A Perfect 24 Hours in Delhi, India

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Greetings Internet Stranger and welcome to 24 hours in Delhi! India is a massive country, and Delhi, where its capital is located, is one of the largest cities in the entire world. Traveling around here can be an overwhelming experience. But you don’t have to be intimidated at the thought of spending 24 hours in Delhi!

Yes the city’s crowded, but it’s also full of fascinating ruins, kind people, and delicious food. With just a little guidance, I promise your 24 hours in Delhi will be a time you’ll never forget.

24 Hours in Delhi

Where to Stay

I chose to visit Delhi on a group tour, which you can check out right here. But if you’re coming to your 24 hours in Delhi on your own and need to book a hotel, I suggest staying at the Connaught, which is one of the best places to stay in the city. Yet, even though it’s a top-notch hotel, the rooms are quite affordable.

This hotel is located just a short drive away from the Jama Masjid, so it’s easy to enjoy this itinerary if you stay here. It also has a good restaurant attached to the hotel, so you won’t need to wander far if you need to get something for breakfast or dinner. Plus, the hotel has wifi, refrigerators, and televisions in the rooms, so you’ll be comfortable and connected while you stay here.

If this hotel sounds appealing to you, just click here.

And if you’d rather check out other hotel options for your time in Delhi click here.

This search engine will help you find the most affordable and convenient hotel during your all day adventures in Delhi. With hundreds of options to choose from, I’m sure you’ll find something for your schedule and budget.

24 Hours in Delhi

Morning: Old Delhi

Delhi’s geography requires a little explanation if you are a tourist. Delhi is the proper name of the entire city. However, there are different districts and areas within Delhi. One of them, New Delhi, is the capital of India.

Another part of Delhi, Old Delhi, is the historic walled city founded by the Muslim emperor of India, Shah Jahan. (We’re going to learn lots more about Mr. Jahan during our trip to India.) The capital used to be in Agra, which we will visit later, but Shah Jahan moved it to Delhi.

24 Hour Tip

I strongly recommend finding a guide to help you get around Delhi because it can be rather overwhelming. For this itinerary, you’ll want an excellent tour that can take you around Old and New Delhi.

You can book this excellent tour easily by clicking here.

Then get ready for a day of amazement and fun!

Even though Old Delhi is a historic district, it has been modernized in many ways. The streets are full of traffic, which includes cars, tuk tuks, cows, etc. So I was grateful to have Ronny leading us around. I’m from New York City, and even I found Delhi overwhelming at times.

But at the same time, it’s an exciting city with incredible history and architecture, so I suggest staying focused on that, instead of getting wigged out by the crowds.

24 Hour tip

You’ll probably get to Old Delhi by metro. Just keep in mind that there are female-only cars on the metro in Delhi. If you are a woman, I suggest taking them. I was never, ever sexually harassed in India, but why not take advantage of this helpful option? 

Also, monkeys like to hang out on the metro. They are so cool, but they are not friendly. Do not try to pet them or they might attack you. However, if you leave them alone, they will leave you alone.

And now that this is out of the way, let me share with you…

Three Fun Facts: Old Delhi

1) what’s the most beautiful place in old delhi?

I have not seen every sight in Old Delhi, so I can’t be 100 percent sure. But the most beautiful place we saw in our 24 hours in Delhi was the Jama Masjid. Shah Jahan built this mosque back in the 1650s.

It’s one of the largest mosques in India. A Jama Masjid is a mosque that hosts the special Friday noon prayers. (In Islam, Friday is a sacred day like Saturday is for Jewish people and Sunday is for Christians.)

There are a few rules you need to know before visiting Jama Masjid. First, if you want to take photos, you have to pay 300 rupees for a camera permit. I think it’s worth it to have the chance to capture such stunning architecture on film. I mean, if you don’t post photos of Jama Masjid on Instagram, were you even really there?

Second you have to take your shoes off when you enter. Put them in your bag and take them with you; don’t leave them outside unattended. I suggest either bringing socks with you or wearing socks.

You might want to wear your cutest socks since everyone is going to be photographing them. I mean, since they already paid 300 rupees to take their camera inside, I assume they’re going to want to photograph everything, including your socks.

Also, since it is a mosque, dress modestly. (This is a good rule of thumb everywhere in India.)

There is a minaret you can climb, but Ronny said you need to pay extra and there’s a grill blocking your view, so none of us did this. Stay on the ground and photograph the cats of Jama Masjid instead! You can often find cats in Muslim communities because the prophet Mohammed loved cats. 

2) are there other religious groups in old delhi?

Of course! There are many religious groups in India! Frankly, someone could have an entire blog dedicated to religions in India and never run out of things to write about. But I strongly recommend learning a little about India and religion before you spend 24 hours in Delhi. I can get you started with some basic information.

We’ve talked a bit about Islam in India, but now we’re going to visit a Sikh place of worship (a Gurdwara) in Old Delhi, Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib.

As at the mosque, you need to take off your shoes before entering. However, here you also have to take off your socks and cover your hair. I brought my little head scarf from Romania that I wear in Orthodox churches. It didn’t cover my hair entirely, but it worked just fine anyway.

Once you get inside, you will sit on a rug in a roped in area. In a Sikh Gurdwara, everyone is welcome to come in and sit whether or not they are Sikh. You don’t even need to be religious to enter. At this Gurdwara, men and women can sit together. Just find a spot and listen to the chanting at the front of the room.

If you want to meditate, go for it. I’m terrible at meditating, so I just tried to notice as many interesting little details in the room as I could. There were many images of something that looked like a butterfly-snake hybrid and absolutely zero cats.

3) what exactly is a sikh?

Again, I could spend our entire 24 hours in Delhi answering this question! But Sikhs are different from both Muslims and Hindus, two other major religions in India. Sikhs are monotheists. Ronny told us that male Sikhs can be recognized by certain symbols.

For example, they are supposed to keep their hair long and wear it under a turban. Sikh men also carry a dagger called a kirpan with them. (Sometimes they need a special dispensation to be allowed to wear one, as it is a weapon.)

One of the most interesting features of a Sikh Gurdwara is the langar. This is a kitchen that feeds free vegetarian food to anyone who asks for it. Ronny said that the seating is random and communal, so a millionaire might sit next to a pauper. Or you might have to sit next to your ex! You never can tell in a langar!

We didn’t eat at the langar, but we were able to visit the kitchen and watch them making the chapati bread. We were even allowed to break off a piece of the dough, roll it out, and make the chapati ourselves.

Anyone who comes to the langar is allowed to do this, so definitely give it a try. Even if you’re not a master chef, someone will be worse at it than you are. 

24 Hours in Delhi

Afternoon: Explore New Delhi!

Now that we’ve seen the major attractions in Old Delhi, it’s time to take on New Delhi! Delhi is a massive city, and it can be tricky to figure out how to get around on your own. Especially if you just have one day in Delhi, how will you be able to stuff all the gorgeous and wonderful places that you want to visit in your itinerary?

Enter a guided tour! A tour guide with a mode of transportation will be able to take you to the most beautiful and interesting places in India’s capital city, and they’ll be able to fit it all into one afternoon. Fortunately the same tour that takes us to Old Delhi can take us to New Delhi.

You can book this marvelous tour for yourself by clicking here!

Then get ready for…

approximately top 5: 24 hours in delhi

1) Jamali kamali mosque and tomb

This tomb is located in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park is a ginormous playground of ruins. If there were a Disney World dedicated to priceless Indian treasures, it would be the same size. You could spend your entire 24 hours in Delhi here and not see everything. But the Jamali Kamali mosque and tomb is a great place to start.

The name makes it sound like Jamali Kamali is one person, but actually they are two separate people. Jamali is a sort of nickname for Shaikh Jamali Kamboh. He was a Sufi saint and poet in the 16th century.

Sufis are Muslim mystics. They engage in many different forms of devotion, from whirling (the whirling Dervishes are Sufi) to music and poetry. Our guide said that Jamali’s tomb is supposedly haunted, but I can’t imagine anyone being scared of the ghost of a saint and poet.

I felt much sorrier for Kamali because apparently no one really knows who he is. Even the official plaque on the tomb site said he was “unknown”. That’s so sad! Who would want to be remembered for being unmemorable? 

2) tomb of muhammad quli khan

Our next stop in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park was this harmoniously symmetrical tomb. Muhammad Quli Khan himself doesn’t seem to have done anything that special. He was best known for being the brother of a famous general.

So I guess this is like erecting a giant tomb to General Patton’s brother? Did General Patton even have a brother? No one cares. He’s as unmemorable as the ghost of poor Kamali.

But Muhammad Quli Khan’s tomb is famous as a symbol of the British occupation of India. The tomb was converted into a summer retreat and boathouse by a minor English nobleman named Sir Thomas Metcalfe.

I gotta say, when you convert a tomb into your summer home, it’s like you’re deliberately trying to get haunted by angry ghosts. You could probably make a good horror movie about the haunting of Sir Thomas Metcalfe, except no one would be rooting for Metcalfe or his boats.

3) lunch at jugmug thela

“Hmmm,” you may be thinking. “Those historic ruins and neglected ghosts are all well and good. But does Delhi have any hipster cafes?” It’s a modern city, isn’t it? Of COURSE there are hipster cafes.

Our guide took us by car to Jugmug Thela, which bills itself as a “pop up experience”. It was funny for me to go halfway around the world just to find a café that wouldn’t be out of place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. 

But the food and tea and Jugmug Thela is definitely something special. I recommend the thela chai and the spicy potato and pomegranate sandwich. Keep in mind that when Indian restaurants say something spicy, it is absolutely spicy! I love spicy food, so I was in heaven, but if you don’t like it hot, just tell your waiter.

Also chai is just Hindi for tea, so there’s no need to ask for “chai tea”. That’s like asking for “tea tea”. But if you order masala chai in India, you’ll likely get a black tea mixed with cozy spices and lots of milk and sugar.

If that doesn’t put a twinkle in your eye, again just ask for something else! But I recommend getting a masala chai in India at least once. It’s extremely unlikely to kill you.

4) jugaad charity shop

The name charity shop is misleading because Jugaad is an actual store. It’s located right near Jugmug Thela. Almost everything Jugaad sells is upcycled. This means that materials that would otherwise be thrown away are turned into jewelry, stationary, bags, and more. Jugaad works with an organization called Karm Marg to train at risk youth to make these items and earn a sustainable living.

The reason I say Jugaad isn’t just a charity is because their items were actually the cutest souvenirs I found in Delhi! I bought a little notebook made out of recycled elephant poop (yes, that’s a thing) and a pair of earrings that I assume were not made out of elephant poop.

But who are we kidding? I would have been totally up for wearing poop earrings, as long as they didn’t smell. Even Tilda Swinton wouldn’t dare to be so avant-garde!

5) sunder nursery 

If you’re under the impression that Delhi is all traffic, smog, and cows, head directly to Sunder Nursery. This park dates back to the 16th century, and it looks like a little slice of heaven.

Our guide said this was intentional because Muslims believe that paradise is a garden. The Sunder Nursery is home to hundreds of trees, which is a rare and special thing to find in such a busy concrete jungle.

You won’t be surprised to learn that the British turned the Muslim garden into something different. After all, if you can turn a tomb into a summer home, you can pretty much do anything. But in this case it wasn’t quite as bad because they merely transformed the place into a nursery for experimental plants.

The Sunder Nursery eventually fell into disrepair and wasn’t reopened until 2018. So don’t delay and go today before the crowds learn about it!

24 Hour Tip

That’s our final stop on the tour, and I hope I convinced you how amazing it is.

Now all you need to do is head along right here and book a reservation for yourself!

24 Hours in Delhi

Evening: Dinner in New Delhi

I’m in a slightly different position than usual on this trip. Because I was traveling with a group of 11 other people, plus our guide, I couldn’t just stumble into a cute little hole in the wall for dinner. Nor could I make my own reservation for fine dining.

So my restaurant recommendations need to be for where the group went. However, I do all think these places are great choices if you are traveling with a group. And they have Ronny’s seal of approval, which means they have good hygiene standards.

For the end of our 24 hours in Delhi, we stopped for dinner at a place that has since closed, so I suggest going to the restaurant at the Connaught instead. I recommend eating vegetarian in India. It’s less likely you’ll get stomach issues that way.

Also Indian vegetarian food is completely delicious! This night I had Paneer Makhani, cottage cheese cooked in tomato and fruit. That sounds like a dessert, but it was savory and sweet at the same time. 

If you like cocktails, you won’t be disappointed during your 24 hours in Delhi! Gin is always easy to find in India, I assume as a hold over from the British occupation. But I was surprised to see a Ramos Gin Fizz on the menu because it’s a drink from New Orleans that’s supposed to cure hangovers.

And I’ve never heard of Cajun-Indian fusion before. Our whole table agreed that the gin fizzes were excellent. Some may have even had two or three, but I won’t be mean and say who.

The gin fizzes are the perfect thing to get you in the mood for karaoke, New Delhi-styles. Our table sang “Sweet Caroline” so off key that the waiters asked us to “never sing again”. So don’t ask for “Sweet Caroline” if you go to karaoke in Delhi. Those poor waiters have suffered enough!

24 Hours in Delhi

Shopping List

• A cell charger so that you’ll be able to keep taking photos of your 24 hours in Delhi
• The best international travel adapter because if you’re American like I am, you’ll need one to be able to plug in electronics during your 24 hours in Delhi
• The most reliable travel umbrella that is small enough to fit in my purse, but strong enough to stand up to powerful winds on our 24 hours in Delhi.
• These great TSA approved clear toiletries bags, so I can always keep spare toothpaste and travel sized toiletries in any carry-on.
• My book Get Lost, that I wrote myself with all my best travel tips. This book will show you how travel can take you on a journey of self-discovery.
• My favorite travel guide to India

That’s a Perfect 24 Hours in Delhi!

What would you do with 24 hours in Delhi? Are you ready to start booking your hotel in Delhi right now? How bad did Sir Thomas Metcalfe deserve to get haunted? And what karaoke can we sing to make the waiters at Aroma Spice want to live again? Please email me at stellajane@aroundtheworldin24hours.com and let me know!

Note: If you want to know how I put my travel itineraries together, just click here. Keep in mind that just because this itinerary is for 24 hours in Delhi, that doesn’t mean you should only spend 24 hours in Delhi.

Enjoy the best guided tours in Delhi. Get going on 24 hours in Bijaipur India. Tack on 24 hours of Pushkar in India. Experience the best things to do in Bundi in India. You can try 24 hours of Udaipur in India. Don’t pass up Madhogarh Fort! Why not visit the best Agra things to do? Let’s head out on the best things to do at Jaipur.