Delhi India – Your Quick Travel Guide

In a nutshell

When you first step into Delhi, you will see how full of life it is. People bustling about, impressive roads, plenty of options to eat and shop, and the rich cultural heritage. It is a wonderful city. There is just so much to do for everyone here from history to food to pubs to clubbing to architecture that absolutely everyone will fall in love with this city.

Why go to Delhi

With monuments such as Humayun’s tomb, India Gate, Qutub Minar, Red Fort and others, anyone who is interested in history will find plenty to admire. And when it comes to shopping, Delhi offers some of the best in terms of street shopping as well as branded stuff. The number of parks strewn around Delhi also provide the perfect place to just enjoy an afternoon with your friends in the company of nature. The night life in Delhi is also worth mentioning because there are many pubs strewn around the city which offer options from dance floors to lounges. The Hauz Khas village is especially the place to head to when you are in the mood for a little partying.

There are also a number of well organized activities to do in Delhi like history walks, heritage tours, food walks and others which give you an insight into the life and style of Delhi. And if you are inclined towards the arts, the Siri Fort Auditorium and India Habitat Centre often put up displays or performances where you can enjoy the best of Indian cultural arts.

Delhi is also an educational hub and lots of students from all over the world come here for their education. And because of the presence of youth, Delhi has a very young feel to it despite being an ancient city.

When to go to Delhi

The weather in Delhi is a little on the extreme side. The summers are really hot and the winters tend to get very chilly. And while we advise you to stay away during summers, the months of September to November are the best to travel here. And if you come from a cold climate, then the winters in Delhi should be when you visit this place.

Where to stay in Delhi

The first thing you should before planning a trip to Delhi is to look for good accommodation. There are plenty of options to choose from depending on your budget, but there are some special places like Maya’s Nest and Bed and Chai which offer home like comforts and get booked pretty fast.

Otherwise, there are many staying options in Delhi. The area of Pahargunj is basically comprised of hotels which offer decent facilities at very good prices. Hotels like Ajatna, Hari Piorkio, Le Roi are some which offer good, clean staying places at very good prices.

There are also many places where you can avail all modern amenities at mid-range prices like Lodhi, Manor, Madpackers Hostel and Haveli Dharampura.

Being a busy commercial centre as well as the capital of India, Delhi offers a lot of top end hotels especially in the Aerocity which is located very close to the airport. And if you are looking at 5 star facilities then the Taj, Leela Kempinski, Oberoi and Grand Intercontinental are some places you should try. They offer top end amenities like spas, gym, salons, restaurants and pubs while being extremely helpful and pleasant.

Where and what to eat in Delhi

Delhi is a foodie’s paradise. There are many venues in Delhi which are known for their food. The areas around Jama Masjid, Lajpat, Sarojini, Hauz Khas, Connaught Place and Dillli Haat are some of the places you should definitely visit. Not only do they offer some lip smacking street foods, but they also have a number of restaurants where you can enjoy a good meal. Of course, there are a number of iconic restaurants in Delhi like Karim’s, Rajinder Da Dhaba, Big Chill, Moti Mahal and Sukhdev dhaba where you can enjoy some specialty dishes of Delhi like the Paranthas, Butter Chicken, Mutton Curry and Rolls.

How to get around Delhi

Delhi is a very easy place to travel. The entire city is well connected by the Metro and although it can get confusing at first, it is very convenient. There are multiple metro lines which run through the city and you can get from one corner of Delhi to the other by changing these lines at specific stations. The fares are pretty low, and you can travel all around Delhi for as low as INR 150 through the metro.

Another option in Delhi is the auto-rickshaw. These three wheeler vehicles will take you almost everywhere in the city although they tend to get a tad expensive at times. All of them have meters and the fares are around INR 7 per kilometre. But sometimes, they tend to not go by the meter and can ask for exorbitant prices. But wait it out, as sooner or later someone will take you by meter.

Delhi also has a very good bus service. Over 5000 buses ply everyday around Delhi and they are mostly run by the government so the fares are also very reasonable. There are AC buses also available which cost a bit more but they are well worth it, especially during the summer months. Getting around Delhi is easy, convenient and affordable.

You can also opt for cabs especially through Ola and Uber services as they have very prompt and affordable services which start from INR 5 per kilometre. Delhi roads are an absolute pleasure to drive on, but the traffic can get very busy during the office hours. We advise you to travel during the off hours when the roads are relatively emptier.

How to get to and from Delhi

Getting in and out of Delhi is also very easy. It is well connected by flights, trains and buses.

By air

Flights are the quickest way to get to Delhi and it has a domestic as well as a swanky international terminal. Flights tend to get a little expensive during festivals and tourist seasons with fares reaching around INR 10,000 to get there from Mumbai and about INR 1,00,000 from New York and INR 40,000 for Singapore.

By train

The train service for Delhi is very good with four major stations, the New Delhi terminal, Old Delhi Terminal, Anand Vihar and Nizammuddin. Travelling by train is a good option as the trains, especially the deluxe ones like Rajdhani and Duronto, are very comfortable and fast. The fares depend on the class you are travelling in and the place you are travelling from. Like a trip from Mumbai would cost around INR 600 for non-AC travel and can go up to INR 4000 for an AC coach.

The services inside the train are also very decent with plenty of options for meals delivered on your seats.

By bus

If you are looking to travel to places nearby Delhi like Manali, Dharamshala or Shimla, there are many bus services which operate in and out of Delhi. ISBT Kashmiri Gate, Sarai Kale Khan and Anand Vihar are the three major bus depots in Delhi which offer regular bus services to the different areas around Delhi. There are plenty of options like non-AC, AC, Deluxe, Sleeper and Volvos which can be found and the very helpful time tables and staff will get you where you need to go. Prices vary, depending on the class and destination. For example, a bus to Manali will cost INR 600 and upwards and usually takes about 15 hours to reach. The roads in and around Delhi are very good and it makes for some memorable journeys.

Is Delhi a safe place to visit?

Of late, Delhi has gathered a notorious reputation for being a highly polluted and unsafe city. Pollution reaches alarming levels especially during the crop burning season and it is best to avoid it during those times which fall somewhere around November. And while we have never faced any problems with eve teasers or molesters personally, there have been many such cases. The best thing to do is to avoid travelling alone late at night, and stay away from areas which are known to be shady.

But apart from this blot, Delhi is an absolutely lovely place to visit and we highly recommend that you do come here at once.