India's North & South – Self-Launched Premium Adventure

Fly into Delhi and check into a well-rated mid-range guesthouse in the Paharganj or Karol Bagh area near New Delhi station. Take an evening stroll and settle in — head to a local restaurant for your first taste of North Indian cuisine such as butter chicken and naan. If you arrive early, wander Connaught Place to orient yourself.

🚌Airport metro to central Delhi, ~£2

🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Paharganj, ~£12

• →Arrival and orientation
• →Evening dinner at local restaurant

Start in Old Delhi exploring the chaotic lanes of Chandni Chowk — take a guided walk or simply wander yourself past spice markets, the Sikh Bangla Sahib Gurudwara and Jama Masjid. Visit Raj Ghat (Gandhi's cremation site). This afternoon take a rickshaw or metro across to Humayun's Tomb, a magnificent UNESCO World Heritage mausoleum and precursor to the Taj Mahal. Drive past India Gate and Parliament on the way.

🚌Metro + rickshaws, ~£6

🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Paharganj, ~£12

• →Old Delhi walking tour (~£5)
• →Humayun's Tomb (~£5)
• →Bangla Sahib Gurudwara
• →Jama Masjid
• →Raj Ghat

Take the early Gatimaan or Shatabdi express train from New Delhi to Agra (around 2 hours). Check into a budget hotel near the Taj Ganj area. This afternoon visit the mighty Agra Fort, built by Mughal emperor Akbar, with its red sandstone walls, Pearl Mosque, palaces and courtyards. In the evening watch the sunset view of the Taj Mahal from the fort's ramparts.

🚌Train Delhi→Agra, ~£8

🛏Budget hotel in Taj Ganj, ~£14

• →Agra Fort (~£7)
• →Sunset Taj views from fort

Rise early for a stunning sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal before the crowds arrive — enter as the gates open. Explore the white-marble mausoleum and gardens. Late morning catch a shared taxi or bus towards Jaipur (5-6 hours), stopping en route at the spectacular Abhaneri Step Well (Chand Baori), one of India's oldest and deepest stepwells. Arrive in the Pink City and check in to a budget heritage guesthouse. This evening consider dinner at a rooftop restaurant overlooking Hawa Mahal.

🚌Shared taxi/bus Agra→Jaipur, ~£12

🛏Heritage guesthouse in Jaipur, ~£14

• →Sunrise at Taj Mahal (~£12)
• →Abhaneri Step Well (~£2)
• →Hawa Mahal views

Morning visit to the spectacular Amber Fort, rising above a lake on the outskirts of Jaipur — take a jeep or walk up. Descend to the City Palace complex in the old city, now a museum of manuscripts, paintings and royal artefacts. Wander the colourful bazaars of the pink-walled old city and join a street food walk tasting local snacks, finishing at the famous LMB sweet shop. Afternoon free for shopping — Jaipur is famous for textiles, gemstones and handicrafts.

🚌Local transport/rickshaws, ~£5

🛏Heritage guesthouse in Jaipur, ~£14

• →Amer Fort (~£6)
• →City Palace (~£10)
• →Street food tour (~£8)
• →Bazaar wandering

Take a shared taxi or bus from Jaipur to the glorious 15th-century Neemrana Fort-Palace (~2 hours). While the original tour stays within the resort, you can visit the fort grounds as a heritage property or book an economical heritage room (splurge-worthy). Explore the hanging gardens, pools and panoramic views over the Aravalli hills. At sunset watch hundreds of lights sparkle across the fort. Optional camel ride around the surrounding countryside.

🚌Shared taxi/bus Jaipur→Neemrana, ~£7

🛏Heritage room at Neemrana Fort-Palace or nearby guesthouse, ~£30

• →Neemrana Fort-Palace exploration
• →Sunset views
• →Optional camel ride

Return to Delhi and catch a budget domestic flight south to Kochi in Kerala (approx 2.5 hours). Check into a budget guesthouse in the historic Fort Kochi area. Wander the quaint lanes lined with cafes, galleries and handicraft shops. This evening head to the waterfront for fresh local seafood and Keralan curries while watching the meeting point of backwaters and the Arabian Sea.

🚌Flight Delhi→Kochi, ~£55

🛏Budget guesthouse in Fort Kochi, ~£15

• →Fort Kochi evening stroll
• →Waterfront seafood dinner

Spend the morning exploring the historic Fort Kochi district. Start at the Dutch Palace (Mattancherry Palace), built by the Portuguese and later renovated by the Dutch — now a museum. Walk along the seafront past fishermen's stalls and the iconic Chinese fishing nets, where you can try your hand at hauling one up. Visit the 400-year-old Jewish Synagogue, the oldest in the Commonwealth, tucked down a lane full of embroidery and craft shops. Afternoon free to browse art galleries and relax by the waterfront.

🚌Walking + local ferries/rickshaws, ~£4

🛏Budget guesthouse in Fort Kochi, ~£15

• →Dutch Palace (~£2)
• →Chinese fishing nets
• →Jewish Synagogue (~£2)
• →Bazaar shopping

Take a shared taxi, jeep or state bus from Kochi through the spice and tea plantations into the Western Ghats (4-5 hours), climbing steadily into the rolling green tea hills of Munnar. Check into a homestay or budget hotel. Stretch your legs with an afternoon walk through the hillside tea plantations — watch the pickers at work, learn about the tea-making process, and visit a tea factory for a tasting.

🚌Shared taxi/bus Kochi→Munnar, ~£8

🛏Budget hotel/homestay in Munnar, ~£15

• →Tea plantation walk
• →Tea factory visit (~£2)
• →Tea tasting

Travel from the tea hills of Munnar into the spice-growing heartland of Thekkady/Kumily (4-5 hours by shared taxi or bus). Check into a budget homestay. In the afternoon take a guided tour of a local spice plantation, walking between cardamom leaves, pepper vines and turmeric roots while learning about growing, harvesting and processing. Late afternoon join a cooking demonstration with a local family, learning to make authentic Keralan dishes. If time, catch a traditional Kathakali dance or Kalaripayattu martial arts performance in the evening.

🚌Shared taxi/bus Munnar→Thekkady, ~£7

🛏Budget homestay in Thekkady/Kumily, ~£15

• →Spice plantation tour (~£6)
• →Cooking demonstration with local family (~£8)
• →Kathakali/Kalaripayattu performance optional (~£8)

Rise early for a guided nature or jungle walk in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (booking ahead recommended). Trek through dense forest with an indigenous guide, spotting elephants, wild boar, bison, deer and monkeys around the lake. The afternoon is free — options include a bamboo rafting trip on the lake, a border hike, or simply relaxing at your homestay and visiting the local spice markets of Kumily.

🚌Local transport, ~£3

🛏Budget homestay in Thekkady/Kumily, ~£15

• →Periyar guided jungle walk (~£9)
• →Optional bamboo rafting (~£8)

Start with a peaceful morning yoga session before travelling to Alleppey (Alappuzha), the gateway to the Kerala backwaters (~4-5 hour drive). In the afternoon board a traditional Kettuvallam houseboat for an overnight cruise. Glide through palm-fringed canals, past paddy fields and village life, with meals of fresh Keralan fish curry cooked aboard by your boat crew. Sleep to the gentle lapping of water.

🚌Shared taxi/bus Thekkady→Alleppey, ~£8

🛏Private houseboat on the backwaters, ~£45

• →Morning yoga
• →Houseboat backwaters cruise with meals (~£45 included in accommodation)

After breakfast on the houseboat, disembark and travel south to the palm-fringed beaches of Kovalam (~3-4 hours by shared taxi or train/bus). Check into a beachside guesthouse at Lighthouse Beach or Eve's Beach. Settle in, take a sunset stroll along the golden sand and dine at one of the many relaxed beach cafés serving fresh seafood and Keralan specialities.

🚌Shared taxi/train Alleppey→Kovalam, ~£8

🛏Beach guesthouse in Kovalam, ~£15

• →Beach relaxation
• →Sunset walk
• →Seafood dinner

A free day to soak up Kovalam's chilled vibe. Relax on the beach, enjoy an Ayurvedic massage, or visit the nearby fishing village of Vizhinjam. Alternatively take an optional day trip south to Kanyakumari at the very tip of India, where three oceans meet — see the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and enjoy famed sunrises/sunsets. Return to Kovalam for a final night on the beach.

🚌Local transport / Kanyakumari day trip, ~£10

🛏Beach guesthouse in Kovalam, ~£15

• →Beach day / Ayurvedic massage
• →Optional Kanyakumari day trip (~£15)

Your self-launched adventure ends in Kovalam. If flying out from Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) international airport, allow about an hour's drive — share a taxi or take a bus/auto combo to reach the airport comfortably. Alternatively head back up the coast to continue exploring Kerala's beaches in Varkala or onwards to the Western Ghats.

🚌Shared taxi to Trivandrum airport, ~£8

🛏Departure — none

• →Optional final beach swim
• →Transfer to airport