Great Grand Rajasthan: Self-Launched 14-Day Circuit

Land at IGI Airport and take the Airport Express Metro (£1.50) or a prepaid taxi (£6-8) to a guesthouse in Paharganj or Karol Bagh. In the afternoon ride the Delhi Metro to Chandni Chowk and wander the lanes of Old Delhi — spice market, Paranthe Wali Gali and Jama Masjid (free entry, £2 for the minaret climb). Hire a certified local guide at the gate for £10-15 for 2-3 hours rather than a full-day driver. Evening: Raj Ghat and India Gate for sunset, dine at a Karim's-style kebab house (£5).

🚌Airport Express Metro + Delhi Metro day card (~£4)

🛏Paharganj/Karol Bagh guesthouse, private room with AC (~£15)

• →Self-guided Old Delhi walk (Chandni Chowk, spice market, Jama Masjid)
• →Local guide hire at Jama Masjid (£10-15)
• →India Gate and Raj Ghat

Morning explore New Delhi: Humayun's Tomb (£6) and Qutub Minar (£6) by metro and auto. Midday catch a train from Delhi to Jhunjhunu or Nawalgarh (3AC ~£7, 4-5 hrs), then a shared jeep/auto to Mandawa (£2-3). Check into a budget haveli — Shekhawati is full of converted merchant houses. Sunset on a rooftop, then walk the painted bazaar streets with a chai.

🚌Train Delhi–Nawalgarh/Jhunjhunu 3AC (~£7) + shared jeep (~£3)

🛏Budget heritage haveli in Mandawa (~£14)

• →Humayun's Tomb and Qutub Minar (Delhi morning)
• →Shekhawati painted haveli bazaar walk

Morning walking tour of Mandawa's frescoed havelis (many free or £1-2 each; a local guide £8). Late morning bus to Bikaner via Fatehpur/Sikar (~4-5 hrs, £3-4 state bus). In Bikaner visit Junagarh Fort (£8 with audio guide) and take an auto to the Camel Breeding and Research Farm (£2 entry, £3 auto) — the optional add-on from the original tour. Evening: Bikaneri bhujia and kachori snacks in the old town (£3).

🚌State bus Mandawa–Bikaner (~£4) + local autos (~£4)

🛏Bikaner guesthouse near old town (~£15)

• →Mandawa haveli walk with local guide
• →Junagarh Fort and museum
• →National Research Centre on Camel

Long travel day: Bikaner to Jaisalmer by train or bus (~5-6 hrs, train 3AC ~£7 / bus ~£5). Arrive mid-afternoon and check into a guesthouse inside or just outside the fort walls. Late afternoon wander the cobbled lanes of the fort — Jain temples, havelis and rooftop cafés. Book your camel safari for tomorrow directly with a local operator (£25-35 for a half-day dune trip incl. dinner), or via Klook/GetYourGuide.

🚌Bus or train Bikaner–Jaisalmer (~£5-7)

🛏Guesthouse inside the fort area, Jaisalmer (~£16)

• →Jaisalmer Fort lane walk
• →Book camel safari locally

Morning: Jaisalmer Fort (Sonar Kila) with a licensed guide (£10), the 12th-century Jain temples (£3), Patwon Ki Haveli (£3) and Nathmal Ki Haveli. Afternoon jeep or shared taxi out to Sam Sand Dunes (~40 min, £8-10 shared) for a camel ride and sunset. Stay for dinner and a Rajasthani folk music night, or return to town (£12 shared jeep).

🚌Shared jeep to Sam Sand Dunes and back (~£10)

🛏Guesthouse inside the fort area, Jaisalmer (~£16)

• →Jaisalmer Fort and Jain temples
• →Patwon Ki Haveli
• →Camel safari and sunset at Sam Sand Dunes

Morning train or bus to Jodhpur (~5 hrs, ~£8 train). Drop bags at a guesthouse in the old city below Mehrangarh. Afternoon Mehrangarh Fort (£8 with audio guide — one of India's best), Jaswant Thada (£2) and the clock-tower market of Sardar Market for spices and textiles. Umaid Bhawan Palace museum (£3) if time allows. Sunset rooftop view over the blue rooftops, dinner at a thali house (£5).

🚌Train Jaisalmer–Jodhpur (~£8) + autos (~£4)

🛏Old-city guesthouse with fort view, Jodhpur (~£16)

• →Mehrangarh Fort
• →Jaswant Thada
• →Sardar Market
• →Umaid Bhawan Palace museum

Slower day. Take a local bus or auto to Mandore Gardens (£2 return) for the cenotaphs and the Hall of Heroes. Back in town, explore the narrow lanes of Navchokiya below the fort, browse handicraft and jewellery shops around Nai Sarak, and take a Blue City walking tour with a local guide (£10, bookable via GetYourGuide). Evening: mirchi vada street snack and a rooftop beer if your guesthouse has a licence.

🚌Local bus/auto to Mandore (~£3)

🛏Old-city guesthouse with fort view, Jodhpur (~£16)

• →Mandore Gardens
• →Navchokiya old-city walk
• →Local handicraft bazaar browsing

Hire a shared taxi or take the bus to Ranakpur (~3 hrs, £4) and spend two hours at the Ranakpur Jain Temples — the 1,444 carved marble pillars (£3 entry, no leather or cameras for the inner sanctum). Continue to Udaipur (~2 hrs). Alternative: direct bus Jodhpur–Udaipur (£5, 6 hrs) and slot Ranakpur into a separate half-day. Arrive Udaipur and settle into a lakeside guesthouse in the Lal Ghat area.

🚌Shared taxi/bus via Ranakpur (~£7)

🛏Lakeside guesthouse, Lal Ghat, Udaipur (~£16)

• →Ranakpur Jain Temples
• →Lal Ghat lakeside evening

Morning City Palace complex (£8) and Jagdish Temple (free). Visit Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandir puppet museum (£2) and swing by Pratap Memorial in the afternoon. Late afternoon boat ride on Lake Pichola (£8 for the full lake loop, or £3 for the short ride) to see the Lake Palace from the water, then sunset from Ambrai Ghat or a rooftop. Dinner at a haveli rooftop (£8).

🚌Walking + auto rickshaws (~£4)

🛏Lakeside guesthouse, Lal Ghat, Udaipur (~£16)

• →Udaipur City Palace
• →Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandir
• →Pratap Memorial
• →Lake Pichola boat ride and sunset

Early train or bus to Bundi (train via Kota, ~5-6 hrs, ~£8; optionally stop at Chittorgarh Fort en route). Arrive and check into a small heritage guesthouse in the old town. Evening walk up to the Sukh Mahal and the stepwells, and have dinner on a rooftop overlooking the Bundi palace — a much smaller, quieter Rajasthan town than the tour's bigger stops.

🚌Train Udaipur–Bundi/Kota (~£8) + auto (~£3)

🛏Heritage guesthouse, Bundi old town (~£13)

• →Optional Chittorgarh Fort stop
• →Bundi old town and stepwell walk

Morning at Taragarh Fort (free-ish, £1-2 to caretaker) and the Bundi Palace with the Chitrashala frescoes (£2). Catch a mid-afternoon bus to Jaipur (~5 hrs, £5-6). Arrive in the Pink City and settle into a guesthouse near Hawa Mahal or in the old city. Rooftop dinner and take in the buzz of the bazaars after dark.

🚌Bus Bundi–Jaipur (~£5) + autos (~£3)

🛏Old-city guesthouse, Jaipur (~£16)

• →Taragarh Fort
• →Bundi Palace and Chitrashala frescoes

Get to Amber Fort early by local bus or auto (£4 return) before the crowds — entry £7 plus £3 for the Sheesh Mahal mirror halls. Back in town: City Palace (£8), Jantar Mantar (£2) and Hawa Mahal (£2, best photograph is from the café opposite for free). Late afternoon browse Johari and Bapu bazaars for block print and jewellery. Optional cooking class (£15) or a Bollywood cinema trip at Raj Mandir (£2-3).

🚌Local bus to Amber + autos (~£6)

🛏Old-city guesthouse, Jaipur (~£16)

• →Amber Fort
• →City Palace Jaipur
• →Jantar Mantar
• →Hawa Mahal
• →Johari/Bapu bazaar shopping

Morning train or bus Jaipur to Agra (~4-5 hrs; train ~£7 / bus ~£6). Check into a guesthouse in Taj Ganj with a roof view of the Taj. Afternoon Agra Fort (£7). Just before sunset head to Mehtab Bagh across the river (£4) for the classic view of the Taj Mahal at golden hour. Early night — you're up before dawn tomorrow.

🚌Train/bus Jaipur–Agra (~£7) + autos (~£4)

🛏Taj Ganj guesthouse with Taj-view roof, Agra (~£15)

• →Agra Fort
• →Mehtab Bagh sunset view of the Taj Mahal

Get in the queue for the East Gate before 6am — Taj Mahal entry £13 (main mausoleum; the ticket is time-slotted, book on the ASI website in advance). Two hours inside as the light comes up. Breakfast back at the guesthouse, then a morning train or the Yamuna Expressway bus to Delhi (~3-4 hrs, ~£7), or head straight to IGI Airport if you're flying out. If you have a late flight, the Airport Express Metro drops you at the terminal in 20 minutes.

🚌Train/bus Agra–Delhi (~£7) + Airport Express Metro (~£1.50)

🛏Departure day (or last night near IGI Airport ~£18 if flying early)

• →Taj Mahal at sunrise