Old Delhi Legends & Heritage Guided Tour

Old Delhi Legends & Heritage Guided Tour

By Discover Activities
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A walking tour to unravel the legends and unique history of this precious heritage corner of Delhi. Whole Old delhi revolves around “Chandni Chowk”. An erstwhhile posh street with canals during Mughal era filled up with running waters & in the night the canal waters used to reflect moonlight. Hence it came to be known as Chandni Chowk, literally meaning moonlight street. It is having the mansions of the Mughal nobility — typical courtyard houses with a grand gateway (deori). After the British occupation of the city, especially during the nineteenth century, the Jain merchants of Delhi prospered in trade and started building havelis, which now form the streetscape of the old city, in their quite deplorable state. The Jain traders re-introduced Rajasthani elements in Delhi’s architecture. The long running verandahs of these havelis, their austere courtyards, and heavily decorated drawing rooms mark a period of socio-cultural transition.
Free cancellation • Full refund if cancelled up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time).
Reserve now & pay later • Secure your spot while staying flexible.
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Ages 18-73
Duration: 2–4 hours
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Highlights

  • GST (Goods and Services Tax)
  • Local taxes
  • Professional guide
  • Entry/Admission - Red Fort
What's not included
  • Food and drinks
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Transportation to/from attractions


Start:
  • Lal Quila, Angoori Bagh Rd, Netaji Subash Place, Lajpat Rai Market, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi, 110006, India
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 76234P104

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Not recommended for pregnant travellers
    • Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
    • Minimum age is 14 years
    • Dress code is smart casual
    • Hotel pickup and drop-off can be arranged on prior intimate @ USD 10 Per person
    • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 76234P104

    From
    £11.80
    per adult (price varies by group size)
    Select date and travellers
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    Itinerary
    • Angoori Bagh Rd, Netaji Subash Place, Lajpat Rai Market, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi, 110006, India
    • 1
      Meet our expert local guide outside the "Lal Quila" metro station, our guide immersed in the local history and culture of Old Delhi will brief you about the secrets to be unraveled. Soon we will visit our first point of interest “Bhai Matidas Square”. On this very square, holy “Sikh” saint “Guru Tegbahadur” attained martyrdom by offering his head instead of leaving his faith and to be religiously converted by tyrant “Mughal” forces. Just opposite to this square is the temple built in the memory of martyred guru known as “Seesganj sikh temple. After a quick halt we will walk by the “Town Hall”, build by the British after the mutiny. The garden and canals near the hall still suggests the opulence once enjoyed by the area, although the British destroyed most of the historical settlements and paved way for the Old Delhi as we know it today. Moving on to the better known alleys of the area called “Katra Neel” (Blue Alley) the name comes from neel (indigo) trade that flourished here at one point of time. That trade no longer exists but what we have now are a series of small shivalays (Shiva Temples), built for personal purposes although many of them have now become public temples. We will see few of the havelis, and understand their architecture and the purpose of various components. For instance we will learn that the word “Otla”, the square platforms just outside the buildings on both sides of the door. These were build so that people can sit for a while and socialize with the people passing by. So, in a way, these otlas played a major role in the social life of erstwhile Old Delhi. After Katra Neel we will slowly move India's biggest Booksellers street known as "Nai sarak", it is a heaven for the school-goer and college-goers alike for finding their studying material at unbelievable prices, also many works of the local artists like posters, calendars find a place for sale over here. Now enter "Parantawali gali" (bread-makers alley) be amazed to watch breads of different enormous sizes for sale and being devoured by the food buffs, it is said that no one can finish off a single bread completely due to its size and richness. Adjacent to it is a complex of Mughal era mansions known as "Nau Ghara" literally meaning 09 homes. The descendants of the erstwhile merchant families still live here and continuing their hereditary mercantile business of clothes and apparels. A very good spot for doing photography besides the giant old gateways & wooden doors. Now we are landing on the giant stairs & steps of "Jama Mosque", biggest mosque of India built by the creator of Taj Mahal " The Shah Jahan". After visiting the mosque our Rickshaw and our guide will drop you back at the "Lal Quila" metro station to conclude the tour.
    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Discover Activities
      4.9 of 5 bubbles642
      New Delhi, India
      Joined in January 2019
    • drohe812
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A must tour if you are visiting Delhi!!
      Today we went on an 8 hour tour of Old and New Delhi…and I must say this was an experience of a lifetime! Jai had his driver pick us up at our hotel (nearly an hour from downtown). He joined us in town and the adventure began!! He took us to places that your average tour guide doesn’t venture to and we were able to experience the real Delhi… we saw a lost city and walked through the ruins in the woods, visited an old stepwell, visited a Buddhist Temple, had a delicious authentic Indian lunch, walked the streets of Old Delhi and rode a rickshaw to the spice market! Visited a hidden museum and jewelry maker. Jai was so accommodating, knowledgeable, and fun!! Don’t hesitate… book now!
      Written 25 March 2025
    • Companion518357
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fantastic Goa tour with Mr Shailesh
      Mr. Shailesh was an amazing tour guide. He was knowledgeable about history and culture. He was accommodating with our plans. He has 20 years experience and is very pleasant and welcoming. I would highly recommend him. On the other hand, The agency communication (Jai Singh ) was a bit short with me and said “ he was spending too much time with our correspondence” when I was having having difficulty trying to figure out how to pay with PayPal for a supplement for a cruise ship pick up location. I didn’t think that was very professional.
      Written 19 March 2025
    • Excursion51127411912
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      If you do just one trip, do this one
      Excellent tour. Our fabulous guide Nisha was very knowledgeable as she has lived her whole life in the slums. We felt totally safe as 2 female visitors. The viator guide, Mr Bram, also stayed with us, and he was excellent. Pick-up and drop off were as arranged. We would definitely recommend this tour. We were even invited to have a traditional cup of tea with Nisha and her mother, we saw 1st hand how the family live. An experience we will never forget. Thank you so much.
      Written 15 March 2025
    • ETheisen
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Short tour of Goa
      Very informed and professional. Highly recommended. Exactly what I was looking for. Lovely to see and learn about historical Goa.
      Written 9 March 2025
    • Shalinee2902
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Awesomely perfect!!!
      Amazing experience with amazing guide!!! Views and food were breathtaking.. the Guide was very friendly and respectful
      Written 7 March 2025
    • louisegT1719GW
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Stunning site! Well worth a day trip from Aurangabad
      These are stunning caves- well worth the trip- carved into the side of a mountain/hill there are many rooms temples- sleepig quarters. I have twice had a guide t salk about them and they have been well worth the cst and then took more time to wander through and linger.
      Written 5 March 2025
    • CarlaC948
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great experience!
      We had an incredible time during our tour. We were well taken care of by the driver and hotel staff, and we were even able to go twice to the reserve. Great experience!
      Written 3 March 2025
    • Freedom01169069028
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Our positive experience
      My husband and I had heard a lot about the Dudhsagar waterfalls and so booked this excursion. We were staying in Anjuna and the tour company picked us up. It ended up being a private tour which was actually really nice. It was about a 2hr drive and when we got there, our tour guide sorted out everything. We then had to take another 45min jeep ride with the providers of the waterfall and other tourists through a very hilly dirt type roads and then it was a 15-20 minute hike to the waterfall. The water was so clear and the scenes picturesque. Afterwards, we then headed to a lovely spice plantation and were offered lunch. The people were so nice and our spice plantation tour guide was incredibly light hearted and funny. It was definitely something we probably would not have looked to do separately but where we experienced going, we would highly recommend. Some of their spices were also for sale so we also purchased a few to take back home with us. Overall, from booking, to driver to tour guide, it was a long trip but we felt incredibly safe and it was a wonderful day out.
      Written 19 February 2025
    • sandracM9414DW
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      An excellent way to experience the spiritual side of Goa
      Today was exactly what I had hoped for. My guide, Savio C, was incredibly knowledgeable about Goan history. In Old Goa, he pointed out and shared fascinating stories about the churches and basilicas, highlighting what made each one unique. On our drive to the Hindu temple, he took the time to explain the Hindu faith, and we were fortunate enough to enter the temple and experience the beauty of the religion firsthand. The visit to the plantation, followed by a delicious Goan lunch, was the perfect way to conclude the day. I feel I received a top-tier tour, and the care and insight Savio C provided were unmatched. Additionally, our driver, Rasheed, was very careful, and I felt safe throughout the entire journey.
      Written 9 February 2025
    • nevanfisher
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great way to see Old Goa in a Half Day!
      We only had 1 free day to experience Goa since this is a work trip, and our 5 hour tour was absolutely perfect for a quick taste of the highlights of Old Goa, to see the Portuguese architectural heritage, and then several of the most historic churches. Our guide, Dnyandeep, was absolutely perfect for this! Incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, with a passion for history and context. I would recommend him in a heartbeat to anyone considering a half day overview of North Goa and only wish we had more time to experience the area with him. Bapu our driver was also excellent, and kept us safe and on time for everything.
      Written 5 February 2025
    • discoverymomi
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Reliable and flexible!
      Our driver Mani was great, very punctual and polite. He pointed at couple of things on the way and dropped and picked us up at the entrance of the attractions and that there was no time pressure for the time we were in them, we went with no guides and wanted to take our time and explore. Car was comfortable and and the trip went smoothly.
      Written 31 January 2025
    • mint699
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      highly recommended walking tour and the highlight of our India trip.
      This awesome “slum tour” was a totally safe one, we found NO beggars at all and all locals were busy with their work and small-scale units / setups. The guide came from the local slum itself and was highly engaging, we were so proud that he was so fluent in English and also training other slum kids as the future guides. Slum dwellers are actually hardworking people always looking to work and live around the nearby manufacturing facilities. Many of them are fabric recyclers, mechanics etc. We also visited an English-speaking coaching centre run by an NGO, it was a fun place for the slum kids to get trained in English, since English speaking abilities fetch jobs quicker in India. Truly an overwhelming experience which we will always remember.
      Written 27 January 2025
    • Relax822390
      0 contributions
      3.0 of 5 bubbles
      Too long a tour for day trip
      Too long a journey for a day trip, road works didn't help. Driver was 45 mins late for pick-up, and kept me waiting for 20 minutes for pick-up at winery for return trip. Winery tour and tasting itself was fine
      Written 26 January 2025
    • tracypC6310YH
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Beautiful private tour of Goa
      The tour was beautiful and interesting. My driver Sachin and guide Shailesh shared interesting information and kept the tour at a good pace.
      Written 25 January 2025
    • RajenM27
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Aurangabad tour operator
      Science can't explain how this was done in the BC ie the technology at that time to carve solid volcanic rock is just not possible Andbi had an incredible tour guide and owns his own car and speaks excellent English and goes out of his way to help you get your tickets His name is M. Taqui tel +91 9890363536 just a amazing person with a positive outlook on life and says it is his skill that is important in the world
      Written 24 January 2025
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