Delhi Shopping Tour with Female or Male Guide

Duration

5–6 hours

Starts from

Delhi

Group size

Private, up to 15

Guide

Licensed local guide

Best time to visit

October to March for comfortable walking weather. Avoid Sundays for Chandni Chowk, where most shops close. Wedding season, roughly November to February, is when the markets are liveliest.

Overview

Delhi is one of the best places in India to shop — and one of the easiest to overpay in. This private tour pairs you with a local shopping guide who knows which lane sells what, what a fair price looks like and how to bargain politely, with a private car to carry the bags between markets.

The day covers Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk and the Khari Baoli spice market, the handicraft and textile stalls of Janpath, the crafts from every Indian state at Dilli Haat, and a final stop you pick yourself: designer boutiques, fabrics and tailoring, or bargain clothing. Tell your guide what you're shopping for, and the route follows your list.

Female or male guide: you choose when you book, and both cost the same. Many solo women travellers prefer a female guide, especially for clothing, jewellery and tailoring.

Itinerary

  1. 1

    Chandni Chowk and the Spice Market

    Pickup from your hotel, then into Old Delhi. A cycle-rickshaw through Chandni Chowk, then on foot through Kinari Bazaar's wedding trims and bangles and the sacks of chillies, cardamom and saffron in Khari Baoli, the city's great wholesale spice market.

    Chandni Chowk · Khari Baoli

  2. 2

    Janpath and the Cottage Emporium

    The Central Cottage Industries Emporium on Janpath, a government-run store with fixed prices on textiles, rugs and handicrafts — a useful price check before you bargain — then the street stalls of Janpath and the Tibetan market for jewellery, shawls and embroidered bags.

    Janpath · Connaught Place

  3. 3

    Dilli Haat

    An open-air crafts market where artisans from across India run stalls in rotation: block-printed textiles, Pashmina, pottery, brassware and regional food. A good place for a late lunch.

    Dilli Haat

  4. 4

    Your Choice: Boutiques, Fabrics or Bargains

    Finish where your list takes you — Khan Market or Shahpur Jat for designer boutiques and home décor, Lajpat Nagar for fabrics and fast tailoring, or Sarojini Nagar for export-surplus clothing at bargain prices. Then back to your hotel.

    Khan Market · Lajpat Nagar · Sarojini Nagar

Frequently asked questions

Can I choose a female guide?

Yes — choose “Female shopping guide” when you book. A male guide is also available. Both cost the same, and both follow the same route.

Will the guide help me bargain?

Yes. Your guide knows typical prices, can tell you when an opening price is far too high, and can negotiate in Hindi. Fixed-price stores like the Cottage Emporium are a good benchmark first.

Do I have to buy anything, or go into shops I didn't ask for?

No. The route follows your own shopping list, and there's no obligation to buy anything anywhere. If you'd rather skip a stop, just tell your guide.

Which day is best?

Monday to Saturday. Most of Chandni Chowk closes on Sundays, and Lajpat Nagar and Sarojini Nagar close on Mondays, so your guide plans the route around your date.

Can I get clothes tailored during my stay?

Often, yes — tailors in Lajpat Nagar can stitch a simple garment in one to two days. Ask your guide early in the day so there's time for a fitting before you leave Delhi.

How should I pay at the markets?

Carry cash in small notes for street markets and Dilli Haat; emporiums, boutiques and larger stores take cards. Your guide can point you to a reliable ATM on the way.

Can my purchases be shipped home?

Many larger stores and emporiums can ship internationally. Ask the shop directly, get the shipping cost in writing and keep your receipt.

Included

  • Private female or male shopping guide (your choice) for 5–6 hours
  • Private air-conditioned car with driver
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off in Delhi
  • Cycle-rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk
  • Bottled water

Not included

  • Your purchases
  • Dilli Haat entry ticket (a small fee, paid at the gate)
  • Meals and drinks
  • Tips for your guide and driver (optional)

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Know more about this tour

Chandni Chowk was laid out in the 1650s by Jahanara, daughter of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, as the main street of his new capital Shahjahanabad, now Old Delhi. Its side lanes still specialise by trade — Kinari Bazaar for wedding trims and tinsel, Dariba Kalan for silver, and Khari Baoli, often called Asia's largest wholesale spice market. Dilli Haat, by contrast, is a modern open-air market where craftspeople from different Indian states rent stalls on rotation.