DELHI

Delhi, the capital city of India has a massive historical and cultural heritage.  This is why Delhi has always been a major attraction for tourists, whether it is the locals going for a short day tour or for the outsiders who want to indulge in outdoor activities in Delhi, which is filled with historical monuments and places.

                           India Gate in Delhi                                                      

                                                                                                          India Gate in Delhi

The city sprawls on the banks of the river Yamuna and is divided into two parts: the Old Delhi and the New Delhi. New Delhi was made the capital of India by the British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. Today it is the hub of politics and business.

Delhi enjoys three seasons, summer starting from the month of March to June end. The rains continue till the end of September and the winter sets in by November to mid February, with January being the coldest of all months.

All through the year, people throng from different parts of the country and the world to Delhi, as this is an ideal place to start a tour to 3 beautiful and exciting destinations; i.e. Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. This is popularly known as the Golden Triangle tour. This tour takes you through the jam-packed bazaars of Old Delhi, the splendorous, opulent and mystical palaces of Jaipur and Agra.

Taj Mahal

One can also enjoy a full day or half-day sightseeing tour of Delhi in a comfortable air-conditioned chauffeured vehicle. A local tour guide will take you through the tour explaining and describing to you in detail about all the monuments and places you visit and the various outdoor activities in Delhi. The guide will let you walk into the city’s glorious and enigmatic past.

The Highlights of this tour are:

You can enjoy the overcrowded market streets of Old Delhi laden with Indian crafts. You will get an actual essence of the Indian arts and crafts when you look around and see colorful Indian clothing, jewelry and handicrafts. You need to have good bargaining skills, as all these street hawkers are ready for a hard bargain!

Streets lined with jewellery shops

                                                                     

                                                                                Streets lined with jewellery shops

Next comes Qutub Minar, the famous monumental structure . It is said that the Mughals celebrated their victory by building this huge minaret. This is one of the famous and the tallest ancient towers in the world, rising up to 234 feet. Though the foundation of this tower is believed to have been started by Prithviraj, historians believe that Quttubudin and Illtumish completed it. There are 378 steps to take you to the top of the tower, which would give you an eagle’s view of Delhi.

             

                                                        Qutub Minar

The Laxmi Narayan Temple is a Hindu temple, the main deity being Narayan and goddess Laxmi.  The architectural type is Nagara hindu style and it is a 3-storied temple with carvings depicting Hindu mythology. The idols are made of marble and they are extremely beautiful. Some major festivals celebrated in this temple are Janmashtami and Diwali.

You can then visit the hub of Indian politics that is the Parliament house, which is beautifully landscaped with ponds and fountains and floral decorations. It is studded with ornamental figurines and enclosed by huge iron gates.

                                                       The Parliament house

The Red Fort and Humayun’s tomb are also a must see. They also have the distinction of being listed under the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Red Fort