Count usable days, not just leave days
Put your UK departure, Indian arrival, first hotel night and return journey on one calendar. A day of annual leave may be spent in transit rather than at the destination. Use local times from the tickets and recheck the offset for your actual dates when arranging calls or pickups. Before adding attractions, identify the days that have a reasonably clear morning or afternoon. Those are the days from which a useful itinerary is built.
Compare a heritage visit with a foothills stay
Delhi and Agra support a different kind of holiday from time around Rishikesh and Uttarakhand. The first might centre on architecture and museums; the second could focus on a particular yoga course, ashram routine or quieter local exploration. You can combine interests, but first calculate the transfer and what it displaces. Try drafting both versions using the same number of nights. The stronger option is often the one that leaves enough time for the thing that drew you to India.
Read the detail behind a comfortable-looking price
In a budget using pounds and Indian rupees, separate the flight, room, transfers and activities. For private transport, ask about tolls, parking, driver expenses and the end point of each day. For a guide, confirm the language and admissions. Check the cancellation deadline in the booking’s own time zone rather than assuming midnight in the UK. Compare the complete cost and the practical arrangement: an inexpensive room may create additional travel every morning.
Prepare for the return as carefully as the arrival
Review current FCDO advice for the regions and any transit countries in your route, and confirm Indian entry requirements for your actual travel documents. Practise a few Hindi questions so everyday exchanges feel easier, while keeping written addresses and contact details. Work backwards from the flight home and give a long overland transfer a realistic margin. If you want help choosing between the two routes, send a short free question or request a paid itinerary review with its scope and price agreed first.