I recently spent a couple of days in Delhi, before starting an India tour with G Adventures – and I wanted to make sure I maximised my time there and see as many sights as possible!
After a day spent relaxing and recovering from the flight, I needed to check off all the things to do in Delhi in one day. So here’s everything I got up to and my best tips for what to see in Delhi!
How to see the best things in Delhi
After I arrived in India, I had less than 48 hours to spend in Delhi! I spent the first day resting, but wanted to spend the second seeing all of India’s capital’s highlights.
I booked this private tour on Get Your Guide to do so, which took me to:
- Jama Masjid
- Chandi Chowk Market
- Agrasen ki Baoli
- Gurudwara Bangla Sahib (Sikh temple)
- Red Fort
- India Gate
All of this was done on the guided tour, which included a driver and English-speaking guide.
In a rush? Here are my favourite hotels in Karol Bagh (central New Delhi)
⭐⭐⭐ Novotel New Delhi City Centre – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐ Hotel Laffaire – Click here for rates & availability
⭐ Hotel Kingston Park – Click here for rates & availability
Things to know before exploring Delhi
Delhi is hot, humid, busy… just like you’ve likely been told, but I loved the chaos!
There are a few things that you can do to prepare yourself, whether you’re taking a Delhi guided tour or if you’re exploring independently…
If you only have one day, I’d recommend eating a big breakfast before going out. You can, of course, get great food – you’re in Delhi, after all – but service might not be the quickest and could eat into sightseeing time (pardon the pun). If you eat a big breakfast, you could eat smaller snacks for lunch, which you can easily grab anywhere (make sure you check with the guide what’s ok for you to eat and what’s not!).
Try to bring some small change. You’ll likely need to grab some water as you go. Make sure you stay hydrated – I ended the day with a big headache because I didn’t drink enough!
Take a cross-body bag. These are the most secure in crowded cities! Along with cash, your phone and a camera, pack hand sanitiser and a power bank. If you’re a woman, a light headscarf is useful for going into and out of mosques and temples, but you can also rent these.
Things to do in Delhi in one day
You can follow this one day in Delhi itinerary either as part of a guided tour, or use Uber, taxis or rickshaws to get from stop to stop.
Jama Masjid
Also known as the “Friday Mosque”, Jama Masjid Delhi was our first stop. It was constructed by the Mughals – the same dynasty that built the Taj Mahal, from 1644 – 1656. Some of the same stone is used from the Taj Mahal, too!
It’s grand and beautiful, although there isn’t a large mosque hall – it’s a covered area at the front. You can only visit outside of prayer times, and women must wear a long robe (rentable for ₹100) and a hair covering.
We went here first – before I’d even had the chance to get some cash out – so luckily my guide was able to cover me for the entrance here (it’s not included as part of the tour).
That said, I don’t think there’s supposed to be an entry fee – from looking online, there’s a camera fee of ₹300 (which I definitely needed, as I was making a YouTube video!) and a fee of ₹100 for both a robe, slippers and shoe storage. My guide bundled them all together; if you’re walking in, not taking photos or videos and have all the necessary clothes, you should only need to pay a small tip for shoe storage.
Chandi Chowk Market
My guide told me this was called “Triangle Moon Market”, although from further research, it seems like it’s actually called “Moonlight Square Market”.
Whatever the name, wedding season was in full force! It generally runs from November to February, so in September, people were planning and shopping. Chandi Chowk Market is also home to the world’s largest spice market, Khari Baoli!
We popped into Afghan Spice Store and learned about the different spices and teas that they have. I bought some masala powder to make paneer butter masala with!
Walking around this area was quite busy; I had my cross body bag and made sure I kept all my valuables to the front of myself. I also had my Holafly SIM on my phone, so I knew if I lost my guide I could contact him! You can get 5% off on Holafly using this link.
Agrasen ki Baoli
This was probably my favourite stop on my Delhi tour, and I didn’t even know it existed until I was there!
It’s a stepwell (water reservoir) that dates back to at least 520 years. It’s 60 metres long and 15 metres wide, and is decorated in ornate Mughal style. It’s no longer used for water collection purposes but is a monument and a popular place for locals to hang out! It’s also the setting for some Bollywood movies.
When I visited, Agrasen ki Baoli felt shady and cool, a slice of calm from the busy city!
Gurudwara Bangla Sahib (Sikh temple)
This is the largest Sikh Temple in Delhi. When we visited, we first went to the tourist entrance area. Here, I could leave my shoes and borrow some more modest clothes (for free). You need your ankles completely covered and a head covering – my guide tied this in the traditional way for me.
I was then able to walk into the Sikh temple and sit at the back of a ceremony. The interior was bedecked in gold, and the ceremony was full of chanting and togetherness! I loved visiting it.
No photos are allowed inside, but they are permitted outside.
Red Fort
I didn’t go inside the Red Fort, but saw the exterior from the outside.
Another slice of Mughal architecture, it was built to be the supreme seat of the dynasty. I didn’t have the time on this trip, as it’s quite a long visit, but I did see lots of other forts! If you have the time (I only did sightseeing from 11am – 4pm), it’s probably worth a visit!
India Gate
“It’s like the Arc de Triomphe”, my guide told me. India Gate is a memorial to the Indian people who died in WW1 and the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919; I didn’t actually have any idea about how WW1 stretched to this part of the world, so it was interesting to talk about.
Many Indian troops fought on Britain’s side in WWI, since India was a British colony at the time.
Our last stop was a fabric/ clothes shop. I didn’t want to buy anything, and realised when I walked in that it was purely a shopping opportunity. I was asked a few times if there was something I wanted to buy, but we left quite quickly when I told my guide I wasn’t interested in any purchases.
Take a look at the guided tour I used here.
Where to stay in Delhi
I stayed in two hotels in Delhi city centre.
The first night, I booked a room at Novotel New Delhi City Centre, which is in the Karol Bagh area. I thought it was a good price for the quality; it had a rooftop pool, room service and modern-luxe rooms. Room service was tasty and decently priced. Click here to read more about it.
The second night, I stayed in Hotel Kingston Park, which is where my G Adventures group tour began. It’s also in Karol Bagh. It was okay, a bit run-down and basic and the bathroom was a bit damp! But it was safe and central, and a decent price. Click here to read more about it.
Where to eat in Delhi
Other than the Novotel room service, I ate at Hotel Laffaire, where I had paneer tikka and garlic naan. There’s also a bar serving wine, cocktails and beer here!
(Side note: I didn’t see any of the rooms myself, but the rooms at Hotel Laffaire look decent at a good price too – take a look at them here).
I wasn’t in Delhi for very long, but I really enjoyed it! It’s busy, bustling and hectic, but as long as you’re prepared for a megacity, there’s so much to explore here.
After Delhi, I headed to Agra and the Taj Mahal. Coming soon are posts on is the Taj Mahal worth visiting, Taj Mahal tips and, of course, the Delhi to Agra train!
