Northern India by Rail: Self-Launched Edition

Arrive in Delhi at any time. Pre-book a prepaid taxi from the airport taxi booth (around £6-8) or take the Airport Express Metro to New Delhi station (£2). Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse in the Paharganj or Karol Bagh areas — both are central and well-connected. Spend the evening exploring the neighbourhood, grabbing street food, and getting your bearings. Pick up a local SIM card at the airport or a nearby shop for cheap data and calls.

🚌Airport Express Metro to New Delhi station (~£2) or prepaid taxi (~£8)

🛏Moustache Hostel Delhi or Hotel Namaskar (Paharganj) — approx £10-15/night

• →Arrive and check in to hostel/guesthouse in Paharganj or Karol Bagh
• →Pick up a local SIM card (Airtel or Jio, ~£3)
• →Explore Paharganj's street food scene for dinner
• →Book your onward IRCTC train tickets if not done already (irctc.co.in or Cleartrip)

Catch the early morning Shatabdi Express from New Delhi station to Amritsar (train 12031, departs ~07:20, arrives ~13:10, ~£10-15 in Chair Car class — breakfast is included on board). Check in to your accommodation, then in the afternoon take a shared auto-rickshaw or taxi to the Wagah Border (around 30km away, shared taxi ~£2-3 each way). Arrive by 4pm to get a good spot for the daily Beating Retreat ceremony — a thrilling, nationalistic spectacle performed by Indian BSF and Pakistani Rangers guards. Return to Amritsar and take an evening orientation walk around the Golden Temple complex.

🚌Shatabdi Express train Delhi–Amritsar (~£12 Chair Car); shared taxi to Wagah Border (~£3)

🛏Bloom Rooms Amritsar or Golden Temple Backpackers — approx £10-15/night

• →Shatabdi Express Delhi to Amritsar (~5.5 hours, breakfast included on board, ~£12)
• →Wagah Border Beating Retreat ceremony (free entry, shared taxi ~£3 each way)
• →Evening orientation walk around the Golden Temple complex (free)

Wake up early to visit the Golden Temple (Sri Harmandir Sahib) at dawn — the golden reflection on the holy sarovar (pool) is breathtaking and entry is completely free. Spend a couple of hours learning about Sikh principles of community service (langar) and joining the free communal meal served to thousands daily. Afterwards, take a shared taxi or HPTDC bus to Dharamsala/McLeod Ganj (~5-6 hours, ~£5-8). McLeod Ganj sits at 1,457m and is the heart of the Tibetan exile community. Check in and take an easy evening walk around the main bazaar.

🚌Shared taxi or HPTDC bus Amritsar to Dharamsala (~5-6 hrs, ~£6)

🛏Zostel Dharamsala or Hotel Norling McLeod Ganj — approx £10-14/night

• →Dawn visit to the Golden Temple — including langar (free communal meal, donation welcome)
• →Learn about the history and community service principles of Sikhism
• →Shared taxi or HPTDC bus Amritsar to Dharamsala/McLeod Ganj (~£6)
• →Evening stroll around McLeod Ganj main bazaar

A full free day to explore Dharamsala at your own pace. The Tsuglagkhang Complex (Main Temple and residence of the Dalai Lama) is a must-visit — entry is free, and it houses a fascinating museum on Tibetan history and the Chinese occupation. The nearby Norbulingka Institute (~£1 entry) is a beautiful campus dedicated to preserving Tibetan arts, crafts, and culture. For the more adventurous, the hike up to Bhagsunag waterfall is a rewarding 2km walk from McLeod Ganj through forest and past the Bhagsu Nag Temple. Try momos (Tibetan dumplings) at one of the many local Tibetan cafés.

🚌Walking and local auto-rickshaws (~£2)

🛏Zostel Dharamsala or Hotel Norling McLeod Ganj — approx £10-14/night

• →Tsuglagkhang Complex — Main Temple and Dalai Lama's residence (free)
• →Tibet Museum (free/donation)
• →Norbulingka Institute — Tibetan arts and crafts (~£1)
• →Optional hike to Bhagsunag waterfall (~2km each way, free)
• →Tibetan cooking and momos at local cafés

Take a shared taxi or HPTDC bus from McLeod Ganj to Mandi (~4 hours, ~£5-7). Mandi is a fascinating, under-touristed town on the banks of the Beas River, known as the 'Varanasi of the Hills' for its 81 ancient stone temples. Spend the afternoon wandering the old town and visiting riverside ghats. Don't miss a walk around Rewalsar Lake (~5km from town), a sacred site for Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists, dotted with colourful monasteries and floating reed islands. Local shared autos run to Rewalsar (~£1).

🚌Shared taxi or HPTDC bus Dharamsala–Mandi (~4 hrs, ~£6); local auto to Rewalsar (~£1)

🛏Hotel Raj Mahal Mandi or Evening Plaza Hotel — approx £10-15/night

• →Shared taxi or bus Dharamsala to Mandi (~4 hrs, ~£6)
• →Explore Mandi's old town and ancient stone temples (free)
• →Visit Rewalsar (Tso Pema) Lake — sacred to three religions (shared auto ~£1)
• →Walk the ghats along the Beas River

Take a shared taxi or HPTDC Volvo bus from Mandi to Shimla (~5 hours, ~£6-9). The journey winds through spectacular Himalayan foothills. Shimla sits at 2,200m and served as the summer capital of British India — its colonial-era architecture is extraordinarily well-preserved. Check in and spend the late afternoon walking The Ridge and The Mall, Shimla's famous pedestrian promenades, lined with Tudorbethan and neo-Gothic buildings. Watch the sunset from The Ridge with views over the Himalayas.

🚌HPTDC Volvo bus or shared taxi Mandi–Shimla (~5 hrs, ~£8)

🛏Zostel Shimla or Hotel White — approx £12-18/night

• →HPTDC Volvo bus or shared taxi Mandi to Shimla (~5 hrs, ~£8)
• →Arrive and explore The Ridge and The Mall (free)
• →Admire colonial-era architecture including the neo-Gothic Christ Church
• →Sunset views over the Himalayas from The Ridge

A full day to explore Shimla. Start with a self-guided orientation walk along The Mall and The Ridge — the heart of Shimla's social life. The Viceregal Lodge (Rashtrapati Niwas), the former summer residence of the British Viceroy, is a stunning Elizabethan-style building with manicured grounds and a small museum (~£2 entry). Walk or take the local bus to Jakhu Temple, dedicated to the Hindu monkey god Hanuman, perched on Shimla's highest peak with panoramic views (watch out for the resident rhesus macaques!). The Scandal Point area and Lakkar Bazaar (wood-craft market) are also worth exploring.

🚌Walking and local buses (~£1-2)

🛏Zostel Shimla or Hotel White — approx £12-18/night

• →Self-guided walk along The Mall and The Ridge
• →Viceregal Lodge (Rashtrapati Niwas) — Raj-era architecture and museum (~£2)
• →Jakhu Temple hike or ropeway (~£2) for panoramic Himalayan views
• →Lakkar Bazaar for local woodcraft souvenirs
• →Optional: book GetYourGuide/Klook heritage walking tour of Shimla (~£12)

Today's highlight is the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kalka-Shimla Narrow Gauge Railway — a jaw-dropping 96km journey through 102 tunnels and over 800 bridges. Book in advance on IRCTC (train 52455 or 52453, departs Shimla ~05:30 or ~10:00, arrives Kalka ~10:30 or ~14:45, ~£3-5 in Second Class). At Kalka, board the Shatabdi Express (train 12011 or 12005) back to New Delhi (~4 hours, ~£10-12, dinner included on board). Arrive in Delhi in the evening. Check back into your Delhi hostel and celebrate the journey with a final night out in the city.

🚌Kalka-Shimla Narrow Gauge toy train (~£4); Shatabdi Express Kalka–Delhi (~£11)

🛏Moustache Hostel Delhi or Hotel Namaskar — approx £10-15/night

• →Kalka-Shimla toy train (UNESCO World Heritage, ~5 hrs, ~£4 Second Class — book on IRCTC)
• →Shatabdi Express Kalka to New Delhi (~4 hrs, dinner included, ~£11)
• →Arrive Delhi — evening at leisure in Paharganj or Connaught Place

Depart at any time. If you have a morning flight, the Airport Express Metro from New Delhi station is the fastest and cheapest option (~£2, 20 minutes). If you have time before departing, consider a final visit to Connaught Place, Humayun's Tomb, or the bustling Chandni Chowk market. Prepaid taxis to Indira Gandhi International Airport cost around £8-12 depending on your location in the city.

🚌Airport Express Metro (~£2) or prepaid taxi to IGI Airport (~£10)

• →Optional last-morning sightseeing: Humayun's Tomb (~£5) or Chandni Chowk market (free)
• →Airport Express Metro to IGI Airport (~£2) or prepaid taxi (~£10)