Delhi in 3 Days From a South Delhi Base

Most first-time visitors to Delhi plan the sights and then discover that the city is enormous. A place that looks close on a map can be an hour away at the wrong time. The best fix is simple: plan your days around where you sleep, and group each day’s sights into one corner of the city.

This is a three-day plan from a South Delhi home. It is deliberately easy. It is built from a handful of well-known places, with measured drive times so that you can see how the days fit.

The drive times are road distances worked out on a map at a quiet time of day with no traffic. Delhi traffic is real, so add generous time in the morning and evening. Check opening days and ticket rules before you go, because many monuments have a weekly closing day.

Choosing your base

For a first visit, two of our South Delhi areas work especially well.

• Hauz Khas is central and well connected, with the Yellow Line metro and a lively village lane of cafes. It is the best all-round base.
• Mehrauli is quieter and greener, and is the closest to Qutub Minar. Late-night food thins out after 11 pm.

If you have an early flight, Vasant Kunj is close to the airport road. Our South Delhi neighbourhood guide covers the rest.

Measured drive times from your base

From	Qutub Minar	Hauz Khas Village	Lodhi Garden	Humayun’s Tomb	India Gate	Lotus Temple
Hauz Khas	4 km, 4 min	1.7 km, 4 min	5.6 km, 7 min	7.5 km, 10 min	8 km, 9 min	6.5 km, 9 min
Mehrauli	1.5 km, 4 min	6 km, 10 min	10 km, 12 min	12.5 km, 17 min	12 km, 15 min	10 km, 14 min
Lajpat Nagar	9.4 km, 12 min	7 km, 12 min	5.5 km, 9 min	4.4 km, 9 min	6 km, 10 min	6 km, 9 min

From	Red Fort	Chandni Chowk	Akshardham
Hauz Khas	15 km, 19 min	14 km, 18 min	15 km, 18 min
Mehrauli	19 km, 24 min	18 km, 23 min	20 km, 25 min
Lajpat Nagar	12 km, 17 min	11 km, 16 min	10 km, 15 min

The pattern is useful. Old Delhi is a long way from a Mehrauli base, and central Delhi is a short hop from Lajpat Nagar. Choose the area that matches the days you care about most.

Day 1: The south, on foot and slowly

Start with Qutub Minar and the ruins around it, early in the day. It is the closest sight to Mehrauli, and quieter before the crowds. Walk through Mehrauli’s lanes afterwards, and stop for lunch.

In the afternoon, go to Hauz Khas Village. The old reservoir and the monuments around it are a pleasant walk, and the lane fills with cafes and galleries in the evening. It is lively and gets noisy at weekends. Eat there, then head home.

This day stays within about 5 km, so it works even if you arrive tired.

Day 2: Central Delhi

Go north in the morning, when roads are quieter. Humayun’s Tomb is a good first stop, with large gardens to walk through. Lodhi Garden is a gentle walk between sights and a good place for a break.

Then India Gate, the great ceremonial avenue and the surrounding lawns. Evenings are busy and festive. It is a short drive from either base.

A good rule for this day is to book a cab for the full day, rather than hailing one at each stop. Central Delhi is spread out and the pick-up points are crowded.

Day 3: Old Delhi

This is the hardest day for the traffic, so give it the most time. Go early to the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk. The lanes of Chandni Chowk are best on foot, and you will want to eat there. The metro is often quicker than a car in this part of the city.

If you have energy left in the afternoon, Akshardham or the Lotus Temple are both on the way home, depending on your base. Check the visiting rules for each, including how to enter and what is allowed.

If you would rather skip Old Delhi, replace Day 3 with a slow day in the south: a market, a long lunch, and an early night.

Practical points

• Rest days. Three full days of sights is a lot in Delhi. Build in an afternoon off.
• Cabs. Agree a price or use the meter, and ask your host about reliable pick-ups.
• A kitchen is useful on a trip like this. Most of our homes have one, so you can make breakfast and skip an early restaurant. Each listing shows what the home includes.
• Tickets and timings. Check opening times, closing days and ticket rules before you leave. They change.

Booking the base

Our homes are private apartments, not hotels. You book the whole home. The total, including our 14% service fee, is shown before you pay. Stays of 7 nights or more get 10% off the nightly rate, and 14 nights or more get 15%. Bookings are approved by the owner before payment, and payment is online with no cash at the property. Every guest shows valid government photo ID at check-in, and foreign visitors need a passport with a valid Indian visa. Check the listing’s cancellation tier before you pay.

Tell us your dates, how many of you there are and what you most want to see on WhatsApp, and we will suggest an area and a home. Browse South Delhi homes or apartments in Delhi to start.