Northern India on a Budget: The Golden Triangle to Varanasi (Self-Launched)
9 days · Northern India
G Adventures charges £375
No-markup version: ~£340 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of G Adventures' 9-day Delhi-to-Varanasi budget run — same Golden Triangle highlights (Delhi, Pushkar, Jaipur, Agra, the Taj Mahal, and a sunrise Ganges boat ride in Varanasi), but booked entirely by yourself. You'll ride Indian Railways instead of a tour bus, sleep in guesthouses and hostels instead of twin-share tour hotels, and join locally-run tours for the sights. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP per person and can shift with season, how far ahead you book trains, and how you eat.
Day-by-day
Arrive Delhi — orientation and Karol Bagh
Delhi
Land in Delhi and settle into a Paharganj or Karol Bagh guesthouse. Grab a Delhi Metro day card or just use the Airport Express into New Delhi station. Do your own orientation walk: Connaught Place for a coffee, then India Gate for the classic photo. In the evening, wander Karol Bagh market for street snacks — chole bhature, parathas, and chai. This is a good evening to lock in tomorrow's train ticket at the station or on the IRCTC app.
🚌Airport Express train or prepaid taxi from DEL; Delhi Metro for the city
🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Paharganj/Karol Bagh (dorm or private basic room), ~£10-14
- →Self-guided walk: Connaught Place & India Gate
- →Karol Bagh market food crawl
Delhi to Pushkar by train
Pushkar
Take a morning train from Delhi toward Ajmer (roughly 6-7 hrs), then a short shared auto or taxi (about 30 min) up to Pushkar. Pushkar is a relaxed lakeside pilgrimage town — drop your bags at a guesthouse near the ghats and spend the afternoon at the Brahma Temple and the lakeside ghats. Catch the sunset from one of the hilltop cafés. Note: Pushkar is a holy town and is officially alcohol-free and largely vegetarian.
🚌Train Delhi–Ajmer (~£5-8), then shared auto/taxi to Pushkar (~£2-4)
🛏Pushkar guesthouse or hostel near the lake, ~£10-13
- →Brahma Temple visit
- →Pushkar Lake ghats walk
- →Sunset from hilltop cafés
Pushkar to Jaipur
Jaipur
Travel onward to Jaipur by bus or shared taxi (roughly 3 hrs). Check into a guesthouse in the old city near Hawa Mahal. Spend the afternoon exploring on foot — Hawa Mahal, the City Palace, and Jantar Mantar are all clustered together. Grab dinner in the foodie lanes around MI Road and try Jaipur's famous pyaaz kachori and lassi.
🚌Local bus or shared taxi Pushkar–Jaipur (~£3-5)
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Jaipur old city, ~£10-14
- →Hawa Mahal exterior and photo stop
- →City Palace and Jantar Mantar (combined ticket)
- →MI Road food walk
Jaipur — Amber Fort and the Pink City
Jaipur
Head out early to Amber Fort before the heat and crowds build — take a local bus or auto from the old city, and either walk up or share a jeep. Entry is a few hundred rupees; a local audio guide or a licensed guide at the gate is inexpensive. In the afternoon, consider the popular Jaipur cycle tour (bookable on Klook or GetYourGuide) or just wander the Pink City bazaars — Johari and Bapu markets. Optional: Nahargarh Fort at sunset for city views.
🚌Local bus/auto to Amber Fort (~£1-2), auto within city
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Jaipur old city, ~£10-14
- →Amber Fort (self-guided with ticket)
- →Optional Jaipur cycle tour via Klook/GetYourGuide (~£15-20)
- →Pink City bazaar wander
Jaipur to Agra — Taj Mahal at sunset
Agra
Take a morning train or bus to Agra (roughly 4-5 hrs). Drop bags at a guesthouse near the Taj's south or east gate, then go to the Taj Mahal in the late afternoon when light is soft and crowds thin out. Entry is cheaper for foreign visitors via the main gate; buy online to skip queues. In the evening, visit Mehtab Bagh across the river for a classic sunset view, or wander the Taj Ganj lanes for dinner.
🚌Train or bus Jaipur–Agra (~£3-6), auto to sites
🛏Agra guesthouse near Taj Ganj, ~£10-14
- →Taj Mahal entry (foreigner ticket, ~£12-15)
- →Mehtab Bagh viewpoint
- →Taj Ganj food lanes
Agra — Agra Fort and onward to Varanasi
Agra / Overnight train
Morning at Agra Fort (red sandstone Mughal fortress, entry a few hundred rupees) — you can visit independently; audio guides are available at the gate. If you skipped a sunrise Taj visit, this is a good morning for it. In the afternoon, stock up on snacks and water, then board the overnight train from Agra to Varanasi (roughly 12-14 hrs). Book a sleeper or 3AC ticket on IRCTC well in advance — this route sells out of cheaper classes quickly.
🚌Overnight train Agra–Varanasi (~£8-14)
🛏Overnight sleeper train (own berth)
- →Agra Fort self-guided visit
- →Optional second Taj Mahal visit
- →Board overnight train to Varanasi
Arrive Varanasi — ghats and evening aarti
Varanasi
Arrive in Varanasi and check into a guesthouse in the old city near Assi or Dashashwamedh ghat. Take the day slowly, then in the evening walk down to the ghats for the Ganga Aarti ceremony at Dashashwamedh Ghat — arrive early for a spot. Dinner of Varanasi street food: kachori sabzi, tamatar chaat, and Banarasi paan for dessert.
🚌Auto-rickshaw from station to old city (~£1-2)
🛏Varanasi old-city guesthouse near the ghats, ~£10-14
- →Explore the ghats on foot
- →Evening Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat
- →Street food crawl
Varanasi — sunrise Ganges boat and Sarnath
Varanasi
Get up before dawn for a boat ride on the Ganges to watch sunrise rituals at the burning ghats and bathing steps. You can hire a shared rowboat directly at the ghat for a fraction of an organised tour price — negotiate in the morning. Later, take a tuk-tuk to Sarnath, where Buddha preached his first sermon; you can hire a local guide at the site or use a self-guided app. Back in Varanasi for a final evening walk along the river.
🚌Tuk-tuk to Sarnath (~£2-4 return), walking along ghats
🛏Varanasi old-city guesthouse near the ghats, ~£10-14
- →Sunrise rowboat on the Ganges (~£3-6 shared)
- →Sarnath visit (self-guided or local guide, ~£2-5)
- →Final ghat walk
Depart Varanasi
Varanasi
Last morning in Varanasi — a final chai on the ghats or a short walk before your onward flight or train. Varanasi airport (VNS) has domestic connections to Delhi, Mumbai, and other cities; if flying, allow time through the old city traffic. If continuing overland by train, book onward tickets in advance. Trip ends here.
🚌Auto/taxi to Varanasi airport (~£4-6) or to Varanasi Junction station
🛏None (departure day)
- →Morning ghat walk
- →Onward travel from VNS airport or Varanasi Junction
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£340 | £375 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £35 per person (9%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£340
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 Northern India on a Budget: The Golden Triangle to Varanasi (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £340 per person for 9 days in Northern 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £375 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £340 — a saving of roughly £35 (9%) per person.
How long is the Northern India trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Northern 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 backpacker, budget, culture trip through Northern 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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