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Delhi NCR Complete Guide 2026: Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb, Lotus Temple, Akshardham

TL;DR

Delhi rewards anyone willing to look past first-day chaos. I spent eleven days across the National Capital Territory in February 2026, working through three UNESCO sites (Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb), the Lotus Temple, Akshardham, and the lanes of Shahjahanabad. The capital covers 1,483 sq km with 33 million residents, runs on a 350 km Metro, and packs eight historic cities into one drive. Plan for October through March, budget USD 50 to 200 per day, and respect the smog calendar.

Why Visit Delhi NCR in 2026

I went to Delhi expecting a stopover. I stayed eleven days because the city compresses 3,000 years of Indian history into roughly the area of a single county. Three UNESCO World Heritage sites sit within a 12 km radius: Red Fort inscribed in 2007, Qutub Minar inscribed in 1993, and Humayun's Tomb inscribed the same year. The Bahai House of Worship (Lotus Temple, 1986) and Akshardham (2005, currently on the UNESCO Tentative List) bracket the religious architecture conversation across two opposite ends of the city.

Eight dynasties used Delhi as their seat across roughly 3,000 years, from Indraprastha in the Mahabharata era through the Tomara kingdom at Lalkot (736 CE), Alauddin Khilji's Siri (1303), Tughlaqabad (1321), Firozabad (1354), Jahanpanah (1326), Shah Jahan's Shahjahanabad (1639), and finally New Delhi (1911 to 1931). Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) handled around 65 million passengers in 2025, ranking second-busiest in Asia after Dubai. Four terminals, direct connections to every continent except Antarctica, and a Metro link to central Delhi in 22 minutes make this the most practical Indian gateway for first-time visitors.

Background and Context

The National Capital Territory of Delhi covers 1,483 sq km and contains 11 administrative districts. The wider National Capital Region, which folds in parts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, covers 55,083 sq km. NCT population reached roughly 33 million in 2025; the broader NCR is around 65 million, the largest metro area in India and the second-largest urban agglomeration in the world after Tokyo.

Delhi has functioned as the political capital since the Durbar of 12 December 1911, when King George V announced the transfer of the British Indian capital from Calcutta. Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker laid out New Delhi between 1911 and 1931. India gained independence on 15 August 1947 and adopted the Republic on 26 January 1950. Delhi formally became a Union Territory on 17 September 1956 and received partial statehood under the 69th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1991, which created the Legislative Assembly.

Hindi is the dominant language at roughly 81% of NCT residents. Punjabi sits near 7%, reflecting the Sikh and Hindu Punjabi migration after Partition in 1947. Urdu accounts for around 6%, with smaller communities speaking Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, and Bhojpuri. English functions as the working language for tourism. Currency is the Indian Rupee (INR). Time zone is Indian Standard Time (IST, UTC+5:30).

Red Fort: Shah Jahan's Lal Qila

I started at Lahore Gate on a Tuesday morning. The walls run 2.4 km along the western edge of Old Delhi, climbing to 33 meters at their highest, fronted by a 250-meter moat that once filled from the Yamuna. Shah Jahan ordered the fort built in 1638, and the work wrapped in 1648 after roughly 9 years. UNESCO inscribed Red Fort in 2007 under the Mughal red sandstone tradition.

Inside, I moved through Diwan-i-Am (the Hall of Public Audience), where the emperor heard petitions under a marble canopy. The Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience) once held the Peacock Throne before Nadir Shah carried it to Persia in 1739. The Naubat Khana (drum house) sat above the entry, and the Rang Mahal (palace of colors) housed the imperial harem.

Every 15 August since 1947, the Prime Minister hoists the national flag from Lahore Gate and addresses the country. I watched a rehearsal in February, which gave me a sense of the scale without the security cordon of the actual day. The Sound and Light Show runs every evening except Mondays, in Hindi and English on alternating nights, for around 60 minutes. Tickets cost INR 80 to 200 (USD 1 to 2.50). Across the road, Digambar Jain Lal Mandir (1656) operates a working bird hospital, treating around 60 patients a day, all vegetarian species. Entry is free.

Practical: ASI ticket INR 50 for Indians, INR 600 for foreign nationals (around USD 7). Open sunrise to sunset, closed Mondays. The Red Fort Metro station on the Violet Line drops you 200 meters from Lahore Gate.

Qutub Minar: India's Tallest Brick Minaret

Qutub Minar climbs 72.5 meters across five storeys of fluted red sandstone and white marble. UNESCO inscribed the Qutb complex in 1993. Qutub-ud-din Aibak, the first Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate, started the tower in 1199. His son-in-law Iltutmish finished the upper levels by 1220, and Firoz Shah Tughlaq repaired the top after lightning damage in 1369.

I walked the complex clockwise. The Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, started in 1192, is the earliest surviving mosque in India. Aibak built it on the platform of a Hindu temple, reusing carved pillars from 27 demolished Hindu and Jain shrines. The repurposed columns still show floral and figural carving that an iconoclast workshop later defaced.

In the courtyard, the Iron Pillar of Delhi rises 7.21 meters from a granite base. The pillar dates to roughly the 4th century CE under Chandragupta II of the Gupta dynasty. It carries a Sanskrit inscription in Brahmi script and, more famously, refuses to rust. Metallurgists trace the resistance to roughly 99.7% pure iron and a passive layer of misawite (iron hydrogen phosphate hydrate). I touched the protective fence, not the pillar, since visitors haven't been allowed contact since 1997.

Ala-i-Darwaza, the southern gateway built in 1311 under Alauddin Khilji, sits across from the Tomb of Iltutmish (1235). The Alai Minar, an unfinished 24.5-meter stump, was Khilji's attempt to build a tower twice as tall as Qutub. He died in 1316, and the work stopped. Practical: ASI ticket INR 40 for Indians, INR 600 for foreign nationals. Open sunrise to sunset, all days. Qutub Minar Metro on the Yellow Line is 1.5 km away; auto-rickshaws charge INR 50 to 80.

Humayun's Tomb: The Mughal Garden Prototype

Humayun's Tomb prefigures the Taj Mahal by about 80 years. I went twice, once in the morning for cool light and once at sunset for the red sandstone glow. UNESCO inscribed the tomb in 1993. Akbar commissioned the mausoleum for his father Humayun, who died in 1556 after falling from the stairs of his library in Purana Qila. Construction ran from 1565 and completed in 1571, roughly 9 years after the death.

Mirak Mirza Ghiyas, a Persian architect from Herat, designed the structure. Hamida Banu Begum, Humayun's widow, supervised the project. The result is the first major garden tomb in the subcontinent: a 47-meter double dome of white marble on a red sandstone plinth, set inside a Persian-style Charbagh (four-part garden) divided by water channels.

The complex holds several earlier and later monuments. Isa Khan Niazi's octagonal tomb (1547) sits inside the same enclosure, predating Humayun's by 24 years. Nila Gumbad (the Blue Dome), built in the 1530s for a noble of Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khanan, carries glazed turquoise tilework. Barber's Tomb and Bu Halima's Garden round out the site. The Aga Khan Trust for Culture led a major restoration between 2008 and 2013, replanting the Charbagh and reopening the original Mughal foot paths.

Practical: ASI ticket INR 40 for Indians, INR 600 for foreign nationals. Open sunrise to sunset. Jor Bagh Metro on the Yellow Line is 2 km away.

Lotus Temple and Akshardham: 1986 and 2005

I scheduled the Bahai House of Worship for a Friday evening and Akshardham for a Saturday because both close on different days and both reward unhurried visits.

Lotus Temple opened in December 1986. Iranian architect Fariborz Sahba designed 27 free-standing white marble petals (Greek Pentelic marble), arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides. Nine reflecting pools surround the building. Seven entrances open onto a central prayer hall, 40 meters across, capped at 26.4 meters high. The temple receives roughly 4 million visitors a year, ranking among the most-visited buildings in the world. Bahai practice welcomes prayer from any religious tradition. Silence is enforced inside the hall. No clergy, no sermons, no fees.

Akshardham, on the eastern bank of the Yamuna, opened on 6 November 2005. The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Sanstha (BAPS), a Swaminarayan denomination, commissioned the complex over roughly 5 years at an estimated USD 100 million. The main monument covers 86,342 sq m (the Guinness Book recognized it in 2007 as the largest comprehensive Hindu temple complex), with 234 carved pillars, nine domes, and 20,000 figural sculptures.

Three exhibits run alongside the temple: the Hall of Values (animatronic moral tales), the Cultural Boat Ride (a 12-minute float through 10,000 years of Indian history), and an IMAX-format film on the life of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. The Sahaj Anand Water Show plays at sunset for 24 minutes. Cameras, phones, and electronic devices are not permitted inside the complex, and security is airport-grade.

Practical: Lotus Temple is free, closed Mondays, open 9:00 to 17:30 (winter) or 19:00 (summer). Kalkaji Mandir Metro on the Violet Line is the closest stop. Akshardham is free for temple entry; exhibits cost INR 220 per adult; closed Mondays; Akshardham Metro on the Blue Line connects directly.

Old Delhi: Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid, Karim's

Shah Jahan founded Shahjahanabad in 1639. His daughter Jahanara Begum planned Chandni Chowk in 1648 along a canal that reflected moonlight. I walked from the Red Fort to Fatehpuri Masjid (the western end) in roughly two hours, factoring in food stops.

Jama Masjid (Masjid-i Jehan-Numa) opened in 1656 after six years of construction. The courtyard holds 25,000 worshippers. Two 41-meter minarets flank the main prayer hall. The platform sits on Bho Jhala hill, raising the structure above the surrounding rooftops. Shoes off, modest dress, and women receive a cover gown at the gate. Camera fee is INR 200. Friday afternoons close to non-Muslims.

Karim's Hotel, founded in 1913 by Haji Karimuddin (a descendant of Mughal court cooks), sits in the lane behind Jama Masjid. I ordered mutton burra kebab (INR 280), mutton korma (INR 350), and tandoori roti (INR 30). The mutton korma matches its reputation. Paranthe Wali Gali, a 100-meter alley off Chandni Chowk, specializes in stuffed paratha cooked in pure ghee. I tried potato, paneer, and a cashew-and-almond version at Pandit Babu Ram Devi Dayal (operating since 1886). Khari Baoli, two blocks west, runs Asia's largest wholesale spice market.

Raj Ghat, the cremation memorial for Mahatma Gandhi (assassinated 30 January 1948 at Birla House), sits on the Yamuna bank, 1.5 km south of Red Fort. Black marble platform, eternal flame, and a Hindi inscription of his last words ("He Ram"). Free entry, no shoes inside the inner enclosure.

India Gate and Lutyens' Delhi

India Gate is a 42-meter sandstone war memorial designed by Edwin Lutyens and completed in 1931. The arch carries the names of 13,313 British Indian Army soldiers who died in the First World War, the Third Anglo-Afghan War, and the North-West Frontier campaigns. Amar Jawan Jyoti, the eternal flame for the Unknown Soldier, burned from 1972 until January 2022, when it was merged with the flame at the National War Memorial 400 meters east.

I walked from India Gate west along Kartavya Path (renamed from Rajpath in 2022). The 3 km axis runs to Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President's residence. Herbert Baker designed the building between 1912 and 1929, with 340 rooms across 200,000 square feet. The Mughal Gardens (now Amrit Udyan) open to the public on weekends in February and March. Free, but registration on the rashtrapatisachivalaya.gov.in portal is required.

Sansad Bhavan (Parliament House) sits 300 meters north of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Lutyens and Baker designed the circular Council House between 1921 and 1927, with 144 columns ringing the perimeter. A new Parliament building opened in May 2023; the old building now serves as a museum. Connaught Place (1933), a Georgian-style double ring of arcaded shops by Robert Tor Russell, marks the commercial center of New Delhi. I ate lunch at United Coffee House (operating since 1942) for around INR 800.

Lodi Garden, Hauz Khas, and Sacred Sites

Lodi Garden covers 90 acres in the diplomatic enclave south of Khan Market. The area opened as a public park in 1936, redesigned by Lady Willingdon. Inside the gardens, four 15th-century tombs predate the British plan: the Tomb of Mohammed Shah (1444, Sayyid dynasty), Bara Gumbad (1494), Sheesh Gumbad (also 1494), and the Tomb of Sikander Lodi (1517). Free entry, open sunrise to sunset.

Hauz Khas, 3 km south, wraps around a 13th-century reservoir that Alauddin Khilji dug for Siri Fort. The medieval madrasa and the tomb of Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1388) sit on the east bank. The adjoining Hauz Khas Village now holds boutiques, cafes, and small galleries.

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, near Connaught Place, was originally a bungalow belonging to Raja Jai Singh. The eighth Sikh Guru, Har Krishan, stayed here in 1664 during a smallpox outbreak and tended to the sick using water from the property's tank. The current gurudwara, built in 1783, runs a free community kitchen (langar) serving 10,000 to 35,000 meals a day. Head covering required (scarves provided); shoes off; cameras allowed in the outer courtyard.

Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah, the tomb of Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya (died 1325), sits 1.5 km west of Humayun's Tomb. Qawwali singing happens every Thursday evening after Maghrib prayer, performed by hereditary Qawwal families descended from Amir Khusrau. Birla Mandir (Laxminarayan Temple), built by industrialist B. D. Birla in 1939, was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi on the condition that the temple admit Hindus of all castes.

Cost Table (INR and USD, February 2026)

Category	Budget	Mid-Range	Luxury
Accommodation (per night)	INR 1,200 to 4,500 (USD 14 to 54)	INR 6,000 to 16,000 (USD 72 to 192)	INR 28,000 plus (USD 335 plus)
Hostel dorm	INR 600 to 1,200	N/A	N/A
Meal (street food, per dish)	INR 50 to 200	N/A	N/A
Meal (sit-down restaurant)	INR 300 to 700	INR 800 to 1,800	INR 2,500 to 6,000
Metro single ride	INR 10 to 60	N/A	N/A
Auto-rickshaw (per km)	INR 11 (first 1.5 km INR 30)	N/A	N/A
Uber/Ola UberGo (10 km)	INR 180 to 280	N/A	N/A
Monument entry (foreigner)	INR 600 (Red Fort, Qutub, Humayun)	N/A	N/A
Daily total (typical)	USD 25 to 50	USD 80 to 200	USD 350 plus

Luxury benchmarks I priced: Taj Mahal Hotel New Delhi (Man Singh Road) from INR 28,000; The Imperial (Janpath) from INR 32,000; The Leela Palace (Chanakyapuri) from INR 38,000; ITC Maurya from INR 30,000; Oberoi New Delhi from INR 36,000. For mid-range, I stayed three nights at The Lalit Connaught Place (INR 9,800) and four nights at Bloomrooms Janpath (INR 4,500).

Planning Your Trip

Best time to visit runs from October through March. Average temperatures sit at 10 to 25 C with low humidity, clear skies, and tolerable air through October and into the first week of November. April through June pushes daytime temperatures past 45 C with dry heat that affects walking tours by 10 a.m. Monsoon arrives in late June or early July and runs through September with intermittent heavy rain; Old Delhi floods locally. December and January bring fog that reduces visibility under 100 meters on some mornings, delaying flights at IGI by two to four hours.

Visa rules favor most nationalities through the Indian e-Visa scheme. The standard 30-day single-entry e-Tourist Visa costs USD 25, the 1-year multiple-entry version costs USD 40, and the 5-year version costs USD 80. Apply through indianvisaonline.gov.in at least four days before travel; processing usually takes 72 hours. Indian passport holders need no visa. Nepalese and Bhutanese citizens need no visa. Around 60 countries can use Visa on Arrival, but the e-Visa route is faster and cheaper.

Flights arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), 16 km southwest of central Delhi. Four terminals operate; Terminal 3 handles all international flights and Air India domestic services. Air India, IndiGo, Vistara, SpiceJet, and Akasa run domestic routes. Direct international service operates from over 60 cities including London, New York, San Francisco, Dubai, Singapore, Tokyo, Sydney, and Frankfurt. The airport handled around 65 million passengers in 2025, second-busiest in Asia.

Internal transport runs on the Delhi Metro (DMRC), the largest urban rail network in India at roughly 350 km across 12 lines and 286 stations. A single trip costs INR 10 to 60. Smart cards (INR 100 refundable deposit) work across the system. Auto-rickshaws meter at INR 30 for the first 1.5 km plus INR 11 per additional km. Uber and Ola apps fix metering issues. For cross-country travel, Vande Bharat trains connect New Delhi station (NDLS) to Varanasi, Patna, Mumbai (CSMT), and other major cities; book through irctc.co.in.

Climate is continental with a sharp annual range. Summer (April to June) averages 35 to 45 C and peaks above 45 C; monsoon (July to September) brings 60 to 80% humidity and heavy bursts; winter (December to January) averages 5 to 15 C with low humidity and occasional fog. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is the larger health concern: between November and January, readings often pass 300 (hazardous), driven by crop-stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, vehicle exhaust, and temperature inversion.

Dress code at religious sites is enforced. Mosques require shoulders and knees covered and shoes removed; women often cover their hair. Hindu temples require shoes off. Sikh gurudwaras require head covering for all visitors regardless of gender; scarves are provided. Casual urban dress works everywhere else. Pack one long-sleeve modest set even in summer.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How fast does the Indian e-Visa process?

Standard processing runs 72 hours, sometimes faster. Apply at indianvisaonline.gov.in at least four days before departure. Indian passport holders need no visa. Citizens of around 60 countries qualify for Visa on Arrival, but the e-Visa is faster and cheaper.

2. How do I get cash, and is INR easy to access?

ATMs operate across the city; HDFC, SBI, Axis, and ICICI machines accept most foreign cards. Withdrawal limits run INR 10,000 to 20,000 per transaction with an INR 200 to 500 fee. Currency exchange kiosks in Connaught Place and Karol Bagh offer better rates than airport counters; bring USD or EUR for the best exchange.

3. What are Delhi's alcohol rules?

Legal drinking age in Delhi is 25 (one of the strictest limits in India). Bars and licensed restaurants in central Delhi, Connaught Place, Khan Market, and Hauz Khas serve alcohol freely. Dry days apply on national holidays and election days (around seven days per year). Old Delhi neighborhoods near Jama Masjid are largely dry due to the Muslim majority population.

4. Are vegetarian options good?

Yes. Delhi handles every Indian regional cuisine. Punjabi-style paneer dishes, North Indian thalis, South Indian dosa and idli (Saravana Bhavan at Connaught Place), Mughlai vegetarian biryanis, and Bengali sweets are all easy to find. Non-vegetarians have the Mughlai tradition: biryani, kebab, korma, and tandoori at Karim's, Tundey Kababi (Daryaganj branch), and Al Jawahar.

5. What is the dress code at religious sites?

Hindu temples: shoes off at the entrance, modest clothing. Mosques: shoulders and knees covered, shoes off, women often cover hair. Sikh gurudwaras: head covering required for everyone (scarves provided at the entrance), shoes off.

6. Can I take photos at monuments?

Most ASI monuments (Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb) allow photography free of charge; tripods and professional gear require a permit. Inside the Lotus Temple prayer hall, photography is prohibited. Akshardham bans all cameras, phones, and electronic devices in the complex; lockers are available at the entrance. Jama Masjid charges INR 200 for camera entry.

7. What scams should I expect?

The two most common scams at the airport: pre-paid taxi touts who direct you to private cars instead of the official Delhi Police pre-paid booth, and "tourist information" agents who claim your hotel is closed and offer to book another. Use Uber or Ola from the airport. Auto-rickshaw drivers may refuse the meter; insist on it or open the app. Avoid commission-based tour operators around Connaught Place; book directly with hotels or government tourism offices.

8. How bad is the smog, and how do I handle it?

Between November and January, the Air Quality Index regularly exceeds 300 and occasionally tops 500 (hazardous). I carried an N95 mask and checked the AQI India app every morning. On the worst days I shifted indoor activities (Akshardham exhibits, museums, Connaught Place) to mornings and stayed inside in the afternoon. If respiratory health is a concern, plan the trip for February through April or September through October.

Useful Hindi, Urdu, and Punjabi Phrases

Hindi is the daily working language. Urdu shares vocabulary with Hindi but uses different scripts and slightly different formality. Punjabi serves the Sikh community.

1. Namaste, Hello or Goodbye (Hindi, universal)
2. Dhanyavaad, Thank you (Hindi, formal)
3. Shukriya, Thanks (Urdu-influenced, informal)
4. As-salamu Alaykum, Peace be upon you (Urdu, Muslim greeting)
5. Walaikum as-salam, And upon you peace (response)
6. Sat Sri Akaal, Truth is Timeless (Punjabi Sikh greeting)
7. Haan, Yes
8. Nahin, No
9. Maaf kijiye, Excuse me or Sorry
10. Kitna hai?, How much is it?
11. Bahut mehenga hai, Very expensive
12. Kam karo, Reduce (the price)
13. Theek hai, Okay or Fine
14. Mujhe samajh nahin aaya, I don't understand
15. Pani, Water
16. Khaana, Food
17. Kahan hai?, Where is it?
18. Madad chahiye, I need help
19. Bhaiya, Brother (polite address for men)
20. Didi, Sister (polite address for women)

Cultural Notes

Delhi's demographic mix shapes daily life. Hindi speakers form roughly 81% of the NCT population. Punjabi (around 7%) reflects the post-Partition migration of 1947, when roughly 500,000 Hindu and Sikh families resettled from West Punjab into Delhi. Urdu (around 6%) anchors the Muslim community concentrated in Old Delhi, Jamia Nagar, and Nizamuddin. Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, Bihari, and Marwari communities use additional regional languages at home; all 22 scheduled languages of the Indian Constitution appear on official Delhi government signage.

Religion follows similar distribution: Hindu 81%, Muslim 13%, Sikh 4%, Christian 1%, with smaller Jain, Buddhist, and Zoroastrian communities. The Bahai House of Worship serves a global Bahai population around 2 million, with around 12,000 Indian adherents.

History layers across the eight historic cities of Delhi. Indraprastha, mentioned in the Mahabharata, sat near the modern Purana Qila. Lalkot (736 CE) was founded by the Tomara king Anangpal. Siri (1303) was built by Alauddin Khilji. Tughlaqabad (1321) belonged to Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq. Firozabad (1354) was Firoz Shah Tughlaq's city. Jahanpanah (1326) was Muhammad bin Tughlaq's experimental capital. Shahjahanabad (1639) was Shah Jahan's red sandstone city, now Old Delhi. New Delhi (1911 to 1931) was the British imperial capital.

Political continuity covers the Delhi Sultanate (1206 to 1526, across five dynasties: Mamluk, Khilji, Tughlaq, Sayyid, and Lodi), the Mughal Empire (1526 to 1857, from Babur's victory at the First Battle of Panipat on 21 April 1526 through Bahadur Shah Zafar II's exile after 1857), the British Raj (1858 to 1947), and the Republic of India (1947 onward). Akbar ruled from 1556 to 1605. Shah Jahan ruled from 1628 to 1658 and shifted the capital from Agra to Shahjahanabad in 1648. Aurangzeb ruled from 1658 to 1707.

Cuisine in Delhi is a regional blend. Mughlai biryani, kebab, korma, and tandoori dishes anchor the Old Delhi tradition (Karim's, Tundey Kababi). Punjabi influence appears in chole bhature, paneer-based curries, and dal makhani (Moti Mahal at Daryaganj, where the butter chicken was reportedly created in the 1940s). Bengali sweets sell at Bengali Sweet House on Bengali Market. South Indian breakfast is available at Saravana Bhavan in Connaught Place. Khan Market and Hauz Khas Village host newer cafes; Chandni Chowk and Daryaganj remain the heartland of traditional cooking.

Major festivals: Republic Day on 26 January (parade along Kartavya Path), Independence Day on 15 August (PM flag-hoisting at Red Fort), Holi in March (spring color festival), Diwali in October or November (festival of lights), and Guru Nanak Jayanti (November or December).

Pre-Trip Prep Checklist

• e-Visa applied (USD 25 standard, USD 40 for 1-year multi-entry) or Indian passport
• Cash: INR for daily spending, USD or EUR for exchange in Connaught Place
• Modest dress: one set with shoulders and knees covered for mosques and gurudwaras
• Slip-on shoes (you remove them often at religious sites)
• Plug adapter: Type C, D, or M; 230V, 50Hz
• N95 mask if traveling November to January (smog season)
• AQI India app on phone for daily air quality readings
• DMRC Metro smart card (INR 100 refundable deposit at any station)
• Bottled water only (avoid tap water)
• ASI Monument Combined Ticket bookable on asi.payumoney.com
• Hotel booked in central Delhi (Connaught Place, Karol Bagh, or Paharganj for budget; South Delhi or Aerocity for mid-range)
• Travel insurance with medical evacuation (Delhi has top private hospitals: Max, Fortis, Apollo, AIIMS)

Three Itineraries

3-Day Quick Trip

Day 1: Red Fort morning, Jama Masjid and Karim's lunch, Chandni Chowk walk and Paranthe Wali Gali afternoon, Sound and Light Show evening.

Day 2: Qutub Minar morning, Mehrauli Archaeological Park walk, Hauz Khas Village lunch, Lotus Temple late afternoon.

Day 3: Humayun's Tomb morning, Nizamuddin Dargah qawwali (if Thursday), India Gate and Kartavya Path drive, Connaught Place dinner.

5-Day Extended Trip

Adds Day 4 (Akshardham morning, Lodi Garden afternoon, Khan Market) and Day 5 (Gurudwara Bangla Sahib langar, Raj Ghat, National Museum, ISKCON Temple).

7-Day Full Trip with Day Excursions

Adds Day 6 (day trip to Agra for the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, 200 km via Yamuna Expressway) and Day 7 (day trip to Mathura and Vrindavan, Krishna birthplace and Banke Bihari Temple, 150 km).

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External References

1. Wikipedia, "Delhi", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhi
2. UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Red Fort Complex, https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/231
3. UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Qutb Minar and its Monuments, https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/233
4. UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Humayun's Tomb, https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/232
5. Delhi Tourism, Government of NCT of Delhi, https://delhitourism.gov.in
6. Wikivoyage, Delhi, https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Delhi
7. Lonely Planet, Delhi, https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/delhi

Last updated: 2026-05-19.

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