Old Delhi Tour

Old Delhi Tour Package

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Old Delhi is the walled city that Shah Jahan laid out in the seventeenth century, and an Old Delhi tour is best done on foot and by cycle rickshaw with the car waiting at the edge. The lanes off Chandni Chowk are too narrow for anything larger than a rickshaw, so your chauffeur drops you near the Red Fort or at the Jama Masjid parking and collects you again at an agreed point when you are done.

Start early. The Red Fort is closed on Mondays and is quietest soon after it opens; Jama Masjid is calmer before the midday prayer; and the food lanes are at their best between breakfast and lunch, before the heat and the crowds build. A typical half day takes in the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, a rickshaw ride along Chandni Chowk, the Sikh shrine of Gurudwara Sis Ganj, stuffed parathas at Paranthe Wali Gali, the spice warehouses of Khari Baoli and, on the way out, Raj Ghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi on the Yamuna bank.

We provide the vehicle, the driver and, if you want one, a guide who knows which lane leads where. Our Old Delhi tour packages can pair the morning in the walled city with an afternoon at Humayun's Tomb or in New Delhi, or keep to the old city alone. Pick-up is from any hotel, the airport or the railway stations in Delhi and the NCR.

Must-Visit Places to Visit in Old Delhi

The walled city packs its sights into about two square kilometres. These are the ones a half-day or full-day Old Delhi tour normally covers, in roughly the order you would walk them.

Red Fort: Shah Jahan's fort-palace of red sandstone and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enter through Lahori Gate and the covered Chatta Chowk bazaar to reach the Diwan-i-Am and the marble pavilions beyond. Closed on Mondays.

Jama Masjid: India's largest mosque, completed in 1656, with a courtyard built for some 25,000 worshippers. Shoes come off at the gate, and the southern minaret can be climbed for a view over the rooftops to the Red Fort.

Chandni Chowk: The main street of the walled city, running west from the Red Fort to Fatehpuri Masjid. Silver in Dariba Kalan, wedding trim in Kinari Bazaar, saris and lehengas in the lanes behind, and sweets from century-old shops on the street itself. Most shops are shut on Sundays.

Khari Baoli: The wholesale spice market at the western end of Chandni Chowk, usually described as the largest in Asia. Chillies, dried fruit and whole spices are sold by the kilo from sacks; the upper floors of Gadodia Market look down over the whole trade.

Kinari Bazaar: A lane of trimmings and wedding accessories: zari borders, sequins, tassels, turbans and garlands. Essential if you are shopping for a wedding and worth a look even if you are not.

Gali Paranthe Wali: A short lane where a handful of families have fried stuffed parathas since the 1870s. Fillings run from potato and paneer to banana and rabri; one plate with pickles and chutneys is a full breakfast.

Fatehpuri Masjid: The red sandstone mosque that closes the western end of Chandni Chowk, built in 1650 by one of Shah Jahan's wives. Quieter than Jama Masjid and a good place to pause before the spice market.

Ballimaran: The neighbourhood of the Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib. His restored haveli in Gali Qasim Jan is a small museum of manuscripts and portraits, and the lanes around it are lined with spectacle and shoe shops.

Digambar Jain Temple: The oldest Jain temple in Delhi, facing the Red Fort at the eastern end of Chandni Chowk. It is known for the bird hospital in its compound, which treats injured pigeons and sparrows free of charge.

St. James Church: Built by Colonel James Skinner in 1836 near Kashmere Gate and the oldest church in Delhi. The domed nave and the Skinner family graves in the churchyard are a quiet contrast to the lanes a few minutes away.

Things & Activities Covered in Old Delhi Tour

When you book an Old Delhi tour package with us the day is built from the activities below rather than a fixed list. Any of them can be combined into a half day or a full day.

Street Food Exploration: Parathas in Gali Paranthe Wali, kebabs and nihari in the lanes around Jama Masjid, jalebis at the corner of Dariba Kalan and, in winter, daulat ki chaat from street carts. Go in the morning; most stalls are freshest before noon.

Rickshaw Ride: A cycle rickshaw is the practical way through Chandni Chowk and its side lanes. A ride from the Red Fort end to Fatehpuri Masjid and back takes about half an hour and passes the main bazaars on the way.

Spice Market Visit: Khari Baoli is a working wholesale market, so expect handcarts and porters. Whole spices, saffron, dried fruit and tea can be bought from the shops on the main road or from the wholesalers inside Gadodia Market.

Shopping at Bazaars: Silver jewellery in Dariba Kalan, wedding trim in Kinari Bazaar, fabrics in Katra Neel and books and stationery on Nai Sarak. Prices are negotiable at the smaller shops and fixed at the older established ones.

Visit Historical Landmarks: The Red Fort and Jama Masjid are the two big sites. Add Raj Ghat, the black marble platform marking the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated in 1948, a short drive away on Ring Road.

Photography Walk: Early light in the lanes, the courtyard of Jama Masjid from the minaret and the rooftop views over Chandni Chowk are the standard frames. Ask before photographing shopkeepers and worshippers.

Visit Havelis and Old Mansions: Haveli Dharampura near Jama Masjid is a restored nineteenth-century mansion open for visits and meals. Several other havelis in Chandni Chowk are private but can be seen from the lane. Our half-day Old Delhi heritage walk covers the accessible ones.

Cultural Immersion: Qawwali at the dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya is sung on Thursday evenings. The shrine is outside the walled city, about half an hour by car, and combines well with an Old Delhi day.

Cycle Tour: Guided bicycle rides start at dawn before the traffic and cover the lanes, the riverbank and Raj Ghat in two to three hours. Suitable for anyone comfortable on a bicycle in slow traffic.

Visit Museums and Galleries: Ghalib's haveli in Ballimaran holds manuscripts and memorabilia of the poet, and the Red Fort houses small museums on the freedom struggle inside its barracks.

Old Delhi rewards a slow pace and someone who knows the lanes. Book an Old Delhi Tour Guide with us and the day is arranged around your interests, with the car waiting where the walking ends.

Good to know: Old Delhi tour

The Red Fort is closed on Mondays; Jama Masjid closes to visitors during prayer times; most Chandni Chowk shops are shut on Sundays.
Cars cannot enter the lanes. The driver waits at the Red Fort or Jama Masjid parking and collects you at an agreed point; the last stretch is on foot or by cycle rickshaw.
Best done in the morning; allow about four to five hours for the full circuit including the rickshaw ride and food stops.
Included: chauffeur-driven AC vehicle for the day, driver's charges, fuel, tolls and parking. Not included: monument entry tickets, rickshaw fare, guide fees and meals.
Dress modestly for Jama Masjid and Gurudwara Sis Ganj; heads are covered at the gurudwara and shoes are left outside both.
Suits first-time visitors, food enthusiasts and anyone with a half day free in Delhi.

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