Suzanne Wanders Delhi contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of the links below, I may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products and services I use and trust. Read my disclaimer for more information.
Delhi is one of those cities that requires a little effort to appreciate. While it is one of the most historically significant cities in the world and has an unbelievable number of culturally rich sites, it requires a little digging to find many of them. Taking one of these Delhi sightseeing tours is an excellent way to dip your feet into Delhi and glimpse how much the city has to offer.
I live in Delhi and still take sightseeing tours from time to time. Each time I learn and see something new. Plus they’re a lot of fun!
6 Incredible Delhi Sightseeing Tours
1. Street Food Tour
Delhi is the food capital of India and has an amazing street food scene. There are literally food stands on just about every corner representing a diverse food culture. A great way to enjoy street food in a safe environment is with a food tour.
Eating street food is one of the most culturally authentic experiences a traveler can have in Delhi.
While you don’t have to do a food tour to safely eat street food (see my guide to Delhi street food and how to safely eat street food), taking a tour does make things a lot easier, especially if it’s your first time in Delhi. Both of these companies are excellent and offer tours in the epicentre of Delhi street food, Old Delhi.
2. Haunted Heritage Walk
Want to explore the paranormal side of Delhi? Delhi is widely believed to be haunted, and Delhi Tourism offers evening sightseeing tours of two of the most haunted sites in the city, Malcha Mahal and Feroz Shah Kotla Fort.
Malcha Mahal is an old hunting lodge built during the Tughlaq dynasty in 1325. It has a very storied history related to the descendants of the Prince of Oudh, and ending when the last surviving family member was found dead in the lodge in 2017. The site is eerie during the day, and I don’t recommend visiting it after dark, except on this guided tour.
Feroz Shah Kotla Fort is one of the most haunted places in Delhi. It is widely believed to be inhabited by djinns – supernatural creatures that stem from ancient Islamic belief. Djinns can have great powers including the ability to control humans. Many people come to this site on Thursday to petition the djinns. They leave photocopies of their printed wishes at different locations within the fort to ensure the correct djinn sees it.
The fort was also built during the Tughlaq dynasty, in 1354. It’s an impressive site even without the paranormal activity and well worth visiting.
3. Bicycle Sightseeing Tour of Delhi
If you’ve witnessed the Delhi traffic you are probably wondering about the sanity of taking a cycling tour of the city, but these cycle sightseeing tours start at 6:30 am when the city is unbelievably quiet. In fact, it’s a great time to explore Delhi – it’s almost like a different city.
A sightseeing tour of Delhi on a bicycle lets you see the city from a different perspective. It’s a way to get up close to the city and experience it in a different way. You’ll see out of the way places most visitors never discover and hear stories about Delhi which make the buildings and sites come alive.
I highly recommend Delhi By Cycle for this kind of sightseeing tour of Delhi. The guides are wonderful, very safety aware, and full of knowledge about Delhi. There are plenty of photo breaks, a chai stop, and the tours end with breakfast in a wonderful local place you would probably never find on your own.
4. Walking Sightseeing Tour of Delhi
The best way to experience a new city is on foot. Taking a walking sightseeing tour of Delhi is a great way to acclimatize to the city and explore places you probably would not see on your own. Delhi is a huge, spread out city with so many neighbourhoods and culturally rich sites, an insider’s knowledge is invaluable.
Both companies listed below are excellent. DelhiByFoot offers a lot of historic walking tours and special cultural tours during important festivals like Ramadaan, Durga Puja and Navratri. With India City Walks you can take photo walking tours, tuk tuk food tours and a metro/walking tour. All of these tours will get you into out of the way places, and you’ll learn the stories and histories behind them.
5. Nature Walk of Delhi
If you’re a nature lover there is plenty to see in Delhi. Delhi is one of the greenest capital cities of the world, over 23% of the city is covered by greenery. The city is home to vast parks with over 250 species of trees and ample fauna. Fox, monkeys, mongoose, peacocks, parakeets, bablers and bulbuls frequent the green areas.
I had the pleasure of taking a nature walk with Kavita Prakash of The Sausage Tree Nature Walks through Lodhi Garden, and it was fascinating. Her knowledge of the trees and birds of India was impressive and went beyond age and species. She told me stories about the flora, making the park come alive in a completely different way.
Kavita does not have a website, but you can contact her through Instagram, Facebook or her WhatsApp number. If you are lucky enough to get a tour with her, you will never walk through a park the same way again.
- The Sausage Tree Nature Walks (WhatsApp: +91 98187 71462 or Instagram: @thesausagetreenaturewalks)
6. Shopping Sightseeing Tour of Delhi
Delhi is a shopper’s paradise. The city is famous for its specialty street markets, beautiful malls, and availability of textiles, rugs and pashminas. There is nothing you cannot buy in Delhi, and often at very reasonable prices, if you know where to go.
Shopping sightseeing tours (with the right guide) are an excellent way to access the best places in Delhi. Many visitors end up in shops that do not offer authentic items, and with a high mark-up.
In a city like Delhi, with numerous shopping sites, having a trusted local to guide you is invaluable. Your savings could very well cover the cost of the tour, and you’ll be with a local who can sniff out genuine articles and make sure you do not pay an inflated tourist price.
Jyoti Agarwal of Gourmet Desire is known for her cooking classes, but she is also an expert shopper and Delhi local. I highly recommend her shopping tours.
Should you take a Delhi sightseeing tour?
Yes, absolutely! If it’s your first or tenth trip to Delhi, you will benefit from taking a sightseeing tour. The city is so vast and has so much to offer, this is a great way to experience Delhi, and you’ll feel more confident exploring on your own after.
If you’re still on the fence, consider this free DIY heritage tour of Old Delhi.
The Wrap-Up on Delhi Sightseeing Tours: 6 Incredible Tours to Take Now
Taking a tour is a fun and stress-free way to adapt and feel out a new city. Any one of these sightseeing tours of Delhi will be a great introduction, and a way to get comfortable in a city that is often overwhelming for visitors.
Looking for more? You might also like:
- Where to Stay in Delhi – The Best Areas and Hotels for Every Budget
- How to Get from Indira Gandhi International Airport into Delhi
- Taj Mahal Sunset Tour from Delhi: 3 Great Options
- Delhi Itineraries: How to Spend 5 Epic Days in Delhi
- 3 Markets for Street Food that Aren’t in Old Delhi
Don’t forget travel insurance! It’s always a good idea to carry travel insurance just in case something goes wrong. I really like and use SafetyWing
