Self-Launched India's Golden Triangle & Varanasi
9 days · India
Brahmlaxmi Tours and Travel charges £915
No-markup version: ~£325 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 9-day solo-friendly, self-launched version of the classic Delhi–Jaipur–Agra–Varanasi circuit. You'll ride the same railways and roads the private-tour crowd uses, sleep in budget guesthouses and hostels, and book the big experiences (Taj Mahal sunrise, Ganga boat ride, walking tours) directly or via GetYourGuide/Klook. Expect chaos, colour, and one of the great travel experiences on earth — at roughly a third of the guided-tour price.
Day-by-day
Arrive Delhi — ease in at Paharganj
Delhi
Land at Indira Gandhi International and take the Airport Express Metro to New Delhi station (~£1.20, 20 mins) rather than a private transfer. Base yourself in Paharganj or Majnu ka Tila for cheap guesthouses and easy access to the old city. Spend the afternoon gently: walk Main Bazaar, eat a first thali, and sort out a local SIM (Airtel/Jio counter at the airport, ~£5 for a month) and cash. Book tomorrow's activities tonight on GetYourGuide.
🚌Airport Express Metro ~£1.20; metro/walk for the rest of the day
🛏Budget guesthouse in Paharganj (private room, ~£14/night)
- →Airport Express Metro into the city
- →Main Bazaar wander
- →Local SIM card set-up
New Delhi monuments + Old Delhi heritage walk
Delhi
Morning: metro to Qutub Minar (Yellow Line to Qutub Minar station) and Humayun's Tomb — both closed Mondays, so check the day. Alternatively a half-day highlights tour on GetYourGuide (~£25) covers Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb and Lotus Temple with a guide. Afternoon: India Gate and the Presidential Palace approach, plus Gurudwara Bangla Sahib (free, cover your head). Late afternoon, join a small-group Old Delhi food and heritage walk through Chandni Chowk (~£20 on GetYourGuide/Klook) — chaat, parathas, jalebi and spice market lanes.
🚌Delhi Metro day pass ~£2; autos ~£1-2 per hop
🛏Budget guesthouse in Paharganj (~£14/night)
- →Qutub Minar & Humayun's Tomb (₹600 combined)
- →India Gate & Raj Ghat
- →Gurudwara Bangla Sahib
- →Old Delhi street food walk (~£20)
Delhi to Jaipur by train + Pink City food crawl
Jaipur
Take a morning train from New Delhi to Jaipur — the 12015 Ajmer Shatabdi or an Intercity Express, 5-ish hours, £8-12 in AC Chair Class. Book on IRCTC (or via a £3-5 agent fee on 12Go Asia if IRCTC registration is painful). Check into a guesthouse inside the walled Pink City. Evening: DIY street food crawl around Chaura Rasta and Johari Bazaar — pyaaz kachori, lassi at Lassiwala, mirchi vada and sweets (~£5).
🚌AC train Delhi–Jaipur ~£10
🛏Pink City guesthouse/hostel (private room ~£13/night)
- →Train to Jaipur
- →Walled Pink City orientation
- →Self-led street food crawl
Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal & block printing
Jaipur
Get up early for Amber Fort — local bus from Hawa Mahal stop (₹40) or auto (~£4 return), entry ₹500 for foreigners plus ₹200 for the mirror palace. Walk back down and stop at Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing in Amer (₹30) or book a 2-hour block-printing workshop in Sanganer (~£12-18). Late afternoon, Hawa Mahal photo stop from Wind View Cafe rooftop. Optional add-on: evening cooking class with a local family (~£18 via GetYourGuide) or a £15 cycle tour of the old alleys.
🚌Local bus to Amer ~£0.50; autos ~£4
🛏Pink City guesthouse/hostel (~£13/night)
- →Amber Fort entry ₹500
- →Anokhi Museum / block printing workshop
- →Hawa Mahal
- →Optional family cooking class
Jaipur to Agra via Fatehpur Sikri
Agra
Take a morning train or bus from Jaipur to Agra Cantt (bus ~£5, 5 hrs; train ~£4-8). Best-value move for Fatehpur Sikri: hire a shared taxi or day-driver for Jaipur–Fatehpur Sikri–Agra (~£30-35 split between 2-4 people, or ~£18 solo if you join a group). Fatehpur Sikri entry ₹550. Arrive Agra by evening, check in near Taj Ganj, and watch sunset over the Taj from Mehtab Bagh (₹300). Optional sari draping and henna session at a local shop (~£8).
🚌Shared car Jaipur–Fatehpur Sikri–Agra ~£18 per person
🛏Guesthouse in Taj Ganj (~£14/night)
- →Fatehpur Sikri UNESCO site (₹550)
- →Mehtab Bagh sunset Taj view (₹300)
- →Optional henna & sari demo
Taj Mahal sunrise + overnight train to Varanasi
Agra / overnight train
Pre-book your Taj Mahal ticket online (ASI portal, ₹1,300 foreigners, ~£12) — gates open 30 mins before sunrise, west gate is quietest. Be there for dawn light; the ₹200 mausoleum add-on is worth it. Afterwards, wander Old Agra's Kinari Bazaar lanes and a rooftop breakfast with a Taj view. If you fancy it, book a 60-min Ayurvedic massage (~£15). Evening: board the overnight sleeper train to Varanasi — try 12582/12560 (Agra Cantt to Varanasi Jn), 10-11 hrs, sleeper class ~£4, 3AC ~£12. Book early on IRCTC.
🚌Overnight train Agra–Varanasi ~£12
🛏Sleeper train berth (3AC ~£12)
- →Taj Mahal sunrise (₹1,300)
- →Old Agra bazaar walk
- →Rooftop Taj-view breakfast
- →Overnight sleeper train
Varanasi: temples, ghats and Ganga Aarti
Varanasi
Arrive early and check into a guesthouse in Assi Ghat or near Dashashwamedh. Morning: BHU's New Vishwanath Temple, Bharat Mata Mandir (a relief map of India) and Durga Temple — autos between them ~£2 total. Afternoon: walk the ghats from Assi to Manikarnika, buy a diya to float on the Ganges (~50p), and get lost in the galis. Evening: join the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat (free; arrive by 6pm for a seat, or watch from a boat ~£4). Optional: silk weaving workshop in Sarai Mohana (~£6), or a classical music performance at an artist's home (~£10).
🚌Autos ~£3 total
🛏Varanasi guesthouse (~£12/night)
- →BHU & Durga Temple circuit
- →Ghat walk Assi to Manikarnika
- →Float a diya on the Ganges
- →Ganga Aarti ceremony
Sunrise boat ride, Kashi Vishwanath & Sarnath
Varanasi
Sunrise boat ride on the Ganges — book a shared rowboat directly at Assi or Dashashwamedh Ghat the night before (~£4-6 per person, cheaper than the £12+ tour version). Then walk the old city lanes to Kashi Vishwanath Temple (free entry, no phones; the Vishwanath Corridor is spectacular). Afternoon: auto to Sarnath (~£3 return, 30 mins) for the Dhamek Stupa, ruins, Mulagandha Kuti Vihar and the museum (₹300, closed Fri). Final evening: rooftop chai and a banana lassi at Blue Lassi.
🚌Auto to Sarnath ~£3 return
🛏Varanasi guesthouse (~£12/night)
- →Sunrise Ganges boat ride (~£5)
- →Kashi Vishwanath Temple
- →Sarnath ruins & museum (₹300)
- →Blue Lassi
Depart Varanasi
Varanasi
Slow morning — last chai on the ghats or a final walk for photos. Auto to Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport (~£4, 45 mins) for onward flights, or train back to Delhi (Vande Bharat, ~8 hrs, ~£15) if you're building a longer loop. If you're continuing to Nepal, the Sunauli border crossing is a bus + shared jeep away (~£8 total).
🚌Auto to airport ~£4, or train to Delhi ~£15
🛏—
- →Sunrise ghat walk
- →Auto to airport or station
Self-launched vs. Brahmlaxmi Tours and Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Brahmlaxmi Tours and Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£325 | £915 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £590 per person (64%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Brahmlaxmi Tours and Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£325
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 India's Golden Triangle & Varanasi cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £325 per person for 9 days in India. 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 Brahmlaxmi Tours and Travel?+
Yes — Brahmlaxmi Tours and Travel charges around £915 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £325 — a saving of roughly £590 (64%) per person.
How long is the India trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through India.
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, foodie, budget trip through India, 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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