Self-Launched India & Nepal: Golden Triangle, Varanasi and Himalayan Valleys

Land at IGI Airport, take the Airport Express Metro or a pre-paid taxi to a hostel or guesthouse in Paharganj or Karol Bagh (aim for ₹1,200–2,500/night). In the afternoon take the Yellow Line Metro to Qutub Minar, then work your way north to Humayun's Tomb and the Lotus Temple (all closed Mondays for some sites — check). Finish with a walk past India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan at dusk. Skip a private guide: the ASI audio guide at Humayun's Tomb and Qutub Minar is about ₹150 each, or use the free Klook/GetYourGuide Delhi walking tours (tip-based).

🚌Airport Express Metro ~£2; metro day pass ~£1.50; autos £3–5

🛏Hostel or family guesthouse, Paharganj/Karol Bagh (approx £18)

• →Qutub Minar (entry ~£6)
• →Humayun's Tomb (entry ~£5)
• →Lotus Temple (free)
• →India Gate & Rajpath walk (free)

Do Old Delhi under your own steam. Start at Raj Ghat (free) at 9am, then walk or cycle-rickshaw (₹100–200, agree the price first) through Chandni Chowk's spice market and Khari Baoli. Join a GetYourGuide/Klook Old Delhi street-food walk (₹1,500–2,500) if you want the food history — otherwise self-cater from the stalls. Drive-past view of the Red Fort from the road or pay ₹600 for the fort itself. Evening: book an overnight train to Jaipur if you want to save a hotel night, or sleep and take a morning train.

🚌Metro + cycle rickshaw ~£4; overnight train option to Jaipur from ~£6 (3AC)

🛏Same guesthouse, Delhi (approx £18)

• →Raj Ghat (free)
• →Chandni Chowk spice market walk (free–£20 with food tour)
• →Red Fort exterior (free) or entry ~£7

Take the morning Shatabdi or double-decker train Delhi–Jaipur (about 4h45, ₹800–1,500 in AC chair/3AC, book on IRCTC). Check into a guesthouse inside the old city walls near Hawa Mahal. Afternoon: wander the bazaars of Johari and Bapu, see Hawa Mahal from the outside (free) and pay to go up the ticket counter café opposite for the classic photo. Evening rooftop dinner overlooking the old city.

🚌Train Delhi–Jaipur ~£10; autos ~£4

🛏Old-city guesthouse or hostel, Jaipur (approx £16)

• →Hawa Mahal viewpoint (free–£1)
• →Johari & Bapu bazaars (free)

Get to Amber Fort at opening (8am) by local bus (₹30) or auto (₹300) to beat the crowds and heat. Buy the composite Jaipur ticket (₹1,000) covering Amber, City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, Nahargarh and Albert Hall over two days — far better value than separate entries. Skip the elephant ride (ethical concerns and long queues); the jeep up is ₹200. Afternoon: City Palace and Jantar Mantar, then drive past Jal Mahal and visit Birla Temple on the way home.

🚌Local bus + autos ~£6

🛏Jaipur guesthouse (approx £16)

• →Composite Jaipur ticket ~£10
• →Amber Fort jeep ~£2
• →Birla Temple (free)

Morning bus or shared taxi to Sawai Madhopur (about 3.5h, bus ₹350, or the Jan Shatabdi train ~2h). Dump bags at a budget lodge near the park gate. Book your safari slots in advance on the official Rajasthan Forest Department portal (bookings.rajasthan.gov.in) — these sell out, especially the shared 6-seat Gypsy. Take an afternoon zone safari (₹1,500–2,000 for a shared jeep). Realistic tiger odds are 40–60% per drive.

🚌Bus/train Jaipur–Sawai Madhopur ~£5

🛏Budget lodge near Ranthambore park gate (approx £16)

• →Afternoon shared jeep safari ~£22

Morning game drive at dawn (best tiger odds) and an afternoon drive in a different zone. Between drives, walk up to Ranthambore Fort above the park (free) for views over the lakes and ruins — a lovely, underrated wander. Packed lunch from the village.

🚌Park jeep transfers included in safari

🛏Ranthambore lodge (approx £16)

• →Morning shared jeep safari ~£22
• →Afternoon shared jeep safari ~£22
• →Ranthambore Fort hike (free)

Train or bus to Bharatpur/Sawai Madhopur then local bus to Fatehpur Sikri (or a shared taxi, ₹1,500–2,000). The abandoned Mughal capital is 40km from Agra and easy to see in 2–3 hours: Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal, Diwan-e-Khas and the Tomb of Salim Chisti (shoes off). A battery cart shuttles from the car park for ₹30. Evening bus to Agra (₹150) or a shared taxi; check into a guesthouse in Taj Ganj with a rooftop Taj view.

🚌Buses/shared taxi ~£8 total

🛏Taj Ganj guesthouse with rooftop view, Agra (approx £15)

• →Fatehpur Sikri entry ~£6
• →Battery cart ~£0.50

Buy your Taj Mahal ticket online in advance (₹1,300 for foreigners for the mausoleum + ₹200 main gate) and be at the East Gate for the 6am opening — sunrise light and no crowds. Budget 2–3 hours. Then walk or auto to Agra Fort (₹650), covering Diwan-i-Aam, Diwan-i-Khas, Jahangir Palace and Moti Masjid. Afternoon: Itmad-ud-Daulah's 'Baby Taj' across the river (₹310) plus a walk through the Jama Masjid area. Book a Klook photo walk if you want the classic Diana-bench style shots.

🚌Autos ~£4

🛏Agra guesthouse (approx £15)

• →Taj Mahal entry ~£15
• →Agra Fort entry ~£7
• →Itmad-ud-Daulah ~£3.50

Long train day: the Agra–Varanasi route is usually via Lucknow or Kanpur, or take the overnight express. The daytime option leaves around 6–8am and arrives late afternoon/evening (₹1,200–2,000 in 3AC). Sleep on the train to save a night, or check into a guesthouse in the old ghats area. First evening: walk the ghats at Assi and sit in on the free Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat around 6.30–7pm.

🚌Train Agra–Varanasi ~£16

🛏Ghat-side guesthouse, Varanasi (approx £14)

• →Ghats walk and Ganga Aarti (free)

Cycle or auto out to Sarnath (10km, ₹200–300) where Buddha gave his first sermon. Visit Dhamek Stupa, the Archaeological Museum (₹300, closed Fridays; the Lion Capital is here), Chaukhandi Stupa and a Tibetan monastery. Hire a local guide at the site for ₹500–800 or use a GetYourGuide Sarnath walking tour. Afternoon back in town for lassi at the Blue Lassi Shop and silk browsing.

🚌Auto to Sarnath return ~£5

🛏Varanasi guesthouse (approx £14)

• →Sarnath Museum entry ~£3
• →Local guide ~£7

Boat at 5.30am from Dasaswamedh or Assi Ghat — book a shared rowboat directly on the ghat for ₹500–800 per person (much cheaper than hotel-arranged trips). Watch the bathing rituals in the sunrise light. Then walk the temple circuit yourself: Vishwanath Temple (security, no phones), Sankat Mochan, Durga Temple, Tulsi Manas, Bharat Mata Temple and the Banaras Hindu University campus including Birla Mandir. Eat your way through kachori sabzi and malaiyo.

🚌Walking + autos ~£3

🛏Varanasi guesthouse (approx £14)

• →Sunrise shared boat ~£6
• →Temple donations ~£2

Fly Varanasi–Kathmandu the cheap way: either a direct IndiGo/Vistara flight (varies, often ₹7,000–12,000, £65–110) or an indirect via Delhi. Book early for the best fares. Land at TIA, get your Nepal visa on arrival (£30 for 15 days, £50 for 30 days), grab a local SIM (Ncell/Namaste, ~£3 for data) and taxi to Thamel (£5–7). Evening: wander Thamel, eat momos and dal bhat, and sort your bus tickets for later in the trip.

🚌Flight Varanasi–Kathmandu ~£85; airport taxi ~£6

🛏Thamel hostel or guesthouse, Kathmandu (approx £12)

• →Thamel wander (free)

Buy the Kathmandu Durbar Square ticket (₹1,000) and hire a licensed local guide for two hours (₹2,000) — or use a GetYourGuide valley tour. Then take an InDrive/Pathao ride to Swayambhunath (monkey temple, ₹200), Boudhanath Stupa (₹400, spin the kora with pilgrims) and Pashupatinath (₹1,000) for the evening aarti at around 6pm. Patan Durbar Square (₹1,000) fits in the late morning if you start early. Three sites in one day is a lot — pick four max.

🚌Rideshare app rides ~£6 total

🛏Thamel guesthouse (approx £12)

• →Site tickets ~£20
• →Local guide ~£12

Book a shared sunrise jeep to Nagarkot (₹1,500–2,000 per person, arranged through any Thamel agent, leaving 4.30am) for Himalayan views — clear mornings in Oct–Nov are best. Descend to Bhaktapur (₹1,500 entry) and spend the morning on the Golden Gate, Palace of 55 Windows, Nyatapola Temple and the pottery square; the juju dhau (king curd) is mandatory. Local bus back to Kathmandu from Bhaktapur's Durbar Square bus stand (₹50).

🚌Shared sunrise jeep ~£12; local bus back ~£1

🛏Thamel guesthouse (approx £12)

• →Nagarkot jeep ~£12
• →Bhaktapur entry ~£9

Take a tourist bus or local bus Kathmandu–Dumre (4–5h, ₹700–1,200), then a shared jeep up the hill to Bandipur (₹150). Bandipur is a car-free Newari hill town with unreal Annapurna views and almost no tourists. Check into a small family guesthouse on the bazaar. Afternoon: walk the old bazaar, peek at the library and Bindebasini Temple, and catch sunset from Thani Mai hill (45min uphill).

🚌Bus Kathmandu–Dumre ~£8; shared jeep ~£1.50

🛏Family guesthouse, Bandipur (approx £12)

• →Bazaar walk, Thani Mai sunset (free)

Sunrise hike to Thani Mai shrine again if you loved it, or the loop out to Ramkot village (2–3h through terraced farmland and Magar villages). Afternoon: Siddha Gupha cave (₹100, bring a torch — it's long and low) and a slow afternoon on the guesthouse roof garden watching the Annapurnas. This is the trip's best slow-travel day — no need to book anything in advance.

🚌Walking; local jeep if needed ~£2

🛏Bandipur guesthouse (approx £12)

• →Ramkot hike (free)
• →Siddha Gupha ~£1

Jeep down to Dumre then bus or shared van to Pokhara (2–3h, ₹400–700). Check into a Lakeside hostel with a lake view. Afternoon: walk Phewa Lake's eastern shore, hire a boat (₹800/hour for a rowboat, self-rowed) to Barahi Temple on its island, and explore the Tibetan camp near Tashiling. Optional: Davis Falls and Gupteshwor Cave if you have energy (₹100 each).

🚌Jeep + bus ~£6

🛏Lakeside hostel, Pokhara (approx £12)

• →Self-rowed boat on Phewa ~£6
• →Barahi Temple (free)

Share a taxi to Sarangkot before dawn (₹1,500 return split between 3–4 people) for the Machhapuchhre and Annapurna sunrise — or hike down via the paragliding launch pads if you're feeling active. Afternoon: World Peace Pagoda (hike up from Damside, 45min, free entry), the International Mountain Museum (₹500), Mahendra Cave and the Seti River gorge. Add a paragliding flight if you want the splurge (₹9,000–12,000 / £55–75 through a local agency).

🚌Shared taxi ~£10 split; local bus to caves ~£1

🛏Pokhara hostel (approx £12)

• →Sarangkot shared taxi ~£4
• →Mountain Museum ~£3
• →Peace Pagoda (free)

Tourist bus Pokhara–Sauraha (5–6h, ₹800–1,200). Check into a Sauraha guesthouse and take the afternoon to walk to the Tharu village of Bachhauli and the riverside. In the evening, watch a Tharu stick dance at the cultural centre (₹200) — a bit touristy but fun and genuinely local.

🚌Tourist bus Pokhara–Sauraha ~£8

🛏Sauraha guesthouse (approx £12)

• →Tharu village walk (free)
• →Tharu cultural dance ~£1.50

Book a full-day package directly with a Sauraha operator or guesthouse the night before: typically a dugout canoe on the Rapti at dawn, a jungle walk or jeep safari, and the elephant breeding centre at Khorsor. Expect ₹4,500–6,500 (£28–40) for a jeep safari package, cheaper for a walking safari. Skip the elephant-back ride — it's ethically contested and increasingly discouraged. Chances of rhino are excellent; tigers less so. Bring binoculars.

🚌Included in safari package

🛏Sauraha guesthouse (approx £12)

• →Canoe + jeep safari package ~£35
• →Elephant breeding centre ~£3

Bus Sauraha–Kurintar/Mugling, then take the Manakamana cable car (₹600 return, 10min) up to the hilltop temple for views and prasad. Continue by bus to Kathmandu (total 7–8h including the detour). Last night in Thamel: souvenir shopping, a proper Nepali thali and a rooftop beer. Depart the next morning, or catch a late flight if you're flying on.

🚌Buses ~£8; cable car ~£4

🛏Thamel guesthouse (approx £12)

• →Manakamana cable car ~£4
• →Temple (free)