Delhi Itinerary: Easy Ways to Spend Your First Day 2026
These are 5 itinerary options for an easy first day in Delhi while you acclimatize. Each itinerary will take you to a calmer part of Delhi that is easy to navigate and get to.
Delhi is full on bonkers all the time, which is part of the charm, but it takes getting used to. You’ll notice none of these itineraries include Old Delhi. I do recommend you explore the sites of Old Delhi, but not until you’ve had a couple of days to adjust.
You don’t need to hire a guide or a driver to show you Delhi. It’s a mega city, but it’s manageable if you have a game plan. And this is your game plan!
Delhi Itinerary: Easy Ways to Spend Your First Day
I love Delhi so much I moved there, but I remember how overwhelmed I felt the first time I visited. These 5 itinerary options take you to greener and nicer parts of Delhi, and help you ease into the rhythm of the city.
1. Lodhi Garden – Lodhi Art District – Khan Market
This is my favourite first day itinerary, especially if you want to ease into Delhi in a beautiful, relatively calm part of the city. It’s also very central, and easy to get from one site to the next.
➡️ Stroll through Lodhi Garden, a lovely park famous for its diverse flora, fauna and monuments from the 13th and 14th centuries. The park is 80 acres, but you can see most of it between 1-2 hours. It’s a free public park.
➡️ Across Lodhi Road from the park is Lodhi art district. There are over 50 giant murals with social and contemporary themes on the walls of residential buildings. It’s a quiet (by Delhi standards) neighbourhood and easy to walk around. Here’s a map of all the murals: St+Art India’s location guide.
➡️ Hop into an auto rickshaw and go to Khan Market. It’s very close and should cost less than INR 100. Khan Market is Delhi’s favourite upscale market. There are all kinds of shops, restaurants, cafes, and it’s pedestrian friendly.
This is an excellent spot to have a meal and pick up a few souvenirs. It’s beside the Khan Market metro station, so you can get back to your hotel easily.
2. Hauz Khas Village – Hauz Khas Fort – Deer Park
Choose this itinerary if you want a relaxing first day with a mix of history, greenery, cafes and Delhi’s quirky urban village culture. I often do this itinerary with my guests if it’s their first time in Delhi.
➡️ Explore Hauz Khas Village, one of Delhi’s gentrified urban villages. It’s a pretty cool, boho kind of vibe, and gets very lively at night. Only local vehicles are permitted in the village, which is one main lane down the middle with a few offshoots, so it’s super easy to navigate.
➡️ Visit Social (Hauz Khas) for a meal. The menu has something for everyone, and the outdoor terrace has spectacular views overlooking Hauz Khas Complex. It’s one of the most popular restaurants in Delhi.
➡️ At the very end of the main lane in Hauz Khas Village is the Hauz Khas Complex from the 13th century. Besides a fort, there are ruins of a madrassa, mosque, and tombs of past rulers. Admission is INR 300 and it’s totally worth it. This is a hidden gem of Delhi.
You can buy tickets online on the Archeological Survey of India website in advance (and they’re slightly cheaper).
➡️ Hauz Khas Complex abuts Deer Park. Besides the peaceful greenery, the park has several tombs and wall mosques built between the 14th and 16th centuries. There’s a really nice walking path along the historic royal reservoir where you get great views of Hauz Khas Complex.
The entrance to the park is just outside the gate at the top of Hauz Khas Village and it’s free.
If you prefer a guided tour, this tour covers the most important sites.
The nearest metro station is Green Park, and it’s about a 15 minute walk
3. Qutub Minar Complex- Mehrauli Archaeological Park – Champa Gali
This is the best option if seeing some of Delhi’s most spectacular historic sites is a priority on your first day. It’s a little further from Central Delhi, but easy to get to by metro, Uber or auto rickshaw.
➡️ Start your day at one of Delhi’s UNESCO sites, the Qutub Minar. Try to go in the morning, because the Qutub Minar is one of Delhi’s most visited sites. The Qutub Minar is the famous brick minaret, but the complex also includes other monuments, some of which date back to 1192. Admission is INR 600.
I recommend buying your tickets in advance online on the ASI website so you don’t have to wait at the ticket booth (they are also slightly cheaper).
➡️ From the Qutub Minar walk down the street to the entrance of the recently restored Mehrauli Archaeological Park. The park contains spectacular monuments (several of which were closed to the public until now) from the pre-Islamic to late Mughal periods in a lovely forest and garden setting.
There’s quite a bit of walking, but you can take a break in Cafe Stone which is near the ticket booth. Admission is 500 INR.
➡️ After the park, take an Uber or an auto rickshaw the 2.5 km to the off the beaten path gem, Champa Gali. Champa Gali is a quirky lane in one of Delhi’s urban villages. It’s a laid-back spot with cafes, restaurants and unique shops. If you’re hungry, this is a good spot to eat. Jugmug Thela, Rose Cafe and Foresta Bistro & Cafe are all good.
To get back to your hotel, head to the nearest metro station, which is Saket. It’s a 10 minute walk, or you can take an auto rickshaw.
4. India Gate – Rashtrapati Bhavan – Bikaner House
This itinerary give you a taste of Lutyens’ Delhi, with grand parliament buildings, a famous war memorial and a chance to visit a prince’s palace. It’s also very easy to get around this central location.
➡️ India Gate is Delhi’s Arche de Triomphe. The war monument is dedicated to fallen soldiers from WWI and the Anglo-Afghan war of 1919. An eternal flame burns in the center of the monument. But India Gate is also a hive of activity. There’s always buskers, street food sellers, hawkers, and picture takers – it’s a fun place.
➡️ Opposite India Gate is Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India. It’s the largest president’s house in the world, 50 times larger than the White House! Take an auto rickshaw up Kartavya Path to see the most famous building in Delhi.
➡️ Get the auto rickshaw to drop you off at one of the most unique cultural centres in Delhi, Bikaner House. This is the former palace of the Prince of Bikaner, and it’s now an arts centre, open to the public. It’s an opportunity to explore a real Indian palace. There are 3 restaurants on site, so have a bite to eat and enjoy the relative peace. Admission is free.
You’ll be right in the centre of Delhi and can easily go anywhere from here. The nearest metro station is Central Secretariat.
5. Connaught Place – Jantar Mantar – Janpath Market – Agrasen ki Baoli
This itinerary focuses on the centre of Delhi and combines sightseeing with shopping and plenty of places to eat. You’ll be able to walk everywhere if you want to. This area has many touts, and you should ignore them all.
➡️ Connaught Place is the British built shopping and business hub built by the British. Even if you don’t do any shopping, it’s interesting to stroll along the colonnaded walkways. This is the unofficial centre of the city – you cannot come to Delhi and not visit Connaught Place!
➡️ Next, visit Jantar Mantar, the 18th century astronomical observatory. These are a collection of 13 architectural astronomy instruments. Admission is INR 300 (you can buy tickets in advance on the ASI website). Just walk straight down Sansad Marg from Connaught Place to get there.
➡️ Around the corner from Jantar Mantar is one of Delhi’s best street markets, Janpath Market. It’s actually 4 markets rolled into one: the main market, a Gujarati market, a Tibetan market and a street market. You can pick up all kinds of clothing, small household items and souvenirs.
If you want something to eat, there are excellent Indian restaurants on Janpath Road, like Sagar Ratna, Saravana Bhavan and Punjab Grill.
➡️ Either walk or take an auto rickshaw to Agrasen ki Baoli, one of Delhi’s most amazing sites. Delhi used to have hundreds of stepwells, but there are very few remaining. This is the most spectacular of the surviving stepwells. And it’s free. From here the Barakhamba Road metro station is a 10 minute walk.
How To Get Around Delhi for These Itineraries
It’s very easy to get around Delhi. The best way is by Delhi metro. It’s an excellent system – clean, safe, cheap and efficient.
But if you’re only a few km from where you want to go, the best ways are auto rickshaw or Uber. Both are reliable and widely used in Delhi (Uber even has an auto rickshaw option).
At night only use Uber – it is the safest option.
Where to Stay in Delhi
In Delhi, where you stay matters. Not only because the city is massive and you want to be near the sites, but also in terms of safety. The best area to stay in is South Delhi.
These are some of my favourite Delhi properties, and they are very well located for exploring the city:
- The Imperial (luxury): Delhi’s finest heritage hotel and my personal favourite. Superb location on Janpath, within walking distance of numerous shops, restaurants and attractions.
- Lutyens Bungalow (mid-range): Heritage boutique property in one of the best areas of the city next to Lodhi Garden. Fantastic area near many sites. Breakfast is included.
- Prakash Kutir Bed & Breakfast (budget): Family run guest house in a very good area of South Delhi, near the metro and easy to explore the whole city from. Spotlessly clean. Home-cooked breakfast is included.
Last Words on Delhi Itinerary: Easy Ways to Spend Your First Day
Whichever option you choose, these are all fantastic ways to help you ease into Delhi while making sure you see something amazing. Delhi really is an incredible city, just give it a chance.
