Inspired by the book “Where To Go When” by Lonely Planet, I decided to do a monthly feature on where to travel when. Each month I will highlight a specific destination that would be perfect for the next month. November is almost up and that means it’s time for a new destination: New Delhi, India!
Area of new delhi
New Delhi is a city in South Asia and the capital of India. With a total area over 42 sq km (16 sq mi), New Delhi is one of 11 districts in the Delhi metropolitan area. Undulating ridges, flat plains and wet lands are characteristics when it comes to landscapes. Since New Delhi falls under the seismic zone-IV, it’s more vulnerable to earthquakes. There were about 20 earthquakes in the past 15 years, with a 7.8 Richter magnitude scale being the heaviest in April of 2015. Most others weren’t that bad (some vibrating furniture at most), so don’t let this scare you away because there’s so much to see!
why november?
New Delhi has a humid subtropical climate bordering a hot semi-dry climate. This means that there are high variations between summer and winter in terms of temperature and rainfall, with summers up to 46 °C (115 °F) and winter temperatures as low as 0 °C (32 °F). That’s why November is perfect; comfortable temperatures, almost no rain and not too humid!
other months to visit new delhi
Another great month to visit New Delhi is March. Around this time you will have pretty much the same weather conditions as November. If you prefer lower temperatures, the months December til February are a better choice!
population of new delhi
With over 27 million people, New Delhi is the 5th most populous city in the world. The thing that always crosses my mind when I think about the people in India is smiling faces and all those colorful vestments. Must be an incredible street view with this many people! What’s the first thing that crosses your mind when you think about people from India?
Hindi is the most spoken language, but you can get around with English a lot too, especially in a city as big as New Delhi! When it comes to religion, Hinduism definitely has the largest following with almost 90% of New Delhi’s population.
currency & rates
If you are traveling to New Delhi, you will need to exchange your currency for the Indian Rupee. Except for Mumbai, New Delhi is relatively more expensive than the rest of India, but compared to cities like New York the cost of living is about 68.5% lower. To give you an idea:
Indian food
Another thing that comes to mind when I think of India is the mouth-watering food. In New Delhi you will find street stalls all over town, where you can try the best local food, like chaat, (stuffed) paranthas or kebab, but also a lot of great restaurants with dishes like buttered chicken, nihari and momos!
Already getting hungry? I know I am…
transportation
New Delhi offers many options when it comes to public transportation. It has one of India’s largest bus transport systems, but you can also easily get around by train, metro, taxi or tuk tuk! Prices for public transport are also a fair deal, but you can imagine though, that with this many people, it can get pretty crowded in traffic…
things to do in new delhi
There are so many impressive structures to visit if you’re visiting New Delhi, like Humayun’s Tomb, a building that combines Persian style with local craftsmanship and is surrounded by the fiercely symmetrical Mughal gardens or Red Fort, that took over 10 years to be built back in the 17th century.
And then of course there is the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal is about 225 km (139 mi) from New Delhi in Agra. It will take you about 3-4 hours to get there. They offer a lot of day trips from New Delhi to the Taj Mahal, but if you want to beat the crowds and get there early I recommend hiring a car and spend the night nearby.
Another must to visit is one of many bazars or markets in New Delhi. The most popular market is the Janpath & Tibetan Market. Buy things like Indian artifacts, handcrafts, cheap jewelry, leather, hippy clothing, shoes, paintings and brassware.
If you want to learn about India’s most powerful dynasty then you should pay a visit to the house of the controversial former prime-minister Indira Gandhi, Indira Gandhi Smriti, where she was shot and killed by one of her bodyguards in 1984. Or explore some of the Indian art in the National Museum, where they have beautiful collections of paintings, archeologic findings, decorative art and ornamented arms and armor.
So, why New Delhi?
New Delhi is a very interesting city when it comes to beautiful architecture, delicious food and a wealthy culture. With the more comfortable temperatures in November you can easily go sightseeing without feeling overheated. I know I really can’t wait to visit next November with Traverse Journeys! What about you, excited yet?
Have you already been to New Delhi? If so, I would love to hear your tips and experiences!
Or is New Delhi still on your TravelLustList, like it is on mine? Let me know in the comments!
PS: I will be going to India by the end of October 2020. Want to join me? Check out this amazing trip that Traverse Journeys has to offer!
