THE BEST ONE AND TWO-DAY TRIPS IN AND FROM DELHI

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As a tour guide, I travel a lot with groups, but I prefer traveling independently as a backpacker to stay on a low budget. However, I never miss the chance to go on some daily tours to get a deeper insight into local life, culture, history, and politics. These tours are usually the highlight of my entire trip. That is why I want to help you get the best cultural experience. Take a daily or multi-day tour to change your perception and become an insider. Here you find a selected list of the best Delhi sightseeing tours, and one or two-day trips from Delhi.

You might be interested to check out these too:

The best places to visit in Delhi in 2 days

The best museums in Delhi

The best places for shopping in Delhi

Akshardham: the highlight of a visit to Delhi

The best day trips and walking tours in Delhi

1. Half-day tour in the Sanjay slum 

Near the Lotus temple, you can take a tour of the Sanjay slum and see how almost half of the people in the capital live under or just slightly above the poverty line. We usually have some misperception of what slums look like and imagine them as hopeless places with inadequate homes and immense poverty. So comes the question if it is ethical to visit a slum at all and observe their miserable living conditions. In my eyes, it is not only ethical but a must, here or at other places in India (Mumbai offers such tours as well in the Dharavi slum). 

Poverty accompanies your journey throughout India. And if you see the other side of the coin, you will understand India better. Being poor does not mean that they have absolutely nothing and cannot be happy. There are houses, schools, and temples in the slum, and they do some small-scale businesses. They are used to that and accept their fate and keep smiling. In the end, it is not a sad place!

Out of respect for the locals, you cannot take any photos. But anyway, the reason going there should be to learn about these people and not taking their pictures. And you see that India teaches you a lot!

2. Gandhi’s journey half-day tour – in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi is the most respected figure in Indian history. He figures on every banknote, and many streets and institutions carry his name. He was a supporter of non-violence and peace between nations and religions with a twisty life. 

The three things you will visit:

Raj Ghat (the Gandhi memorial): The Memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, the core figure of the fight for independence, is a must-stop during your visit to Delhi. The simple black marble stone has a Hindi inscription on the front: „Ram, Ram”– oh, my God.” These were the last words of Gandhi. He was assassinated on 30th January 1948 in the garden of the Birla house. It lacks all the splendor, a black stone decorated with flowers in the middle of a large park. But a fancy structure would not suit the puritan Gandhi.

The National Gandhi Museum and Library: A Gandhi research center with documents, videos, and audios. 

The Birla house: The Birla family gave the mansion to Gandhi, where he spent the last 144 days of his life and was assassinated on 30th January 1948. They marked the footsteps of Gandhi from the house to the garden, including the spot where he got shot. Go to the house and see the simple bedroom and the spinning wheel of Gandhi, which he used to make his own white “dhoti.” We remember Gandhi with sandals, the white dhoti, and the round glasses. 

You can book the Gandhi tour here.

Read more about the life and importance of Gandhi in India here.

3. Old Delhi Walking Tour and Akshardham Light & Water Show

This whole day tour is a combination of some famous sights of Delhi. You will visit:

The Jama Masjid, the biggest mosque of India from the 17th century

A Sikh temple (gurudwara) that gives insight into a unique religion

Have a rickshaw ride through the spice market of Old Delhi with a tuk-tuk and taste some local specialties

Check the price and book your tour here.

4. Delhi night tour or visiting pubs

The Indian capital has a bustling nightlife with plenty of bars and discos. You can visit some of the cool places around Connaught Place with a pub-crawl tour. Delhi is not the safest place in the evening, especially for women. This tour is a perfect way to have fun and stay safe.

An evening tour to the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib Sikh temple, the Birla temple, and the India Gate is also a great experience. Many of Delhi’s monuments are nicely illuminated at night, and everything seems more peaceful than during the day. Temples are still busy in the evening when Hindus and Sikh go for their evening prayers. So it is a perfect time to observe the Hindu rituals.

5. Go for a cooking class or street food tour in Delhi 

I think food is one of the best things about India. You can quickly become a fan of spicy vegetarian or non-vegetarian Indian food. Every part of India has different specialties. If you want to cook an Indian meal at your home, buy spices from the bazaar. The Masala is the key to every Indian meal. There are different food tours you can take in Delhi. Learn how to cook Indian meals from the locals, where there is no such thing that a woman cannot cook.

Take a food tour with a local in the bazaar of Old Delhi. While tasting several local specialties, he will explain everything about eating habits and cooking in India. Delhi is famous for its paratha and bhature flatbread that is usually served with curd.

Here you find the list of walking food tours in Delhi to choose from.

But the king of the Delhi street food that you must try is chaat! There are different types of chaats, but basically, they make it with sweet potatoes, yogurt, chickpeas, chili, tamarind, onions, or curd. They often serve chaat in a small bowl made of dried banana leaves.

Mughlai street food: Delhi is famous for its Mughlai specialties that go back to the time of the Mughal emperors. As the Mughals did not consume pork and the Hindus did not eat beef, the Mughlai kitchen does not contain these two types of meat. But it offers goat, lamb, and venison as a non-vegetarian meal. The Mughlai meals are quite heavy and are known for using many spices (cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom, coriander, saffron) and milk products. 

The most famous Mughlai specialties are Biriyani, Mughlai Paratha, Murg Musallam, Kebabs, Malai Kofta, Butter Chicken, Mutton Chicken, Nihari Ghost, and Rezala. Kulfi is a typical ice cream dating back to the 16^th century, while Firni is a kind of rice pudding seasoned with saffron, pistachios, and almond.

6. Dance Class in Delhi: Learn to Dance like a Bollywood Star

You must have seen the spectacular group dances like in Bollywood movies. Indians have dancing in their blood. As soon as music starts, small girls exactly know how to shake their hips, swing their heads and arms, almost every part of their body separately. Take a dance class to get the feeling of Bollywood movies. 

7. Explore Hidden Gems of Old Delhi

Start early morning a walking tour in Old Delhi and watch as life starts in Chandni Chowk. Have a spicy breakfast in the bazaar, that is only available for two hours. Then visit a Sikh and Jain temple to learn more about these religions.

This tour is a combination of food and a walking tour and a great way to kick off your day in Delhi. Check the price and book your tour here.

8. Delhi museum tour with a tuk-tuk

It is a private tour for two persons, including a visit to 5 museums: the National Gallery of Modern Art, Crafts Museum, National Museum, Indira Gandhi Museum, and Mahatma Gandhi Museum. Going from one place to another with an auto-rickshaw makes it even more enjoyable.

Check the price and book your tour here.

Read more about the best museums in Delhi

9. Other museums tours

There are several museum tours in Delhi. You can visit the Jawaharlal Nehru Museum at Teen Murti House and experience village life and traditional handicrafts at the Crafts Museum. Finally, view the collections of Indian art, weaponry, jewelry, and other treasures from prehistoric to modern times at the National Museum.

One-day trip from Delhi

1. Food Tour With Cooking Class in Local Village from Delhi

Do you want to get out of the chaotic Delhi and experience rural life? If the answer is yes, this is an excellent program for you, including a cooking class, an ox-cart ride, and eating with locals. Take a walk in the village, talk to the locals and learn about the joy and hardship of life in the countryside.

You can check the price and book the tour here.

2. Day trip to the Taj Mahal and visit Agra

It is about 200 km from Delhi to Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located, making it a perfect day tour. Taj Mahal is, of course, not the only fantastic attraction in India but the most famous. During this day trip, you can also visit the Red Fort and the “Baby Taj Mahal”(Itmad-ud-Daulah). You might be surprised at how many other things you can do in Agra.

Read this article about all the practical information you should know before visiting the Taj Mahal

3. Agra-Mathura-Vrindavan

You can have a day trip to Agra, Mathura, and Vrindavan. Mathura and Vrindavan are important pilgrimage sites for Krishna believers. This is where Krishna was born and grew up. Visit some of the most famous Hindu temples and learn about the Hindu religion. Mathura and Vrindavan celebrate the Holi festival in the most spectacular way. If you are in India at that time then it is something not to miss. This is probably the best one-day trip from Delhi besides visiting the Taj Mahal.

2 day trips from Delhi

1. Delhi-Jaipur combined tour

Delhi is a perfect starting point to combine it with visiting Jaipur, the pink city. Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan state has plenty of attractions and you get an insight into the life of maharajas.

Check the price and book your two-day Delhi-Jaipur trip here.

Get some idea about what to visit in Jaipur

2. Haridwar and Rishikesh one-day trip from Delhi

It is a tiring, but absolutely fascinating day trip from Delhi and a superb choice if you otherwise do not continue your trip to the north from Delhi. Haridwar is one of the seven holiest cities of India and the scene of the famous Kumbh Mela festival every 12 years. You can check the holy Har Ki Pauri ghat, where the Ganga river first touches the plains after leaving the Himalayas. The priests perform a spectacular “aarti ceremony” every evening similar to Varanasi. Hindu saints and yogis meditate in the spiritual Rishikesh, “the world capital of yoga” since ancient times. Take a photo at the Lakshman Jhula, the popular hanging bridge across the Ganga. Visit some of the famous ashrams and immerse yourself in the Hindu culture.

Book your one-day trip to Rishikesh and Haridwar here.

There are also trips that cover it in one day but it is a rush and you should spend a night in Rishikesh to really get the feeling of the place.

I hope this article helps you find the best one-day and multi-day local tour for you and make the most of your visit. India is so unique and different from anything else that you need some guidance to get a good understanding of culture, religion, food, and attractions.

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