Tour overview

This 13-day trip is designed for travellers aged 18 to 35 and crosses northern India into Nepal, from Delhi to Kathmandu. Groups have up to 16 travellers, with a group leader throughout. You travel by train, public bus, an overnight sleeper train and private transport, and stay in simple hotels and guesthouses, with a night in an 18th-century heritage palace in Tordi and two nights at a lodge near Chitwan National Park. It is a budget trip, with a home-cooked dinner in Tordi included and other meals left to you. The trip is land-only, starting in Delhi and ending in Kathmandu.

After a welcome meeting in Delhi, you travel by train to the rural village of Tordi, well off the tourist trail, for a village walk and a home-cooked dinner in an 18th-century palace. Jaipur, the Pink City, follows, with a leader-led walk through its markets, the hilltop Amber Fort and a photo stop at the Hawa Mahal. A public bus brings you to Agra and the Taj Mahal, with a free day for Agra Fort before an overnight sleeper train to Varanasi.

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Varanasi, one of the holiest cities in India, is a highlight: you take a boat on the Ganges at sunrise, as pilgrims bathe and pray on the ghats, and walk through the old city's lanes with your leader. Crossing the border into Nepal, you visit Lumbini, birthplace of the Buddha, and continue to Chitwan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for a jeep safari looking for one-horned rhinos, elephants and, with luck, tigers. The trip ends in Kathmandu, with time for its temples and squares.

The physical rating is medium, with long travel days and simple accommodation. This trip suits young, budget-conscious travellers who want India's icons and Nepal's wildlife in under two weeks, with like-minded people.

Trip highlights

  • A night in an 18th-century palace in Tordi (Day 2)
  • Jaipur's markets and Amber Fort (Day 4)
  • The Taj Mahal (Day 5)
  • A sunrise boat on the Ganges in Varanasi (Day 8)
  • Lumbini, birthplace of the Buddha (Day 9)
  • A jeep safari in Chitwan National Park (Day 11)

Your route

10 stops from Delhi to Kathmandu

13-day route: Delhi – Tordi – Jaipur – Agra – Varanasi – Lumbini – Chitwan – Kathmandu
  1. Delhi Day 1
  2. Tordi Day 2
  3. Jaipur Days 3–4
  4. Amber Fort Day 4
  5. Agra Days 5–6
  6. Varanasi Days 7–8
  7. Sunauli Day 9
  8. Lumbini Day 9
  9. Chitwan National Park Days 10–11
  10. Kathmandu Days 12–13

Why choose this tour

Designed for 18 to 35-year-olds, with a sociable group and a low price. India's great sights and Nepal's Chitwan in under two weeks, travelling as locals do.

Best suited to

  • Travellers aged 18 to 35
  • Solo travellers looking for a sociable group
  • First-time visitors to India and Nepal
  • Budget-conscious travellers
Amber Fort on its hillside above Jaipur, India

Day-by-day itinerary

13 days from Delhi, India to Kathmandu, Nepal

  1. Day 1 · Delhi Arrive in Delhi

    Welcome to India. Meet your leader and fellow travellers at the 6pm welcome meeting in Delhi, India's capital.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  2. Day 2 · Tordi Tordi

    Travel by train and road to Tordi, a quiet Rajasthani village away from the tourist trail, for a village walk and a home-cooked dinner in an 18th-century palace.

    Hotel
    18th-century heritage palace
    Meals
    Dinner
  3. Day 3 · Tordi, Jaipur Jaipur

    Join an optional sunrise hike for views over Tordi, then travel to Jaipur, the Pink City, for a leader-led walk through its markets.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  4. Day 4 · Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal, Jaipur Amber Fort

    An optional dawn balloon ride offers a different view of the city. Later, visit the hilltop Amber Fort and stop to photograph the honeycombed facade of the Hawa Mahal.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  5. Day 5 · Agra, Taj Mahal Public bus to Agra and the Taj Mahal

    Travel with local people by public bus to Agra and visit the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  6. Day 6 · Agra Fort Agra and the night train

    A free day in Agra, perhaps for the red sandstone Agra Fort and its views of the Taj. In the evening, board the sleeper train to Varanasi.

    Hotel
    Overnight sleeper train
  7. Day 7 · Varanasi Varanasi

    Arrive in Varanasi, one of the holiest cities in India, where pilgrims come to bathe in the Ganges, with time to watch the evening ceremony on the ghats.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  8. Day 8 · Ganges, Varanasi Old City Sunrise on the Ganges

    Take a boat on the Ganges at sunrise as the city wakes and pilgrims pray on the ghats, then walk through the old city's lanes with your leader.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  9. Day 9 · Sunauli, Lumbini Into Nepal: Lumbini

    A long travel day to the border at Sunauli and into Nepal, arriving in Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  10. Day 10 · Lumbini, Chitwan National Park Lumbini to Chitwan

    Visit the Lumbini heritage park and its monasteries, then drive to Chitwan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    Hotel
    Lodge
  11. Day 11 · Chitwan National Park Chitwan jeep safari

    Head out on a jeep safari with a local guide, looking for one-horned rhinos, elephants, deer and, if you are lucky, a tiger.

    Hotel
    Lodge
  12. Day 12 · Kathmandu Kathmandu

    Travel to Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, with free time for its temples and squares, a massage or a yoga class.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  13. Day 13 · Kathmandu Trip ends in Kathmandu

    The trip ends this morning. Stay on to explore Kathmandu's Durbar Square, Swayambhunath and Boudhanath.

A decorated gateway inside Amber Fort, Jaipur

Where you stay

  • Delhi (1 night) Hotel
  • Tordi (1 night) 18th-century heritage palace
  • Jaipur (2 nights) Hotel
  • Agra (1 night) Hotel
  • Agra to Varanasi (1 night) Overnight sleeper train
  • Varanasi (2 nights) Hotel
  • Lumbini (1 night) Hotel
  • Chitwan National Park (2 nights) Lodge
  • Kathmandu (1 night) Hotel

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 12 nights in hotels, a heritage palace, a jungle lodge and a sleeper train
  • Meals a home-cooked dinner in Tordi
  • Transport trains, a public bus to Agra, an overnight sleeper train to Varanasi and private vehicles
  • Visits a Tordi village walk, Jaipur markets, Amber Fort, the Taj Mahal, a sunrise Ganges boat trip, a Varanasi old city walk, Lumbini and a Chitwan jeep safari
  • Group leader throughout

Not included

  • International flights to Delhi and from Kathmandu
  • Airport transfers
  • Visas for India and Nepal
  • Meals not listed and optional activities, such as a hot-air balloon in Jaipur
  • Tips, travel insurance and personal spending
Prayer flags in the Himalayan mountains of Nepal

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You are under 18 or over 35 — this trip is for 18 to 35s only
  • You want comfortable hotels — accommodation is simple
  • You want meals included — only one dinner is included
  • You dislike long travel days and sleeper trains

Good to know

FCDO advice UK FCDO travel advice for India · UK FCDO travel advice for Nepal
A temple in Kathmandu's Durbar Square

Departures & prices

From £620 per person, twin share, tour only. 35 upcoming departures.

Frequently asked questions

How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

Who is this trip for?

It is designed for travellers aged 18 to 35. If you are outside this age range, other India and Nepal tours on this site are open to all ages.

What is the accommodation like?

Simple hotels and guesthouses, some with shared bathrooms and hot water only at certain times, plus a heritage palace in Tordi and a lodge near Chitwan.

What is the sleeper train like?

You travel in an air-conditioned sleeper class with padded bunks and shared toilets. Bedding is provided.

What meals are included?

Only a home-cooked dinner in Tordi, which keeps the price low and lets you eat where you like. Indian and Nepali food is very good value.

Do I need visas?

Yes. India requires a visa or e-visa arranged before travel, and Nepal issues visas on arrival at the border or online.

How active is the trip?

The physical rating is medium, with walking in cities and long travel days by bus and train.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary

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