Itinerary for One Amazing Day in New Delhi India
If you’re planning on visiting India, chances are you’re going to arrive in New Delhi. And while Delhi probably isn’t where you’re going to spend most of your time, as a former expat who lived in New Delhi, I think you should devote at least a day in Delhi as there’s lots to see and do — and you’re in India! You gotta just jump into the chaos and embrace it — what better place to do that than Delhi?!
I lived in New Delhi India as an expat and I’ve put together what I think would be a great one-day itinerary for visiting New Delhi, India. You could do this as part of a bigger trip India, or you could possibly do this as a stopover in India, en route to another destination. Regardless, if you only have one day to visit New Delhi, here’s how I would do it!
How to get around in Delhi
You’re going to want to hire a private driver for the day — this is really the best way to do this, as you only have a day, and you won’t have to worry about taking buses or trains (though the Delhi metro is amazing). You’ll be jumping in and out of the car or tuk tuk all day seeing the sights and it’s best just to have one driver the whole day. Your hotel can hook you up with this, you could ask your airport taxi driver about this, or you can get an uber – uber is extremely cheap — and you can ask your uber driver if he wants to drive you around for the day for an extra fee. Often times they are willing to do this — I’ve had great luck with this throughout India. Or just step out on to the streets and you’ll find someone willing to drive you around. Trust me, it’s that easy.
NOTE: I had a personal driver for my entire time in Delhi but when I needed to get around on his days off, I would always summon an uber.
If you’re not comfortable with this, you can use a tour company, but you’re going to pay way more for your transportation than you need to.
One Awesome Day in Delhi India Itinerary
Morning
Red Fort:
Begin your day at the Red Fort, a UNESCO world heritage site — admission for foreigners is 500 rupees. It opens at 9am. Here you’ll find a collection of historical rooms, beautiful buildings, as well as museums to explore. The magnificent red sandstone architecture of this iconic fort is so beautiful and it holds a significant place in India’s history. You’ll want to take your time to explore the various buildings within the fort complex and gardens.
Chandi Chowk:
This is what you see in all the photos — the chaos, the crowds, the bustling markets, the insane power lines hanging down into the streets. It’s crazy but is so fun! You’ll want to visit the spice market — it’s the largest spice market in Asia and it’ll really….awaken the senses! Definitely a must-do while you’re here, even if you’re not interested in spices.
Lunch:
Normally I don’t make a lot of food recommendations on this blog as I am not a foodie whatsoever. But if you’re hungry by this point, I highly recommend eating at Karims in Old Delhi. This was voted one of the best restaurants in Asia.
Mid Day
Time to leave the Old Delhi area and venture out to New Delhi.
India Gate:
This is another iconic Delhi spot. The India Gate is a war memorial and is surrounded by walking paths and makes a great place for photos. Or you can just snap a photo as you go by. I have to admit, I never actually got out of the car here and checked it out during my time in Delhi (I honestly thought I had all the time in the world, but then COVID wrecked my world and sent me back to the USA!).
Humayun’s Tomb
Of all the attractions in Delhi, Humayun’s Tomb is my favorite. This whole complex is amazing — you could spend hours here! This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a stunning example of early Mughal architecture and inspired the design of the Taj Mahal! You could also do this in the late afternoon — the light for photography at that time is amazing!
Late Afternoon
Ooof – this is a lot already! And feel free to head back to your hotel if you don’t have anymore energy in the tank! But if you do, you still have time to hit up one more UNESCO World Heritage Site if you want:
Qutub Minar:
This 73-meter tall victory tower is an example of early Indo-Islamic architecture and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore the surrounding monuments in the complex including the Iron Pillar and the Alai Darwaza.
Qutub Minar is located in South Delhi, so it’s the furthest away from all of the other attractions, which is why I listed it last.
I wrote a much more detailed article about visiting Qutub Minar here – check it out!
Other Delhi attractions you could visit, if you want to swap something out:
Everyone’s different and while I think this is a great itinerary, you might not be interested in a few things – that’s okay! I have a few other suggestions if you want to swap something out.
Jama Masjid: This is a gigantic mosque, likely the largest in India. I have to admit, I never went inside, just admired it from the outside, but if you want to go in, just make sure you’re wearing conservative clothing — women need to be essentially fully covered — but if you’re not wearing the proper clothing, they will lend you a smock for a fee. Jama Masjid is located in Old Delhi, right by the Red Fort and Chawdi Chowk, so make sure to do this while you’re already in Old Delhi.
Dilli Haat
SHOPPING!!! This is my favorite place to shop in Delhi — it’s a ton of fun. It’s an outdoor market and they charge admission (Rs 100 for foreigners – no big deal) and the vendors are from all around India and are swapped out every two weeks. You are free to barter with the vendors and the scene is much less aggressive than what you’ll find in Chandi Chowk, but you’ll also pay higher prices.
Lotus Temple
Lotus Temple is famous for its flower-like architecture. It’s a Bahá’à House of Worship but open to all, regardless of religion. Spend some time enjoying the peaceful atmosphere in the prayer hall and the beautifully maintained gardens.
Word to the wise — Lotus Temple can get extremely, extremely crowded by mid-day! If you’re set on doing this, I recommend visiting as soon as they open (9am). I tried several times to visit the Lotus Temple and had to turn around because the traffic was at a standstill in the area from people trying to park / visit. The only time I got in was getting there the minute they opened.
The one place I don’t recommend in Delhi
Connaught Place, hands down. This is really, really popular spot for tourists (as a lot of hotels are located in this area) and locals. I went here once — and before I went, I was advised not to go because of all the scams happening here. And they are right!
I know there’s a lot of hullabaloo about women’s safety in India but as a woman (who often traveled alone to these places), I never once felt unsafe in Delhi or anywhere in India for that matter….except at Connaught Place. But this is still recommended in all of the guidebooks and blogs and whatnot, probably because of the shops (it’s a lot of western shops like The Gap – but why do you want to visit these shops in India when you have them at home??), restaurants and bars. I was followed relentlessly by touts, my husband had the ‘dog poop’ scam done on him, someone tried to pickpocket a colleague of mine and so on. Proceed with caution!
One Day in Delhi – Final Thoughts
There you have it! One perfect day in Delhi – I hope this helps you with your India trip planning. Using this itinerary — even as a starting point — will help you see the highlights of Delhi (there’s more to explore but you’d need more time, of course!). Delhi is a crazy place — some love it (like me) and some hate it (understandably — it’s pretty chaotic!). Either way, have fun planning your India trip!
