Delhi India Gate at sunset with the hexagonal war memorial lit against the evening sky

IndiaApril 6, 2026·14 min read·IncredibleItinerary

Delhi in 3 Days: The Complete Guide (Budget to Luxury, 2026)

Delhi is two cities occupying one — and that collision is exactly what makes three days here feel like three weeks anywhere else. Old Delhi's lanes still smell of cardamom and frying jalebi, the same lanes where Mughal emperors once paraded on elephants. New Delhi's broad Lutyens avenues lead to monuments so large they challenge comprehension. Day one belongs to the Mughals. Day two to the British and the medieval. Day three to wherever the city takes you — Purani Dilli at dusk, Dilli Haat with its craft villages, or the Agra train for one impossible pre-dawn Taj Mahal moment.

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🇮🇳 India·🗓 3 Days·💰 From ₹1,200/day

Delhi is two cities occupying one — and that collision is exactly what makes three days here feel like three weeks anywhere else. Old Delhi's lanes still smell of cardamom and frying jalebi, the same lanes where Mughal emperors once paraded on elephants. New Delhi's broad Lutyens avenues lead to monuments so large they challenge comprehension. Day one belongs to the Mughals. Day two to the British and the medieval. Day three to wherever the city takes you — Purani Dilli at dusk, Dilli Haat with its craft villages, or the Agra train for one impossible pre-dawn Taj Mahal moment.

🗓

3 Days

Duration

💰

₹1,200/day

Budget From

🌡️

Oct–Mar

Best Months

✈️

DEL (Indira Gandhi International)

Airport

📋 Visa & Entry Info

Entry requirements vary by passport. Here's the 2026 breakdown.

🇮🇳 Indian Citizens — Domestic Travel

No Visa RequiredDelhi is a domestic destination for Indian passport holders. Any government-issued photo ID (Aadhaar card, PAN card, driving licence, or passport) is accepted for domestic flights, trains, and hotel check-in. Aadhaar is sufficient everywhere.

Delhi Metro Tourist CardThe Delhi Metro Tourist Card (₹200 for 1 day, ₹500 for 3 days, with ₹50 refundable deposit) gives unlimited Metro travel on all Delhi Metro lines. Buy it at any major Metro station's token vending machine or customer service window. Far more economical than buying individual tokens.

Train Bookings to DelhiBook IRCTC trains to Hazrat Nizamuddin (NZM), New Delhi (NDLS), or Old Delhi (DLI) on irctc.co.in 60 days ahead. New Delhi station is the most central. Hazrat Nizamuddin is closer to South Delhi and Agra-bound trains.

🌍 International Visitors

e-Tourist VisaMost nationalities can apply for an Indian e-Tourist Visa at indianvisaonline.gov.in. 30-day single entry: USD 25. 1-year multiple entry: USD 40. Apply minimum 4 business days before arrival. The approval email must be printed and presented at immigration. DEL T3 has dedicated e-Visa immigration counters — use them to avoid the general queue.

Airport to Delhi CityDEL T3 has a direct Delhi Metro connection (Airport Express Line) to New Delhi station in 22 minutes (₹60). Trains run every 15 minutes from 4:45am to 11:30pm. For luggage-heavy arrivals, pre-paid taxi counters in arrivals charge ₹350–600 to central Delhi depending on distance. Avoid unauthorized cab touts inside the terminal.

SIM Card at DELAirtel and Jio counters in T3 arrivals (past customs) issue prepaid tourist SIMs. Jio's ₹349 plan gives 2GB/day for 28 days. Bring passport + 2 passport photos (or use the photo booth in arrivals, ₹80 for 4 prints). SIM activation takes 2–4 hours.

Currency ExchangeThomas Cook and Centrum Forex counters in T3 arrivals offer competitive rates (better than airport-front kiosks). HDFC, ICICI, and SBI ATMs in arrivals dispense up to ₹20,000 per transaction. Inform your home bank before travel. Forex cards (BookMyForex, Thomas Cook) are the most economical option for international visitors holding multiple currencies.

⚡ Which Plan Are You?

Pick your budget — jump straight to your itinerary.

📅 The Itineraries

Click a plan — days are expandable/collapsible.

●8:00am — Check into The Claridges, Aurangzeb Road (₹8,000–12,000/night) or ITC Maurya, Sardar Patel Marg (₹9,000–14,000/night) — both in central New Delhi with excellent Metro access.
●9:00am — Red Fort with a Khaki Tours guide (₹1,800/person, khakitours.com) — the pre-booked ticket and guided context transforms the monument. The sound-and-light show (₹80, evenings only) is separate and worth attending if you return.
●11:00am — Chandni Chowk guided food walk with Delhi Food Walks (₹1,500/person, delhifoodwalks.com) — 3 hours covering Paranthe Wali Gali, Ghantewala Halwai (the 1790 sweet shop), Giani's faluda, Old Famous Jalebi Wala. The guide context on each 100-year-old institution is exceptional.
●1:30pm — Jama Masjid and Karim's lunch — mutton burra kebab ₹280, chicken Jahangiri ₹320, tandoori roti ₹30. Wine not served (no alcohol anywhere in Karim's or Old Delhi), order nimbu pani.
●4:00pm — Auto to Crafts Museum, Pragati Maidan (entry ₹20) — Delhi's best and most-overlooked museum, with complete regional village reconstructions and a textile gallery holding 22,000 objects. Often empty.
●7:30pm — Dinner at Bukhara, ITC Maurya — India's most legendary restaurant, serving the same dal bukhara slow-cooked for 18 hours since 1977. Dal bukhara ₹950, sikandari raan (leg of lamb, 24-hour marinade) ₹3,800. Reserve 1 week ahead. Smart casual required.

💰Est. cost: ₹6,000–9,000 total (excl. hotel)

●8:30am — India Gate and Kartavya Path (formerly Rajpath) walking circuit. The 3km ceremonial axis from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate is Lutyens Delhi's spine. The rose garden near the North and South Blocks is open to public.
●10:00am — Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum (India's President's estate) — free entry, requires Aadhaar-based online registration at rb.nic.in. The Mughal Garden (Amrit Udyan) is open to public Feb–March seasonally. The museum wing is open year-round.
●12:00pm — Lunch at Indian Accent, The Lodhi Hotel (Lodhi Road) — India's finest contemporary Indian cuisine restaurant. Tasting menu ₹4,500/person (lunch menu ₹2,800). Reserve 2 weeks ahead. The chaat trolley starter alone is worth the visit.
●2:30pm — Humayun's Tomb (₹35) and the Aga Khan Trust-restored Sunder Nursery (free) adjacent to it — a 90-acre heritage garden with 280 species of trees, Mughal water channels, and 16th-century garden pavilions newly restored.
●5:00pm — Lodhi Garden at dusk — the monuments are lit from within; the garden atmosphere at golden hour is one of Delhi's finest free experiences.
●7:30pm — Hauz Khas Village for drinks at Kunzum Travel Café (donation-model café, extremely laid-back) then dinner at Naivedyam (Hauz Khas Village main lane) — South Indian, thali ₹450, filter coffee ₹80.

💰Est. cost: ₹5,500–8,500 total (excl. hotel)

●Option A — Agra Day Trip: Board the Gatimaan Express from Hazrat Nizamuddin (NZM) at 8:10am (₹755 chair car, 1h40min, India's fastest train). Arrive Agra Cantonment 9:50am. Taj Mahal (₹1,100 for Indian citizens) from 10am–1pm, Agra Fort (₹40) 2:00–3:30pm. Gatimaan return departs Agra at 5:50pm, arrives NZM 7:25pm. Book both trains and Taj tickets in advance.
●Option B — Delhi Deep Dive: Akshardham (free main temple) from 9am, then Dilli Haat INA (₹100) after noon, then Lodi Colony graffiti art district (free, South Delhi's open-air gallery) in the afternoon.
●Option B continued: Qutub Minar evening light show (₹60, book at ASI portal) at 7:30pm — the complex lit in orange and gold at night is a different monument than it is in daylight.
●Regardless of option — final dinner at Gulati Restaurant, Pandara Road Market (behind Khan Market) — North Indian, butter chicken ₹450, dal makhani ₹320, naan ₹45. Pandara Road is Delhi's most reliable neighbourhood for classic Punjabi restaurant cooking. Open past 11pm.
●Shopping note: Khan Market (10-minute walk from Pandara Road) — Delhi's most upscale market for books (Bahri Sons, Full Circle), spices (Good Earth), artisanal foods, and independent clothing. Open until 9pm.

💰Est. cost: ₹4,000–7,000 total (excl. hotel, Agra option adds ₹2,500)

✨ Mid-Range Plan Total: ₹5,000–10,000/day/day average

💰 Budget Breakdown

All costs per person per day.

Tier	Accommodation	Food	Transport	Activities	Total/Day
💰 Budget	₹400–1,000	₹250–500	₹100–200	₹200–500	₹950–2,200/day
✨ Mid-Range	₹4,000–8,000	₹800–2,500	₹300–600	₹500–2,000	₹5,600–13,100/day
💎 Luxury	₹15,000–35,000	₹3,000–8,000	₹2,000–5,000	₹2,000–8,000	₹22,000–56,000/day

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❌ Mistakes to Avoid

Things every first-timer gets wrong.

🎟️

Visiting Red Fort Without Pre-Booking Tickets

The Red Fort cash queue on weekends and public holidays stretches 45–90 minutes. The ASI online booking system (asi.payumoney.com) lets you book timed entry tickets 48 hours ahead for ₹35 (Indians) — no queue at the booked-entry gate. Sound-and-light show tickets (evenings only) also need advance booking and sell out on weekends. Plan both in advance.

🚗

Getting Stuck in Chandni Chowk by Auto or Taxi

The Chandni Chowk main road is pedestrianised but the surrounding lanes are a gridlocked maze. Autos get stuck in traffic for 30–45 minutes for distances of 500 metres. The correct approach: Delhi Metro to Chandni Chowk station (Yellow Line), walk the main road, and use an auto only to exit toward the eastern or western edges of the area. Never take a taxi into the interior lanes.

🍽️

Eating at Tourist Restaurants Near India Gate

The food kiosks and restaurants on Kartavya Path and in the India Gate garden area are overpriced and mediocre. The Bengali Market (1.5km north), Pandara Road Market (1km south-east), or Connaught Place's inner circle restaurants are far better for the same or lower prices. India Gate is for morning walks, not for eating.

🛺

Negotiating Autorickshaws Without the Meter

Delhi autos are legally required to use the meter (₹25 base fare + ₹9.5/km). Most drivers near tourist spots refuse the meter and quote fixed rates 3–4x higher. The fix: open Ola or Uber on your phone and show the price estimate — most drivers will then accept a meter fare near that figure. Alternatively, book directly through Ola Auto, which shows a fixed upfront price. Never agree to a fixed rate before comparing with Ola.

💡 Pro Tips

Insider knowledge that saves time and money.

🚇

Get the 3-Day Delhi Metro Tourist Card

The 3-day unlimited Delhi Metro Tourist Card costs ₹500 (including ₹50 deposit, refundable on return). It covers all Metro lines including the Airport Express. The Metro connects virtually every major sight: Chandni Chowk (Yellow Line), Qutub Minar (Yellow Line), Akshardham (Blue Line), Humayun's Tomb/Lodhi Garden (Violet Line), Dilli Haat (Yellow Line at INA). Buy at New Delhi, Rajiv Chowk, or DEL Airport station customer windows.

🥘

Best Chaat Spots in Delhi

Delhi's chaat culture is city-specific and worth navigating. Bengali Market (Minto Road): Nathu's dahi bhalla and golgappa are the benchmark. Old Famous Jalebi Wala, Chandni Chowk (since 1884): jalebi with rabri ₹80 per 100g, eat standing at the fryer. Annapurna Sweets, Sarojini Nagar for aloo tikki chaat (₹40). Khan Chacha, Khan Market for seekh rolls (₹130). Connaught Place's Wengers Deli for a club sandwich when chaat fatigue sets in.

🏨

Safest and Best-Value Areas to Stay in Delhi

Pahar Ganj (Central Station area): budget hostels and guesthouses ₹400–1,200/night, functional for backpackers, but noisy and touristy. Karol Bagh: better value mid-range hotels ₹1,500–4,000, quieter, good Metro access. Connaught Place: premium mid-range to luxury, excellent Metro centrality, walkable to most New Delhi sights. South Delhi (Hauz Khas, Greater Kailash): safest, nicest neighbourhood, slightly farther from Old Delhi but excellent restaurants and Metro connections. Avoid Paharganj if you value quiet and cleanliness.

🌡️

Timing Your Delhi Visit Around the Weather

October–November: ideal — post-monsoon freshness, temperatures 18–30°C, clear skies but air quality beginning to worsen in November (Diwali stubble-burning season). December–January: cold (3–15°C at night), bright days, ideal sightseeing weather — wear layers. February–March: the best compromise — mild days (18–28°C), low smog, spring colour in Mughal gardens. April–June: extreme heat (38–46°C), outdoor sightseeing is punishing — start everything before 9am, stop by noon. July–September: monsoon, 35–38°C humidity, but monuments are uncrowded and the red sandstone glows dramatically in rain.