An easy, practical and in-sequence itinerary planner I have travelled the length and breadth of India, and am truly proud of its rich and varied heritage. I am amazed by the tradition and values, the people, festivals, celebrations and the changing landscape. Have you wondered if it's possible to travel across India completely? Most foreigners arriving in India, land in Delhi and then travel the Golden Triangle route first- which is a good decision incase you have limited time at hand and want to make the most of it. The Golden Triangle- Delhi, Agra and Jaipur includes the much hyped Taj Mahal which invariably is part of a tourist's bucket list. This blog on the other hand- is a sequential strategy and detailed 'been there done that' itinerary plan starting from Mumbai. I am sure as we go through this Journey you will understand India better. My experiences are based from the perspective of a - digital nomad, budget backpacker and from a local standpoint. Each Itinerar...
How to tour Delhi by metro (quick reference guide)
Tip- If you arrive by train at old Delhi railway stn., the nearest metro is Chandni chowk (yellow line). Use the metro to save money and avoid traffic.
Day 1- PURANA QILA, nearest metro Pragati maidan (violet line)
Monuments and museums within Purana qila and Delhi zoo
A visit to Purana qila will give you a glimpse of Delhi's history prior to muslim invasions . The museum has catalogued various excavations done within Purana qila that have revealed layers upon layers of India's ancient civilizations.
Day 2- MEHRAULI, nearest metro: Qutub minar (yellow line)
Qutub minar complex and Monuments inside Mehrauli archeological park
The monuments such as Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque and Qutub minar are a legacy of the Mamluk and Khalji dynasty. It was built upon the rubble of 27 Hindu temples built by the earlier Tomar rajput kings of Delhi. There are many monuments within the complex which will take a couple of hours.
Suggested read- DELHI SULTANATE during Mamluk and Khalji dynasties
Spend the second half of the day relaxing in the beautiful lawns of Mehrauli archaeological park. The park has many monuments built by medieval muslim rulers.
The pleasant lawns at Mehrauli archaeological park
Where to stay~ Delhi is a metropolis with a constant flow of foreign and Indian tourists. There are innumerable hotels in all price ranges.
💡 For solo travellers/ backpacker/ digital nomad looking for monthly stay options; there are several hostels in the range of 5k and over. In case you need some inputs, please comment and let me know.
Day 3- HAUZ-KHAS, nearest metro: HAUZ-KHAS (yellow line)
Siri fort, Hauz-Khas complex, deer park
Some more monuments to take you down the lanes of history. There are also some high-end restaurants and pubs at Hauz-Khas where you can spend the evening hours.
Tip- 1- you may go in any order depending on your convenience. Clicking on the blue links 🔗 will take you to the related blog post. Kindly refer to google maps. Autos may be required for short distances in some cases.
Day 4- SAKET, nearest metro: Saket (yellow line)
Asad Khan's tomb, Digambar Jain mandir, Qila Rai pithora, Garden of 5 senses
This is a day of hidden treasures! Please check the blog post 🔗 above on how to reach Qila Rai pithora.
Asad Khan was Aurangzeb's wazir-e-azam (prime minister). His tomb is near Saket metro station. Take the 2nd left lane on the Mehrauli road, there is a signage board saying 'shamshan ghat' walk a bit straight and look to your right. The tomb is pitched on a hillock.
Tomb of Asad Khan, located between Saket & Mehrauli. Topmost view from Digambar Jain mandir. Bottommost is the surrounding city forest area
The garden of 5 senses is ahead of Qila Rai pithora and is a pleasant place to spend the evening hours.
Best time to visit Delhi~ Is spring 🌱🌼 during Feb-Mar, when the climate is just perfect and the numerous gardens are blooming with flowers 🌺. The next best time is autumn 🍁 Sep-Oct. Summers and winters are extreme in Delhi.
Day 5- TUGHLAQABAD, nearest metro TUGHLAQABAD
Tughlaqabad fort, tombs, Adilabad fort
Ghiyath ud-din Tughlaq, founder of the TUGHLAQ dynasty built this fort as a stronghold against impending Mughal attacks. It was called Tughlaqabad~ the 4th city of Delhi. The fort is vast and will require at least 2 hours. Ghiyath ud-din Tughlaq's tomb is right across the fort.
Day 6- LODI GARDENS, nearest metro JORBAGH (yellow line)
Safdarjung tomb, monuments within Lodi gardens
Stop by Safdarjung's tomb before heading to Lodi gardens. Both places can be easily traced on google maps. Besides housing historical monuments (tombs and mosque), the Lodi gardens is an excellent picnic 🧺 spot to spend time with family and friends.
💡Keep water and snacks handy during these exhaustive tours
Day 7- HUMAYUN'S TOMB, nearest metro JLN STADIUM (violet line)
Monuments within Humayun's tomb complex and Sunder nursery
Humayun's tomb complex has several monuments from the late Delhi Sultanate and Mughal era. The tomb of Humayun is stunning, as is Isa Khan's tomb and few more. It's a large complex so allow a couple of hours to view at leisure. The surrounding lawns are well-maintained and offer comfort for tired feet; so take breaks as often as you need.
Spend the second half of the day picnicking🧺 at Sunder nursery located right across the street. This vast and beautifully maintained gardens is a favourite picnic zone for families and friends groups longing to spend some quality time together.
Day 8- CHANDNI CHOWK, nearest metro CHANDNI CHOWK (yellow line)
Red fort complex, Digambar Jain mandir and avian hospital, Shopping & street food experience at Chandni chowk
The Red fort complex is exhaustive and requires a great deal of leg work. So start the day early and take as many breaks as needed in the well-manicured lawns of Red fort. (Entry ticket- 80 rs). If you wish to visit the museums, which by the way is very informative, there is a separate 200 rs ticket 🎫. The ticket price also includes a show. The museums are 3 huge buildings and require additional leg work ~ trust me it's quite tiring! Alternatively, cover the museum part on a separate day.
Chandni chowk boulevard stretches from Red fort on one end till Fatehpur mosque on the other. In between is Sisganj gurdwara and an interesting mix of shopping, street food and basically soaking in the atmosphere. There are cycle rickshaws and e-rickshaws to take you around.
Day 9- INDIA GATE, nearest metro KHAN MANDIR (violet line)
India gate, National war memorial, National gallery of modern art and Khan market
The feeling of national pride is evident among the crowds that visit India gate and adjoining National war museum. Spend the afternoon hours at the National modern art museum, the evenings at India gate and late evenings at Khan market's high-end restaurants and pubs.
Day 10- RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN, nearest metro CENTRAL SECRETARIAT (yellow line)
Central secretariat is where India's corridors of power lie, and thus a highly sensitive and secured area. 'A special permission from your MP' is required to visit Parliament house; I was told by the security guard at the gate, so I rested my case and moved on. There is a change of guard ceremony even Saturday from 9 to 10 am at the RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN; online ticket 🎫 booking needs to be done.
Amrit udyan (previously Mughal gardens), New Delhi is open for viewing from Feb to March
Circuit 1 tour - is RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN from Wed to Sun.
Circuit 2 tour - RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN museum. Open daily except public holidays.
Circuit 3 tour- Amrit udyan is the sprawling gardens complex adjoining RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN. Entry through gate no. 35. But please remember Amrit udyan is only open from Feb to March.
Day 11- LOTUS TEMPLE, nearest metro KALKAJI MANDIR (magenta line)
Kalkaji temple, Lotus temple
Lotus temple, Delhi
Tip- Lotus temple is over-hyped; it's just a building in the shape of a lotus. Avoid if you run short of time. Kalkaji temple is crowded, badly maintained and may be a put off.
Day 12- RAJ GHAT, nearest metro DELHI GATE (violet line)
Raj ghat, Rajiv Gandhi smriti, Feroz Shah kotla fort
Visit Feroz Shah Kotla fort first and then head to Raj ghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi's samadhi. The beautifully kept lawn of Raj ghat are a joy so relax in for a few moments of peace and quiet.
The beautifully maintained lawns at Raj ghat, New Delhi
MALL CRAWL, SHOPPING & GOOD FOOD
Among the top malls in Delhi is SELECT CITY MALL, Saket. Spend the day shopping for high-end stuff or simply window-shopping, hanging out at the food court or watching a movie at their multiplex.
Connaught place is a lively hang out zone for shopping, restaurants, pubs or chilling out with friends. Khan market is another upscale place with a range of expensive restaurants offering a variety of cuisine. For affordable shopping clothes, fabric, suit sets etc., there's Chandni chowk and Sarojini Nagar market.
If you enjoyed reading this blog, do comment and share it with others 🙏Follow me on my journey as I shall head north to Uttarakhand- Haridwar and Rishikesh.
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