Delhi Travel Guide – Navigating India's Ancient Capital

Delhi requires extra caution for solo female travellers, particularly at night and in less-visited areas. Stick to Metro and Uber after dark — avoid autos alone at night. Connaught Place, South Delhi (Hauz Khas, Khan Market), and the main tourist corridors are generally manageable during daylight. Cover shoulders and knees in Old Delhi and temple areas. Connect with other solo travellers at your hostel and share information about current conditions.

Delhi Airport and New Delhi Railway Station are notorious for touts. Common tactics: men in uniform-like clothing 'helping' you find transport (they earn commission from overpriced taxis). Fix: at the airport, use only the prepaid taxi counter inside arrivals or the Metro Airport Express. At railway stations, go directly to the official pre-paid taxi counter or use Uber/Ola from the designated pickup zone. Ignore anyone who approaches you offering 'help.'

Delhi (particularly around Paharganj and Connaught Place) has a concentration of unofficial 'travel agents' who claim to be government tourism offices. Common pitch: your train/hotel is 'cancelled' and they can help rebook. They cannot. Verify all bookings directly — IRCTC for trains, hotel websites for rooms. The real India Tourism office is at 88 Janpath, Connaught Place — everything else nearby is private and commission-driven.

Old Delhi's lanes (galis) are not on Google Maps and the area is genuinely disorienting — getting lost is part of the experience but can become tiring. Hire a reliable cycle-rickshaw from a fixed stand (not random approach). Don't carry your full day's cash in Chandni Chowk — use a money belt or front-pocket wallet. Photography: ask before pointing cameras at people; respectful approach always gets a better response.

Delhi belly is real — the combination of pollution, heat, and unfamiliar bacteria affects most first-time visitors. Stick to bottled water (check the seal). Street food from high-turnover stalls (look for locals eating there) is generally fine — the busier, the safer. Avoid raw salads, ice in drinks at local restaurants, and cut fruit from carts. Paranthe Wali Gali, Karim's, and Al Jawahar (all in Old Delhi) are established institutions with high standards.

Nov–Jan brings severe air pollution (AQI 300–400+ on bad days — 'hazardous' by EPA standards). Symptoms for newcomers: sore throat, itchy eyes, headaches. Pack N95 masks and use them during outdoor sightseeing on heavy smog days. The Metro is fully enclosed and air-filtered — use it instead of walking when AQI is very high. Check AQICN.org or the SafeAir India app for daily readings.