A Day in Delhi

As the capital of India Delhi is not to be missed. Read this to make the best of your one day visit.

Keep reading to find out where this is!

Delhi is a city with historical significance, cultural importance, and a the leading commercial center of India. The territory actually consists of two parts, Old Delhi to the north and New Delhi to the south. New Delhi was completed in 1947 while under the British Rule, after they established it as the new capital. They moved the capital from Calcutta and has British architects design the new city.

Delhi is a vibrant city with an unbelievable amount to offer. From the largest spice market to countless architecture wonders, if visiting this city isn't on your list - it should be!

When to visit Delhi?

India differs a bit from South East Asia as it has four seasons instead of two, more similar to Canada. It does have a season that is more hot and dry - summer, and a season that is more wet - monsoon, and then it also has a more cool season - winter and a spring.

The best time to visit would be in fall or winter, as the cooler weather will be more pleasant than the heat of the summer. However, this will be when the most people choose to visit which can increase prices and crowds. The winter is also known for being quite foggy in the mornings, make sure to keep that in mind when planning your photo spots.

How to get to Delhi?

The easiest way to get to Delhi will be to fly into the city itself! No matter where you are flying from, this will be your best bet since it is the capital. The city is quite large so make sure to do your research on what area you want to stay in and where it is in relation to the airport.

How to get around Delhi?

Many rickshaw drivers even have guestbooks!

There are two really easy ways to get around Delhi depending on how independent you want to be. Your first option will be to take the metro which will allow you to visit the most popular places. The system is well established and easy to navigate. You will have to separate by gender and go through an x-ray upon entry to any station. A big difference I noticed from taking the metro in other parts of the world is that the metro in India has washrooms! Now you do have to pay, a very very small fee but while your tummy is adjusting to the new foods it is fantastic to know you'll always have access in the stations. We did find that the machines were often out of order which led to long queues at the ticket counters.

The other option would be to take a rickshaw. You will find them everywhere and you can negotiate the price, or use Uber to get a set fee. If you want to be right in the thick of it and experience the city by sight and sound this is a great option. However, traffic can get quite thick depending on where you are going.

What to do in Delhi?

Walking Tour

A fantastic way to get to know a new city is to go on a walking tour. There are many websites where you can find free walking tours and we have taken them in many of the countries we've visited. Unfortunately, this one we went on in Delhi was disappointing.

The student who was leading us arrived late, was unaware of how many people were signed up and gave very little info on places. He essentially power walked us through the historical area point things out simply, like "there's Hindu temple" without even stopping. He did answer questions when we had them, but I got the impression he expected this to be easy money for little effort.

The highlight of the tour was when we visited a spice shop. The vendors were eager to explain all the processes to us and let us explore all the products. They had many teas and spices available to purchase, at tourist prices of course. I couldn't resist getting some chai as it has been my favourite tea since first trying it in Kenya.

*Even though these tours are marketed as free, they are a tip based enterprise.

A good tour guide will tell you to pay what they deserve and not pay attention to what they are given. If they've put in the effort, they know they'll be rewarded.

By wary of guides who tell you a specific cost or question how much you've chosen to give them.*

Our tour did serve for us to make some friends and continue to spend the day with them. We have almost always left a walking tour with people we met on it to grab lunch or check out another attraction. The couple we met were both vegan and searching for somewhere to eat. We figured as vegetarians, it would be easy to join them. We found a fantastic restaurant, being staffed by a father and son. The father's English wasn't great but the son was happy to translate and help us pick dishes.

After lunch, we decided to keep exploring together. We considered going to visit the Red Fort, but it was so busy we just had a quick photo stop. Constructed by the same architect as the Taj mahal, this military structure is now a popular tourist destination. This incredible fort took 8 years to build, being completed in1648. It was made of red sandstone and painted with white accents for the Shah's favourite colours.

We chose to go to Jama Masjid instead of inside the Red Fort. This is the largest mosque in Delhi, and built on a hill so it overlooks the city. You will have to pay an entrance fee here, and they may request you rent a sarong as well.

Remember Shah Jahan? I wrote about him on our visit to the Taj Mahal since he commissioned it's building for his late wife. He is also responsible for building the Jama Masjid and the Red Fort. He actually commissioned a large number of India's standout architectural wonders.

Bonus: Humayan's Tomb

As the first garden tomb in India, built in 1570 it laid the groundwork for elaborate tombs like the Taj Mahal. Humayan's son, the emprorer had this tomb built and it now houses 150 mausoleums for other rulers.

We visited first thing in the morning to enjoy the Golden Hour (how to improve your travel photos). We had the place mostly to ourselves which was nice for exploration and photos.