Self-Launched Golden Triangle: Delhi, Jaipur, Pachewar & Agra

Arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport and make your way to Delhi Cantt or Hazrat Nizamuddin station by metro (~£0.50) or pre-paid taxi (~£6). Board the Ajmer Shatabdi Express or Jaipur Express to Jaipur (approx. 4.5–5 hrs, from ~£6 in AC chair car). Arrive in Jaipur by early afternoon and check into your guesthouse in the old city area near MI Road or the Pink City walls. Spend the evening wandering the bazaars of Johari and Bapu Bazaar — excellent for textiles, jewellery and street food. Try a lassi at a local chai shop and soak in the pink-walled city at dusk.

🚌Delhi to Jaipur: Train via IRCTC (book at irctc.co.in or via MakeMyTrip). AC Chair Car ~£6, AC 1st Class ~£18. Journey time ~4.5 hrs.

🛏Zostel Jaipur or Pearl Palace Heritage Guesthouse — budget dorm from ~£5/night, private double from ~£15/night

• →Arrive Delhi, take metro or pre-paid taxi to railway station
• →Take Ajmer Shatabdi / Jaipur Express to Jaipur (~£6 AC chair car)
• →Check in to guesthouse near Pink City
• →Evening stroll through Johari Bazaar and Bapu Bazaar
• →Street food dinner — try dal baati churma or kachori (~£2–3)

An action-packed day covering all of Jaipur's headline sights. Start early with Amber Fort to beat the heat and crowds — the fort is easily reached by a shared jeep from the base (~£1 each way). Note that elephant rides at Amber Fort have faced welfare concerns; consider the jeep or walking up instead, or check current operator ethical standards before booking. Back in the city, visit the ornate City Palace (home to a stunning textile and arms museum), the mathematical Jantar Mantar observatory, and the photogenic Hawa Mahal facade. All sites have self-entry tickets at the counter or bookable via the Rajasthan tourism app. End the day with rooftop chai overlooking the city.

🚌Shared auto-rickshaw or jeep between sights in Jaipur — budget ~£3–5 for the day. Uber/Ola also available.

🛏Zostel Jaipur or Pearl Palace Heritage Guesthouse (night 2)

• →Amber Fort via shared jeep from base (entry ~£8 foreign national ticket)
• →City Palace guided audio tour or self-guided (entry ~£10)
• →Jantar Mantar UNESCO observatory (entry ~£3)
• →Hawa Mahal — facade view free, interior entry ~£1
• →Rooftop dinner near Hawa Mahal (~£4–6)

Head to Pachewar, a small village about 65 km south of Jaipur, where the heritage Pachewar Garh Fort offers direct-booking stays. Take a local bus from Jaipur's Sindhi Camp bus stand toward Tonk and alight at Pachewar (approx. 1.5–2 hrs, ~£1.50) or arrange a shared taxi with other travellers (~£5–8pp). Check into the fort in the afternoon. The fort runs village walks, pottery demos, and cultural programmes for guests — enquire directly when booking. Enjoy the sunset at the lakeside, and in the evening a candlelit dinner in the fort garden and folk performances are typically available to direct-booking guests. Book the fort directly at pachewargarhfort.com or via heritage hotel booking platforms.

🚌Jaipur Sindhi Camp bus stand → Pachewar: local RSRTC bus (~£1.50, ~2 hrs) or shared Ola/Uber cab (~£8–12 total, split between travellers).

🛏Pachewar Garh Fort — book direct. Heritage double rooms from ~£25–35/night including some meals. Significantly cheaper than operator rates.

• →Morning checkout from Jaipur guesthouse
• →Bus or shared taxi to Pachewar (~1.5–2 hrs, ~£1.50–8)
• →Check in to Pachewar Garh Fort (book direct for best rates)
• →2-hour village walk with local guide — pottery, cooking demos, iron-making
• →Sunset at lakeside with tea and snacks
• →Candlelit dinner in fort garden (~included with stay or ~£8–10pp)
• →Folk dance, puppet show and bonfire at the fort

After breakfast at the fort, make your way to Agra. The most practical independent route is to head back toward Jaipur or Bandikui by local bus or shared cab, then board a train to Agra (Agra Cantt station). Alternatively, a direct bus from Jaipur to Agra runs several times daily (~3.5 hrs, ~£4–6 on RSRTC Volvo). Arrive in Agra by early afternoon. Check into your guesthouse — many budget options near Taj Ganj offer rooftop views of the Taj Mahal. Spend the late afternoon exploring the Taj Ganj neighbourhood, sampling Agra's famous petha sweets, and getting your bearings before the sunrise visit tomorrow.

🚌Pachewar to Jaipur (shared cab/bus ~£2–8), then Jaipur to Agra RSRTC Volvo bus (~£4–6, ~3.5 hrs) or train from Jaipur to Agra Fort station (~£5–8). Book trains at irctc.co.in.

🛏Hotel Kamal or Shanti Lodge, Taj Ganj — budget doubles from ~£10–18/night, many with rooftop Taj views

• →Breakfast at Pachewar Fort
• →Travel to Agra via bus or train (~3.5–4 hrs)
• →Check in to Taj Ganj guesthouse
• →Afternoon explore Taj Ganj market
• →Try Agra's famous petha sweets and street snacks
• →Rooftop dinner with views of the Taj Mahal (~£4–7)

Rise before dawn and walk or take a tuk-tuk to the Taj Mahal East Gate for sunrise — one of the world's great travel experiences, and completely self-bookable. Foreign national entry is ~£11 (book online at asi.payumoney.com or pay at the gate — arrive early as queues build). Spend the morning at the Taj, then head to the imposing Agra Fort (~£8 entry). In the afternoon, cross the Yamuna by tuk-tuk to visit Itmad-ud-Daulah (the 'Baby Taj', ~£5 entry) and Mehtab Bagh — the garden directly opposite the Taj with stunning sunset views and no entry crowds (~£1). End the day watching the Taj glow golden from Mehtab Bagh at dusk.

🚌Walk or tuk-tuk between Agra sights — budget ~£3–5 for the day. Fix fares in advance with drivers.

🛏Hotel Kamal or Shanti Lodge, Taj Ganj (night 2)

• →Sunrise visit to Taj Mahal — book entry online or at gate (~£11 foreign nationals)
• →Spend 2–3 hours exploring Taj Mahal and gardens
• →Agra Fort self-guided or audio guide (~£8 entry)
• →Lunch near Sadar Bazaar (~£3–5)
• →Itmad-ud-Daulah (Baby Taj) — self-entry (~£5)
• →Mehtab Bagh for sunset views of Taj Mahal (~£1)

Take an early morning train from Agra Cantt to Delhi (Gatimaan Express or Taj Express, ~2 hrs, from ~£5). Store your bags at New Delhi station's left luggage facility (~£1/day) and spend the day exploring Delhi's headline sights. Visit Jama Masjid (entry free, small camera fee), walk to Raj Ghat Gandhi memorial (free), and take the metro to see Qutub Minar (~£5 entry), Humayun's Tomb (~£7 entry), and India Gate (free). The Delhi metro is clean, cheap and air-conditioned — a day pass is ~£2 and connects all major sights. End the day with a street food feast in Paharganj or Chandni Chowk before heading to the airport or your onward destination.

🚌Agra Cantt to New Delhi: Gatimaan Express or Taj Express from ~£5 (book irctc.co.in). Delhi metro day pass ~£2 — covers all major sights. Airport drop by metro or pre-paid taxi ~£6–10.

🛏N/A — tour ends in Delhi. Budget guesthouse in Paharganj from ~£8–15 if overnight needed.

• →Early train Agra to Delhi (~2 hrs, ~£5–8 on Gatimaan/Taj Express)
• →Jama Masjid — free entry, explore vast courtyard
• →Raj Ghat Gandhi memorial — free
• →Qutub Minar UNESCO site (~£5 entry)
• →Humayun's Tomb UNESCO site (~£7 entry)
• →India Gate and Rajpath — free, great for photos
• →Street food dinner in Chandni Chowk (~£3–5)