TRIP OVERVIEW
Day 1 – Jama Masjid · Red Fort · Raj Ghat · Agrasen ki Baoli
Day 2 – India Gate · National Museum · Jantar Mantar · Humayun's Tomb
Day 3 – Hauz Khas · Qutb Minar · Mehrauli Archaeological Park · Lotus Temple
Day 4 – Akshardham · Lodi Garden · Gandhi Smriti · Bangla Sahib
Day 5 – Purana Qila · Nizamuddin Dargah · Safdarjung Tomb · Chhatarpur Temple
Day 6 – Train Day · Agra
Day 1
1.Jama Masjid~1 hr
Shah Jahan’s 1656 mosque has a courtyard for 25,000 worshippers. Foreign visitors pay admission and may enter from 8:00am until sunset; Indian visitors enter free from 11:00am. Tourist access pauses for prayers.
Daily 7:00am - 12:00pm · 1:30pm - 6:30pm (foreign visitors from 8:00am · closes at sunset)
Cash Only
2.Red Fort~2 hr
The 17th-century Mughal fortress of red sandstone from which India's Prime Minister addresses the nation on Independence Day, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with palaces, pavilions, and a sound-and-light show by night.
Tuesday - Sunday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Closed Monday
3.Raj Ghat~45 min
The riverside memorial garden marking the site where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated on 31 January 1948, centred on a simple black marble platform with an eternal flame.
4.Agrasen ki Baoli~30 min
A 14th-century stepwell of 103 symmetrical steps descending to a dark water tank, hidden in the heart of Connaught Place — a rare medieval structure preserved inside a modern commercial district.
Day 2
1.India Gate~45 min
The 42-metre triumphal arch on Kartavya Path commemorating the 70,000 Indian soldiers killed in World War I; the Eternal Flame of the National War Memorial burns beneath it around the clock.
Open 24/7
2.National Museum~2 hr
India's largest museum, holding over 200,000 artefacts spanning five millennia — from Harappan seals and Mughal manuscripts to Buddhist sculpture and tribal jewellery.
Tuesday - Sunday 10:00am - 6:00pm
Closed Monday
3.Jantar Mantar~1 hr
The 1724 open-air astronomical observatory built by Maharaja Jai Singh II, its masonry instruments — including a sundial accurate to within two seconds — are still used for stellar observation.
Daily 6:00am - 8:00pm
4.Humayun's Tomb~1.5 hr
The 1572 garden tomb of the Mughal Emperor Humayun, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that served as the design prototype for the Taj Mahal, set in a formal Persian charbagh with water channels and cypress trees.
Daily 6:00am - 6:00pm
Day 3
1.Hauz Khas~1 hr
A 14th-century royal reservoir ringed by Feroz Shah Tughlaq's madrasa, mosque, and tomb; the ruins sit above a deer park with open rooftop views across the water, and the village lane below is lined with galleries and cafés.
2.Qutb Minar~1.5 hr
The 73-metre sandstone minaret begun in 1193 — the world's tallest brick minaret — UNESCO World Heritage Site surrounded by a complex of mosques, tombs, and an iron pillar that has not rusted in 1,600 years.
3.Mehrauli Archaeological Park~1 hr
A forested urban park containing over 70 medieval monuments from the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal eras — tombs, mosques, and the 14th-century Balban's Tomb — mostly unvisited and free to explore.
Daily 7:00am - 7:00pm
4.Lotus Temple~1 hr
The Bahá'í House of Worship completed in 1986, its 27 free-standing marble petals forming a lotus flower open to people of all faiths — one of the most visited buildings on earth, seating 2,500 in complete silence.
Day 4
1.Akshardham~2.5 hr
The Swaminarayan Akshardham temple completed in 2005, its central monument carved from 234 ornate pillars of pink sandstone; the exhibitions inside trace 10,000 years of Indian culture. No cameras or electronics permitted inside.
2.Lodi Garden~1 hr
A 90-acre landscaped park enclosing the 15th-century tombs of the Sayyid and Lodi dynasties — domed mausoleums surrounded by birdwatching trails and joggers, a calm contrast to the city's monuments.
3.Gandhi Smriti~1 hr
The former Birla House where Gandhi spent his final 144 days; the museum traces his life across 11 rooms and the garden marks with a footpath the exact route he walked to his assassination on 30 January 1948.
4.Bangla Sahib~45 min
Delhi's most prominent Sikh gurudwara, built on the site where Guru Har Krishan stayed in 1664; its golden dome reflects in the sarovar pool, and its langar serves free meals around the clock to anyone who arrives — one of the largest community kitchens in the city.
Open 24/7
Day 5
1.Purana Qila~1.5 hr
The Old Fort, built by Sher Shah Suri after his defeat of Humayun in 1540 and completed under Humayun's own restoration a decade later, its massive stone ramparts enclose the Qila-i-Kuhna Mosque, the octagonal Sher Mandal tower, and a stepped baoli reservoir on a site linked by archaeologists to the ancient city of Indraprastha.
2.Nizamuddin Dargah~45 min
The Sufi shrine of the 14th-century saint Nizamuddin Auliya, its marble courtyard threaded with narrow lanes leading to the tombs of poet Amir Khusrau and Mughal princess Jahanara; qawwali singers perform beside the tomb most evenings, continuing a tradition unbroken for seven centuries.
3.Safdarjung Tomb~1 hr
The last significant garden tomb of the Mughal era, built in 1754 for the statesman Safdarjung in a charbagh layout modeled on Humayun's Tomb; sandstone and marble combine on a raised platform surrounded by fountains and water channels, described by one historian as the last flicker of Mughal architecture.
Daily 7:00am - 5:00pm
4.Chhatarpur Temple~1 hr
Delhi's second-largest temple complex after Akshardham, a marble compound of interconnected shrines built from 1974 dedicated to the goddess Katyayani, its lattice screens and carved pillars spread across 60 acres on the city's southern edge.
Day 6
Hazrat Nizamuddin → Agra Cantt · Gatimaan Express · 1 hr 40 min
book at: irctc.co.in or Omio
5:10am Hazrat Nizamuddin → 8:10am Agra Cantt
7:08am Hazrat Nizamuddin → 9:25am Agra Cantt
8:10am Hazrat Nizamuddin → 9:50am Agra Cantt
1.Taj Mahal~2.5 hr
The ivory-white marble mausoleum Shah Jahan built for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, completed after 22 years of construction by thousands of artisans; a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, its symmetry and inlaid pietra dura work are considered the high point of Mughal architecture.
Daily 6:00am - 6:00pm
Closed Friday
2.Agra Fort~2 hr
A red sandstone fortress on the Yamuna River that served as the main residence of the Mughal emperors until 1638, holding the Diwan-i-Am, the Jahangiri Mahal, and the Musamman Burj tower where Shah Jahan spent his final years under house arrest, gazing out at the Taj Mahal he built.
Daily 6:30am - 6:00pm
Agra Cantt → Hazrat Nizamuddin · Gatimaan Express · 1 hr 40 min
book at: irctc.co.in or Omio
5:35pm Agra Cantt → 7:15pm Hazrat Nizamuddin
6:05pm Agra Cantt → 8:55pm Hazrat Nizamuddin
6:20pm Agra Cantt → 9:05pm Hazrat Nizamuddin
Weekly Closures
Museums · Closed Monday
Tours
Viator
Prepare a six-course Indian meal in a family kitchen, learning spice combinations and hands-on techniques before eating together.
3 hr · Max 10 people
Cook four main dishes and three Indian breads at Saffron Palate, then sit down to the meal you have prepared.
3 hr · Max 8 people
Build an Indian meal with Saffron Palate, eat together and explore the ingredients at a local market after the class.
4 hr · Max 12 people
Join Roopak’s family in Dwarka for Indian home cooking, conversation and a shared meal.
4 hr · Max 8 people
5. The Great Indian Food Tour: Old Delhi Food and Heritage Walking Tour · Viator · 5.0 · 1972+ reviews
Allow four to five hours to explore Old Delhi on a guided food walk combining street-food tastings with stories of the historic neighbourhood.
5 hr · Small group
GetYourGuide
Learn Indian cooking with a local family, combining practical spice lessons with a meal in their home.
2 hr 30 min · Max 10 people
Make Indian dishes in Roopak and Nidhi’s home, with time to share the meal and talk about daily life in Delhi.
4 hr · Max 10 people
Visit a neighbourhood market and cook an Indian meal with a local host. The meeting pin is in Uttam Nagar; confirm the exact doorway with the host.
3 hr · Max 7 people
Blend spices and brew Indian chai with a local family, paired with a North Indian breakfast.
1 hr · Max 10 people
Follow a guided evening food walk through Chandni Chowk and Matia Mahal, finishing with chai near Jama Masjid. Ends at Jama Masjid Metro Gate 1.
3 hr 30 min · Max 10 people
TripAdvisor
Taste more than fifteen Old Delhi dishes on a food walk with A Chef’s Tour, using a rickshaw between parts of the historic quarter.
4 hr · Max 8 people
Allow four to five hours to discover Old Delhi’s street-food traditions on a guided walk through the historic lanes, with heritage stories between tastings.
5 hr · Max 12 people
Prepare Indian curries and breads in Saffron Palate’s kitchen, then enjoy the dishes together.
3 hr · Max 8 people
Cook a six-course Indian meal with a family host, practising spice preparation and kitchen techniques before sitting down to eat.
3 hr · Max 10 people
Make spiced Indian tea with a family host and enjoy breakfast together in their home.
1 hr · Max 10 people
Cappuccino
Mister Chai · 4.3 · 692+ reviews
Blue Tokai · Janpath · 4.8 · 213+ reviews
Blue Tokai · N Block · 4.2 · 1061+ reviews
Third Wave Coffee · 4.5 · 2621+ reviews
Third Wave Coffee · Shivaji Stadium · 4.3 · 53+ reviews
Monday - Friday 8:00am - 7:00pm
Closed Saturday & Sunday
Restaurants Near Hotel
Shang Palace · 4.6 · 1026+ reviews
Cantonese · Sichuan · dim sum and roast meats.
Daily 12:30pm - 3:30pm · 6:30pm - 11:30pm
Tamra · 4.4 · 4931+ reviews
Indian and international · live kitchens and buffet dining.
Daily 7:00am - 11:30pm
Sorrento · 4.5 · 901+ reviews
Italian · handmade pasta and Neapolitan pizza.
Daily 12:30pm - 3:30pm · Sunday - Thursday 6:30pm - 11:30pm · Friday - Saturday 6:30pm - 1:00am
1911 Restaurant · 4.5 · 322+ reviews
Indian and European · brasserie in the historic Imperial hotel.
Monday - Saturday 6:30am - 11:30pm · Sunday 6:30am - 10:30pm
San Gimignano · 4.6 · 235+ reviews
Italian · handmade pasta and courtyard dining.
Daily 12:30pm - 2:45pm · 7:00pm - 11:45pm
Downtown Restaurants
United Coffee House · 4.2 · 11465+ reviews
Indian curries and European classics in a grand dining room dating to 1942.
Daily 10:00am - 11:45pm
Kwality · 4.4 · 4015+ reviews
North Indian comfort food, including chole bhature and rich curries, in a historic Regal Building dining room.
Daily 12:00pm - 11:00pm
The Embassy Restaurant · 4.1 · 5282+ reviews
North Indian and Continental dishes at a long-established Connaught Place restaurant.
Daily 12:30pm - 11:00pm
Zaffran · 4.3 · 2382+ reviews
North Indian kebabs, tandoori breads and curries at Hotel Palace Heights.
Daily 12:00pm - 3:30pm · Daily 7:00pm - 11:30pm
38 Barracks · 4.7 · 13038+ reviews
North Indian and international dishes in an army-themed restaurant with live music.
Daily 10:00am - 1:00am
Dining Areas
Connaught Place
Hauz Khas Village
Local Tastes
Butter Chicken
Delhi's most famous export, invented at Moti Mahal in Daryaganj in the 1950s — tender chicken in a velvety tomato-cream sauce, best eaten with naan. The original restaurant still operates on Netaji Subhash Marg near Daryaganj.
Chaat
Street snacks built on contrasting layers — golgappa, aloo tikki, and papdi chaat. Chandni Chowk has the oldest chaat vendors in the city; the narrow lanes around Paranthe Wali Gali are the most concentrated stretch.
Kulfi
Dense, slow-frozen Indian ice cream in flavours of pistachio, saffron, and rose — richer and less airy than Western ice cream; sold on sticks or in clay cups throughout Old Delhi and Connaught Place.
Nihari
A slow-cooked meat stew — beef or mutton — simmered overnight with whole spices, eaten for breakfast in Old Delhi; Karim's near Jama Masjid has served it since 1913 and remains the city's best-known address for it.
Food Delivery
Swiggy
Foreign number: not accepted. — Swiggy requires an Indian mobile number; the sign-up form does not accept international country codes.
Delhi's leading food delivery platform with the widest restaurant network — Old Delhi kebab kitchens to Connaught Place chains. Delivery windows run 30-45 minutes; coverage extends across the full NCR region.
Zomato
Foreign number: not accepted. — Zomato requires an Indian mobile number; international numbers are rejected at sign-up.
Matches Swiggy's Delhi coverage and often runs steeper discounts; doubles as Delhi's most comprehensive restaurant discovery tool with photos, ratings, and menus. Delivery fees and offers depend on the order and membership terms.
Shows, Performances & Concerts
Akshardham — Sahaj Anand Water Show
A 24-minute Hindi production combining live actors, fountains, fire and projections in a monumental stepwell; begins after sunset.
Getting Around
Uber
Foreign number: accepted. — Use the country-code selector and a number that can receive the verification code.
Uber covers all of Delhi and the NCR region. UberAuto and UberMoto cost a fraction of standard cars for short hops; surge pricing is common during evening peak hours and monsoon rains.
Ola
Foreign number: accepted. — The form offers international country codes; verify your number before relying on the app.
Ola is Uber's main rival in India and is often cheaper, with broader coverage in outer Delhi neighbourhoods. The app includes auto-rickshaws, bike taxis, and a cash payment option — useful if you prefer not to link a foreign card.
Train Stations Near Hotel
New Delhi Railway Station
India's busiest railway station → direct intercity trains to Agra, Jaipur, Mumbai, Kolkata, Amritsar, and most major destinations nationwide.
Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station
Major terminus for south-bound routes → Gatimaan Express to Agra Cantt · 1 hr 40 min · Shatabdi Express to Agra and Bhopal, overnight trains to Mumbai, Chennai, and Hyderabad.
Day Trips by Train
Jaipur · 4 hr 30 min
Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal, City Palace, and Jantar Mantar are all within auto-rickshaw distance of the station; the bazaars in the old walled city — textiles, lac bangles, blue pottery — are best in the afternoon.
book at: irctc.co.in or Omio
Heads Up
Akshardham — Security and last entry
Store phones and cameras in the free cloakroom. Last entry is 6:30pm for the evening show; the complex closes on Mondays.
Worth Knowing
Start early — the best Delhi is before 9am
Every major monument is quieter and better-lit in the first hour after opening. The Qutb Minar complex and Humayun's Tomb are nearly empty before 8am; by 10am both can be crowded with school groups. The November-January smog period sees air quality drop sharply — an N95 mask is worth packing if your visit falls in that window.
The Delhi Metro covers most of this itinerary cheaply. The Yellow Line runs through Rajiv Chowk · Connaught Place · to Chawri Bazar for Old Delhi. A stored-value Metro card costs ₹100 deposit and rides are ₹10-60 depending on distance.
Remove shoes at every mosque, gurudwara, and many temples before entering; carry a small bag or use the free shoe racks provided. Jama Masjid and Bangla Sahib provide free head coverings at the entrance — head covering is required for women at both. Akshardham enforces a strict dress code: shorts, sleeveless tops, and short skirts are not permitted; sarongs are sold at the entrance if your clothing does not meet the requirements.
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