Chandni Chowk
Chandni Chowk
4
9:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 8:00 PM
About
The bustling wholesale market here is an excellent place to shop, explore, eat and soak up life in New Delhi.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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Top ways to experience Chandni Chowk
The area
Neighbourhood: Chandni Chowk
This densely populated neighbourhood of Old Delhi is more than three centuries old and is a prized treasure trove, home to diverse Indian communities is most popular for its heritage havelis, old bazaars and places of worship. Explore the everyday life of the locals as you walk into the spice, jewellery, dry fruits, wedding markets and build up an appetite for the Indian street food, including stuffed parathas & jalebis and Mughlai food at Karims. Head to the magnificient Jama Masjid for stunning views of Delhi 6, with the iconic symbol of India in the backdrop – Red Fort. The diversity of Old Delhi demands an entire day to truly enjoy all the treasures hidden in this culturally rich part of the city.
How to get there
  • Chandni Chowk • 3 min walk
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See what travellers are saying
  • chanfrederick
    Singapore, Singapore19 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing experience at Chandni Chowk in the evening with Anubhav
    What an adventure! We came to India to experience the chaos of colour, smell, and the crowd that we have heard so much about. Going to Chandni Chowk in the evening is the best place to do that, and it blew our expectations. This food tour is much more than what we have expected. Anubhav as our guide, and without us knowing, he is like a local celebrity here where we kept encountering people coming up to say hi and took photos with him. We were in good hands, where he brought us all over Chandni Chowk, the spice market, visiting the small food shops and street food stores, local restaurants, going in and out of little alleys while explaining to us every little things that we need to know with knowledge and passion. And he only brought us to places where the food were safe for foreigners like us to consume. The market is a very chaotic place, and we would not be able to make sense out of it. We join this tour expecting to sample some local street food, but we got a lot more out of it. It is a glimpse into the life of the local people too. Highly recommended.
    Visited March 2023
    Written 19 March 2023
  • Dirk W
    Alexandra Headland, Australia6,464 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Not in the morning
    Go to Jama Masjid, right in the heart of Old Delhi, and take a rickshaw for a quick exploration . . . just don't do it in the morning (as our guide suggested), because everything is closed. It is a labyrinth of narrow lanes with hundreds of shops, selling everything you'd ever want - and more. In any case, go back later in the evening and try the best of Indian street food.
    Visited February 2023
    Written 21 March 2023
  • Dennis P
    Melbourne, Australia2,107 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    NOW THIS IS CROWDED, BUT INTERESTING IN PARTS
    As part of our tour we were taken on a three wheel tuk tuk ride down this crowded,cramped street/alley. Probably no more than a couple of metres wide. The lane was lined either sides by very small shops selling mainly women’s clothing This area was built in the 17th century and includes the India’s largest wholesale markets Tourists are taken down through this famous market in a three wheel rickshaw. It is crowded and there is really insufficient time to take it all in.constantly hitting holes and bumps in the alley , and narrowly missing similar vehicles coming the other way. Once out of this "tourist run" the rest of the tour through the bazaar was relatively interesting. Many spices shops, and small enterprises all trading mainly with locals The btuktuk ride really could be dispensed with. A total walking tour would provide more insitre to this bustling and colourful area
    Visited February 2023
    Written 21 March 2023
  • Simon D
    338 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Crazy Morning Enjoying the Sights of the Delhi Spice Market
    We think this the essence of India, well away from the regular tourist traps. We know this because this is a very busy area with all the locals going about their business. Our tour guide arranged a Tuk Tuk to transport us about 1 kilometre from where the bus parked to the marker proper. It is very organised in an Indian way. With local vendors selling their wares in front of little shops that open around 10.00am. Once this time passes they disappear and the shop behind starts up. Let us be direct by western standards the smells are just plain awful, but from the locals perspective that is normal. A spice shop we stood in front of was nearly overpowering from the many ground and whole spices on display. The streets are chaotic with Tuk Tuks, motorbikes, wheelbarrows, people, cars, cows, bulls and finally tourists all trying to navigate the broken and uneven ground. To sum up terrific and a must see. Just do not miss the spaghetti of wires where power is distributed, just crazy but apparently safe!!!!
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 9 April 2023
  • Andrew D
    Singapore, Singapore398 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Messy
    I feel that Chandni Chowk is very love it or hate it. It is very raw and it impacts all your five senses from every direction. While I do enjoy it for the first 10 minutes, its grittiness starts to grate me thereafter as it is hard to walk your way around narrow streets with vehicles trying to cross at the same time.
    Visited May 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 13 May 2023
  • thesizzlingdiary
    Gurugram (Gurgaon), India1,539 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Good for wedding shopping
    Chandni Chowk is a good market to buy items in bulk. They have a good variety of wedding lehengas for different budgets. Most of them are semi-stitched. You can also buy unstitched ethni suits at cheaper rates here. Gifting items such as comforter sets are available at reduced cost in the market. It can be crowded during the weekends and the lanes are really tiny. Do try the famous fried parathas here at the parathe wali gali. You can find a lot of wedding related things here such as a wedding cards, clothes, gifting items etc.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 11 August 2023
  • Andythebaggie
    Birmingham, United Kingdom2,328 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Vibrant and enthralling market
    We toured this market via rickshaw and it was a fun and unforgettable experience! Full of life and the vibrancy, colours and aromas that you read about in Indian markets. Very busy and bustling with a wide range of shops (haggling required of course!). Plenty of monkeys on the rooftops too!
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 27 September 2023
  • ranjeet K
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dense market for everything
    This is an amazing huge market, especially for wholesalers but also for people like me. Sachan Tours had arranged a special walk for us through the masala market, Fatehpuri mosque, and in several gullies where things are sold pretty cheap. One can not walk in the spice market without a mask because of the strong smell of spices, but it's worth seeing. We even bought some spices a bit of dry fruits. If you are in Delhi, it must be visited.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 9 October 2023
  • satwantpool
    Singapore, Singapore318 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Go to place
    Good but very crowded place for you to obtain your daily or household needs or festival items. A go to place for locals. Nothing much for tourist. Several historical places along the way.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 17 October 2023
  • VIPIN_GOEL_TP_Impex
    New Delhi, India7,195 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Do not Forget to Taste the Delhi 6 Flavour
    When we go there we have multiple choices to eat along with the work we want go there to do. This time we visited Favwara Chowk and have Fruit Cream just outside the Gurudwara. Delicious sweet taste that you will always remember for years to come. You can drive your car after 9pm in Chandni Chowk. Chandni Chowk is redeveloped few years back.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 1 December 2023
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TC6217
Burlington, VT161 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Solo
A bustling market where you buy just about anything. Crowds and chaos and just about every smell you can imagine, from spices and tea shops to...well, not so pleasant smells.

It's an interesting perspective into the old "heyday' of Delhi. Rickshaws and Cows all over the area and the lanes are tiny and narrow. If you're not someone that likes crowds and congestion, this is not the place for you. If you're into history, it's worth checking out at least once. For me, once was enough and I'll probably never make it back.

Would have liked to see it back in the 60's. Today, it's just way overcrowded and hasn't been able to keep up. Lots of construction and lack of infrastructure to help keep the area clean.
Written 9 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Meet Doshi D
Dubai, United Arab Emirates137 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Friends
Narrow busy bustling lanes in the center of the city. Great places to eat. It's an experience to walk through those extremely narrow busy lanes of chandni chows. It was the Pulse of whole sale and retail trade and had some amazing places to eat. Must have Daulat ki chaat and Parathas at paratha gully.
Written 3 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Melkai
Roswell, GA322 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Friends
Very very crazy place. Get a guide and hire a driver for the easiest visit. If you’re looking for something figure out where it is as everything has its own blocks. Bargain for deals and wear close toed durable shoes. Hire a rickshaw driver to get around. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience
Written 20 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Antilia shah
Illinois2 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Family
It's crazy but different our tour company took us this place we had been spice market it's very noisy place lots of crazy things you can see but different good experience.
Written 28 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Renan
226 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Solo
You have to love chaos and people to appreciate this place. This is where they organise street food tours so a lot of places serve safe food for non-Indians bellies. There is a section called the spice market (you'll have to make your way inside a building called Gadodia Market), the air is full of spice smell. Although not odorant, it's very agressive and makes you cough / sneeze after only 3 min. Very unique and something you surely won't find in many places.
Written 22 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Abovetheclouds
2,442 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Solo
All I say is 'This is India'. Do not go alone. I was a female solo traveller. I had a guide with me. It is beyond busy, people are tightly packed together. I didn't even take a bag. Just carry small change in a pocket. Much safer. I got a little nervous in some parts as people were pushing and it was really busy. I enjoyed the atmosphere and browsing the many shops from clothing to spices, electronics, food and more. Vendors can be pushy. We went on a Saturday afternoon, early evening. It was lovely as the area became dark and the lights came on. Cool atmosphere. There is a metro station nearby but we took an uber. Just take into account, if you book an uber, you can wait up to forty minutes with the traffic! Try and walk down some of the small alleys. You will find beautiful old buildings and 'traditional life'.
Written 6 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sonya B
Pompano Beach, FL65 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Friends
New Delhi, in my view is an elitist city, home to Prime Minister Modi & government buildings. The best of New Delhi aside from the historical sites & monuments, is the home & gardens where Ghandi spent his last days which is definitely worth a couple of hours. It is a truly spiritual place. However, most impactful part will be venturing into the central part of Delhi. You must experience the traffic, the throngs of people, the food stalls, the colors. Foremost, I will never forget our visit to the beautiful Sikh Temple & community kitchen where anyone can volunteer to help cook. They feed approximatley 40,000 people per day. We were warmly welcomed & invited to help prepare roti. Whoever is sitting next to you will guide you. You can come just to eat dal & roti with thousands of others. No questions are asked. Hopefully you will learn about Sikhism. If you have more than a few days, travel, travel, travel. India & its people are a remarkable melting pot of cultural diversity. A smile & "namaste" is always graciously returned.
Written 30 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Laura V
1 contribution
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
I have never felt so unsafe. As a white woman (dressed modestly) I was followed and stared at (I expected the staring), people tried to grab my bag, people kept trying to touch me or rub against me, the men offering the bike tours just kept riding next to me even when I both politely and firmly said I wanted to walk. My husband was with me and speaks Hindi and said they were making comments about me also. At one point when people wouldn't stop following me through alleys of shops I went inside a temple just to be able to breathe and relax for a minute.
It's a shame, because in terms of the stalls I could have spent all day there and I don't want to go to a country and watch the culture from the sidelines, but to be honest I couldn't wait to leave and never go back.
Written 19 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

VIPIN_GOEL_TP_Impex
New Delhi, India7,195 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
When we go there we have multiple choices to eat along with the work we want go there to do. This time we visited Favwara Chowk and have Fruit Cream just outside the Gurudwara. Delicious sweet taste that you will always remember for years to come. You can drive your car after 9pm in Chandni Chowk. Chandni Chowk is redeveloped few years back.
Written 1 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Zarza's Travels
Auckland, New Zealand464 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Solo
An explosion on the senses but a place full of so much life - this place has to be a must for travellers. The amount of shops, stalls and alleys is mesmerising - there is so much to see! Lots of spices and teas available - arguably along with everything and anything else you could possibly need! I suggest hiring a cycle rickshaw and touring the alleys - you see so much. Be sure to tip appropriately, these people work really hard for the tourists!
Written 31 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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CHANDNI CHOWK: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Chandni Chowk

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