North India Wildlife & Heritage Circuit — Self-Launched

Land at Indira Gandhi International, take the Airport Express metro (~£1.50) or a prepaid taxi (~£4-6) to a guesthouse in Paharganj or Karol Bagh (~£18-25 for a decent double). Pick up an Indian SIM/eSIM (Airtel or Jio, ~£5 for a month), withdraw rupees, and get an early night. Book your onward trains on IRCTC in advance — Sariska/Alwar and Sawai Madhopur (Ranthambore) routes sell out fast.

🚌Airport Express metro ~£1.50 or prepaid taxi ~£5

🛏Guesthouse in Paharganj or Karol Bagh (~£20 double)

• →Airport transfer by metro or prepaid taxi
• →SIM card and cash setup
• →Evening stroll in Paharganj

Do Delhi independently: metro to Qutub Minar (combined ASI ticket options), then Humayun's Tomb and the Lotus Temple (free entry), and walk past India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan. In the afternoon head to Old Delhi — Raj Ghat, Jama Masjid (small camera fee), a cycle-rickshaw loop through Chandni Chowk's spice lanes (~£1.50), and a look at the Red Fort exterior (or enter for ~£7). Optionally join a Klook/GetYourGuide Old Delhi food walk (~£15-20).

🚌Delhi Metro day travel ~£2; rickshaw ~£1.50

🛏Guesthouse in Paharganj or Karol Bagh (~£20 double)

• →Qutub Minar
• →Humayun's Tomb
• →Lotus Temple
• →India Gate and Rajpath walk
• →Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk rickshaw ride

Take a train from Delhi to Alwar (e.g. the Shatabdi or a morning passenger service, ~£3-5, 2.5-3 hrs), then a shared jeep or auto to Sariska (~£3-5, 45 min). Settle into a budget forest lodge/homestead near the reserve (~£20-25). Confirm your safari slots — Sariska safaris are booked via the Rajasthan Forest Department's online portal (bookable by foreigners, ~£8-10 per person plus jeep sharing) or through your lodge.

🚌Train Delhi–Alwar ~£4; shared jeep ~£4

🛏Budget forest lodge near Sariska (~£22 double)

• →Train Delhi to Alwar
• →Shared jeep to Sariska
• →Safari permit booking

Two gypsy safaris (dawn and late afternoon) in Sariska Tiger Reserve with a forest-department naturalist, who is compulsory in the jeep. Tigers are present but sightings are less reliable than Ranthambore — treat it as a dry-deciduous forest and wildlife experience. Share a gypsy with other guests to keep the cost down (full gypsy ~£30-40, ~£8-10 each).

🚌Park gypsy safaris included in activity cost

🛏Budget forest lodge near Sariska (~£22 double)

• →Morning jeep safari in Sariska
• →Afternoon jeep safari in Sariska

Return to Alwar and take a train or bus to Jaipur (~£3-4, 2-3 hrs), or book a shared taxi (~£8). Check into a budget hotel in the old city near Hawa Mahal (~£20-28). Evening at leisure — sunset from Nahargarh Fort is cheap and spectacular if you have energy (~£1 entry plus ~£3 auto).

🚌Train or bus Alwar–Jaipur ~£4

🛏Budget hotel in Jaipur old city (~£24 double)

• →Travel to Jaipur
• →Old city wander and bazaars
• →Optional Nahargarh Fort sunset

Full day exploring Jaipur on your own: Amber Fort (skip the elephant ride — welfare concerns; take the jeep or walk up, ~£8 entry), Jantar Mantar (~£3), City Palace (~£8), plus photo stops at Jal Mahal, Hawa Mahal and Birla Temple (free). An auto-rickshaw day hire is ~£10-12. Optional local guide for a half day ~£10-15 via GetYourGuide.

🚌Auto-rickshaw day hire ~£11

🛏Budget hotel in Jaipur old city (~£24 double)

• →Amber Fort and Jantar Mantar
• →City Palace
• →Hawa Mahal and Jal Mahal viewpoints
• →Birla Temple

Train Jaipur to Sawai Madhopur (~£2-3, 2 hrs) then a shared auto or shuttle to your lodge in Sawai Madhopur town (~£2-3). Check in (~£22-30) and do an afternoon safari — Ranthambore permits are sold online on the Rajasthan Forest Department portal and sell out up to 90 days ahead in peak season, so book early. A shared canter is cheapest (~£12-15 pp); gypsies are ~£8-10 pp when shared.

🚌Train Jaipur–Sawai Madhopur ~£3; shared auto ~£2

🛏Budget lodge in Sawai Madhopur (~£26 double)

• →Train to Sawai Madhopur
• →Afternoon Ranthambore safari

Morning and afternoon safaris in Zones 1-5 — the lakes and ruins around Ranthambore Fort give this park the best tiger-sighting odds in Rajasthan. Between safaris, walk up the fort itself (free with park entry area) for views. Total safari cost for two shared safaris roughly £20-30.

🚌Park canter/gypsy safaris

🛏Budget lodge in Sawai Madhopur (~£26 double)

• →Morning Ranthambore safari
• →Afternoon Ranthambore safari
• →Ranthambore Fort walk

Take a local bus or shared taxi to Karauli/Ramathra (~£4-6, 1.5-2 hrs). The fort hotel is the expensive option — instead stay at a village guesthouse or homestay in Ramathra (~£20-25) and do a jeep excursion into the Kalisil river valley with Ghanteshvar cave temples and Gujar hamlets (~£20-25 shared), plus a boating/walk on Kalisil lake (local boat hire ~£5-8).

🚌Local bus shared taxi ~£5; jeep excursion ~£12 pp

🛏Village homestay or guesthouse in Ramathra (~£22 double)

• →Local bus to Ramathra
• →Kalisil river valley jeep excursion
• →Ghanteshvar cave temples
• →Boat ride on Kalisil lake

Morning walk to a local temple and through the village, or a bike hire ride in the countryside (~£2). Then travel by bus via Karauli to Bharatpur (~£5-7, 3-4 hrs, possibly with a change at Dholpur or Alwar). Check into a guesthouse near the Keoladeo gate (~£18-25) — staying close means you can enter the park at dawn on foot.

🚌Bus Ramathra–Bharatpur ~£6

🛏Guesthouse near Keoladeo gate (~£22 double)

• →Morning village walk
• →Cycle hire in the countryside
• →Bus to Bharatpur

Half or full day inside Keoladeo National Park — entry ~£6 plus a cycle rickshaw with a knowledgeable local guide (~£8-10 for 3-4 hrs) is the classic way to birdwatch. Painted storks, herons, ibis, eagles and, in winter, migratory species; boat rides are seasonal. Walk back through the village to a roadside thali joint for dinner (~£3).

🚌Cycle rickshaw ~£9

🛏Guesthouse near Keoladeo gate (~£22 double)

• →Keoladeo bird sanctuary entry
• →Cycle rickshaw birding tour
• →Rural village walk

Bus or shared taxi to Fatehpur Sikri (~£3-5, 1.5 hrs), explore the Mughal ghost city, Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal and the Tomb of Salim Chisti (~£7 entry; battery car ~£1.50). Continue by local bus to Agra (~£2-3, 1.5 hrs). Stay in Taj Ganj for easy morning access to the Taj (~£18-25).

🚌Bus and shared taxi ~£7

🛏Guesthouse in Taj Ganj, Agra (~£22 double)

• →Fatehpur Sikri complex
• →Tomb of Salim Chisti and Buland Darwaza
• →Bus to Agra

Buy your Taj Mahal ticket online in advance (~£14 for foreigners) and be at the east gate before sunrise for the softest light and smallest crowds. Then Agra Fort (~£7) with an audio guide or a GetYourGuide local guide (~£12-15), Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb ('Baby Taj', ~£4) and Mehtab Bagh (~£4) for the sunset Taj view across the Yamuna. Cycle rickshaws between sights ~£4 total.

🚌Rickshaws ~£4

🛏Guesthouse in Taj Ganj, Agra (~£22 double)

• →Sunrise at the Taj Mahal
• →Agra Fort
• →Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb
• →Mehtab Bagh sunset

Take a bus from Agra to Dholpur or Bah (~£3-4, 2-3 hrs), then a shared jeep/auto to the Chambal river area (~£3). Budget riverside resorts here are the main option (~£25-30); alternatively base in Dholpur town (~£15-20). Book a river boat safari for the next morning directly with the UP Forest Department or your accommodation (~£12-18 pp) — this is where you see gharials, mugger crocodiles, skimmers and dolphins.

🚌Bus and shared jeep ~£7

🛏Budget riverside resort or Dholpur guesthouse (~£25 double)

• →Bus to Dholpur/Bah
• →Chambal riverbank walk at sunset
• →Boat safari booking

Dawn river boat safari for gharials and birdlife (~£12-18). Later, a shared jeep to the Bateshwar Shiva temple complex (~£8 return), a striking cluster of over 100 riverside temples and ghats, quiet and almost tourist-free. Optional jeep excursion into the ravines for the Chambal's dramatic Badlands scenery.

🚌Shared jeep to Bateshwar ~£8

🛏Budget riverside resort or Dholpur guesthouse (~£25 double)

• →Chambal river boat safari
• →Bateshwar Shiva temples
• →Optional ravine jeep excursion

Bus or shared taxi to Gwalior (~£4-6, 2-3 hrs). Check into a budget hotel near the fort (~£18-22). Afternoon exploring Gwalior Fort — Man Mandir Palace, Gujari Mahal museum, Sas-Bahu temples, Teli-ka-Mandir and Johar Kund (~£6 combined) — plus Jai Vilas Palace (~£4), the Tansen mausoleum and Gaus Mohammad's tomb. Autos ~£5.

🚌Bus ~£5; autos ~£5

🛏Budget hotel in Gwalior (~£20 double)

• →Gwalior Fort and Man Mandir
• →Gujari Mahal museum
• →Jai Vilas Palace
• →Tansen and Gaus Mohammad tombs

Train Gwalior to Jhansi (~£2-3, 1.5 hrs). Leave your bag at the station, take an auto to Jhansi Fort, Rani Mahal and the Government Museum (~£3 combined entry, ~£3 autos). Then continue by train Jhansi to Khajuraho (~£3-4, 3-4 hrs) or an overnight/evening bus (~£4). Check into a guesthouse in Khajuraho village (~£18-24).

🚌Trains Gwalior–Jhansi–Khajuraho ~£6; autos ~£3

🛏Guesthouse in Khajuraho (~£20 double)

• →Jhansi Fort
• →Rani Mahal and Government Museum
• →Train to Khajuraho

Hire a local guide or an audio guide for the Western Group (~£8-12 + ~£7 entry) — the carvings need context. Cycle or auto to the Eastern and Jain groups (~£3-4). In the evening, the light-and-sound show at the Western Group (~£5) is worth it. Khajuraho is small and walkable, so transport costs stay low.

🚌Cycle hire or auto ~£3

🛏Guesthouse in Khajuraho (~£20 double)

• →Western Group temples with guide
• →Eastern and Jain temple groups
• →Light and sound show

This leg is awkward independently: take a bus or shared taxi from Khajuraho to Satna or Katni (~£4-6, 2-3 hrs), then a bus or shared jeep toward Umaria/Tala (~£3-5, 3 hrs), then a short auto to Tala village. Budget jungle lodges/camps around Tala (~£25-35) are plentiful. Arrange your Bandhavgarh safaris through your lodge — permits are also sold on the MP Forest Department portal and should be booked well in advance (Nov–Jun season).

🚌Buses and shared jeeps ~£12

🛏Budget jungle lodge in Tala, Bandhavgarh (~£30 double)

• →Bus to Satna/Katni
• →Bus/shared jeep to Tala
• →Lodge check-in and safari briefing

Morning and afternoon jeep safaris in Bandhavgarh's Tala zone, sharing a gypsy with lodge guests (~£25-35 per person for both safaris including permit and jeep share). Bandhavgarh has one of India's highest tiger densities and the cliff-top fort inside the park is a highlight. Keep a day spare if you can — permits and sightings are never guaranteed.

🚌Park gypsies included in activity cost

🛏Budget jungle lodge in Tala, Bandhavgarh (~£30 double)

• →Morning Bandhavgarh safari
• →Afternoon Bandhavgarh safari
• →Bandhavgarh fort viewpoint (if permitted)

Shared jeep or bus to Umaria (~£3-5, 45 min), then a train to Jabalpur (~£2-4, 2.5 hrs) — or a direct bus. Fly Jabalpur to Delhi (~£45-70 one way booked on IndiGo/Air India, 1.5 hrs) or take an overnight train (~£8-12, 12-14 hrs) if you want to save money. Overnight near Paharganj or the airport (~£20-25).

🚌Shared jeep ~£4; train ~£3; flight ~£55

🛏Guesthouse in Delhi (~£22 double)

• →Local transport to Umaria
• →Train to Jabalpur
• →Flight or overnight train to Delhi

Last-minute shopping in Janpath or Dilli Haat, then Airport Express metro or prepaid taxi to IGI for your flight home. If your flight is late, a half-day Delhi food walk or Humayun's Tomb revisit fits easily.

🚌Airport Express metro ~£1.50

🛏None (departure day)

• →Shopping at Janpath or Dilli Haat
• →Airport transfer