Images of India & Nepal — Self-Launched

Land in Delhi and check into a guesthouse in Paharganj or Karol Bagh (easy metro access, ₹800–1,500/night doubles). Pick up an Indian SIM/eSIM, then DIY the New Delhi circuit by metro + auto-rickshaw: Qutub Minar (₹35), Humayun's Tomb (₹35), Lotus Temple (free) and the India Gate/Rashtrapati Bhavan drive-past. If you want commentary, a half-day GetYourGuide guided tour with hotel pickup runs about £25–35 — otherwise the ASI audio guide apps work fine. Eat dinner at a Karim's-style Mughlai spot in Jama Masjid or a thali house in Paharganj.

🚌Airport Express metro to New Delhi station (~£2); metro/auto-rickshaws through the day (~£4)

🛏Guesthouse in Paharganj or Karol Bagh (~£13)

• →Qutub Minar
• →Humayun's Tomb
• →Lotus Temple
• →India Gate & Rashtrapati Bhavan drive-past
• →Optional GetYourGuide half-day Delhi tour (~£30)

Morning in Old Delhi: Jama Masjid (₹35 climb of the minaret), Raj Ghat (free), the Red Fort exterior, then a cycle-rickshaw loop through Chandni Chowk's spice market (~£3, negotiate the price first). Afternoon train from Hazrat Nizamuddin or New Delhi to Agra — the Gatimaan Express takes ~1h40m and costs about £8–14 in chair car. Check into a budget hotel in Taj Ganj so you're steps from the East Gate for tomorrow's sunrise. Buy your Taj Mahal ticket online the night before (₹1,100, cheaper if you hold an SAARC passport).

🚌Cycle-rickshaw in Chandni Chowk (~£3); Gatimaan Express New Delhi–Agra (~£11)

🛏Budget hotel in Taj Ganj, Agra (~£15)

• →Jama Masjid
• →Raj Ghat
• →Chandni Chowk spice market rickshaw ride
• →Red Fort exterior

Be at the Taj Mahal East Gate for the 06:00 opening — sunrise light, small crowds and the classic Diana bench shot. Budget 2–3 hours. Note the Taj is closed Fridays. Late morning, walk or take an auto to Agra Fort (₹40; an on-site guide costs around £8 if you want the Moti Masjid / Jahangir Palace detail). Afternoon: Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb (₹30) — the 'Baby Taj' — then Mehtab Bagh (₹25) across the river for the sunset view back at the Taj. Evening: rooftop dinner in Taj Ganj.

🚌Auto-rickshaws between sights (~£4)

🛏Budget hotel in Taj Ganj, Agra (~£15)

• →Taj Mahal sunrise entry
• →Agra Fort
• →Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb
• →Mehtab Bagh sunset
• →Optional local guide at Agra Fort (~£8)

Take the morning train from Agra to Jhansi (~3–4h, sleeper/chair car £4–8 — the Shatabdi and Bundelkhand Express both work). In Jhansi, drop bags at the station cloakroom and visit Jhansi Fort (₹25), the Government Museum and Rani Mahal (₹25). Then a local bus or shared jeep from Jhansi to Khajuraho (~4h, £3–4) — buses leave through the afternoon, so book the earlier train. Alternatively the overnight train from Agra Khajuraho side is unreliable; the bus is the practical option. Check into a guesthouse near the Western Group.

🚌Train Agra–Jhansi (~£6); shared jeep/bus Jhansi–Khajuraho (~£4)

🛏Guesthouse near Khajuraho Western Group (~£12)

• →Jhansi Fort
• →Government Museum Jhansi
• →Rani Mahal

Buy the combined Western Group ticket (₹600, includes the archaeological museum) and explore Kandariya Mahadeva and Lakshmana temples in the cool morning. A Klook/GetYourGuide half-day guide here is genuinely worth it (~£15–20) for the iconography. Afternoon: the Eastern Group (Parsvanath, Ghantai) and the Jain temples — free or nominal entry, and quieter. Evening: the sound-and-light show at the Western Group (~£8, English show time varies seasonally).

🚌Bicycle hire for the day (~£2)

🛏Guesthouse near Khajuraho Western Group (~£12)

• →Western Group temples
• →Eastern Group temples
• →Jain temples
• →Sound and light show

Early bus from Khajuraho to Satna (~3–4h, £3) then a train from Satna to Varanasi (~8h by day; overnight sleeper 3AC around £8–12 is a good use of the night if you'd rather not lose a day — adjust the next day accordingly). On arrival check into a guesthouse in Assi Ghat or Bengali Tola. If you arrive with time to spare, take a shared auto to Sarnath (~£3, 20 min) for Dhamek Stupa, the Archaeological Museum (₹5, closed Fridays) and Chaukhandi Stupa; the Tibetan monastery is free to wander.

🚌Bus Khajuraho–Satna (~£3); train Satna–Varanasi (~£10)

🛏Guesthouse in Assi Ghat, Varanasi (~£13)

• →Sarnath: Dhamek Stupa
• →Sarnath Archaeological Museum
• →Chaukhandi Stupa
• →Tibetan Buddhist Monastery

Book a sunrise rowboat directly with a boatman at Assi or Dashashwamedh Ghat the evening before (£6–10 for 1–2 hours sharing with other travellers; the official tourist office rate card is posted at the ghats). Glide past the burning ghats and the bathing steps as the light comes up. Then walk the ghats and gali lanes: Tulsi Manas Temple, Durga Temple (Monkey Temple), Sankat Mochan, Bharat Mata Temple and Birla Mandir, plus BHU campus. Skip Shri Vishwanath Temple's main queue or use the shorter paid entry. In the evening, get a seat early for the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat — free, and best viewed from a boat (£3) if you want the water-side angle.

🚌Walking plus a few shared autos (~£3)

🛏Guesthouse in Assi Ghat, Varanasi (~£13)

• →Sunrise Ganges boat ride
• →Durga Temple
• →Tulsi Manas Temple
• →Sankat Mochan & Birla Mandir
• →Banaras Hindu University
• →Ganga Aarti ceremony

Direct Varanasi–Kathmandu flights run only on certain days (often alternate days), so flex your dates around the schedule — book via IndiGo or Air India Express roughly £90–130 one way, or route via Delhi for a few hours' stopover if the direct day doesn't fit. Get your Nepal visa on arrival (see costs note; £25–45 for 15/30 days for most nationalities, bring USD cash and a passport photo). Check into a guesthouse in Thamel. Evening: wander the alleys, book tomorrow's Durbar Square tickets and eat momos and Newari food at a Thamel or Patan spot.

🚌Airport taxi to Thamel (~£4); flight Varanasi–Kathmandu (~£110)

🛏Guesthouse in Thamel, Kathmandu (~£12)

• →Thamel evening wander
• →Nepali momo dinner

Hire a half-day guide or take a Klook/GetYourGuide Kathmandu Valley tour (~£30–45) — it's genuinely useful for the four UNESCO sites. Morning: Pashupatinath (cremation ghats, sadhus), Boudhanath Stupa (₹400, walk the kora clockwise) and Swayambhunath (₹200, the monkey temple steps). Afternoon: Kathmandu Durbar Square (₹1,000) and Patan Durbar Square with the Patan Museum (₹1,000 combined). Return to Pashupatinath for the evening Bagmati Aarti (~18:00) — free and atmospheric — then sample street food around Asan Tole.

🚌Shared taxis/autos around the valley (~£5)

🛏Guesthouse in Thamel, Kathmandu (~£12)

• →Pashupatinath Temple & Aarti
• →Boudhanath Stupa
• →Swayambhunath
• →Kathmandu Durbar Square
• →Patan Durbar Square & Patan Museum
• →Street food walk

Tourist bus from Kathmandu's Kantipath to Sauraha (~5–6h, £7–10, morning departures) or a shared jeep. Check into a riverside guesthouse in Sauraha. In the afternoon walk to a nearby Tharu village, and in the evening catch a Tharu cultural dance show at the community hall (£3, usually 19:00). Book tomorrow's activities directly with a park-registered operator in Sauraha the same day — no need to pre-book online.

🚌Tourist bus Kathmandu–Sauraha (~£9)

🛏Riverside guesthouse in Sauraha (~£13)

• →Tharu village walk
• →Tharu cultural dance performance

Full safari day. Do a jeep safari deep into the park (£25–35 for a half day, best for rhino and, with luck, tiger) rather than an elephant-back ride — several travellers specifically swap this, and the elephant breeding centre visit is a gentler alternative. Combine with a canoe trip on the Rapti River (£6, crocodiles and birdlife) and a guided nature walk with a licensed naturalist. Park entry fees for foreigners are around £15 for the day, often bundled into the jeep price — ask before you pay. Most guesthouses include breakfast and sometimes lunch in the safari package.

🚌Park jeep and canoe included in tour (~£0 extra)

🛏Riverside guesthouse in Sauraha (~£13)

• →Jeep safari in Chitwan National Park
• →Canoeing on the Rapti River
• →Elephant breeding centre
• →Guided jungle walk with naturalist

Bus from Sauraha to Bandipur (~2.5h, £3), a beautifully preserved Newari hill town on the Prithvi Highway ridge. Climb to Thani Mai temple for the viewpoint over the valley, wander Bandipur Bazar and the 18th-century houses, and have lunch. Then continue by bus or shared jeep to Pokhara (~2h, £3). Check into a lakeside guesthouse in Lakeside North. Note the Pokhara route via Bandipur does add a couple of hours versus the direct bus — worth it.

🚌Local bus Sauraha–Bandipur and Bandipur–Pokhara (~£6)

🛏Lakeside guesthouse in Pokhara (~£12)

• →Thani Mai viewpoint
• →Bandipur Bazar heritage walk

Pre-book a shared taxi or jeep to Sarangkot for the 05:00 climb to the viewpoint — Annapurna and Machhapuchhare sunrise, about £8 return per person shared. Back for breakfast, then hire a bicycle or scooter (£4–6) for the Pokhara circuit: Phewa Lake and the Barahi Temple by boat (£3), World Peace Pagoda hike, Seti River Gorge, Mahendra Cave (₹100) and the International Mountain Museum (₹500). Begnas Lake is a 30-min bus ride east (£1) if you want the quieter option. Dinner at a Lakeside dal bhat or Korean/Israeli spot.

🚌Shared jeep to Sarangkot (~£8); scooter/bicycle hire (~£5)

🛏Lakeside guesthouse in Pokhara (~£12)

• →Sarangkot sunrise viewpoint
• →Phewa Lake & Barahi Temple boat
• →World Peace Pagoda
• →Seti River Gorge
• →Mahendra Cave
• →International Mountain Museum

Tourist bus from Pokhara towards Kathmandu, getting off at Kurintar (~3h, £5). Take the Manakamana cable car up to the temple (foreigner return about £12, one of Nepal's best-value rides with river-valley views). Continue by local bus from Kurintar to Kathmandu (~3h, £3). Overnight in Thamel again and have a farewell dinner — Thamel's Newari restaurants or a rooftop with Durbar Square views.

🚌Bus Pokhara–Kurintar (~£5); Manakamana cable car (~£12); local bus Kurintar–Kathmandu (~£3)

🛏Guesthouse in Thamel, Kathmandu (~£12)

• →Manakamana Temple cable car

Final morning: the Garden of Dreams or a last shopping run for pashmina and thangka in Thamel, then a taxi to Tribhuvan International Airport (~£4, allow extra time for traffic). If your flight is late, the Boudhanath area is 20 minutes from the airport and a fine spot for a last breakfast.

🚌Taxi to Kathmandu airport (~£4)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Garden of Dreams (optional, ~£1)
• →Last-minute souvenir shopping in Thamel