Luxury Delhi Tours
Two capitals in one city: Shah Jahan's walled Old Delhi and Lutyens' planned New Delhi, from the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk to India Gate and Humayun's Tomb.
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Overview
Delhi At A Glance
Delhi is two cities in one conversation. Old Delhi is the walled capital Shah Jahan completed in 1648. New Delhi is the planned capital laid out by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, inaugurated in 1931. A luxury Delhi tour moves between them with a private guide and driver, so each gets read on its own terms. Start in the older city. The Red Fort anchors it, and Jama Masjid stands a short distance away. Chandni Chowk runs between the two. A rickshaw ride, a heritage walk or a dawn cycle tour takes you into the lanes behind. Food walks here cover chaat, kachori and jalebi. Then cross to the wide avenues of the planned city. India Gate sits on its central axis. Rashtrapati Bhavan stands at the far end of Kartavya Path. Lodhi Garden holds the domed tombs of 15th- and 16th-century rulers. Humayun's Tomb is the garden-tomb that came before the Taj Mahal. Qutub Minar was begun in the late 12th century. Lotus Temple and Akshardham add two very different modern places of worship. You don't have to cover all of it. A private itinerary follows your pace and trims the list to what interests you. Many travellers also use Delhi as the first or last stop of the Golden Triangle with Agra and Jaipur.
- Best Time
- October to March, when days are cooler and sightseeing is comfortable. Summer heat peaks around late May, and winter mornings can be foggy.
- Getting There
- Indira Gandhi International Airport is the main air gateway, and New Delhi and Old Delhi railway stations are the main rail hubs. Agra is roughly 230 km away by road.
- Where To Stay
- The Imperial New Delhi, The Lodhi, The Oberoi, New Delhi
- Coordinates
- 28.61° N, 77.21° E
What To See
What To See In Delhi
Delhi's real highlights are what a private guide builds each day around.
Red Fort
Shah Jahan's walled Mughal citadel in Old Delhi, red sandstone, the seat of empire for two centuries.
Qutub Minar
A 73-metre victory tower begun in 1193 — the tallest brick minaret in the world.
Humayun's Tomb
The first great Mughal garden-tomb, built in the 1560s — the design that led to the Taj Mahal.
Jama Masjid
Shah Jahan's great mosque in Old Delhi, finished in 1656 — the largest in India.
India Gate
A 42-metre war memorial arch on the central axis of New Delhi, inscribed with the names of 13,000 Indian soldiers.
Lotus Temple
A Bahá'í house of worship shaped like a half-open lotus in white marble, open to people of every faith.
Akshardham
A vast pink-sandstone Hindu temple complex on the Yamuna's banks, hand-carved and opened in 2005.
Lodhi Garden
A landscaped park in central Delhi built around the domed tombs of the 15th-century Lodhi and Sayyid sultans.
Old Delhi Heritage Walk
A guided walk through Shahjahanabad — the spice market, the havelis, the lanes behind the Jama Masjid.
Cycle-Rickshaw Ride, Chandni Chowk
A rickshaw threading the Chandni Chowk bazaar, with stops for jalebi and a parathe-wala lane.
Old Delhi Food Walk
A guided eating walk through the lanes of Old Delhi — chaat, kachori, jalebi, kebabs and the fried-bread lane.
Lodhi Art District Walk
A walk through Lodhi Colony, India's first open-air public art district, where artists have painted the government housing blocks.
Old Delhi Cycle Tour
A dawn cycle through the empty lanes of Old Delhi, before the traffic and the crowds take over.
How To Travel
Journeys Through Delhi
Every journey comes with a private guide and driver for each day on the road. Full details live on each journey's own page.
15 Nights
Royal Rajasthan Photography Journey
Delhi · Jaipur · Jaisalmer · Jodhpur · Pushkar · Udaipur · Agra
12 Nights
Royal Rajasthan Grand Tour
Delhi · Jaipur · Jaisalmer · Jodhpur · Pushkar · Udaipur · Agra
10 Nights
Golden Triangle, Rishikesh & the Ganga
Delhi · Jaipur · Agra · Rishikesh
9 Nights
Rajasthan Spiritual Sojourn
Delhi · Jaipur · Jodhpur · Ranthambore · Udaipur
8 Nights
Golden Triangle Tiger Safari
Delhi · Jaipur · Ranthambore · Agra
8 Nights
Golden Triangle & Udaipur Honeymoon
Delhi · Jaipur · Udaipur · Agra
7 Nights
Golden Triangle & Udaipur Lakes
Delhi · Jaipur · Udaipur · Agra
6 Nights
Golden Triangle In Depth
Delhi · Jaipur · Agra
Where To Stay
Where To Stay In Delhi
Stays are chosen for the setting and the service, then matched to the pace of your route.
The Imperial New Delhi
★★★★★
The Imperial has stood on Janpath since 1936. It opened just before India's independence, in the final years of British rule in Delhi. The architecture blends Victorian charm, colonial grace, and Art Deco style. Few Delhi hotels carry this much genuine history within their walls. Step inside and you enter something like a private museum. The Imperial holds one of India's largest collections of 19th-century art. Paintings, prints, and antiques line every corridor and public room. Guests often spend an hour walking the halls before they even check in. The hotel sits in the heart of Lutyens' Delhi, moments from Connaught Place. India Gate and Rajpath are a short drive away. This location suits travellers who want to explore central Delhi on foot, then return to calm within minutes. Rooms and suites number over 200 in total, split across Deco, Imperial, and Heritage categories. Each has high ceilings and abundant natural light, a hallmark of the building's original 1930s design. Marble bathrooms and modern comforts sit alongside period furniture and art. The result feels neither dated nor generic. Dining here spans several distinct restaurants. 1911 serves all-day multi-cuisine fare on a colonnaded terrace. San Gimignano offers Italian cooking under an open-air pergola. Spice Route, one of Delhi's most celebrated restaurants, draws on Southeast Asian traditions. Its carved wooden panels alone took years to complete, made by artisans from Kerala. The Patiala Peg bar pours whisky in a room styled after old Punjab. An outdoor pool and full-service spa round out the leisure offering. The Imperial Spa uses natural products and traditional techniques for facials, massages, and body treatments. Guests can also browse the hotel's boutiques, or take afternoon tea in the Atrium beneath its glass dome. The Imperial belongs to The Leading Hotels of the World, a mark reserved for genuinely exceptional independent properties. It has hosted heads of state, diplomats, and celebrities across nine decades. Even so, the service style stays personal rather than stiff. For travellers who want Old World Delhi with five-star comfort, few addresses compare. The Imperial offers history you can see and touch, not just read about in a brochure. That makes it a natural base for exploring Delhi's monuments, markets, and museums, all while returning each evening to a hotel that is itself a landmark. Connaught Place's shops and cafes sit within walking distance, and the metro station at Rajiv Chowk connects easily to the rest of the city. Guests arriving from Delhi airport typically reach the hotel within 45 minutes outside peak traffic. Doormen in period uniform still greet arrivals at the porte-cochere, a small detail that sets the tone before guests even step inside. It is the kind of touch that repeat visitors notice and mention long after their stay.
The Lodhi
★★★★★
The Lodhi is a modernist luxury hotel on Lodhi Road, next to the Lodhi Gardens and Humayun's Tomb, in the greenest part of New Delhi. It was built as the Aman New Delhi and kept the same architects' scheme. The rooms are among the largest in the city, in stone, teak and leather, and many have their own balcony plunge pool. The grounds hold a fifty-metre pool, clay tennis courts, a large spa and a hammam. There are four restaurants, including one of Delhi's better Indian kitchens. Service is quiet and unhurried. It is the choice for a Delhi stay that is calm and private rather than grand and historic, and it is walking distance from the tombs and the gardens.
The Oberoi, New Delhi
★★★★★
The Oberoi, New Delhi sits across from Humayun's Tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating to the 16th century. Many rooms look straight out at its dome and gardens. Others face the green fairways of the Delhi Golf Club instead. Either way, the view rarely feels like a typical city view. The building itself favours restraint over excess. Clean architectural lines and a hushed, art-filled lobby set the tone from arrival. A striking bronze sculpture, the Tree of Life, anchors the lobby space. Marble floors and considered lighting carry that same calm through the public areas. Every one of the hotel's 220 rooms and suites comes with a personal butler, a standard that goes beyond what most five-star properties offer. In-room dining, laundry, and daily requests all run through this one point of contact. Italian marble bathrooms, oak writing desks, and full-length bathtubs feature across the room categories, along with premium bedding and high-speed WiFi. Dining spans three distinct restaurants. Dhilli serves refined Indian cooking, drawing on recipes from across the country. Baoshuan focuses on Pan-Asian and Chinese dishes in a moody, elegant setting. 360°, the all-day dining restaurant, offers international cuisine with live counters. A bar and lounge round out the evening options for guests who prefer a quieter nightcap. Outdoors, a landscaped pool sits away from street noise, screened by trees and the building itself. The Oberoi Spa offers massages and treatments across several private suites, along with a steam room and a well-equipped fitness centre. A business centre supports guests travelling for work, with meeting rooms available for larger groups and corporate events. The location itself is a genuine asset. Humayun's Tomb and the Sunder Nursery gardens are a short walk away. Lodhi Garden and India Gate sit within easy reach by car. Guests exploring central Delhi's monuments can treat the hotel as a genuinely restful base, not just a place to sleep between sightseeing days. Service consistency is what The Oberoi Group is best known for across its properties, and the New Delhi flagship upholds that reputation closely. Staff-to-guest ratios run high, and the butler system means requests rarely need repeating twice. For travellers who want five-star comfort paired with one of Delhi's best views, this hotel remains a genuine standout among the capital's luxury addresses. The Diplomatic Enclave setting also means quieter streets than central Delhi, without losing easy access to the city. Lodhi Garden and Khan Market are both a short drive away, useful for an evening stroll or a lunch outside the hotel. Business travellers benefit from the same calm, with the airport roughly 30 minutes away depending on traffic. It is a location built for guests who want Delhi's culture close by, without the noise that usually comes with it.
Haveli Dharampura
★★★★
Haveli Dharampura is a restored 19th-century mansion in the lanes off Chandni Chowk, in the heart of Old Delhi. The building was a ruin until a six-year restoration brought back its carved sandstone balconies, jharokha windows and courtyards. The work won a UNESCO Asia-Pacific award. There are about thirteen rooms around two courtyards, each different, furnished with period pieces. A rooftop restaurant looks over the Jama Masjid and the old city. Kathak dance is performed in the courtyard most evenings. Heritage walks leave straight from the door. It is the way to stay inside Old Delhi rather than drive in and out of it, and it is the premium choice for a Delhi trip built around the old city.
16
years crafting private India journeys
30,000+
travellers guided end to end
4.5
from 15 reviews on Trustpilot
Ministry of Tourism
NIDHI Certified Tour Operator
Rajasthan Tourism
Recognized Travel Agency
Travel for LiFE
Sustainable Tourism Pledge
Google Reviews★★★★★
Verified business reviews
Frequently Asked
Questions About Delhi
How many days do you need in Delhi?
Two to three days is comfortable. One day suits Old Delhi, with the Red Fort, Jama Masjid and the lanes of Chandni Chowk. A second covers New Delhi, India Gate, Humayun's Tomb and Qutub Minar. A third leaves room for Lodhi Garden, a food walk or the Lodhi Art District. One day works if you are passing through.
What should I know before visiting Delhi?
Cover shoulders and knees at mosques and temples. Wear shoes that slip off easily, as footwear comes off at many religious sites. Start early in the warmer months. Carry water and sun protection. Ask before photographing people, and check photography rules at each monument with your guide. Winter fog can delay flights and trains, so keep some slack in your schedule.
When is the best time of day to explore Old Delhi?
Early morning. The lanes around Chandni Chowk are quieter at dawn, before traffic builds and the shops open. That makes walking and cycling easier, and the light is softer for photographs. The food lanes are lively later in the morning and into the evening. Your guide can plan the order to suit your pace.
What is the difference between Old Delhi and New Delhi?
Old Delhi is Shahjahanabad, the walled Mughal city completed in 1648. It holds the Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk. New Delhi is the planned capital designed by Lutyens and Baker and inaugurated in 1931. It holds India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan. Both sit inside the wider city of Delhi, and most itineraries visit both.
Are your tours in Delhi private?
Yes. Every journey is private. You travel with your own guide and driver, and the pace is yours to set.
What is the best time to visit Delhi?
October to March, when days are cooler and sightseeing is comfortable. Summer heat peaks around late May, and winter mornings can be foggy.
How do I get to Delhi?
Indira Gandhi International Airport is the main air gateway, and New Delhi and Old Delhi railway stations are the main rail hubs. Agra is roughly 230 km away by road.
Can I combine Delhi with other cities?
Yes. We can join Delhi to other cities in Delhi in a single route, with transfers and stays planned around it.
Can you arrange hotels in Delhi?
Yes. Stays are part of every journey. We match them to your budget and to the pace of your route.
How do I plan a trip to Delhi?
Share your dates and who is travelling using the form on this page. A specialist replies with a private route for you to review.
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