Self-Launched Golden Triangle & Amritsar: Delhi, Jaipur, Agra & the Golden Temple

Fly into Indira Gandhi International Airport and make your own way to your accommodation in the Paharganj or Karol Bagh area — budget hotels here are excellent value and extremely central. Grab an Ola or pre-paid taxi from the airport (around £5–8). Spend the afternoon settling in, pick up a local SIM card at the airport or a nearby shop, and wander the local streets to get your bearings. Try a thali dinner at a neighbourhood dhaba for under £2.

🚌Pre-paid airport taxi or Ola cab to central Delhi (~£5–8)

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Paharganj/Karol Bagh, e.g. Hotel Hari Piorko or Moustache Delhi (~£12–18/night)

• →Arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport
• →Pre-paid taxi or Ola ride to central Delhi accommodation (~£5–8)
• →Pick up a local SIM card
• →Explore Paharganj market on foot
• →Dinner at a local dhaba

Pack in Delhi's greatest hits across Old and New Delhi. Start early at Jama Masjid, then hire a cycle-rickshaw to weave through the chaotic spice-scented lanes of Chandni Chowk and on to Fatehpuri Masjid — agree a rate upfront (around £2–3 for the ride). Drive past the Red Fort exterior and pay your respects at Raj Ghat, Gandhi's serene riverside memorial. In the afternoon head to Humayun's Tomb (entry ~£5), drive past Rashtrapati Bhawan and India Gate, then finish at Qutub Minar (entry ~£5). Book a self-guided audio tour via GetYourGuide or simply use a free app like Google Arts & Culture.

🚌Mix of cycle-rickshaws, auto-rickshaws and Ola cabs (~£8–12 total for the day)

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Paharganj/Karol Bagh, e.g. Hotel Hari Piorko or Moustache Delhi (~£12–18/night)

• →Visit Jama Masjid (free entry, small camera fee)
• →Cycle-rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk bazaar (~£2–3)
• →Visit Fatehpuri Masjid
• →Walk past Red Fort exterior
• →Pay homage at Raj Ghat memorial (free)
• →Explore Humayun's Tomb (entry ~£5)
• →Drive/auto-rickshaw past Rashtrapati Bhawan and India Gate
• →Visit Qutub Minar (entry ~£5)

Take the morning Ajmer Shatabdi or Jaipur Shatabdi Express from Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin or New Delhi station to Jaipur Junction — a comfortable ~4.5-hour journey in AC Chair Car (book via IRCTC or Cleartrip, ~£8–12). Arrive in Jaipur by early afternoon and check in to your Pink City guesthouse. Spend the evening strolling the old city's bazaars around Johari and Bapu markets, sampling street food like pyaaz kachori and lassi.

🚌Shatabdi Express train Delhi to Jaipur Junction (~£8–12, book on IRCTC or Cleartrip)

🛏Heritage guesthouse or hostel in Pink City, e.g. Moustache Jaipur or Pearl Palace Heritage (~£14–20/night)

• →Morning Shatabdi Express train Delhi to Jaipur (~4.5 hrs, ~£8–12 AC Chair Car)
• →Check in and freshen up
• →Evening stroll through Johari Bazaar and Bapu Market
• →Street food dinner: pyaaz kachori, lassi (~£3–5)

Rise early to beat the crowds at Amber Fort. Take a shared jeep up the hill (far cheaper than a private jeep — wait at the bottom with other tourists, ~£1.50 per person each way). Explore the fort's ornate Sheesh Mahal and ramparts (entry ~£8). Head back into the city to photograph the iconic Hawa Mahal facade from the street (free from outside; entry ~£1.50 to go inside). Then explore the grand City Palace complex (entry ~£12) and the adjacent Jantar Mantar astronomical observatory (entry ~£5). Book a guided walking tour of the old city via GetYourGuide for around £15 if you'd like local context.

🚌Shared jeep to Amber Fort (~£1.50), auto-rickshaws around city (~£5–8 total)

🛏Heritage guesthouse or hostel in Pink City, e.g. Moustache Jaipur or Pearl Palace Heritage (~£14–20/night)

• →Shared jeep ride up to Amber Fort (~£1.50 each way)
• →Explore Amber Fort including Sheesh Mahal (entry ~£8)
• →Photograph Hawa Mahal from street (free) or enter (~£1.50)
• →Explore City Palace complex (entry ~£12)
• →Visit Jantar Mantar observatory (entry ~£5)
• →Optional: GetYourGuide old city walking tour (~£15)

Take a shared or semi-private bus/taxi from Jaipur to Agra (around 4–5 hours). The best budget option is a shared cab booked through your guesthouse or apps like BlaBlaCar India (~£10–14 per person). En route, stop at the magnificent ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri — one of India's most underrated UNESCO sites. Walk through the towering Buland Darwaza gate, the Jama Masjid courtyard, the marble Tomb of Salim Chishti, and the multi-storeyed Panch Mahal (combined entry ~£5). Continue to Agra and check in near Taj Ganj for easy morning access to the Taj Mahal.

🚌Shared cab Jaipur–Fatehpur Sikri–Agra (~£10–14 per person, arrange via guesthouse or BlaBlaCar India)

🛏Guesthouse near Taj Ganj with Taj views, e.g. Saniya Palace Hotel or Moustache Agra (~£12–18/night)

• →Shared cab or bus Jaipur to Fatehpur Sikri to Agra (~£10–14)
• →Visit Buland Darwaza, the grand gateway of Fatehpur Sikri
• →Explore Jama Masjid, Fatehpur Sikri
• →Visit Tomb of Salim Chishti (marble inlay work)
• →Climb and explore Panch Mahal
• →Arrive Agra; check in near Taj Ganj

Set your alarm. Gates open at sunrise and this is when the Taj Mahal is at its most magical — pink light, low crowds, cool air. Walk or take a tuk-tuk from Taj Ganj to the East Gate (entry ~£13 for foreign nationals; book online at the ASI website to avoid queues). Spend 2–3 hours exploring the mausoleum, gardens and riverside terrace. In the late morning, make your way to Agra Fort — a vast red-sandstone fortified palace with river views back to the Taj (entry ~£5). Afternoon is free to browse Agra's marble craft shops or relax at a rooftop cafe. Consider booking a guided Taj Mahal tour via GetYourGuide (~£20–25 including guide) for deeper historical context.

🚌Tuk-tuk from guesthouse to Taj Mahal East Gate (~£1–2), tuk-tuk to Agra Fort (~£1–2)

🛏Guesthouse near Taj Ganj with Taj views, e.g. Saniya Palace Hotel or Moustache Agra (~£12–18/night)

• →Sunrise visit to Taj Mahal — arrive at gate opening (~£13 entry, book online)
• →Explore Taj Mahal mausoleum, gardens and riverside terrace (~2–3 hrs)
• →Optional GetYourGuide guided Taj Mahal tour with guide (~£20–25)
• →Visit Agra Fort (entry ~£5)
• →Rooftop lunch with Taj views
• →Browse marble craft workshops in the afternoon

Take an early morning train or shared cab back to Delhi (Agra Cantt to New Delhi on Shatabdi Express ~£8, ~2 hrs). From New Delhi station, board the Shatabdi Express to Amritsar (~6 hrs, AC Chair Car ~£12–15, book via IRCTC). This is one of India's great train journeys — sit back, watch the Punjab plains roll by and enjoy the chai and snacks served on board. Arrive Amritsar by early evening and check in near the Golden Temple. Walk over for your first glimpse of the glittering Harmandir Sahib at dusk — utterly breathtaking.

🚌Agra Cantt–New Delhi Shatabdi Express (~£8), then New Delhi–Amritsar Shatabdi Express (~£12–15); both book on IRCTC

🛏Guesthouse near Golden Temple, e.g. Jugaadus The Hosteller Amritsar or Mrs Bhandari's Guesthouse (~£12–18/night)

• →Early train or shared cab Agra to New Delhi (~£8–12)
• →Shatabdi Express New Delhi to Amritsar (~6 hrs, ~£12–15 AC Chair Car)
• →Check in near Golden Temple
• →Evening walk to Golden Temple for dusk darshan (free entry)

Start with an early morning visit to the Golden Temple (Sri Harmandir Sahib) — one of the world's most moving spiritual sites, completely free to enter. Join the langar (free community kitchen) for a humbling experience. Walk next door to Durgiana Temple, another beautiful lakeside shrine. Head to Jallianwala Bagh — the memorial garden commemorating the 1919 massacre — which is free to enter and deeply sobering. In the afternoon, visit Rambagh Gardens and the Ram Bagh Summer Palace museum (entry ~£1). In the late afternoon, arrange a shared auto or taxi to the Wagah Border for the daily flag-lowering 'Beating Retreat' ceremony (~30km, £3–5 each way) — arrive by 4pm for a good spot. Entry to the ceremony is free.

🚌Walking around Golden Temple area; shared auto or taxi to Wagah Border (~£3–5 each way, ~30km)

🛏Guesthouse near Golden Temple, e.g. Jugaadus The Hosteller Amritsar or Mrs Bhandari's Guesthouse (~£12–18/night)

• →Early morning visit to Golden Temple (Sri Harmandir Sahib) — free entry
• →Participate in langar (free community meal)
• →Visit Durgiana Temple (free)
• →Visit Jallianwala Bagh memorial garden (free)
• →Rambagh Gardens and Summer Palace museum (entry ~£1)
• →Shared taxi/auto to Wagah Border (~£3–5 each way)
• →Witness Wagah Border Beating Retreat ceremony (free)

If time allows before your departure, return to the Golden Temple for one final morning visit — the atmosphere at dawn is serene and different to any other time of day. Pick up Amritsari kulcha (stuffed flatbread) for breakfast from a local dhaba — a Punjab institution. Head to Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport for your onward flight, or take a train back to Delhi if needed (Shatabdi Express ~6 hrs, ~£12–15). Safe onward travels!

🚌Auto-rickshaw to Amritsar Airport or station (~£3–5); optional Shatabdi Express to Delhi (~£12–15)

• →Optional early morning return visit to Golden Temple at dawn
• →Amritsari kulcha breakfast at a local dhaba (~£2)
• →Transfer to Amritsar Airport or train station for onward journey
• →Optional: return Shatabdi Express to Delhi (~£12–15) if needed