Stepping out of the airport for your first time in Delhi is a moment you will never forget. It is just as you hear about. It’s like a sensory lightning bolt – or some kind of sensory something! There are a few travel tips that you need to know before you make that touch down.
As soon as you get out into real life Delhi there is the roaring auto-rickshaws, vibrant colours, incredible aromas, and a historical depth that stretches back thousands of years.
Having visited India seven times now – firstly as a young backpacker with my sister and later six times as a family with Gavin and our boys – we have spent a serious amount of time navigating the capital. We even bring our custom India Group Trips through here!
Delhi often gets a bad reputation for being overwhelming or full of traps for tourists. But if you arrive prepared, it can easily become one of your favourite cities in the world.
Pulling from our experiences at Away with the Steiners, here are our top 10 survival tips for your first time in Delhi – including how to keep your wits about you and dodge the classic scams. Ready?!
1. Embrace the Chaos (You Can’t Change It!)
The absolute best advice we can give you for day one is to simply lean into it. Delhi is loud, crowded, and unapologetic. You have to just accept that! It is so (insanely) different from any city back home. But if you try to fight the rhythm of the city or get stressed by the traffic and noise, you will burn out by lunchtime.
Take a deep breath, accept (or at least acknowledge) that everything moves in a beautiful, disorganised harmony, and go with the flow.
2. Walk with Confidence
The street dynamics in India thrive on energy. If you look completely lost, hesitant, or timid, you will instantly attract every tout, souvenir seller, and rickshaw driver within a one-mile radius.
This also goes for if you look like it is your first time in Delhi! Don’t give it away.
Even if you have absolutely no idea where you are going, walk purposefully, keep your head up, and make direct eye contact. A polite but firm “Nahi, ji” (No, thank you) and a confident stride works wonders.
Fake it ‘til you make it! 🙂
3. Hire a Trusted Driver (Meet Sunny!)
Navigating Delhi’s traffic or trying to haggle with random drivers on the street can be the most exhausting part of your day. To skip that stress entirely, we always recommend getting a private, trusted driver especially for your first time in Delhi. It doesn’t have to be for your entire trip! But even just as a driver to take you around to the main sites in Delhi on your first day or two in the city. It makes a big difference.
We send all our friends, family, and Group Trip travellers to Sunny and his family.
They have a great, reliable fleet of auto-rickshaws and taxis. Plus having Sunny’s protective shield means you have a taxi to return to, no hidden detours to tourist shops, and a guaranteed fair price.
Contact Sunny
- Sunny in Delhi: +91 95997 59259
4. Understand the Different Areas to Stay In
The city is absolutely massive (obviously), and where you choose to stay for your first time in Delhi will totally change your experience.
- For Budget & Action: The Main Bazaar (Pahar Ganj) is the classic backpacker hub. It’s frantic, chaotic, and steps from the railway station. We love staying at places like Smyle Inn here, but it is high-energy. (VERY high energy!).
- For Peace & Modern Comfort: The Cantonment area or Connaught Place offer wider, greener streets and modern, Western-style hotels where you can easily retreat and rest when the city gets too loud.
- Airport Area: For our first night in Delhi, we always stay at Taurus Sarovar Portico near the airport.
5. Remember: It’s Not Just Old Delhi
When you picture Delhi, you likely think of the narrow, jam-packed spice markets of Chadni Chowk and the overcrowded streets and food stalls of Paharganj and Main Bazaar.
Albeit this is correctly pictured. But this is Old Delhi. Which is only one side to it, because remember that Delhi is actually a collection of distinct cities.
New Delhi features grand, sweeping British-era avenues, massive green parks, and high-end shopping districts that feel a world away from the crowded northern alleys.
6. Look Past the Tourist Sights
Yes, you should see the grand India Gate, the Red Fort, and the moving Gandhi Museum. But some of our favourite family memories in Delhi have happened when we stepped off the tourist trail.
Do the touristy sites for your first time in Delhi. But also (once you feel a bit Delhi-savvy) get out and just go for a walk. Head to a local park in the late afternoon to watch kids playing cricket or football, sit down at a neighbourhood street-side dhaba for a hot plate of chole bature, or visit a local temple to just have a look at daily life.
The city is incredible. 🙂
7. Dress Appropriately & Respectfully
Delhi is a modern metropolis, but it is still deeply culturally conservative. To avoid unwanted attention and to ensure you are allowed into the holy sites, you should dress modestly.
This goes for whether it is your first time in Delhi or your seventh!
- For Everyone: Keep your shoulders and knees covered.
- For Women: It is a good idea to carry a lightweight scarf or shawl in your daypack. You will need it to cover your head when entering Sikh gurdwaras or mosques, and it’s great for shielding yourself from the dust.
Read Shopping for Kurta and Clothes to Wear For Your First Time in Delhi.
8. Be Aware of Common Scams
The majority of people you meet in Delhi are incredibly warm and helpful, but tourist scams do exist. The most famous is the “Station/Hotel is Closed” scam.
Thankfully we haven’t been sucked into this one (so far!). But it is well worth knowing about as I have read some horror stories.
In this scam a driver or bystander might tell you that the train station is closed due to a festival, or that your hotel has burned down, and offer to take you to an “official government tourist office” to rebook. This is always a scam! They are taking you to commission-heavy travel agencies instead where they make a cut.
Ignore them, trust your own bookings, and rely only on a trusted driver like Sunny.
9. Stay Hydrated and Eat Smart
“Delhi Belly” is a (well-known) risk in Delhi. But it is preventable if you follow a few basic rules.
Never drink tap water – stick to sealed, bottled water (and do actually check that the cap seal is intact).
When it comes to food, look for local street vendors or restaurants that have big, fast-moving queues of locals or local families. High turnover means the food is fresh, hot, and completely safe much safer to enjoy!
10. Keep Your Wits About You (Especially at Transit Hubs)
Be extra vigilant around major transit gateways like the New Delhi Railway Station or the main metro hubs. Pickpocketing can happen in dense crowds, so keep your bags zipped up across the front of your body.
Never hand your train tickets or passport to anyone on the street who claims to be a “station official” unless you are at an official, indoor ticket counter.
But overall, the majority of people you meet in the incredibly busy city will make your first time in Delhi memorable.
Ready for Your First Time in Delhi?
Delhi can be a shock to the system at first, but it is an incredibly rewarding, historic city. You have to essentially dive right in and where it is safely possible, go with the flow. There is no fighting it or changing it!
Pack your confidence, lock in a good driver, make an outline plan to get you started and give it a chance. Enjoy Delhi!
Questions answered and ready to plan your adventure? Check out our Ultimate Golden Triangle Itinerary to see how to link Jaisalmer with Jaipur and Agra!
Do you want a good driver for your first time in Delhi? Let us know in the comments if you connect with Sunny!
Safe travels, adventurers!
Read More India Inspiration
- Our Detailed & Easy 2-Day Itinerary Of Jaipur.
- Train Travel In India.
- India Tourist e-Visa: Our Step-By-Step Guide.
- 10 Things To Do In Mumbai.
- 10 Things To Do In Kochi & Kerala.
- Best Tourist SIM Card For India.
- What To Wear In India.
- 4-Day Kochi & Kerala Itinerary.
- Travelling India By Bus: Intercity, Tourist & Sleeper Buses.
Travel Planning for India & Beyond
These are the companies we use while traveling and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. It’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally.
- 12GoAsia – Book trains anywhere in Asia through 12Go.
- Skyscanner – Our favourite flight search engine. They can search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide – A huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world. Everything from walking tours to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for short or longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home). Especially for your first time in Delhi!
Hi! I’m Sarah. I am the self-confessed dreamer, travel-schemer and the main editor behind this blog. I love to write, and it is a dream come true to share so many experiences together and inspire others in our stories.
