Delhi is the kind of city that demands your attention—and then rewards it in the most unexpected ways. It’s intense, colourful, and wonderfully noisy. For anyone travelling to India, Delhi is more than just a gateway—it’s a destination that deserves time, curiosity, and a good dose of flexibility.
I spent three action-packed days exploring the capital city at the start of my India travel journey. Here’s exactly what we did, saw, and loved—and my best Delhi travel tips for first-time visitors.
🛬 Day 1: Arrival & Cultural Immersion in Style
Where We Stayed: The Leela Palace New Delhi
Vibe: Five-star luxury, tranquil rooftop pool, and incredible food at several restaurants within the hotel. It has the coolest speakeasy-style bar and an incredible Indian restaurant! A calm, elegant contrast to the city outside.
Mid-Day:
I arrived in Delhi and checked into The Leela Palace. I had someone meet me and escort me to the car, where I was welcomed to India with a traditional Mouli ceremony, a sacred thread tied to our wrists for blessings and protection. This stayed on my wrist for the entire trip.
On the transfer from the airport to the hotel, the roads were lined with colourful flowers in full bloom. I was taken by surprise as I hadn’t expected this in India. I was greeted at the hotel with a welcome drink and a gorgeous-smelling flower lei that they put around my neck.
Evening:
It was an adventurous event with a tuk-tuk ride through Delhi’s buzzing streets at twilight. This was a ride to never forget. The traffic is mayhem, loud and crazy, and you are sitting in a tiny tuk-tuk. I don’t think that I have laughed so hard for a long time.
We drove to the India Gate, the Presidential Palace, and caught the city shimmering under lights. We got to jump out of the tuk-tuk and walk up to the India Gate, which was fun and stunning. There were lots of great street vendors selling street food and fun gifts.
Delhi Travel Tip: Book airport transfers ahead of time and allow your body to adjust on the arrival day. I would usually wing it when it comes to transfers from the airport, but it was nice to have someone waiting in the terminal for me with my name on the board. It took all the stress out of arriving in a hectic foreign place.
😂 Day 2: Laughter Yoga
This day was a mix of wellness, culture, and retail therapy—quintessential Delhi experiences all in one.
Morning:
We started the day with a Laughter Yoga session in one of Delhi’s peaceful gardens. An unusual but joyful start that set a playful tone for the day. We were greeted by the host in the gardens, where we received a kumkum dot made from red turmeric paste on the forehead. This is a gesture of welcome or blessing. This is often seen in temples, weddings, or traditional welcomes like the aarti ceremony, and as we went on our trip through India, we were greeted this way many times.
The Laughter Yoga went on for an hour, and I must admit that it was one of the strangest but most fun things that I have done. You can’t help but laugh even more when you are fake laughing and throwing your arms in the air. We finished the Yoga by saying ‘Very very good’ over and over and laughing. It was a real hoot!
The Great Indian Wedding
Afternoon:
We went on the Great Indian Wedding Tour in Shahpur Jat. Think of it as a deep dive into Indian bridal culture, which is very rich. We started this tour by going to a dance studio where we learnt some Bollywood moves so that we would be excellent Indian guests if we ever got to go to a traditional wedding. It was super fun even for someone like me with two left feet.
We then walked around a fancy part of town where they had shop after shop of the most incredible wedding and guest gowns. The beadwork and embroidery were so incredible to look at. We arrived at a little door leading into a small embroidery workshop where a man was beading and stitching. We received a piece of fabric with our first initial stitched on it, and we experienced stitching and sewing beads onto the swatch. It was a wonderful keepsake and accomplishment!
The afternoon continued, and we enjoyed Indian astrology readings (just for fun!). I also like trying some food that is typically served at Indian weddings.
This tour was super fun and opened our eyes to the wedding culture in India, which is so extravagant and fascinating.
Evening:
🕌 A Soul-Stirring Visit to Jama Masjid
One of the most moving moments of our time in Delhi was visiting Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India and an architectural masterpiece commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century.
Walking into Jama Masjid felt like stepping into a different rhythm—quieter, slower, sacred. The vast red sandstone courtyard holds the capacity for over 25,000 worshippers, and yet there was a calm stillness that settled as we entered barefoot and looked up at the elegant minarets and domes that frame the Delhi skyline.
But what made this visit truly unforgettable wasn’t just the mosque itself—it was what we saw and shared inside.
🍛 Feeding the Masses: A Humbling Experience
As we moved through the halls, we came across something extraordinary: hundreds of people seated on the floor of a community hall next to the mosque, rows upon rows, waiting to be fed. This wasn’t a tourist performance—it was part of a real, daily act of generosity. Volunteers and mosque staff prepare and serve meals to anyone in need—no questions asked, no one turned away.
We were invited to help. And so we did.
Handing out food—warm dal, rice, roti—to men, women, and children seated patiently. The scale was incredible, my friend that I was with started to feel overwhelmed, so they invited us to look at the kitchen. Everything was huge and surprisingly spotlessly clean.
There was no chaos, no pushing, just a sense of shared dignity and community. It was such a great experience. To witness life. To see how others care for one another. To be a small part of something greater—even for just a few minutes
Delhi Travel Tip: If you’re visiting Jama Masjid, check if a meal service is happening. Be respectful, ask before joining in, and be open to participating—it may just be the highlight of your trip.
🕌 Day 3: Old Delhi, Spice Markets & Cooking at Home
Day 3 was all about contrasts—old-world charm meets modern hospitality.
Morning:
🛺 Rickshaws, Street Food & the Chaos of Chandni Chowk
On the third morning of the trip in Delhi, we did what every Delhi travel guide suggests—but nothing could have truly prepared us for the experience: a rickshaw ride through the tangled heart of Old Delhi—Chandni Chowk.
We jumped into a line of rickshaws, those colourful, human-powered carriages that somehow glide through the impossibly narrow lanes. Two Western women in the back, with a small Indian man peddling his legs so fast to get us safely through the laneways. The lanes narrowed, the air thickened with the aroma of sizzling samosas, freshly baked naan, jalebis dipped in syrup, and chai brewing on roadside stoves. It was so much fun and a wonderful way to experience the area.
Every sense was fully switched on:
- 🔊 The ding-ding of bicycle bells, the calls of chai wallahs, and the constant negotiation between vendors and customers filled the air like music.
- 👃🏽 The smell of spices hit us in waves—cardamom, cumin, and the unmistakable smoky scent of tandoor ovens.
- 👀 Everywhere we looked, there was movement—men hauling sacks of rice, women balancing trays of marigolds, scooters brushing past inches from our knees.
🏙️ Exploring Chandni Chowk on Foot
Eventually, we hopped off and walked through Chandni Chowk, one of the oldest and busiest markets in India, dating back to the 17th century. It’s not just a market—it’s a living city within a city. A place where goldsmiths, spice merchants, textile traders, and street food sellers have passed their shops down through generations.
We wandered through narrow gullies lined with tiny shops, many no wider than a closet, yet stacked floor to ceiling with shimmering fabrics, silver jewellery, and brightly colored bangles. We passed food stalls selling parathas stuffed with everything from potato to paneer, and spice shops where we were offered samples of masalas and dried fruits. Every corner was a discovery, with so much to stop and look at.
Evening:
🍲 Cooking with a Local Chef: From Delhi’s Markets to a Rooftop Feast
One of the most memorable and personal experiences of our time in Delhi was an afternoon spent with a local chef. This experience took us from the buzzing spice markets of South Delhi straight into her rooftop home kitchen, where we learned how to cook an authentic Indian meal from scratch.
It was more than just a Delhi cooking class—it was a window into daily life, tradition, and community.
🛒 First Stop: The Local Market (Not for the Faint-Hearted)
Our experience began at the INA Spice Market, where our chef and guide met us with a warm smile and an adventurous spirit. This wasn’t a sanitised tourist market—it was the real thing.
As we wandered through the crowded alleys, she pointed out the ingredients we’d use later: fresh turmeric, fenugreek, cumin, curry leaves, mustard seeds, and vegetables bursting with colour.
But the market wasn’t just spices and produce—it was raw, gritty, and alive.
We passed goat heads lined on metal trays, their eyes glassy, next to stalls of live chickens in cages, waiting to be sold. It was jarring, but also a deeply authentic part of the daily rhythm in Delhi. The smells—spicy, pungent, earthy—hit us in waves, intensified by the heat and the press of bodies around us.
🧵 Sari Shopping & Cultural Demonstration
In the midst of this chaotic, sensory-filled experience, we stumbled upon a fabric stall selling the most vibrant cotton and silk sari cloths. The stallholder, clearly used to curious visitors, smiled and offered to demonstrate how to wrap a sari.
One of the women in our group volunteered, and within minutes, he’d transformed her using only a six-metre length of turquoise fabric and a few skilful tucks and pleats. It was a moment that was both playful and reverent—honouring tradition, but inviting us in to be part of it.
🏠 A Rooftop Home in Delhi
Groceries in hand, we followed our chef through a quiet residential street and into her home. She lived with her in-laws, who occupied the ground floor, while she and her husband lived in a rooftop apartment three stories up, surrounded by pots of herbs, flowering plants, and laundry lines waving gently in the breeze.
The rooftop patio was enormous—a peaceful green haven high above the city’s noise. It felt like a hidden oasis.
🍛 The Cooking Class: A Feast in the Making
In her kitchen, she had set up for cooking demonstrations; we got to work.
She taught us how to make:
- Chicken curry from scratch, starting with toasting whole spices, blending aromatics, and building layers of flavour.
- Homemade naan, kneaded and cooked on a cast-iron pan, then finished with ghee.
- A stuffed naan variation, which was crispy on the outside and filled with herbs and cheese.
- A potato dish, seasoned with turmeric, cumin seeds, mustard oil, and fresh coriander. It was one of the simplest and most flavorful things I’ve ever eaten.
She didn’t just show us the steps—she explained why things were done a certain way, the role of each spice, and how cooking styles vary by region in India.
🍽️ A Meal to Remember
As the sun began to dip, we gathered on her patio, seated at a long table under string lights. The food was as good as any restaurant, but it was the warmth and connection that made it unforgettable. We laughed, we passed dishes around like family, and we shared stories from home.
It felt like being invited into someone’s life, not just their kitchen.
💬 Why It Mattered
This wasn’t on the “top 10 things to do in Delhi” list—but it should be.
Travel can sometimes feel like you’re watching from the outside. This was the opposite. It was a reminder that food is more than sustenance—it’s storytelling, love, history, and identity.
If you’re planning to visit Delhi and want something more intimate than a monument or museum, book a local cooking class with a home visit. It will change how you experience India.
💡 Final Thoughts: Why You Shouldn’t Skip Delhi
Most India travel guides suggest “surviving” Delhi before heading to more tranquil places—but I say: embrace it. There’s nowhere else like it. From spiritual rituals and history to designer saris and home-cooked feasts, Delhi is a cultural kaleidoscope that gives you a little bit of everything.
🔑 Top Delhi Travel Tips for First-Timers:
- Stay somewhere restful. The Leela Palace gave us the perfect balance.
- Hire a guide for Old Delhi—it helps cut through the overwhelm.
- Tuk-tuks > taxis for short rides. Download Uber or use Ola.
📌 What to Pack for Delhi:
- Lightweight cotton clothes
- A scarf (great for temples and pollution)
- Hand sanitiser & bottled water
- Power adapter
❤️ Coming Up Next…
After Delhi, we continued to Agra, where we saw the Taj Mahal at sunrise, visited Fatehpur Sikri, and took a train to Ranthambore for a wild tiger safari, followed by Holi and palaces in Jaipur.If you’re planning to visit Delhi as part of a larger India trip, stay tuned for the full series! You can also download my India Packing List or check out my Golden Triangle Guide.
