. In the late afternoon, tour the Western Group of Temples (UNESCO site) — the highlight of the complex. Entry is about £6 for foreigners and includes the Kandariya Mahadeo temple, Chaunsath Yogini temple and the Chitragupta temple. Hire a licensed local guide (~£10 pp, or share with others) or use the Archaeological Survey of India audio commentary app. Evening: the light-and-sound show (approx £3, English shows on certain nights).

🚌Varanasi-Khajuraho train ~£5-8

🛏Budget guesthouse in Khajuraho village (approx £11/night)

• →Train to Khajuraho
• →Western Group of Temples tour
• →Kandariya Mahadeo temple
• →Chaunsath Yogini temple
• →Chitragupta temple
• →Light-and-sound show

Early morning local bus or shared jeep from Khajuraho to Orchha (~4-5 hours, ~£3; keep your bags with you). In Orchha, visit the Orchha Palace Fort, Raj Mandir and the Jahangir Mahal (entry ~£3-4). From Orchha you're a short shared auto ride (~£1) to Jhansi Junction. Board the afternoon/evening train from Jhansi to Agra (e.g. the Gatimaan Express or a regular express, ~£3-7, 3-4 hours depending on service). Arrive in Agra and check into a guesthouse in the Taj Ganj area for easy access to the monument zones.

🚌Khajuraho-Orchha bus ~£3; Orchha-Jhansi auto ~£1; Jhansi-Agra train ~£5

🛏Budget guesthouse in Taj Ganj, Agra (approx £12/night)

• →Bus/shared jeep to Orchha
• →Orchha Palace Fort
• →Raj Mandir
• →Jahangir Mahal
• →Train Jhansi to Agra

Book a Taj Mahal sunrise entry (skip-the-line via GetYourGuide ~£14-16 including a guide, or buy direct from the ASI counter for ~£10 foreigner ticket. Taj is closed Fridays). Arrive at the east or west gate by 6am to beat crowds and heat. Afterwards visit Agra Fort (~£6, includes the Pearl Mosque / Moti Masjid inside) and the Baby Taj, Itmad-Ud-Daulah (~£4), and Sikandra (Akbar's Tomb, ~£4). If you keep one afternoon open, cross the Yamuna to Mehtab Bagh for classic sunset views back across the river to the Taj — a great photo spot (entry ~£2-3).

🚌Auto-rickshaws between sites ~£4 total

🛏Budget guesthouse in Taj Ganj, Agra (approx £12/night)

• →Taj Mahal at sunrise
• →Agra Fort & Pearl Mosque
• →Itmad-Ud-Daulah (Baby Taj)
• →Sikandra (Akbar's Tomb)
• →Mehtab Bagh sunset viewpoint

Travel Agra to Jaipur with a stop at Fatehpur Sikri (the abandoned Mughal capital). Take a local bus or shared taxi Agra to Fatehpur Sikri (~1.5 h, ~£2) then continue by bus to Jaipur (~£2). Fatehpur Sikri entry is ~£7. Check into a guesthouse in Jaipur's old city or a hostel in the Pink City. In the evening join a local home cooking class (offered via GetYourGuide/Airbnb Experiences, ~£15-20) where you'll shop the market spices and cook authentic Rajasthani dishes like dal baati churma or laal maas.

🚌Agra-Fatehpur Sikri bus ~£2; Fatehpur Sikri-Jaipur bus ~£2

🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Jaipur old city (approx £13/night)

• →Bus to Fatehpur Sikri & palace complex
• →Continue by bus to Jaipur
• →Evening Rajasthani home cooking class

Get to Amber Fort early. Note that the famous elephant rides have been widely criticised for animal welfare and are increasingly discouraged — take a jeep up (~£2-3) or walk instead. Amber Fort entry (foreigner) ~£6, plus optional composite Jaipur monument ticket. Combine with City Palace (~£8), the astronomical Jantar Mantar (~£4) and a photo stop at Hawa Mahal (~£2 for the interior). Take an auto or ride-hailing (Ola/Uber) between sites. Browse the jewellery, block-print textiles, pottery and carpets in the bazaars — bargain hard. Consider a guided Amber Fort + city tour via Klook (~£12-15) to cover history properly.

🚌Autos / Ola rides ~£5 total

🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Jaipur old city (approx £13/night)

• →Amber Fort (jeep ascent, ethical alternative to elephant ride)
• →City Palace
• →Jantar Mantar observatory
• →Hawa Mahal
• →Pink City bazaars shopping

Travel Jaipur to Jodhpur by train (e.g. the Mandore Express or similar, ~5-6 hours, £4-8 sleeper/chair) or AC bus (~£6). Arrive and check into a guesthouse in the Blue City's old town — try near the clock tower for the markets. In the afternoon, visit the Umaid Bhawan Palace museum (~£3) and walk through the blue-washed lanes of the old city. In the evening, explore the Sardar Market and clock tower area for street food (mirchi bada, makhaniya lassi). Sunset viewpoints near Mehrangarh Fort's base give great rooftop views over the blue houses.

🚌Jaipur-Jodhpur train ~£5-8

🛏Budget guesthouse in Jodhpur old town (approx £13/night)

• →Train/bus to Jodhpur
• →Umaid Bhawan Palace museum
• →Blue City walk
• →Sardar Market & clock tower
• →Sunset viewpoint over the blue houses

Spend the morning at Jaswant Thada (~£2) and Mehrangarh Fort (~£6, with optional zip-line ~£12). Then travel to Udaipur with a stop at the Ranakpur Jain Temples — take a shared jeep or bus Jodhpur to Ranakpur (~2 h, ~£2) and onward to Udaipur (~2 h, ~£2). Ranakpur entry ~£3, with strict dress code (no leather, shoulders/knees covered). This is a long, scenic day. Arrive in Udaipur in the evening and check into a lakeside area guesthouse near Lake Pichola. A private car for this leg (rather than the operator's day) can be arranged locally ~£35-45 if you want the day to be more comfortable.

🚌Jodhpur-Ranakpur-Udaipur shared jeep/bus ~£4

🛏Budget guesthouse near Lake Pichola, Udaipur (approx £13/night)

• →Jaswant Thada
• →Mehrangarh Fort
• →Ranakpur Jain Temples
• →Bus/shared jeep onward to Udaipur

Visit the imposing City Palace (~£5, includes crystal gallery option), the Saheliyon Ki Bari gardens (~£3) and the Jagdish Temple (free, in the old city). In the evening, take a shared motor launch cruise on Lake Pichola (~£4-8 depending on route) stopping at Jag Mandir Palace — the island palace featured in Octopussy. Many operators sell the sunset cruise locally. Dinner rooftop overlooking the lake. Udaipur is often the highlight of Rajasthan for its slower, more relaxed pace after the big cities.

🚌Autos and walking ~£3

🛏Budget guesthouse near Lake Pichola, Udaipur (approx £13/night)

• →City Palace
• →Saheliyon Ki Bari gardens
• →Jagdish Temple
• →Motor launch cruise on Lake Pichola
• →Jag Mandir Palace

Fly Udaipur to Delhi (IndiGo/Air India, ~£45-60 if booked ahead) or take the overnight Mewar Express train (~£12-16 A/C). Onward from Delhi's airport for your international departure. If you have time before your flight, use the Delhi Airport Express metro (New Delhi station to IGI, ~£2). Plan to arrive at the airport 3 hours before international departure.

🚌Udaipur-Delhi flight ~£50 or overnight train ~£14

🛏N/A (departure day)

• →Fly/train Udaipur to Delhi
• →Onward international departure