Majestic Rajasthan Adventure: Delhi to Udaipur Self-Launched

Land at Indira Gandhi International and take the Airport Express Metro to New Delhi station (~£1.50) or a prepaid taxi (~£4-5). Check into a hostel in Paharganj or Karol Bagh. Pick up a local SIM at the airport (Airtel/Jio, ~£5 for data). Use the afternoon to shake off jet lag: wander Connaught Place, grab chai and a thali, and figure out tomorrow's metro route. Book train tickets on IRCTC (book ahead — popular Rajasthan trains sell out).

🚌Airport Express Metro + walking

🛏Hostel dorm, Paharganj (~£9)

• →Settle in Paharganj
• →Connaught Place wander
• →Buy SIM card and register on IRCTC

Self-guided day using the Delhi Metro and tuk-tuks. Start early at Qutub Minar (~£4.50 for foreigners), then Humayun's Tomb (~£4.50). Lunch at a local dhaba in Nizamuddin (~£3). Afternoon: Red Fort (~£4.50), Rajghat (free), India Gate and the President's House from outside (free), finishing at the Lotus Temple (free, closes Mondays). Book a shared auto between clusters to save money.

🚌Delhi Metro day pass + autos (~£4)

🛏Hostel dorm, Paharganj (~£9)

• →Qutub Minar
• →Humayun's Tomb
• →Red Fort
• →India Gate
• →Rajghat
• →Lotus Temple

Take the morning Shatabdi Express or an AC chair/sleeper train from Delhi to Jaipur (~£7-10, about 4.5-5 hours) — book on IRCTC the day tickets open. Arrive early afternoon, check into a guesthouse in the old city near Hawa Mahal. Visit Birla Mandir (free), photo-stop at Hawa Mahal from the street, and browse the Sanganeri/bagru block-print shops — buy direct from workshops rather than showrooms for better prices. Evening in Johari and Bapu Bazaars.

🚌Delhi–Jaipur train (~£9) + autos (~£3)

🛏Guesthouse near Hawa Mahal (~£13)

• →Birla Mandir
• →Hawa Mahal
• →Sanganeri block-print workshops
• →Bapu Bazaar shopping

Combine Amer Fort (~£7 with a local guide optional) with the Jaipur composite ticket (covers Amer, Nahargarh, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Albert Hall — ~£6-8 for a two-day pass; City Palace is separate ~£6). Take a local bus or shared jeep to Amer (~£0.50) and walk up before 9am to beat the crowds. Afternoon: City Palace and Jantar Mantar. Evening: Chokhi Dhani cultural village (entry ~£8 including dinner and folk performances) — book direct or via Klook.

🚌Local bus/shared jeep to Amer + autos (~£4)

🛏Guesthouse near Hawa Mahal (~£13)

• →Amer Fort
• →City Palace
• →Jantar Mantar
• →Chokhi Dhani dinner and folk show

Take an AC chair car train from Jaipur to Bikaner (~£5-7, ~6 hours) — book the 6am or late-morning service. On arrival check into a budget guesthouse near the old town. Visit the National Research Centre on Camel in the late afternoon (~£2.50, best around sunset) — reachable by auto (~£2 return). Evening walk through Bikaner's walled town for a famous Bikaneri bhujia and kachori snack.

🚌Jaipur–Bikaner train (~£6) + auto (~£2)

🛏Budget guesthouse, Bikaner (~£11)

• →National Research Centre on Camel
• →Old town walk

Walk to Junagarh Fort (~£5 with audio guide) and spend 2-3 hours in Anup Mahal, Gaj Mandir and Sheesh Mahal, then the Prachina Museum inside the palace. After lunch, auto to Lalgarh Palace and the Sadul Museum (~£2 each). Take a shared jeep or local bus to Deshnok to see the Karni Mata (Rat) Temple (free, ~45 min each way, ~£3 return). Back by evening — good time to do laundry and rebook trains.

🚌Autos + shared jeep to Deshnok (~£5)

🛏Budget guesthouse, Bikaner (~£11)

• →Junagarh Fort
• →Prachina Museum
• →Lalgarh Palace
• →Sadul Museum
• →Karni Mata Temple, Deshnok

Morning train or state bus to Jaisalmer (~5-6 hours, train ~£4 or AC bus ~£6). Check into a guesthouse inside the fort or just below it — book ahead as the fort has limited licensed accommodation. Late afternoon: boat ride on Gadisar Lake (~£1.50 paddle boat), then a Rajasthani puppet show at a local folk-art spot (~£2-3, many guesthouses arrange this). Sunset from the rooftops.

🚌Bikaner–Jaisalmer train or AC bus (~£5) + autos (~£2)

🛏Guesthouse near Jaisalmer Fort (~£12)

• →Gadisar Lake boat ride
• →Puppet show
• →Rooftop sunset

Morning self-guided Golden Fort walk (the living fort is free to enter; palace museum ~£3.50), plus Jain Temples (~£2.50) and the havelis: Patwon ki Haveli (~£2) and Nathmal ki Haveli (free entry). Lunch in the fort. Mid-afternoon a shared jeep or desert-camp transfer to Sam Sand Dunes (~£8-10 return, arrange at guesthouse). Camel ride (~£6-8) then a basic desert camp with dinner, khapli singing and folk dance (~£15-22 per person depending on camp). Option: choose a cheap camp or overnight under the stars with a dune-side swaying cabin.

🚌Shared jeep to Sam (~£9)

🛏Budget desert camp, Sam Sand Dunes (~£18)

• →Golden Fort
• →Jain Temples
• →Patwon ki Haveli
• →Nathmal ki Haveli
• →Camel ride
• →Folk dance and sunset at Sam Sand Dunes

Early shared jeep back to town, then visit the Jaisalmer War Museum (~£2) en route to the bus stand. Take an AC bus or train to Jodhpur (~5 hours, bus ~£5, train ~£3.50). Arrive afternoon, check into a guesthouse in the old blue city below Mehrangarh. Explore the Sardar Market and Clock Tower area for kachoris, mirchi vadas and shopping.

🚌Shared jeep (~£2) + Jaisalmer–Jodhpur bus (~£5) + autos

🛏Guesthouse near Clock Tower (~£12)

• →Jaisalmer War Museum
• →Sardar Market and Clock Tower

Early start at Mehrangarh Fort (~£7.50 with audio guide) — explore Moti Mahal, Phool Mahal, Sheesh Mahal, Silah Khana, Daulat Khana and Rang Mahal, and watch the blue city from the ramparts. Walk down to Jaswant Thada (~£1.50). Afternoon: Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum (~£2.50, via auto ~£3). Sunset from the fort walls or a rooftop café — Jodhpur sunsets are spectacular.

🚌Autos (~£4)

🛏Guesthouse near Clock Tower (~£12)

• →Mehrangarh Fort
• →Jaswant Thada
• →Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum
• →Rooftop sunset

This is the day a car helps — but the cheap way is a Jodhpur–Udaipur AC bus (~£5-6, 6 hours) and a detour to Ranakpur if timed right, or a shared taxi combined with a Ranakpur stop (ask at your guesthouse, roughly £8-10 per seat in a shared vehicle). Ranakpur Jain Temples are worth it (~£2.50, no leather, modest dress). Alternatively take an early bus and add Ranakpur via Kumbhalgarh on a separate half-day. Arrive Udaipur by evening and settle near Lake Pichola.

🚌Shared taxi/bus to Udaipur via Ranakpur (~£9)

🛏Budget guesthouse near Lake Pichola (~£13)

• →Ranakpur Jain Temples
• →Lake Pichola lakeside evening

Self-guided day: Maharana Pratap Smarak at Moti Magri (~£1.50), Saheliyon ki Bari (free/£1), then the City Palace (~£7.50 including Crystal Gallery). Wander the ghats and take an evening boat ride on Lake Pichola (~£4-6 for a shared boat). End with the light and sound show at Manek Chowk outside the palace (~£3-4). Book tickets direct at the counter or via Klook.

🚌Walking + autos (~£3)

🛏Budget guesthouse near Lake Pichola (~£13)

• →Moti Magri
• →Saheliyon ki Bari
• →City Palace and Crystal Gallery
• →Lake Pichola boat ride
• →Light and sound show

Cheapest option is the overnight Udaipur–Delhi train (Mewar Express, ~11 hours, sleeper ~£5 or 3AC ~£13) if you have a late flight next day, or a direct flight from Udaipur to Delhi (~£40-55 booked ahead on IndiGo/Air India). Alternatively, continue onward by train to Ahmedabad or Mumbai. Leave buffer time — Udaipur airport is 25 km from town and an Uber/Ola is ~£3-4.

🚌Flight or overnight train to Delhi (~£45)

🛏Departure day (overnight train or onward flight)

• →Transfer to Udaipur airport or station