Destinations Covered

Delhi

Tour Duration:

3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)

Overview

Pedal your way around Delhi's historic landmarks, majestic mosques and lively bazaars on this 3.5-hour early-morning bike tour, including breakfast and a choice of two different itineraries. Navigate the maze-like streets of Old Delhi, stopping to snap photos of the UNESCO-listed Red Fort, peek into the Chandni Chowk bazaar and sip tea by the old city walls. Alternatively, glide past the colonial mansions of New Delhi, see the landmark India Gate and browse the stalls at Bengali Market.This small-group tour has a maximum of 10 people for a personalised experience.

What You'll Do:

• 3.5-hour bike tour of Old or New Delhi
• Enjoy cooler morning air, and watch Delhi wake up for the day
• Learn about the history and culture of this ancient city from a guide
• In Old Delhi, see the domes and minarets of Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque
• In New Delhi, pedal around India Gate before the crowds arrive
• Breakfast at a favorite local eatery, bottled water, tea and hotel transport are included
• Small-group tour limited to 10 people provides a more personalized experience

What to Expect

After early morning hotel pickup, get outfitted with a bike and helmet, and listen to a safety briefing. Then set off with your guide, who shares facts about the history of Delhi, an area that has been inhabited since the 6th century.

You have two options when booking: Old Delhi features a labyrinth of narrow lanes lined with timeworn havelis (private mansions) and majestic mosques; New Delhi showcases the wide boulevards and stately government buildings of the British Raj, created when the capital was moved to Delhi from Calcutta in the early 1900s.

During the 3.5-hour tour, ride at a leisurely pace for about two hours total, stopping for photo ops and water breaks. Drinking water, tea and a traditional breakfast are included. After biking, tours end with hotel drop-off.

Old Delhi tour:
Your tour of Old Delhi (the walled city) begins at the Delhi Gate, one of five gates that remain of the original 14. Built for the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, the 17th-century city boasted its prosperity with mansions and elaborate gardens. Pedal through the ruins of the once-glorious city to see highlights like Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India; UNESCO World Heritage–listed Red Fort (Lal Qila), the former residence of the Mughal emperor; and Chandni Chowk, aka the moonlit bazaar, the oldest and busiest market in Old Delhi and one of the largest wholesale markets in India.

Ride past a variety of temples, street vendors with piles of spices and other goods, and bazaars selling colorful wedding accessories and jewelry. Stop for a local tea experience just outside the Old Delhi gate, and finish your tour with breakfast at one of the small eateries specializing in parathas (flatbread) on Paranthe wali Gali, a narrow street known internationally as a culinary destination.

New Delhi tour:
See the more cosmopolitan side of Delhi, starting your tour from the Delhi Gate, which links the old and new parts of the city. Pedal to Ajmeri Gate, once the principal route for royal processions on the way to Ajmer, a town in Rajasthan. Thousands of migrants pass through the gate from the New Delhi Railway Station each day. Continue to the beginning of Paharganj, a backpacker hotspot and gateway to Connaught Place, the colonial heart of New Delhi. Then marvel at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official home of India's president; the mansion contains 340 rooms, and the entire estate covers 320 acres (130 hectares).

Next, wheel over to India Gate before locals and tourists flock to the area. Often compared to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, India Gate stands 138 feet (42 meters) high and honors more than 70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the British Army. Then head to Bengali Market, one of the oldest and most popular markets in New Delhi; famous for its North Indian street food, the market is the perfect place to stop for a traditional breakfast.