Travel Guide for Weekend Destinations around Delhi in Summers

Lot of friends who visit me in Delhi are not able to explore the city well because of weird weather (don't take it personally if you are a Delhite). Winter is probably best time to explore various architectural marvels of Delhi, some of the most interesting food shops/streets, shopping areas and UNESCO World Heritage sites. Even in winters, there are times, when smog makes it impossible to enjoy the places well. If you are prepped up well with N95 masks and love hazy views, you don't need to worry a lot about which months see smog in Delhi. Anyways, September, October (before Diwali) and then Feb are probably best months to explore Delhi.

Lot of folks who visit Delhi are not able to explore the city well because of weird weather (don't take it personally if you are a Delhite). Especially summer season is very discouraging. But still if you are in capital city of India, the architectural marvels of Delhi can be explored relatively well because of green landscapes around them to calm down the heat a bit. Delhi has some of the most interesting food shops/streets, shopping areas and UNESCO World Heritage sites. Delhi Metro and Uber/Ola can be your best friends to roam around in Delhi during summers, apart from Red buses by DTC. HOHO buses by Delhi Tourism is anotehr good option and we shall discuss them more in separate post as we are going to discuss places around Delhi for spending extended weekends.
Related post - A super aggressive tour of Taj Mahal & Jaipur city during a weekend around Delhi

For summers, we thought of compiling a list of things you can do in Delhi as well as weekend destinations which can be easily planned from Delhi. We are also talking about destinations which fit better for extended weekends. There is tagging of weather conditions along with each option shared as - Hot, Moderate and Pleasant which are self-explanatory. 

Weekend Destinations around Delhi :

Related post - A super aggressive tour of Taj Mahal & Jaipur city during a weekend around Delhi As winters are approaching now, I thought of compiling a list of things you can do in Delhi as well as weekend destinations which can be easily planned from Delhi. We are also talking about destinations which fit better for extended weekends. Weekend Destinations around Delhi :
Haridwar (Hot)
Rajaji National Park (Moderate)
Nainitaal (Pleasant)
Related post - A super aggressive tour of Taj Mahal & Jaipur city during a weekend around Delhi As winters are approaching now, I thought of compiling a list of things you can do in Delhi as well as weekend destinations which can be easily planned from Delhi. We are also talking about destinations which fit better for extended weekends. Weekend Destinations around Delhi :Dhanachuli (Pleasant)
Naukuchiataal (Pleasant)
Saat-Taal (Pleasant)
Mukteshwar (Pleasant)
Vrindavan (Hot)
Lansdown (Pleasant)
Dhanaulti (Pleasant)
Mussourie (Pleasant)
Binsar (Pleasant)
Jageshwar (Pleasant)

Related post - A super aggressive tour of Taj Mahal & Jaipur city during a weekend around Delhi As winters are approaching now, I thought of compiling a list of things you can do in Delhi as well as weekend destinations which can be easily planned from Delhi. We are also talking about destinations which fit better for extended weekends. Weekend Destinations around Delhi :Jaipur (Hot)
Shekhawati region - Heritage Tour of Churu & Ramgarh (Hot)
Mandawa  (Hot)
Related post - A super aggressive tour of Taj Mahal & Jaipur city during a weekend around Delhi As winters are approaching now, I thought of compiling a list of things you can do in Delhi as well as weekend destinations which can be easily planned from Delhi. We are also talking about destinations which fit better for extended weekends. Weekend Destinations around Delhi :




Related post - A super aggressive tour of Taj Mahal & Jaipur city during a weekend around Delhi As winters are approaching now, I thought of compiling a list of things you can do in Delhi as well as weekend destinations which can be easily planned from Delhi. We are also talking about destinations which fit better for extended weekends. Weekend Destinations around Delhi :

Palampur (Pleasant)
Kasauli (A quick road-trip) (Pleasant)


Dalhousie (3 Days) (Pleasant)

Manali & Rohtang Pass (3 Days) (Pleasant)

The list shared above is  very small in comparison to things Delhi can offer to explorers and travellers. In fact, Delhi itself is full of various interesting options, which we shall try to compile again. This list can further be divided for different types of travellers as per their tastes, ages and their travelling habits.

 Related post : Top 10 Hill Stations in Himachal Pradesh, India

Delhi has different kinds of weekend getaways in various northern states of India. All these destinations include hills, deserts, strong cultural influences, natural beauty, ghats, rivers, wildlife, national parks, historical locations and lot more. Many of the destinations mentioned in this blog have very good connectivity through roads and you can choose to drive as well.

 Related post - There is nothing like camping under star-spangled sky of Kullu Sarahan, Himachal Pradesh (India)

Main places to explore in Delhi during Summers :

 KASOL :

 Kasol is a small yet beautiful village in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. It was always in my bucket list since I came to know about the place through my friends. During the second week of June when the temperature was soaring in Raipur, I planned the trip to the cool hill station with my college friends. It was a 5 days/ 4 nights’ trip and we were a total of six guys travelling. 

 Related Post - Kasol: A beautiful Himalayan hotspot

 How to Reach Kasol :

 When it comes to options of reaching Kasol from Delhi or Chandigarh, the only way to hit this region is by road. It's not connected by railway and flights are not very frequent to Kullu. There is an Airport near to Kasol, which is located in Bhuntar (Kullu) but flights are rare and would be a costly affair. In some of the portals, folks have quoted low rates like 2.5K but I could never find that. There is no rail line in part of Himachal Pradesh. Kiratpur Saheb in Punjab and Una in Himachal are two railway stations around this place. Both of these railways stations are more than 150 kilometers away from Kasol. There is another narrow-gauge line at around 100 kilometers, which is located in Jogindernagar, but it's not recommended except in a scenario when you have enough time and want to experience toy train, which starts from Pathankot and ends at Jogindernagar.

 Related post : Trek to Malana from Kasol, Himachal Pradesh

 So road is only good options to reach Kasol. Now transportation has improved a lot and you have multiple options. There are luxury buses by HRTC are available for Kullu from Delhi, Chandigarh & many other main cities. Even normal buses of HRTC are also quite good and cheapest way to travel. Luxury buses by Himachal Tourism are also available from Delhi. All Volvo buses by HRTC & Himachal Tourism start from Himachal Bhavan in Delhi, which is located in Mandi House near Connaught Place.

 Related post - Great National Himalayan Park - The first and only exclusive World Heritage Sites in Himachal Pradesh  

 All these buses go to Manali via Kullu and one needs to get down at Bhuntar to take local bus for Kasol or a taxi. Kasol is located at around 30 kilometers from Bhuntar. Kullu can be reached from Delhi by national highway NH 1 up to Chandigarh and from there by national highway NH21 which passes through Bilaspur, Sundernagar and Mandi towns. Kullu is 480 km from Delhi. 

 Related post - How to reach Kasol and things to do around Kasol/Malana in Himachal Pradesh (India)
JIBHI, SHOJA and BANJAR :

 Related post : Road trip to Jibhi, Shoja & Banjar region of Himachal Pradesh, India

 JALORI PASS - One of the favourite destinations of Bikers

 Related post : Jalori Pass to Serolsar Lake - Not all treks have to be difficult

 KULLU-MANALI :

 Related post : How to reach Manali and main places to see around Kullu, Himachal Pradesh

 SPITI VALLEY :

 Related post - How to reach Spiti Valley from Delhi and things to do around Kinnaur/Spiti in Himachal Pradesh

Shimla for snow & exploring British Architecture Shimla used to be summer capital of Britishers while it doesn't disappoint in winters as well. In fact you can be lucky to see snowfall if visiting during Jan end or Feb beginning. Christmas is also a time when Shimla sees snowfall but certainly all unpredictable and varies from one year to another. And there is a lot of to do in Shimla. For more you may want to check out the link above.


Shimla used to be summer capital of Britishers while it doesn't disappoint in winters as well. In fact you can be lucky to see snowfall if visiting during Jan end or Feb beginning. Christmas is also a time when Shimla sees snowfall but certainly all unpredictable and varies from one year to another. 

And there is a lot of to do in Shimla. For more you may want to check out the link above.

How to reach Shimla from Delhi - There are few ways and self-drive can be very interesting option expect that traffic in Shimla town can disappoint you and for local sightseeing you may still need to opt for local cab. There are overnight & day-time Volvo/Scania luxury buses, These are semi-sleeper and comfortable. One can also chose to take train to Kalka and then take toy-train from Kalka to Shimla, which is heritage railway line. It may take more time but depends what kind of priorities you have while travelling. There is airport near Shimla but flights can be expensive unless you plan in advance.

How to reach Shimla from Delhi - There are few ways and self-drive can be very interesting option expect that traffic in Shimla town can disappoint you and for local sightseeing you may still need to opt for local cab.

There are overnight & day-time Volvo/Scania luxury buses, These are semi-sleeper and comfortable.

One can also chose to take train to Kalka and then take toy-train from Kalka to Shimla, which is heritage railway line. It may take more time but depends what kind of priorities  you have while travelling. 

There is airport near Shimla but flights can be expensive unless you plan in advance. 

Mcleodganj for experiencing the Budhism culture : Dharmshala & Mcleodganj have been very popular Hill Stations in Himlayan State of India (Himachal Pradesh) and it's more popular now because of wonderful Cricket Stadium there. Palampur is another interesting place, which is not as commercialized as Mcleodganj is. Palampur is rich in terms of natural beauty and also known as Tea Estate of North India. Wonderful landspaces with snow covered hills of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges and widely spread Tea gardens. There is a famous temple on the way from Dharmshala to Palampur - Chamunda Devi !


Mcleodganj for experiencing the Budhism culture :
Dharmshala & Mcleodganj have been very popular Hill Stations in Himlayan State of India (Himachal Pradesh) and it's more popular now because of wonderful Cricket Stadium there.




Palampur is another interesting place, which is not as commercialized as Mcleodganj is. Palampur is rich in terms of natural beauty and also known as Tea Estate of North India. Wonderful landspaces with snow covered hills of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges and widely spread Tea gardens. There is a famous temple on the way from Dharmshala to Palampur - Chamunda Devi !

Overnight Buses can be best option unless you want to self-drive or go in a taxi. Nearest train is either in Una or Pathankot. There is early morning flight from Delhi to Gaggal, which relatively close to Dharmshala/Mclepdganj.

Overnight Buses can be best option unless you want to self-drive or go in a taxi. Nearest train is either in Una or Pathankot. There is early morning flight from Delhi to Gaggal, which relatively close to Dharmshala/Mclepdganj. 

 DALHOUSIE & KHAJJIAR :

 Related Blogpost : How to reach Khajjiar and main things to do around Dalhousie in Himachal Pradesh (India)

 BAROT :

 Surrounded by lush green mountain ranges, the high altitude Barot valley is Himachal Pradesh's least explored tourist destination. Everyone is flocking towards Manali and Shimla pressurizing the local ecosystem, neglecting much more beautiful destinations in Himachal Pradesh like Barot, Jibhi, and Tirthan. Barot is located at a distance of 38km from Jogindernagar (nearest railway station) and is home to scenic mountains, old villages, and lush green deodar trees. So if you are planning the next trip to Himachal Pradesh then Barot valley should always be on your wish list. 

 Related Post - Barot - A Time Capsule, Times of India
Tucked away in the remote recesses of the Mandi District of Himachal Pradesh, lies the tiny town of Barot. To a large extent untouched by tourism, the town offers a peaceful getaway to travellers, away from the hustle-bustle of daily life. 


Surrounded by century-old, tall deodars, Barot is a time
capsule and visiting Barot is like taking a peek into the bygone era when human beings still knew how to live in peace with their surroundings and with nature. The river Uhl runs through the town twisting its way amongst boulders and polishing pebbles till they glitter like silver and gold, and birds of all colours and sizes sing their various songs while flitting in and out of sight.

 Related Post - How to reach Barot and things to do around this beautiful valley in Himachal Pradesh
How to reach Barot from Chandigarh or Delhi 

Reaching Barot totally depends upon your starting location. If you are coming from Chandigarh or Delhi then you need to follow the steps mentioned below To reach Barot you need to know the basic geography of your traveling route. 
Delhi > Chandigarh > Bilaspur > Sundernagar > Mandi. From Mandi, one route will go towards Manali and the other towards Pathankot. You have to take Mandi- Pathankot national highway and at a distance of 58km from Mandi place called Ghatasni will come from where one way will go towards Jogindernagar and other will go towards Barot via Jhatingiri>Tikkan. The distance from Ghatasni to Barot is around 28km. 


TREKS :

KHEERGANGA TREK :

 For last few years Kheerganga has become a popular trek in Himachal Pradesh and one of the main reasons for that is that it's relatively shorter, easier yet enjoyable. 

 Related post - Exploring impossible landscapes on Kheerganga Trek, Himachal Pradesh 

CHURDHAR TREK :

Related Post - CHURDHAR TREK VIA CHOUPAL - SARAHAN, Himachal Pradesh


DAINKUND TREK, Dalhousie :


HAMPTA PASS TREK :


KARERI LAKE HIKE :

Kareri Lake is a beautiful lake around Dhauladhar Mountain ranges. Fresh water of melting snow from Dhaudhar peaks is source of water in Kareri Lake and that's why you see such a pure & reflective surface in all photographs of this lake. Lake is located 10 kilometers away from Dharmshala. 

Kareri lake is one of the popular trekking destination around Dhauladhars. There is a shiva temple near the lake. Kareri lake is also a base for some of the long & difficult treks into Dhauladhar mountain ranges. There are few treks to Chamba and Bharmaur. 


SHRIKHAND MAHADEV TREK :


SEROLSAR LAKE TREK :



HATU PEAK TREK :


NAKO LAKE HIKE, SPITI VALLEY :


TUNGNATH TREK :



KEDARKANTHA TREK :


If you liked this post and found it helpful, I would request you to follow these things when traveling - 

1. Manage your waste well and don’t litter Use dustbins.
2. Tell us if you went to a place and found it hard to locate a dustbin. 
3. Avoid bottle waters in hills. Usually you get clean water in hills and water bottles create lot of mess in our ecosystem. 
4. Say big no to plastic and avoid those unhealthy snacks packed in plastic bags. Rather buy fruits. 
5. Don't play loud blaring music in forests of jungle camps. You are a guest in that ecosystem and disturbing the locals (humans and animals) is not polite

Related Blogposts - 

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I have seen Vegetarians panic when they have to travel to USA for the first time, but things are not as bad as it seems. It varies from state to state in USA, but we will try to share some common tips around what to avoid or what to chose. It's important to know the list of things to avoid, as definition of vegetarian is also different there and you may want to know those definitions as well.



Rising majestically along the banks of the Yamuna River, the Red Fort is more than just a monument—it is a living symbol of India’s layered history, cultural richness, and enduring identity. Known locally as Lal Qila, this UNESCO World Heritage Site stands as a silent witness to centuries of imperial grandeur, colonial upheaval, and the birth of a nation.




Architectural Brilliance of Humayun’s Tomb 1. Persian & Mughal Influence Humayun’s Tomb is a perfect blend of Persian, Turkish, and Indian architecture. The design was heavily influenced by Persian gardens and domed structures, while incorporating Indian red sandstone and marble.


Delhi, the bustling capital of India, is a vibrant blend of history and modernity, where ancient monuments coexist with bustling markets and contemporary skyscrapers. This sprawling metropolis, divided into Old Delhi and New Delhi, offers a rich tapestry of experiences for residents and visitors alike. Old Delhi, with its narrow lanes and historical landmarks like the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, and Chandni Chowk, exudes a timeless charm, showcasing the city's Mughal past. In contrast, New Delhi, designed by British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, is characterized by its wide boulevards, grand government buildings, and lush green spaces such as India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan. Delhi's cultural diversity is reflected in its myriad festivals, diverse culinary scene, and vibrant arts and music culture. As the political and administrative heart of India, Delhi also hosts significant events and houses important institutions. This dynamic city, with its blend of the old and the new, continues to evolve, making it a captivating destination for anyone looking to explore the essence of India.

Nestled within the grandeur of the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi lies a hidden gem known as Amrit Udyan, a serene and meticulously landscaped garden that offers respite from the bustling capital. This verdant oasis, situated within the sprawling grounds of the Indian President's House, provides a tranquil escape for those fortunate enough to explore its lush expanse.




Nestled in the heart of South Delhi, Hauz Khas Village, Deer Park, and the enchanting Hauz Khas Lake collectively form a haven that seamlessly blends history, nature, and contemporary charm. Join us on a journey through this multifaceted destination, where ancient heritage coexists with vibrant urban life, creating an unparalleled experience for locals and visitors alike.


In case you hear the name "Sunder Nursery" of Delhi and think of a beautiful plant nursery, I don't blame you a bit. But in reality, Sunder Nursery is that and much more. We had been planning to visit the place in a long time and in the current state of things, when the world has only just opened back up a little after a harrowing second wave of the pandemic, visiting a beautiful outdoor location and sitting on the grass with cool breeze blowing, sounds nothing short of a dream. This Sunday, we decided to make this dream a reality.


Most likely you have heard about famous Paranthe Wali Gali in Old Delhi, but you may not know all the realities of this street. Through this post, we will share some realities which may change your perception of the place. Idea is not to discourage or encourage anyone to visit this place for Paranthas but to ensure you make an informed decision on the basis of details shared in this blogpost.


Tea, cold-drinks, chips and some light snacks are offered by small vendors inside the garden. It's good to see dustbins installed at reachable places, which are quite helpful in keeping the place clean. Many families come to Lodhi Garden to celebrate weekend with their kids & family members. It's always really nice to see a different type of environment in the lawns of Lodhi Garden.


Delhi is extremely rich in terms of heritage and there are 3 UNESCO sites in the capital city of India. Apart from Red Fort, Qutub Minar and Humayun's tomb there are lot of other monuments to visit & explore in Delhi. Safdarjung is very special amongst them because of various reasons like it's architecture, well maintained gardens around it, it's location and a lot more which we will share through this blogpost. We will also discuss about how to reach Safdarjung Tomb from various parts of Delhi by using various transportation systems and entry ticket fees, timings etc. But more than that, we bring you some interesting secrets about Safdarjung Tomb and places around it.


Recently some of my friends had permissions to visit various monuments in Delhi to shoot Lunar Eclipse on 10th Dec, 2011. I also joined them, although all the hard-work for planning these photo-shoots, getting permissions and arranging appropriate equipments was done by other folks. All photographs shared here are not related to the project. These are some of the casual shots taken during eclipse hours on that evening...Here is one of the simple shot when eclipse just started This shot was taken around 6:35 pm on 10th Dec, 2011 !!! Usually Lunar Eclipse used to take place in January, when sky is mainly covered with clouds or fog. Since this time, it happened early, people got to see it clearly and there was huge buzz among various Photography communities.Here is one of the photograph of Humayun's tomb. It's taken with Zoon-in/Zoom-out during long-exposure. Since most of folks were busy on eclipse project and they had to spent 4 hrs at Humayun's tomb, I thought of roaming around and having some clicks of the place in this wonderful lighting, which is rare to capture. Above photograph is also a result of some of the experiments done at Humayun's Tomb, Delhi.Here are some water ponds in all four directions of Humayn's Tomb, but the one in front of entry gate is maintained well. Reflection of the main tomb was looking awesome in Eclipse hours, although above photograph failed to show the real magic... You can see the shining moon in the sky and lovely hues of sunset, when exposed this view for a long time.A similar photograph of Humayn Tomb, with some part of it being reflecting on adjoining water stream... Usually Humayun Tomb closes before Sunset, but if someone wants to have access for some specific purpose, permissions are required in advance.Relatively closer look at Lunar Eclipse through Humayun Tomb. Lunar Eclipse of 10th Dec 2011 can be seen in Photographs at http://www.examiner.com/photography-in-national/yesterday-s-total-lunar-eclipse-photos-1 as well !!!Light and colors were changing with every minute. In fact the change was very prominent for folks who were shooting moon close-ups with tele-photo lenses. After one stage, color of moon starts changing to red and again come back natural shade after few hours...Opposite side of Humayun Tomb, Delhi, INDIAThere are various photography techniques are explained on web and some of them are really technical. At the same time, some of them are really easy to get an idea about the concept and light variation trend during the eclipse hours. In my opinion, understanding the concept and applying your ideas is more important otherwise we always see similar shots on every lunar eclipse. Now many softwares even come with standard ways of capturing lunar eclipse and create single HDR or multi-exposure shots.Carrying Gorilla-pod helps in placing camera at low height, so that some of the other compositions can be tried... No doubt that sturdy and big tripods are important for such shoots but some desi fundas also work well :)Humayun Tomb is very well maintained by Archaeological Survey of India !!! ASI is is the organization to get special permissions to get entry into Humayun Tomb in odd hours. There is lot of green area around main tomb in this campus. And there is very special thing about Mughal Architecture that all four areas around a building are maintained in similar fashion. Alignments of landscapes, gardens and trees would be exactly same.During day time, entry fees for SAARC citizens is 10 Rs. SAARC includes Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives and Afghanistan... BIMSTEC Countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar also need to pay 10 Rs only. For others it's $5.This photograph would be give you a sense about it's shape and architecture. It has a square base and all four faces of Humayun Tomb look same. Theoretically it's a two storey building but height of one storey is unmatchable :) ... Whole building is made of red stone and Taj Mahal is exactly replica of this building, but in white marble...Light streaks touching ground after filtering through tree leaves around Humayun Tomb... Such photographs from early morning look stunning, as light is most favorable at that point of time of the day...Check following link on wiipedia to know more about Humayun Tomb - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomb_of_Humayun . This page has rich information about architecture of Humayun Tomb and history related to it.Humayun Tomb is also in the list of World Heritage sites maintained by UNESCO. Check out http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/232 for more details.Every other site about Delhi has special mention of Humayun Tomb, so I would not repeat all those well known facts about the place. Delhicapital.com has also written about Humayun Tomb in a well structured way... Check it out......A photographer sitting in front of main Tomb in the campus to shoot Lunar Eclipse 2011 with Humayun Tomb in foreground. These folks were sitting at same place, fiddling with camera setting to get best possible multi-exposure shots. Some of them also work on HDRs and hope to see the results soon.Some of the standard techniques of shooting Lunar Eclipses are available here - it was lovely evening with enthusiastic Photographers at Humayun Tomb !!!


India Gate is a place which I visited the most amongst all other monuments and touristy places in Delhi. and there are millions of Delhi people like me who have spent good amount of time walking around India Gate. There are lot of reasons for India Gate being so popular in many ways. One of the key reasons I think is it's accessibility in Lutyens Delhi and it's beautiful surroundings.



Many of you may know that Jama Masjid is largest mosque of India (which is controversial and you will few details below) and situated in hustle bustle of Old Delhi. You may have seen those large Eid gathering photographs of Jama Masjid and those delicious street food shops of Chandi-Chowk or Chawri Bazar but may not really know some of the lesser known facts about this mosque which is very important for religious standpoint as well as heritage & architecture. On internet, there are also claims that Jama Masjid in Delhi is largest mosque in India, and at some places the largest mosque in India is Taj-ul-Masjid in Bhopal.


Segway tours are getting quite popular across the world and especially in tourist places. Similarly there is one option in Delhi as well and they have 2 tours - Rajpath Tour and Historical Tour. The second one has been stopped because it was not feasible to conduct the tour safely because of the road conditions and the traffic patterns. Now there is only one tour available which takes you through President's house, Parliament House and the India Gate.


Few days back I wrote about top-3 not to miss places in Delhi if you have a day to explore the city and it’s heritage. After that post, some folks came back and shared some feedback which I wanted to address. Following were some points - 1. Lots of people visit the city during the weekend, so there is a good number of people who would want to explore the city in 2 days. Therefore, a little more comprehensive plan would help. 2. This post only covers heritage and architecture related options, what about people interested in other things like shopping, markets, food, street walks, nature, art & culture etc. There should be a lot more than just heritage sites in the capital city of India. 3. Metro has become one of the most important modes of commute within the city and it’s relatively cheap as well, so why not talk about a plan which can be covered well through the Metro and save 3K+ on taxi for 2 days in Delhi. There is a Metro pass available for a day. Go to Metro ticket counter and inquire.

If you are visiting Delhi first time, then (like many others) don't plan a trip to Agra for seeing Taj Mahal. I strongly believe that if you only have a weekend of so, there is lot to see in Delhi (including mini Taj in red stone) and that's the best use of your time. Now let me come to the nest part - prioritization of places to see. Delhi has lot of heritage sites and beautiful architecture to explore. But if you only have a weekend, you can't explore everything. So in my opinion, the very first thing should be 3 World Heritage Sites in Delhi - Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb and Red Fort. Now this post doesn't finish here, because I intend to share you a full day plan to visit these places along with the places where you can have your food. Let's check out this post and I hope that it helps you plan your day trip in the capital city of India - Delhi.


Last week I was out with fellow Photographers, Bloggers and Foodies to explore some of the popular eating places in Old Delhi (Chandni Chowk). During this walk we went to different places around Chandni Chowk & towards the end we also thought of going inside Fatehpuri Masjid. Chandni Chowk is just across the Red Fort. The road going from Red Fort ends at Masjid Fatehpuri. This is such a peaceful place in the middle of lot of hustle bustle of Chandni Chowk. There is a huge campus surrounded by four walls and entry gates from 3 sides.There is a very interesting history behind this mosque of old Delhi. This mosque was built in 1650 by wife of Shah Jahan, her name was Fatehpuri Begum. She belonged to Fatehpur Sikri (a place around Agra). After 1857, Britishers auctioned this mosque to a Hindu businessman Lala Chunnamal. He had bought the mosque for 19 thousand rupees and to me it sounds a lot of money at that time. And people say that Lala Chunnamal used the mosque for social causes. Later on Britishers bought it back in lie of 4 villages. This was the time when Britishers invited back the muslims to Old Delhi and renovated the mosque for the community. Tarun Gaur was with us to share all these interesting events from History of Old Delhi.This walk was planned by Desi Traveller with the help of Deba Rajpal and Tarun Gaur. There was good turnaround and all of us had lot of fun eating some of the interesting things in Old Delhi. I will be sharing another post on food we tried and some history around these food items. These food businesses are run by some specific families who came to Chandi Chowk from different parts of country. And that’s why there is a such nice mix of food from different states of India.As we entered inside Fatehpuri Mosque, we noticed these groups studying. This was first time I was seeing such interesting sessions outside television. These folks were reading something and it seemed that they were trying hard to remember what they were reading. These folks were rocking their bodies back and forth while reading.Fatehpuri Masjid is quite different from Jama Masjid. Somehow this Mosque was not as crowded as we Jama Masjid. There is a water pond in the middle of this whole compound. You can see this water pound in first photograph.In the rectangular compound the main Mosque is on one side and other three sides have beautiful arched corridors. It was a great visit to the mosque. Hopefully I will visit Fatehpuri Mosque again and spend a little more time. This time, I had to accompany the group and adhere to the schedule of the food-walk.


Long time back when started searching about Change of Guards, goolge was suggesting London or Buckinghom Palce. On searching more I got the confirmation that Change of Guards at Indian President's house is open for public on Sturdays. For a long time, the visit remained in plans till I saw the blog by Ruby Singh. So this saturday we planned to visit President's house to witness Change of Guards in morning. Since the ceremony starts at 8am sharp one needs to plan the day early. All of us were up by 5:30 and started from Noida at 6:30am. It hardly took 30 minutes to reach Rashtrapati House in morning and that gave us enough time to figure out the entry gate and car parking. We followed the road which connects India Gate to President's house. And when we reached at the entry, police directed us to Dalhousie Road and asked to enter from Gate number 37. When I talked to them, it seemed that no one at entry was very sure. They were sure of one thing that some shooting is happening so entry through gate number 2 is not possible. Anyways we headed to Gate number 37. The security man at Gate number 37 was not sure if entry would happen through this gate. So we requested to confirm so that we head towards the right entry gate. There were 5 more cars following us :). He had few calls and confirmed that entry would happen through gate number 37 and car parking is also available inside. That was a great news because finding parking in this region would be a task (because of security reasons). As we parked our car, Vibha and I were thinking about the security. No one checked our car and we were already in President's house premises. While we were discussing this, we saw these jawans going towards the ceremony ground. It was a good indication that we should walk fast as it was 7:50 already. We reached the ceremony and almost all chairs were empty. I headed to the first row and a jawan asked me to move to second row. He mentioned that first row is reserved, while there is no such thing. This is first time I experienced an Armyman cheating in front of me. Anyways, it was not a big deal so I simply moved to second row. By now, only Army band was available at the ceremony ground. And a man was describing about the whole process on loudspeaker. And then Change of Guard Ceremony started. The Army band started playing 'Saare Jahan se Achha' and these Jawans entered the ceremony ground on their magnificent horses. At the beginning of the ceremony who see so much disciplined action and feel energetic. There must be a reason why Army ensures that every Jawan is highly disciplined and energetic. Looking at their each action you feel proud. These horses are amazingly trained. All of them take position and ensure that each one is in row. While standing they hardly do any movement. A few times, you can see some movement around their neck but their legs remain at same position all the time. When we walk, each of them are in sync. I have also seen Beating the Retreat ceremony and was super impressed with camels trained for that ceremony. Guards already on duty came to foreground of Rashtrapati Bhawan and took their place. Soon after the new set of guards joined them on ground and the formalities started. All of them were walking with full energy and enthusiasm. Please note the dirt around their feet. All of them were in sync and accurate. New guards are inspected. It's hard for me to describe each and every ceremony on ground and that's the reason that you should visit Rashtrapati Bhawan on any Saturday to witness the action yourself. I was super happy to see a Photographer and Videographer who were covering the ceremony. I have never seen Army Photographer earlier and wondering what's the eligibility to become a Photographer with Indian Army :). The ceremony concluded with some interesting actions by horses. Do check out the video for full action and I found it very interesting. Some quick details - Time of Change of Guards - 8 am sharp When should one reach - By 7:30am (Reason behind this time is explained above) Nearest Metro Station to Indian President's House - Central Secretariat Car Parking around President's House - If entering from Gate-37, parking is available inside. If entering from main gate (Gate no 2, you need to park near water fountains - As per traffic police, it's allowed in morning although I was not very sure ) . Otherwise you can on the road connecting President's House with India Gate. Entry Ticket for Change of Guards - No ticket or special permission needed Documents to carry - Any valid identity proof in original form. Mom and dad moving back towards the car after witnessing Change of Guard. Selfidow or something else. Some creative suggesstions are welcome. These carved elephants caught my attention and thought of taking a quick shot. The President House has very beautiful carvings all around. While we were heading towards the car parking we noticed these folks taking some rest in shade. This was the troop, which gave charge to the new team. This is how Delhi roads look on weekend morning :) How here is a quiz for you - Which of these photographs are clicked with DSLR and Mobile Camera? Do answer through comment below (And you have to judge through visuals only). The one who answers correctly would get something interesting from Travellingcamera.com Team !!!

Qutub Minar is one of the most popular heritage compounds in Delhi and quite popular destination amongst tourists visiting Delhi. It's also a good places for local folks to spend quality time with their family & friends. Many times photographers and heritage explorers can be seen around Qutub Minar campus. This Photo Journey shares some of the special photographs from Qutub Minar campus. Reaching Qutub Minar has become pretty easy now. One can take Metro to Qutub Minar. The Qutub Minar Metro station is not close to the compound, but there are autos which drop folks from Metro to Qutub Minar and charge 10 rs each. If you don’t want to share the auto, most of the folks use meters and that’s reliable. It will not cost more than 30 Rs.Other good to way explore these beautiful monuments in Delhi are HOHO buses run by Delhi Tourism department. You can buy a daily pass and hop on/off to/from these buses at defined stations, which are usually very well located around the most popular tourist destinations in Delhi.Booking a Taxi to go to Qutub Minar from Central Delhi, East Delhi or Noida might be a bad idea because of slow traffic movement. I had gone through such experience twice and now try to use Metro, if possible.After Red Fort, Qutub Minar is most visited monuments in Delhi and one should expect lot of people inside Qutub Minar compound, even on weekdays. Apart from the main minaret, there are various architectural structures in this compound having different stories associated. There are no guides around Qutub Minar now, but you can get an audio device on rent which will keep telling you about the place. Easy to use device and have good details about various spots in Qutub Minar campus.As you walk around this huge compound, you get to see spectacular beauty of the Qutub Minar from different angles. Above photograph shows one of the views of Qutub Minar through the other structures around.It's a wonderful place for photographers because of diversified opportunities to click architecture, people, landscapes and lot more. I have been part of various photo-walks here and every time it was different experience.Tourists from different parts of the world come to Qutub Minar to witness it's grandness and know about it's history. It's really strange that we don't care much to know our own history, but things have been changing for good. There are lot of social circles which inspire folks to visit such places and know more about our heritage. Mehrauli Archeological park is another interesting place around Qutub Minar. It's awesome to see these airplanes crossing through Qutub Minar. Although there is a huge different between the top most peak of Qutub and the flight, but such views look dramatic.Qutub is the 2nd tallest minar (73 metres) in India after Fateh Burj. Qutb Minar originally is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is made of red sandstone and marble. The stairs of the tower has 379 steps, is 72.5 metres high, and has a base diameter of 14.3 metres, which narrows to 2.7 metres at the top. Construction was started in 1192 by Qutb-ud-din Aibakand was carried on by his successor, Iltutmish. Check out more about Qutub on Wikipedia His expressions explain it all about the height and grandness of Qutub Minar.



At the very heart of Delhi lies the "showpiece of Lutyen's Delhi", the business and commercial centre we know as Connaught Place or CP. The place not only houses some of the biggest names in the financial scene of the country, it is also one of the most happening places as far as restaurants, shopping options, and crowd is concerned. A favorite amongst young couples, foreign tourists, college students, and families, Connaught Place offers immense opportunity to photographers as well. Teeming with hawkers dressed in colourful traditional clothes, young and old beautiful faces, colonial architecture complete with pillars, arches, and buttresses, a photographer cannot resist the charms of CP. Portraits, architecture, candid - you name it and CP offers it. So we, armed with our Honor 5C, descended upon CP for photography on a Saturday. But we decided to add a twist to it. We went there after sunset to capture the CP of the shadows. When the crowds have dwindled, the hawkers are wrapping up their make-shift shops, and the practical jeans and t-shirt of the days are replaced by night dresses and high heels, a new CP emerges. Less "happening", but yet glamourous. Just a reminder - this series is an attempt to see if we need a DSLR camera for day-to-day photography or whether a smartphone suffices. All photographs in this post are shot using Honor 5c in CP under low-light conditions. Be it the panning shot of the auto in motion, or the dog sitting like royalty under the lamps, our phone managed to shine through. Now you can see for yourself and decide whether you need to purchase a DSLR if you don't intend to shoot like a pro, and are happy with regular shots based on a good composition. After spending some time in and around CP, we headed home. However, our explorations with Honor 5c are not over yet. Next we will head out of the city to the mountains with the smartphone that hadn't yet given us a single opportunity to complain. To find out how that goes, stay tuned.

Few weeks back, Nat Geo Moments Awards 2014 team announced an Instawalk in Delhi and Photographers were asked for share their Instagram & Twitter accounts to select 20 Photographers from the City. I also got a chance to join for this Instawalk, which happens in Mehrauli Archelogical Park in Delhi. Let's check out this Photo Journey to know more about the Instawalk and Nat Geo Moments Awards.I had also shared by Instagram account with Nat Geo team and was selected to join this Insta-walk. It sounded very exciting but at the same time I had my doubts about this Photo-walk, because I couldn't find names of photographers who definitely do great photography & my inspiration as well. Because it was about Nat Geo, I wanted to give them a benefit of doubt. One of my office friend was also joining for the walk, which was encouraging.Mehrauli Archeological Park is close to Qutub Minar Metro station, so we planned to take Metro-train from Noida to reach for Instawalk at 9:30am. Opposite to Delhi trends, Instawalk started on time and we were late by 5 minutes. But we hit the place before the first brief. Delhi Heritage Walks team was there to help every Photographer to understand the place, although most of the photographers were more interested in capturing the place well. There was negligible participation from Nat Geo. It seemed more like a promotional event by Nat Geo, wherein they wanted folks to create some buzz about #NGMA2014 through Instagram and Twitter.All of us met around Jamali Kamali Mosque and Tomb complex built in Mehrauli Archaeological Park. Jamali Kamali is one of the oldest structures in the town which is maintained by ASI. It was built around 1528 CE.Breakfast was arranged during the Instawalk. There is a green area around Jamali Kamali, which was chosen for breakfast. Food was good and I think, it was home made.Mehrauli Archaeological Park is spread over an area of around 200 acres in Delhi. This Archeological park is located just on the back side of Qutub Minar World Heritage site and the Qutb complex. This park consists of more than 100 historically significant monuments, although many of them are in ruins now. There are few interesting water bodies in this complex and most part of it is very well maintained with green patchesMehrauli Archeological Park is the only area in Delhi includes the ruins of Lal Kot built by Tomar Rajputs, which makes it the oldest extant fort of Delhi.Mehrauli Archeological park contains sites like Tomb of Balban, wherein a true arch and the true dome were built for the first time in India... and then Jamali Kamali Mosque and Tomb of Maulana Jamali Kamali (Jamali Kamboh),Quli Khan's Tomb, Jahaz Mahal, Zafar Mahal of Bahadur Shah II alias Lal Mahal, Gandhak ki Baoli, Hauz-i-Shamsi and Tomb of Adham Khan. Rajon Ki Baoli, a stepwell, and Madhi Masjid.A view of Qutub Minar from Kuli Khan Tomb. When we were roaming around this place, a bunch of folks were playing cricket in the back side of Tomb of Kuli Khan. This comparitively a smaller tomb and one needs to climb up few stairs to see it from inside. Tomb of Quli Khan, overlooking the Qutub Minar. All Instagrammers were busy in clicking photographs around the tomb and few were simultaneously posting these photographs to Instagram and Twitter. Rain had happened last night so some of us tried clicking reflections as well :).Above is a photograph of Rajaon ki Baoli, which is comparatively smaller than Gandhak ki Baoli. All this shows about rich Indian Heritage in capital city Delhi. It's a famous stepwell near Adham Khan's Tomb having multiple levels in it and one of the special places inside Mehrauli Archaeological ParkRajon Ki Baoli is also referred as 'Rajon ki Bain'. This magnificent three-storeyed stepwell is believed to have been built by Daulat Khan during the reign of Sikandar Lodi.Rajaon ki baoli is one of the highlights of Mehrauli Archaeological Park and everyone during Instawalk liked this place the most. This baoli has multiple levels and each level of the baoli exposes to visitors as one walks towards its steps. The baoli-complex has a 12-pillared tomb and a mosque with some pretty plaster decoration on it. This Instawalk was concluded here and we headed back. Now it was time for me to attend a Blogger meet at CP.


Some Experiments with old architecture of Jantar Mantar in Delhi, INDIA : Posted by VJ SHARMA on www.travellingcamera.com : Last month me and one of my friend were waiting for other folks to reach Connaught Place in Delhi and they called us to inform that all of them are arriving after 1:30 Hrs... This was good opportunity for us to explore some place nearby and decided to visit Jantar Mantar... After reaching the place I was not able to decide what should I shoot... Everywhere people were roaming and it was really difficult to find a place without people... and it was not like two or three folks.. It was huge crowd in front of each yantra @ Jantar Mantar.. So finally I decided to have some photographs which can avoid this crowd and it gave a good opportunity to place with various angles/compositions... check out and critics are welcome !!The first photograph where I wanted to have darkest possible shadows to make it look like black tiles in contact with reds and white ones.. Although it doesn't look like that... I would have to wait to click this photograph at right time but we had to move out in few hrs... Never mind, I will try it again...This time I was carrying SONY Alpha-700 and was confused with some of the controls.. Anyway that's not important... These yantras were very narrow is shape and it was difficult to fit myself for clicking these architecture forms nicely... Here is a tilted view of a semi-spherical yantra @ Jantar Mantar...All these photographs from the same yantra and it was was quite interesting... But please don't ask me about how it functions and what it is supposed to do...Stairs hidden behind these structures and everyone needs to follow them to go down and see the real work inside these yantras.. In Jantar Mantar at jaipur, everyone was not allowed to go inside these structures but in Delhi I didn't see such restrictions except one which had highest structure followed by lot of stairs....Jantar Mantar in Delhi is a very popular place among activists, social associations and artists as well... Many of the NGOs choose this place to start a rally or protest... Also many artists have explored this very well and many times Photographers have exhibited this place...A Series of small pillars taking all the weight of small paths connecting outer circle of a structure with a pole in the middle... as you can see the turning path in a circle...One of my friend called it 'Stairs of Success'.. I don't if that is the name of these stairs but like the caption :)Final Photograph showing the close-up view of this architecture which shows the age of this structure and its been repaired multiple times in past which resulted in this roughness... I am again planning to visit Jantar Mantar in Delhi and will ensure that I get full day to spend there...


When loitering around in Cannaught Place or navigating traffic on Barakhamba Road, it is difficult imagine that barely 5-minutes away, hidden amongst trees, lies the magnificient stone structure of Agrasen ki baoli. The 14th-century step well was restored by the Archaeological Survey of India in the year 2002. Now the Baoli is clean and well-maintained. We visited Agrasen ki Baoli on a humid Sunday afternoon and were expecting to find a more or less abandoned structure with may be a couple of people loitering about here and there. But we were in for a surprise. The baoli was buzzing with well-dressed, pouting, selfie-clicking youngsters. They were there in such large numbers that it was difficult to capture even a single shot without people in it. This was heartening. I don't know whether this popularity is because the Baoli was recently featured in the popular Bollywood film PK or because the Baoli is clean, litter-free and situated barely a kilometre away from the heart of the city. It may be all of these, but it is wonderful to see the hard work of the ASI bearing fruit. Usually when we head out to explore the city, we make sure that we carry a DSLR and all the required lenses, but this time we had decided to do something different. The impact of camera phones on the photography ecosystem is the hot topic for debate nowadays, and we decided to settle it with a practical. So this time instead of a DSLR, we were carrying a smartphone - Honor 5c to be precise. All the pictures that you are seeing in this post have been clicked using Honor 5c. Based on the results, we can comfortably say that for everyday non-professional use, a smartphone, if used well, can suffice. One would of course need to study all the capabilities and features of the particular smartphone camera in details to be able to use them in appropriate situations. Coming back to the Baoli, we captured the structure, the pigeons peeping out of the gaps in the walls, the contrast between the modern skyscrapers of CP and the medieval architecture of the Baoli, the people exploring the structure and a lot more. The baoli is situated in one of the lanes branching out of the very pretty Hailey road, and this lane is dotted with some very interesting grafitti. We captured some of that too. If you haven't yet seen Agrasen ki Baoli, we recommend that you should. But make sure that the day is pleasant and you have time on your hands, because there is a lot to take in at the Baoli and in the surroundings.

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How to reach Kasol/Malana and top things to do around this stunning hill-station of Himalayan State of India

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Main places to see & Top things to do around Dalhousie : Stunning Hill Station in Himalayan State of India

  Dalhousie is one of the most popular Hill Stations in Himachal  and there is lot to explore around Dalhousie. This is small and very well maintained town in Chamba region of Himachal Pradesh . This Photo Journey shares some of the exciting places around Chamba and how to plan a good one day tour through Khajjiar, Chamba & Chamera etc. CHAMERA HYDROLIC PROJECT Chamera Hydroelectric Project is located in Banikhet, 7 kms from Dalhousie. The water body near the lake is very scenic and is a popular boating spot. Chamera Dam is around 40 kilometers from Chamba Town. It takes approximately 1.5 hrs to reach the place is road condition is good. Overall it’s a little dry terrain as compared to Dalhousie and Khajjiar. And temperature also goes up as we go towards Chamera Dam.  As you move out from Chamba town, you follow Ravi river for some time and then take right. After 45 minutes of drive, you get a glimpse of Chemera Dam.