Rainy Day in Delhi: Indoor Activities & Tours — Trip Planner

When the weather turns in Delhi

Delhi's problem is less steady rain than the July or August cloudburst that drowns underpasses within minutes. The National Museum works, and the Humayun's Tomb site museum opened in 2024 is largely sunken underground and dry throughout. Select Citywalk in Saket fills an indoor afternoon. The Metro keeps running when roads do not, and Chandni Chowk's lanes flood first, so postpone them.

Delhi's museums, and which one to pick

The National Museum on Janpath shuts Mondays and gazetted holidays and charges foreigners INR 650; its Harappan rooms hold the Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-daro and a relic casket attributed to the Buddha. For twentieth-century painting, the National Gallery of Modern Art at Jaipur House has the Amrita Sher-Gil holdings. The Crafts Museum beside Purana Qila is quieter, cheaper and more tactile.

What to eat in Delhi

Old Delhi settles arguments: Karim's behind Jama Masjid for mutton burra and nihari, Paranthe Wali Gali for stuffed fried parathas, Natraj on Chandni Chowk for dahi bhalla, Kuremal for kulfi frozen inside whole fruit. South Delhi runs the other register, with butter chicken at Moti Mahal Daryaganj, chaat at Bengali Market, and momos traceable to the Tibetan colony at Majnu ka Tila.

What first-timers get wrong in Delhi

Prepaid taxi counters at the airport and railway stations exist for a reason: touts outside will tell you your hotel has burned down or closed, then offer an alternative. It is a scam with a script. Buy a Delhi Metro tourist card, INR 200 for one day or INR 500 for three. Monument ticket counters shut an hour before the site itself does.

What things cost in Delhi

Metro fares run INR 10 to 60 by distance and less again on a smart card. A thali in Karol Bagh costs INR 150 to 250, while Karim's mutton dishes sit around INR 300 to 450. Humayun's Tomb charges foreigners INR 600 against INR 40 for Indians. An autorickshaw across central Delhi is INR 80 to 150 on the meter.

When to go to Delhi

The month to avoid is July — around 34°C (93°F) with roughly 22 rain days. Prices and crowds track the weather here: February is the sweet spot, July the month most people skip.

Pack for peak season: Summer clothes, plus one light layer for air-con and evenings, Comfortable walking shoes — every guide on this site assumes you'll use them.