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How to spend a day in New Delhi with a local: We decided to do some sightseeing during our visit to India as it provided some welcome relief from the hospital appointment filled days. I was definitely not interested in living like a local by taking a bus or one of those death on 3 wheels tuk-tuks to get around (apart form clinic appointment runs). No thank you. Perfectly happy to ride in a very new, air-conditioned SUV driven by a competent driver :-).
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We had no idea what we wanted to see or eat. It just had to be Indian cuisine. We therefore chose to let the driver decided on our New Delhi day itinerary. As we had already visited Humayun’s tomb, that was off the table. Here are the places he chose to show us to on our day in New Delhi.
How to spend a day in New Delhi (best things to see in Delhi)
Janta Mantar Observatory is one of the best Delhi attractions:
This is located right in the heart of New Delhi, and one of the places to enjoy in Delhi. A lot of trading and shopping markets, making for a very busy spot, and a great place to haggle and get some trinkets and other souvenir items. We shopped a bit at the market and left our goods with him in the car before going to the observatory.
I was fascinated by the vibrant red colour of the structure. It took getting up close to find out what it was. A gigantic sun dial!. It was really great to see how smart people were, even way back then. This is one of the five masterpieces of the Maharaja Jai Singh. The biggest one is located in Jaipur. I can’t even imagine how much bigger it could be as this was pretty impressive ;-).
This observatory was constructed in 1724. There are 13 architectural astronomy instruments. There are 4 of those in this observatory namely:
- Samrat Yantra
- Ram Yantra
- The Jayaprakash
- Misra Yantra
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The Samrat Yantra known as the “king of instruments” is the largest and most imposing one of the Yantras. and stands at 20.73 meters high. It measures the apparent solar time or local time of a place using the sun. There was a whole lot more mumbo jumbo. I remember hearing the Yantra had an incline wall that was parallel to the earth’s axis and is flanked by the two semicircular quadrants with scales. I have put a little diagram in here to hopefully explain it ;-). I usually just check my wrist for the time :-), so he lost me totally. All l know is that it was very pretty to see, and l am glad it had a function as well :-).
It used to be super accurate, l believe just with an error of 2 seconds. Sadly, that is no longer true. There are so many tall buildings surounding the area that accuracy can no longer be guaranteed. This makes me sad… :-(.
The entry fee was 100 rupees for tourists (roughly $1.50) and 5 rupees for Indians. It is located in Connaught Place on Parliament Road.
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A day in New Delhi visiting India Gate, one of the best things in Delhi
Tours and travel in Delhi: We recommend the folks at GetYourGuide which we use in our travels:
- Lahori Gate
- Ajmeri Gate
- Turkman Gate
- Sher Shah Gate
- Kashmiri Gate (this one we also visited)
This is a memorial that reminds you of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. As well it should as this is also a war memorial. It is located smack dab in the middle of a crossroad and it is just immense. It was built to commemorate the lives of the 70,000 Indian soldiers that lost their lives during World War 1 fighting the British. The foundation stone was laid by HRH, the Duke of Connaught in 1921. The monument was dedicated to the nation ten years later.
A second memorial called Amar Jawan Jyoti was added later, after India got its independence. The eternal flame is kept burning all day and night to honor the fallen solders during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971. It is 42 meters high. The whole area was so clean, and filled with thousands of people in the parks. Lots of families were having picnics.
There were huge fountains and kids were having fun getting wet and playing. It was all very nice, and quite a contrast to the other parts of Delhi that we saw. The one thing that struck me was that there were hundreds and hundreds of school kids in school uniforms everywhere in the city and it was a Sunday! It was surreal. I totally forgot to ask him why that was.
One thing to watch out for is that even though entry is free, there are usually a group of women sitting behind a make shift “gate” and demand an entry fee from the tourists. Ingenious! I just laughed and side stepped them. Do the same if you go, as they are quite insistent. It made me laugh..them trying to bullshit a bullshitter (me!).
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Havemore Restaurant: (Recommended place to eat in New Delhi)
Foodie experience in Delhi: Local food in Delhi
How to spend a day in New Delhi foodie experience:
Our driver drove us to a mini mall which had a few restaurants and he said they were all pretty good. I looked around and chose this particular one as l wanted an authentic Indian meal and saw a lot of locals heading in. The place looked inviting from the outside. It was an excellent choice. We invited the driver to join us, and also to pick the dishes.
The food was the best we had the whole three weeks we were in New Delhi. It was so fresh and delicious. It was also the first time l ate Dal Makhani. Oh, it was incredible. It was absolutely the most delicious lentil based dish l have ever had. This is saying a lot coming from me. Federico makes the best lentils ever. Ever! I have had Dal in restaurants before, but this Makhani one, which is quite popular in both North and South India, was a first. It was absolutely lip smacking good.
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Everything was awesome. He showed us a couple of things. For instance, when they bring you the veggie plate (instead of the bread ), you sprinkle it with pepper, salt and squeeze the lime on it, then eat it. Gave it an interesting kick.
At the end of the meal, you get sugar and some minced green thing. I can’t remember if it’s mint or not. You put one, then the other in the palm of your hand, mix it..and then chew it. Presto, after dinner mint :-).
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How to spend a day in New Delhi itinerary roundup: (places to visit in Delhi)
- Visit Janta Mantar
- See Samrat Yamrat
- Have a wonderful lunch at Havemore restaurant
- See India Gate and Kashmir Gate, walk around the beautiful area and people watch
- Visit one of the local markets and bargain for goods or be entranced by a snake charmer
- Humayun Tomb (assuming you still have the energy)
All in all, our day in New Delhi was a very enjoyable one. Our local guide for a day was fantastic as he took us to great Delhi attractions that are slightly off the beaten path . It was very nice not to even think about what to do, and just relegate all to him. The warmth of the locals is indeed something that we kept experiencing during our stay.
My brother stayed at a guest house that was full of people from all over the world, most of them patients in the hospital and their family members. We would all sit in the living room with the host and his workers chatting ( a lot of miming and translations since the workers knew just a few English words). They were always friendly, and accommodating. You can read about our roundup opinion of New Delhi here.
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Would you ever leave your vacation day in the hands of someone else like we did for our day in Day in New Delhi? Or are you a control freak that has to plan everything yourself and tick it off? What about Indian food? Are you a fan or not?
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Hi Kemkem! Funny as we were just in New Delhi last week (currently doing a tour in the south in Kerala). How did you find the smog factor when you were there? Doesn’t look too bad given your photos, but I know those can be deceiving sometimes. This winter it was really bad bordering on obscene for me. I think the locals are used to the constant haze but as someone who flew into the city, it was noticeable to my nose and lungs immediately.
I also have pictures of the largest sundial in Jaipur. It must be bigger, but not by much. By the way, that green stuff is anise (fennel) seed. I like that it neutralizes your breath a little after those potent Indian meals.
Hi Jed! Happy New Year to you and the family :-). Hahah! I didn’t even notice the haze..it wasn’t any different than being at home. It did affect Federico a bit though. Thanks for letting me know about that fennel seed. Everything green to me is lumped as mint ;-). Hope you guys are having fun in Kerala. Say hello to the boys!!! :-).
I could definitely let a local guide me on a trip. As long as I’m with at least one other person, it makes the most sense. Often times, tourists get the expensive, commercialised version of different countries. It’s refreshing to get just a little peek into the real world.
Yep! It’s always nice to see how real people live. Glad you’re adventurous. A few of my friends were like “no way!” which doesn’t make much sense to me really. As long as it’s safe! Thanks for the visit and the comment! Happy New Year!!!
The sights and the sounds of New Delhi may overwhelm my senses but I will be sure to have no regrets. You seem to enjoy yourself.
Good for you! That’s definitely the spirit :-). I find it really easy to enjoy myself, no matter where l am. The eternal Pollyanna. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
OMG!!!! The building structures and colors are so Beautiful. As of lately I have fallen in love with Indian cuisine and while I love it I am sure the food in Delhi can’t be compared! I think I’ll put it on my List of Must Travel and Eat!
I love Indian food. It was definitely great to eat authentic food. Sometimes, l wished for meat :-), but was happy to eat mostly vegetarian. Must eat for sure.. :-). Thanks for stopping by and for the comment.
One of my favorite trips was to Ethiopia. We had took the local mini buses and learned our numbers in Amharic (from 1 to 6 the number in our group) when it came time to pay our fares. Very adventurous! We visited during a fasting time (no meat and not much dairy) and we ate at local places. We even stayed at local small hotels while visiting some of the ancient cities around the country. Most memorable was Axum. When we arrived there was no power at the hotel and it was still without power the next morning. Puts a whole new spin on water conservation and how much water you need to brush your teeth! Hot water and flushing toilets were much appreciated afterwards. Culturally it was a fantastic trip but I must admit I was very glad to be travelling with Ethiopians – my sister-in-law and her family!
That must been quite the trip! there really is nothing like experiencing the places with locals. In India, the power went out a few times, but most places have generators, so it wasn’t a big deal. I remember in high school, we had no such thing as hot water. The western bathrooms were not built till the year l left the high school, you went to the well, got your bucket of water and guarded it overnight (some people did not like the mile long walk to get water, and preferred to steal from others during the night)..haha! Makes for nice memories though :-). Thanks for the comment.
Loved the pictures and the historical info. I could definitely put a day of touring in someone else’s hands, it’s a great way to get the true experience. #BBL
Thanks Kirstin! I’m glad you’re another adventurous soul :-). Certainly makes it more fun in my opinion. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.
I think India is fascinating. I like to see the bright colors – I thought they only like to wear them, but it seems that they go well on the buildings as well. It’s an interesting place and even though it is, for some reason, very low on my “to visit” list, it’s always nice to read about it. There are definitely a lot of great things to see, though and their culture is fascinating. Plus, I’d love to try that sugar & mint stuff combo – it can’t get fresher than that!
India definitely is fascinating. It is colorful everywhere, and l for one enjoy the saris and the bold colors. In many ways reminds me of home. I can totally understand it being low on your list. I wouldn’t move it :-). Right you are, it doesn’t get any fresher than that sugar and fennel combo. I liked it!
Your driver is a cutie! Ha!
Ha! I was wondering if anyone else would think he was a cutie ;-). My hubby called him “your boyfriend” the whole time..haha!. Thanks for the comment.
Wow! It sounds like you had an amazing time. Natives make the best tour guides. India is on my travel bucket list so I really enjoyed reading about your experience.
LiveLifeWell,
Allison
Thanks for the comment Allison. Yes, indeed we like to live life well :-). It was a great day and we were very happy at the end. I hoe you get to India soon.
Thanks for visiting the observatory – I have read quite a few blogs about ‘what to do in New Delhi’ and yours is the first one (that I’ve read) that has covered this site – many visitors seem to deem it as ‘boring’. I love stuff like this! So. thank you!
You’re welcome Sue. I found it fascinating, at least till he started to tell me how it truly worked (over my head..hahah). I love everything, and don’t find stuff like this boring at all. I won’t write about the malls though, even though they had a ton of those.. ;-).
We’ve used taxi drivers several times to give us a tour and it’s interesting to add their recommendations to our own lists of “must sees.” I loved that you had an authentic Indian meal with your driver and were able to try some new dishes as well learn how best to eat them. Sounds like you got a truly local experience as well as made a new friend! Anita
Yeah! That is always fun to do. I have no problems with a local showing me their city. I did not even make a must see list, which l usually normally would have done. Since we went there for a different reason, l definitely did not think about that. We definitely made a new friend..actually two as we had another guy who worked the other shift do the same thing, which l will share at some point where we went.
What an awesome time to visit the city with a local to create a different experience than you would have gotten with a taxi. Sounds like you had an amazing time.
Siobhan
http://www.befreeproject.com
Oh we definitely did :-). I liked the fact that it wasn’t the usual thing everyone does (the observatory). He liked it, and thought we would too. We did, and even though l was jonesing for some meat.. I was more than happy with the vegetarian food. Thanks for the comment.
The images are beautiful. Thanks for sharing. This sounds like a wonderful trip to make.
Thanks Antoinette. It was definitely an interesting and eye opening trip. I appreciate your taking the time to comment.
Beautiful photos! I am all about natives when touring other countries. Tourists attractions don’t tip the iceberg when it comes to what a destination has to offer. As long as I feel safe I am comfortabl going off the beaten path.
Thanks Mimi. I’ve always enjoyed meeting people wherever l go. As you say, safety is number one. If l feel okay about it, l don’t have any problems either, and l have not been proven wrong yet. I remember years ago meeting a French guy who does those caricatures in Paris, and he showed me a delightful time in Paris. Wonderful memories. Thanks for the comment.
I’m so amazed by your photos! Great photography! This looks like an incredible experience. I have a few Indian friends so I’ve had Indian food from restaurants and homemade and I absolutely love it! Even though I do like to be in control, if I felt safe with someone, I’d definitely let them plan the day. Glad you enjoyed yourself!
Thanks a lot :-). Indian food is great isn’t it?…all food even in my book..hahah!!! I’m happy you have a bit of adventure in you. Makes life so much more interesting. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Wow what immaculate photos you took in New Dehli! I love the after dinner mint mixture that is different!
Thank you! Yeah..it doesn’t get any fresher than that. We certainly would have never figured it out on our own, nor would we have ordered that kind of Dal which is certainly in the top 3 of any food l have ever tasted :-).
I’ve never been to New Dehli, but it looks so beautiful. I love cucumbers so I’m sure you were in for a treat.
I have to admit that some parts of Delhi are beautiful. I have one more post in the near future showing some not so nice parts o fit. I was not too fond of cucumbers, but laced with the pepper and the lime and salt, l have to admit l liked it and have since been putting it on my salads. Thanks for the comment.
Lovely post and great photographs Kemkem! And now I feel like going back to India all over again but probably spending far more money than I did the first time around lol!
You’re a brave girl though and a dedicated sister who loves her brother, as I remember you saying in 2014, that wild horses wouldn’t take you to Thailand. And Thailand is seen as a breeze in comparison to Inida. India is tough, so well done!
I first went to India 11 years ago and did Delhi solo. Boy! Did I make a mistake to try to walk around everywhere! Yikes! I didn’t know about the observatory but I did go to the India Gate. I had a lot of difficulty just crossing the road. I couldn’t do it so a random stranger had to help me! I looooove Indian food although Frank prefers Thai but the best thali I ever had was in some workers enclave that I seen just passing by. There was no cutlery included and nobody spoke English so I just pointed. The best 20 rupees I have ever spent!
p.s. The green stuff is fenchel.
Thanks for letting me know about the fennel..hahah. I had no idea what it was till Jed commented. :-). I think now, tame horses could drag me to Thailand. I have thawed a bit. India is tough. I wouldn’t have gone if l didn’t have to. You were definitely crazy trying to walk in that city..hahah!! That cross road where it is is pretty humongous. Now, close to it, there are no cars, or at least that day, there were not so maybe it was just closed off, but l can imagine it would be near impossible to cross it with cars and the amount of people there. Sounds like you found a wonderful place to sample the local food. That must have been cool. I totally love Thai food too. I just wonder if l would go all the way over there just to eat some..there has to be something else :-).
Ack! I know better than to read you posts while hungry… I think I am off to Indian food now 🙂 Awesome post and pictures Kemkem!
Hahah! Gotcha!! :-). Thanks Missy. I hope you guys had a wonderful holiday. Your tree looked so lovely, and my gosh..Z. is getting bigger daily, such a cutie.. Happy Belated New Year!!!!
So beautiful. I want to travel more in 2016. I’m missing out.
I certainly hope that you get to travel more in the new year. You’re not missing too much, but it is certainly fun :-). Thanks for taking the time to comment.
This looks beautiful! The gate reminded me of the Arc de Triomphe too! New Delhi is definitely going on my travel list.
That was the first thing l said as well when l saw the gate. I have mixed feelings about putting Delhi on your travel list. I have a wrap-up of the city probably on Monday’s post. After you read it, you will have a clearer view l think :-). Thanks for the comment.
So you know that I’m absolutely a type A planner when it comes to my itineraries, but if I were in your shoes dealing with an ill relative and all, it would definitely be refreshing to toss the itinerary and let a local handle our plans. Glad to see that he did such a good job! I love Indian food, but I never really venture far from my staples of tikka, tikka masala, or tandoori dishes. I also love the spinach (saag paneer I think??) and I do love me some lentils. 🙂 But I’m curious to try other dishes. Eating at vegetarian Indian restaurants is the only time I totally don’t mind pretending to be a vegetarian because they really know how to take veggies to the next level! And I’m wondering if Sunday is a part of the work/school week in India. In the UAE, the work/school week is from Sunday-Thursday with Friday and Saturday as weekends. Maybe India is the same?
Haha! Yes, l know you are OCD about that :-). It was nice to just go with the flow that day. We enjoyed it so much with him that we did it again with the second driver who took us when this one couldn’t make it. I always stick to the same food myself. My motto is “when you find a good thing, you stick with it” :-), but it was wonderful to try all new things. You’re right, l bet Sunday is part of the school week since Friday is their “Sunday”. I’m sure that is what it is..positively has to be. Makes complete sense. The lentils were the bomb! 🙂 🙂 :-).