Self-Launched Golden Triangle & Kathmandu: Delhi, Agra, Jaipur & Nepal Independently
10 days · India & Nepal
Yoganshi Travel charges £800
No-markup version: ~£507 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, build-it-yourself version of the classic 10-day Golden Triangle + Kathmandu tour, done with trains, cheap flights and local guides instead of a private guided package. You'll see Delhi's Mughal monuments, the Taj Mahal at sunrise, Fatehpur Sikri, Jaipur's forts and palaces, then fly to Nepal for Kathmandu's stupas, durbar squares and a Nagarkot sunset — booking each piece yourself via IRCTC, GetYourGuide/Klook and local guesthouses. Costs are rough per-person estimates for a solo backpacker in a mix of hostels and budget guesthouses; add 30-50% if you want private rooms.
Day-by-day
Arrive Delhi — Paharganj or Majnu ka Tilla base
Delhi, India
Land at Indira Gandhi International, take the Airport Express Metro to New Delhi station (~₹60-100/£1-2) or a prepaid taxi (~₹500-700/£5-7) to Paharganj or the quieter Majnu ka Tilla Tibetan colony. Settle in, sort out cash and a local SIM (Airtel/Jio booths at the airport or in town), and take an easy evening wander through Connaught Place. Book your Agra train ticket on IRCTC tonight or as soon as it opens (Tatkal if needed).
🚌Airport Express Metro ~£1-2 or prepaid taxi ~£5-7
🛏Budget guesthouse in Paharganj or Majnu ka Tilla (dorm or private single, £8-14)
- →Airport Express Metro to New Delhi
- →Connaught Place evening wander
- →Buy local SIM and cash
Delhi on foot and by metro — Old Delhi & Mughal monuments
Delhi, India
Do the 'guided day tour' yourself with a mix of metro and a self-booked walking tour. Morning in Old Delhi: Red Fort (skip-the-line tickets online ~₹600), then a cycle rickshaw loop through Chandni Chowk's spice lanes (~₹150-200/£1.5-2). Afternoon south: Humayun's Tomb (~₹600), Qutub Minar (~₹600) and a stop at India Gate and Raj Ghat (free). Optional GetYourGuide Old Delhi food walk ~£20-25 in the evening.
🚌Delhi Metro day of hops ~£2-3; cycle rickshaw £1.5-2
🛏Same guesthouse, Delhi (£8-14)
- →Red Fort self-guided (audio guide app)
- →Cycle rickshaw through Chandni Chowk
- →Humayun's Tomb
- →Qutub Minar
- →India Gate & Raj Ghat
- →Optional Old Delhi food walk (£20-25)
Fly Delhi to Kathmandu — Pashupatinath & Boudhanath at golden hour
Kathmandu, Nepal
Morning flight Delhi–Kathmandu (IndiGo/Air India, book 4-8 weeks ahead for £70-110 one way). Land, get your Nepal visa on arrival (~$30/£24 for 15 days) and take a taxi or the local Sajha bus to Thamel (~£4-6). Afternoon: taxi to Pashupatinath Temple ghats for the evening aarti (~₹1000/£6 entry) and walk to Boudhanath Stupa for sunset kora with the Tibetans (~₹400/£2.5). Dinner momos in Thamel.
🚌Flight £70-110; airport taxi £4-6; local taxis £3-5
🛏Thamel hostel or guesthouse, Kathmandu (£8-15)
- →Flight to Kathmandu
- →Pashupatinath Temple evening aarti
- →Boudhanath Stupa sunset kora
- →Momo dinner in Thamel
Swayambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar Square & Bhaktapur
Kathmandu, Nepal
Climb the 365 steps to Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) early (~₹200/£1.3), then walk or taxi down to Kathmandu Durbar Square (₹1000/£6, includes the museum). After lunch, local bus or taxi to Bhaktapur (~£1-3 bus, ₹1800/£11 entry) — the best-preserved medieval square, pottery square and Nyatapola Temple. Return to Kathmandu for the evening, or stay in Bhaktapur if you prefer the quiet.
🚌Local Sajha bus Bhaktapur return ~£2-3; taxis £3-5
🛏Thamel or Bhaktapur guesthouse (£8-15)
- →Swayambhunath Monkey Temple
- →Kathmandu Durbar Square & Kumari Ghar
- →Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Pottery Square
Nagarkot sunrise option, then fly to Delhi & overnight train/wait for Agra
Nagarkot to Delhi
Take a 5am taxi to Nagarkot (~£15-20 shared, 1.5hrs) for the Himalayan sunrise over the Annapurna/Everest ranges, then back to the airport for an afternoon flight to Delhi (£70-110). Land and go straight to New Delhi station for the evening Gatimaan Express or an overnight option to Agra — or overnight in Delhi and take the 6am Gatimaan (1h40, ~£8-12 AC chair). Recommend: sleep in Delhi near the station to reset.
🚌Nagarkot shared taxi £8-12; flight £70-110; Delhi metro £1-2
🛏Budget hotel near New Delhi station (£10-16)
- →Nagarkot sunrise viewpoint
- →Flight Kathmandu to Delhi
- →Pick up Agra train ticket
Taj Mahal sunrise, Agra Fort & Fatehpur Sikri
Agra, India
Take the 6am Gatimaan Express to Agra Cantt (~£8-12) and be at the Taj Mahal East Gate by 7:30am for the quietest light — buy tickets online (~₹1100/£9 + ₹200 mausoleum). Self-guided with the ASI audio guide or a GetYourGuide 2-hour guide (~£15-25). Then Agra Fort (~₹650/£5.5). Afternoon: shared taxi or bus to Fatehpur Sikri (~1hr, £3-5) for Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal and Jodha Bai Palace. Evening bus to Jaipur (~5hrs, £3-5) or stay in Agra and travel tomorrow.
🚌Gatimaan Express £8-12; autorickshaws £3-4; bus to Fatehpur Sikri £3-5; bus Agra-Jaipur £3-5
🛏Jaipur hostel in Hathroi/old city or Agra budget hotel (£8-14)
- →Taj Mahal sunrise with audio guide
- →Agra Fort
- →Fatehpur Sikri
- →Optional GetYourGuide Taj guide (£15-25)
Jaipur — Amber Fort, City Palace & Chokhi Dhani
Jaipur, India
Early start for Amber Fort (~₹500/£4) — take the local bus or auto (~£2-3), climb on foot rather than paying the elephant ride (elephant rides are increasingly discouraged ethically). Then Jal Mahal photo stop, Hawa Mahal (~₹200/£1.5) and City Palace (~₹700/£5.5) plus Jantar Mantar (~₹200). Evening: Chokhi Dhani village for the Rajasthani thali, folk dance and puppetry (~₹1200-1500/£9-11, book direct). Skip a private car — autos and the Jaipur city bus cover it all for under £5.
🚌Local buses and autos all day ~£4-6
🛏Same Jaipur hostel (£8-14)
- →Amber Fort on foot
- →Jal Mahal viewpoint
- →Hawa Mahal
- →City Palace & Jantar Mantar
- →Chokhi Dhani cultural evening & thali dinner
Jaipur to Delhi by train — free Delhi afternoon
Jaipur to Delhi
Morning train Jaipur to Delhi (Double Decker or Shatabdi, ~4.5hrs, £6-12, book on IRCTC). Check in around Paharganj or Karol Bagh, then use the afternoon for anything you missed: Lodhi Gardens, Nizamuddin Dargah qawwali on Thursday evenings, or a Lajpat Nagar/Dilli Haat market browse. Easy evening — you've got a dawn start tomorrow if you want the Taj again or an early flight home.
🚌Train £6-12; Delhi metro £1-2
🛏Delhi guesthouse (£8-14)
- →Jaipur-Delhi train
- →Lodhi Gardens or Nizamuddin Dargah
- →Dilli Haat market
Delhi deep dive — Rashtrapati Bhawan, Gurudwara langar & New Delhi walk
Delhi, India
Self-guided New Delhi loop: Rashtrapati Bhawan and the Lutyens' avenues from outside, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib (free; cover your head and try the langar — the volunteer-run community kitchen), then a final wander through Chandni Chowk or the Sunder Nursery gardens. Optional GetYourGuide New Delhi walking tour (~£15-20). Pack and prep for the airport.
🚌Metro and autos ~£3-4
🛏Delhi guesthouse (£8-14)
- →Rashtrapati Bhawan exterior & Lutyens' Delhi walk
- →Gurudwara Bangla Sahib langar
- →Sunder Nursery or Chandni Chowk
- →Optional guided New Delhi walk (£15-20)
Depart Delhi
Delhi, India
Airport Express Metro to IGI (~£1-2, 20 mins from New Delhi station) or a prepaid taxi (~£5-7) depending on traffic and time. If you have a late flight, a final breakfast in Paharganj and last-minute souvenir shopping at Janpath. Done — 10 days, three cities and a whole other country, entirely on your own timetable.
🚌Airport Express Metro £1-2 or prepaid taxi £5-7
🛏—
- →Airport transfer
- →Janpath souvenir shopping if time allows
Self-launched vs. Yoganshi Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Yoganshi Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£507 | £800 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £293 per person (37%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Yoganshi Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£507
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Golden Triangle & Kathmandu: Delhi, Agra, Jaipur & Nepal Independently cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £507 per person for 10 days in India & Nepal. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Yoganshi Travel?+
Yes — Yoganshi Travel charges around £800 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £507 — a saving of roughly £293 (37%) per person.
How long is the India & Nepal trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through India & Nepal.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, adventure, budget trip through India & Nepal, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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